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Carlo’s entire face lit up. “Oh, that’s wonderful news.” He looked at me again and I got the feeling that if it weren’t for the huge man behind me, emanating menace, Carlo might try to kiss me, he was that relieved. “I’ve tried my best, but…” He shrugged.

His best wasn’t very good. I didn’t say so. I was going to be marrying Tomas, but I had no doubt that the blood members of the family came first. That’s how it always was.

Still, as I turned in place, looking around the conservatory, I knew my life could be worse. When I had turned all the way to behind me, I tilted my head to look up at the huge man towering over me, staring down at me. There was a look in his eyes that sent a shiver down my back and made my insides tighten as warmth bloomed between my thighs.

Yes, it could be much worse.

Maybe I shouldn’t be too hasty about trying to escape.

Fixing up the conservatory would give me a project to take up my time, to learn the family and the routines, to find the escape routes, and would lull everyone into thinking that I was content here. There was no rush. Rushing was what got me caught and spanked.

I tilted my head back and met Tomas’ gaze.

No, no rush at all.

Chapter Sixteen

Tomas

Ivy was quiet through dinner. Almost as quiet as me. While she willingly answered any questions that were put to her, she didn’t ask any that weren’t about the conservatory – all of which were directed to Carlo. After a glare from me, he did his best to answer her, but it was clear he had not paid much attention to the plants under his charge.

I couldn’t blame him. Nor did it really bother me. The worse off the conservatory was, the more work and time Ivy was going to have to put into it. From watching Hailey and Clara, I knew that giving them projects dear to their hearts were a large part of what had made them content with their positions.

That and falling in love with their husbands.

Obviously, that wouldn’t happen for Ivy, but at the very least she could have something that she clearly loved to keep her busy. She loved the conservatory. Wanted to fix it and bring it back to life. That should keep her here if worry about danger to her own life didn’t do it – and I had my doubts about her sense of self-preservation from what I’d already seen of her.

After dinner, I escorted her up to her room. Aunt Serena gave me the gimlet eye as we left the dining room, and I nodded at her. Jack leaned over to say something to her too and she relaxed.

I’d promised not to share Ivy’s bed tonight, and I meant to hold to that promise.

That didn’t mean that we couldn’t enjoy the night before our wedding a bit. As much as she’d liked the conservatory and even though I didn’t think she had an easy route of escape anywhere, I was going to make sure of it. She couldn’t run if she was too exhausted to move.

When we got to her bedroom, I closed the door behind us and Ivy frowned up at me. I locked the door, the sound loud and obvious.

“What are you doing?” She put her hands on her hips. “You’re not supposed to be in here. Hailey told me.”

I chuckled.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, little flower?” I moved away from the door, taking a step toward her, and she took a step back. “I won’t be sleeping here tonight, I’m just here to get you ready for bed.”

“I can get myself ready for bed!” Her annoyance at my presence and her desire to have me gone only made me more determined to stay.

“Go ahead.” I gestured at the dresser, which I knew my Aunt would already have stocked with at least a few things in Ivy’s size for her to wear.

Pressing her lips together, Ivy stomped over to the dresser. Stepping back so I could lean against the door frame, I watched her. I wanted to see what she would do to get herself ready when she wasn’t relying on me to do everything for her and she wasn’t tied up with rope. I thrust my hand into my pocket and fingered the much shorter length of rope that I currently had there.

It could wait.

She did her best to ignore me as she got herself ready, but she wasn’t entirely successful.

I very much doubted she often bent over in such a manner, with her ass pointed directly at the only other person in the room, to put on her underwear. Personally, I was rather amused that she’d decided to put them on. It wasn’t as though she was going to be wearing them for long. But she might as well enjoy them while she could.

The silky white nightgown that had been provided for her did very little to cover her body, so I was relieved that my aunt had also provided a dressing gown to go over it for her walk down the hallway to the bathroom. I did allow Ivy to close the door, but only once I was inside.

She could have privacy from the rest of the family. Not from me. And not just because I enjoyed the frustrated growling sound she made. When she glared at me, I pointedly looked at the very large, normal-size window that could easily be climbed through. Huffing, she looked away and went back to pretending I wasn’t there as she did her business.

My Aunt, ever the forward thinker, had provided a toothbrush, face wash, and all the other necessary things a young lady might want to wash up.