Page 40 of Revenge & Truth

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. I flipped to the live feed on my tablet and selected the camera outside the conference room. There was Boykov waiting for someone to answer and a woman right behind him with rose-gold hair.

“If only sexuality was a choice,” I lamented, then got up to answer the door.

Boykov stood there, the perfect soldier dressed in a designer suit and a frown tugging at his lips. “There’s a woman here who wishes to speak with you… said it was urgent and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Say the word and I will remove this pest from the premises.”

Ah, that’s what made Ralph all grumpy.

“Oh, darling,” Ivy cooed, stepping into view. “I have no doubt you’re as skilled as you think you are, or she wouldn’t have kept you as her bodyguard. However, let me make one thing perfectly clear… this pest will only leave when she’s damn well ready to and not a moment sooner. That, and I’d hate to embarrass you in front of your Boss when I make you cry like a little girl.”

It took everything in me not to laugh at them staring each other down like some reenactment of David and Goliath.

“Okay, you two, back to your corners. There’s gonna be no fight here today. Boykov, Ivy is a friend of mine, and I appreciate you for protecting me. Now that we have that out of the way, the next time she says it’s urgent, believe her,” I instructed before ushering Ivy in.

“Understood, Mistress,” Boykov answered, letting me know loud and clear he wasn’t at all happy about the scolding.

“You’re the best, Ralph. I don’t trust just anyone to watch my back,” I reminded him before closing the door.

Ivy stood there watching the interaction with a slight smile. “Look at you, a queen who managed to keep her soft side.”

“Only for people who put their life on the line for mine,” I clarified as we walked up to the guys now standing before the table. “Ivy, allow me to introduce you to my lieutenants, who I’m sure you’ve already looked into. Guys, this is Ivy Foxxx, the world’s most seductive spy.”

Ivy gave me a calculating look that had me questioning if I said something wrong. “Babes, you forgot to mention the most important thing…” I opened my mouth to ask, but she cut me off. “Never mind, I’ll just tell them myself since we all need to learn to get along.”

“Why?” Hound asked, watching her wearily.

“Because Astin and I are friends, and I don’t want her hiding information about me that might upset you to find out later,” Ivy answered. “She didn’t mention I’m a stripper, high-end escort, and assassin from time to time.”

“Oh, that. We already knew,” Hound said, waving it off. “I thought you were going to tell me you asked her out or planned to add yourself to our arrangement.”

Ivy took a step closer to Hound and leaned in to whisper, “I only sleep with women who pay me for my time, and trust me when I tell you that price is hefty.”

“So you’re telling us there’s nothing to worry about,” Braxton translated. “Then since we’re all being honest in the spirit of friendship, we all belong to Astin, so don’t waste your time.”

Turning, Ivy looked at me, rolling her eyes at Braxton’s declaration. “Goodness, they go from thinking I’m going to steal you away right to me stealing them from you. Thank God I found you because, darling, you’re in serious need of a female friend.”

“I believe you told Boykov you had something urgent?” I reminded her.

“Yes, yes, business first with you.” Ivy sighed, opening her purse and handing me a flash drive. “This has all the things you requested that I look into. I’ll hand it to the old man though… he had some surprises up his sleeve.”

“Yeah, his sleeve. I’m sure that’s where you found it,” Ryker muttered.

Before I could even open my mouth to chew Ryker’s ass out, Ivy was in action. In a move no one could pull off in a knee-length leather skirt, Ivy hooked her heeled foot behind Ryker’s knee and sent him crashing to the floor. Stomping her foot on the floor, a blade popped out the front of her shoe. She then placed the foot on his chest so the blade was resting against his skin, a clear warning of what would come next.

“I will say this once, you pompous prick…” Ivy seethed. “You ever make a rude, belittling comment like that about me or what I do again, I’ll slit your fucking throat, friendship be damned. Just remember I’m here right now because your Boss asked for my help, knowing full well how I work. If she doesn’t have a problem with it, then I suggest you get off your high horse and remember you’re just as dirty as me. Difference is… I’m not ashamed of what I do to get the job done.”

The anger on Ryker’s face faded as Ivy’s words hit home. I reached out and gently grasped her wrist, drawing her off him. She let me pull her back to stand next to me as Ryker got up off the floor with Jace’s help.

“Why did you just let me do that?” Ivy asked, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. “Anyone else would have shot me where I stood.”

“Anyone else would have been a man who didn’t understand what it takes to be us in this world. Plus, Ryker deserved to get the shit scared out of him for saying something that stupid,” I answered.

“Seriously, Astin,” Ryker demanded as he marched up to me. “You were going to stand there and let her slit my throat?”

“I knew she wasn’t going to hurt you. She only needed you to prove a point. Now that she’s laid out the ground rules for everyone, we shouldn’t have a problem,” I explained. “You had no right to say something like that to her, especially when she’s here handing us the missing piece to take out our biggest problem. If you agree that you overstepped, then I’d appreciate it if you apologized to my friend.”

He turned his gaze to Ivy, but she stopped him in his tracks. “If the words about to come out of your mouth aren’t something you believe, then don’t bother saying them. I’d rather you stand behind your opinion, no matter how wrong it is, than hear you say sorry and not mean a word of it.”

“You’re right, empty words are meaningless, and people shouldn’t waste their time saying them,” Ryker agreed. “What I said to you were words tainted with emotions I have to deal with and never should have been used against you. Ivy, I do sincerely apologize. This was a terrible way to start out as first impressions go, and I’d like to prove I’m not as big of an ass as I just made it seem.”