Hannah leans forward, her gaze fierce. “That’s why you don’t go empty-handed. That’s why you go with leverage.”
14
IVORY
The elevator humsbeneath my feet as we climb to where my father waits; the low mechanical vibration settles somewhere deep in my chest. I stare at the glowing numbers above the doors as they climb higher and higher, each one tightening the knot that’s formed in the pit of my stomach. I look down and see my hands shaking. That is, until Hudson’s fingers slide between mine, anchoring me back into my body.
He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. His thumb brushes the back of my hand in slow, steady strokes, a silent promise that he’s here, that I’m not walking into this alone. I take a deep breath, then another, trying to match the rhythm of his touch.
“I hope this is going to work,” I whisper, barely audible over the soft whir of the elevator cables.
“It will,” he says, voice low, steady. “And even if it doesn’t, I’m not letting anything happen to you.”
I nod, but the fear coils even tighter in my ribs. Hannah’s plan is smart… terrifying, but smart. And it’s the only reason I’m standing here instead of running as far from this hotel as humanly possible. If everything goes right, we’ll walk out of herein one piece. If it goes wrong… I don’t let myself finish that thought.
The elevator slows. My pulse spikes. Hudson gives my hand one last firm squeeze, grounding me.
The doors slide open.
When we walk into my parents’ suite, he’s standing there waiting. His expression hits me like a slap; fury, disbelief, and something darker simmering beneath the surface. His jaw is clenched so tight I can see the muscle ticking. His eyes flick to Hudson, then to our joined hands, and his face goes red.
“What the fuck is going on here? Where the hell have you been, young lady?” he snaps, voice echoing through the marble foyer of the penthouse. “You disappear for days, and this is how you show up? With him?”
Hudson shifts slightly, positioning himself half a step in front of me. My father notices, making him even angrier.
“Get your hand off her,” he barks at Hudson. “Now.”
I squeeze Hudson’s fingers before he can react. “No,” I say, stepping forward. “We’re not doing this. Not today.”
My father’s eyes narrow. “Excuse me? What did you just say?”
I swallow hard, but I don’t back down. Not this time. “You heard me. I’m not here to be yelled at or controlled. I’m here because I have something to say, and you’re going to listen.”
He laughs, and it’s a short, cruel sound. “You think you can walk in here with demands? You think you can embarrass this family parading around with…”
“Stop.” My voice cracks like a whip, surprising even me. “Just stop.”
My mother appears behind him, wringing her hands, eyes moving back and forth between us. “Ivory, sweetheart, maybe we should all sit…”
“No,” I say again, even stronger this time. “I’m done sitting. I’m done pretending. I’m done letting you decide every part of my life.”
My father steps closer, towering over me, but I stand my ground, don’t move. Hudson stays right behind me, a solid wall of heat and quiet strength.
“What exactly do you think you’re done with?” my father growls.
“Everything,” I say. “I’m done being your property, living by your rules. I’m done being miserable. I’m done pretending I don’t love him.”
The words roll off my tongue before I can stop them, hanging in the air like a live wire. My mother gasps. My father’s face goes expressionless, then twists into something ugly.
“What do you know about love?” he spits. “You’re a child playing house with a man who wants something from you. You’re an easy lay, somewhere he can get his dick wet. Don’t be naive, Ivory.”
I can feel something shift in Hudson, and I know if he could get his hands on my father, he’d kill him.
“I know exactly what love is,” I say, voice shaking but sure. “This is the first time in my life I’ve felt safe. It’s the first time I’ve felt seen. And I’m not giving that up because you don’t approve or allow it.”
My father looks back at me, then bursts out laughing, sounding colder this time. “You think you can turn around and walk your ass out of here, choose him over your family and there be no consequences?”
“Yes,” I say. “I do.”
