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Several times I have to stop myself from asking what’s wrong, but I assume it’s the fact that our time together is about to end.
You know what they say about making assumptions. I learn that fact very quickly after we reach Tanner’s and walk inside.
If the scene wasn’t already tense enough with everything going on with Ivy and Gabe, it’s definitely not made better when Damon’s eyes meet mine, surprise widening them before he turns his head and narrows a pissed off glare on his brother.
One second, Damon is on the couch, and the next he’s on Ezra, the crack of his fist snapping Ezra’s face to the side.
All of the guys rush to break them up as Ivy and I step back, her face stunned while tears burst from my eyes.
This is the last thing I wanted. For them to fight. For more violence to be brought into their lives because of me.
This is exactly why I walked away and why I should never have accepted their present at the engagement party. We can’t be together without it coming to this.
We can’t coexist when three hearts are involved.
“I need to go,” I breathe out as I turn to head for the door.
Ivy is fast on my heels, a hundred questions rolling off her tongue, but I don’t have it in me to answer.
All I know is I can’t watch them fight.
I can’t be the cause of it anymore.
I refuse to be the cause of the bruises, the cuts, the scars on their skin, minds and hearts.
When Ivy attempts to stop me at the door, I jerk my arm from her hand. “That’s my fault,” I explain on a rush of breath. “I need to leave.”
She nods her head, and I run off.
My time with Ezra - with both of the twins - is finally over.
It’s too bad leaving them is never peaceful.
Not when I did it in high school and not now.
Ezra
I should have seen that coming, should have known Damon would make good on his promise to fight me.
He didn’t even give me a chance to explain, just stormed forward and clocked me before I could react.
Not that I can blame him.
I would have done the same.
Unfortunately, it only drew attention to our problem. Tanner and the rest of the guys spent the next few hours eyeing us warily, the gears spinning in Tanner’s head as he put two and two together.
Thankfully, this shit with Ivy was enough of a distraction, and I sat watching them go through the documents she brought to the house while also wondering how the hell I would get her alone.
I needed to talk to her, so when the issue came up about where she would stay to hide from her dad, I was quick to offer my place.
Yes, it was to help her, but mostly to help myself.
I know I promised Emily I’d let her go, that I’d honor the deal of only one day longer, but now that the clock has run out, I can’t do what I said.
Not that I’ll feel bad about breaking the promise. That seems to be a running theme between us.
Needless to say, I was able to get Ivy alone and also convince her to help me with Emily. It’s how I ended up driving down the road with three caged chickens and a garbage bag full of feathers in the back of my Jeep.