Page 4 of Beautifully Broken

Ezra

Blood.

That's all I see as I look down at my precious Ivy and I can’t help but smile.

Her dark green eyes look as if she wants to commit murder against a ghost, and I can’t seem to feel anything but pride because that means I was successful.

Should I have waited until she was released from the hospital to make my grand entrance? Yes. But the moment I heard she had copious amounts of drugs in her system, all I saw was red.

And now that she’s awake, that's still all I see, but not for the same reason I did hours ago.

The moment her eyes locked with mine and her fist connected with my face, anger was the last emotion coursing through my body. It was pride that she finally used the power I have always seen inside her, shining bright and prevalent.

As another drop of blood from my nose lands on her pale white skin, I make no move to step away. Instead, I stand there, allowing the proof of her vengeance for my wrongdoings a decade ago to continue dripping off my face.

Blaire’s fist raises again and without breaking her gaze, my hand moves to hers, holding it against the bed. “I think you’ve more than proven your point, Ivy. How about you open that beautiful mouth of yours and speak?”

Her brows furrow as she tries to slide her arm from beneath mine, but I don’t let her. “Let go of me, Ezra.”

A chill runs down my spine at the sound of my name in her melodic voice.

Yes, I am fucking obsessed with the beautiful, blonde-haired, green-eyed keeper of my black soul. I don’t care.

“Not a chance. Now, would you like to try to use your words? ”

I wait, my hand still resting on her arm, but when she says nothing, I reach my leg back and drag the chair behind me to sit down.

“Okay. That’s fine. I’ll do all the talking.

” Keeping one tattooed hand on her arm, my other rubbing my chin, I sigh and continue.

“Let's start with, hello, my dear Ivy. I know you’ve missed me and you’re probably wondering why I am showing my face after all these years, but that isn’t important.

I just have a few questions for you, and if you answer them, I will answer every one of yours. ”

She opens her mouth to speak, but I put my finger up and stop her.

“Don’t. I can see the sass and attitude coming from a mile away.

I am not the man you once knew. I’ve seen things that would make your heart stop beating in terror.

And I know you want answers as to why I disappeared, but I cannot give them to you until you answer mine. ”

I wait for the retort, but it doesn’t come. Instead, an expression that breaks my cold heart hits me like a fucking bullet and all I want to do is take her into my arms. But I can’t. Not yet.

Do not let her see the true you. It's not safe. Not yet. Not until you know.

“Ezra. W-What are you doing here?”

Blaire’s voice cracks. A tear that I don’t think she notices falls down her face, and my vision turns murderous.

I hurt her. I left her. Someone hurt her because I wasn’t there to protect her.

I allow myself a moment to feel every emotion in her pained voice. But only for a second. I cannot let myself go down that long, dark path. Now is not the time to break right when she needs me the most. Even if she doesn’t feel the same way…yet.

“Ivy—”

Her nose scrunches and her lips purse. “My name is Blaire.”

That damn attitude.

“I’m afraid you’re mistaken. You are and will always be Ivy to me.”

Blaire sits up straight, and I allow her to have control of her arm again. And because I am a glutton for the consequences of my own actions, I move my hand to rest on her blanket-covered leg. The carnal urge to touch her overwhelms every sense of my being .

Her gaze darts down to my hand and I think she is going to push me away, but she doesn’t.

Tilting her head back, I can see exhaustion threatening to consume her fragile body, but I don’t focus on that too long when I see scarring around her neck.

What the fuck?

I am about to ask when her head tilts back down, her murderous glare meeting mine.

Slow. Do not scare her. She will only make this transition harder if you are a demanding asshole, Ezra.

“I have no idea what the hell happened when everything went black. I have a million questions. And not caring if I sound like the biggest bitch alive, I don’t have time for this.

You left me after promising me you would get me out of that hellhole.

You left me alone with Carson who—” She cuts herself off and takes a deep breath.

Continue the sentence, Ivy. Tell me what that waste of space piece of shit did. His death will already be a slow, demonic burn, because there is no limit to darkness when you are already bathed in pitch black.

I sit up in the chair and lean into her space, her eyes never leaving mine as if she needs to track every moment.

Shaking her head, she looks over my shoulder for a moment, lost in thought, before returning her attention to me.

Her expression, unbothered and emotionless.

“Nevermind. I’m not going there, but it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is you either tell me why you are here and stop acting like you are running the show.

Or get out. I didn’t leave for a decade.

You did. You should be the one groveling on your knees, not making demands. ”

A smirk spreads across my face as my mind wanders to places highly inappropriate for this setting. Not that I would care. If I want to fuck the girl who has never left my mind for a single second, I goddamn will. No matter the time or location.

Except right now is not the time or location, dumbass.

“Ivy—”

“Blaire.”

My hand squeezes her knee and she jumps. “Ivy. I promise I will explain everything, but not here. Now stop being a damn brat and let me ask you a few questions so we can get the hell out of here.”

A laugh escapes her and it's anything but comical. Her hands move to her dirty blonde hair, adjusting the messy knot atop her head. “Did you hit your head somewhere along the way between here and reality? Because you must be concussed if you think I am going anywhere with you.”

She mutters something under her breath, but I don’t catch it. I don’t need to because, within seconds, I’m inches from her face, my hand moving to cup her jaw.

My thumb brushes against her cheek as her eyes go wide.

“Ivy. I will say this once and only once. I left you and that will forever be my greatest regret, but I will spend the rest of eternity making it up to you. Because once upon a broken road, you infiltrated my heart and wrapped ivy tightly around it. You are mine Blaire “Ivy” Wilson, and it’s time I show you what a life of protection and happiness looks like. ”

As the words leave my mouth, her lashes flutter against mine. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself, and I press a gentle kiss to her lips.

I’m so sorry I left, baby. If I could have stayed, I would have. But the devil inside my veins called to me in a way that fried every cell in my brain, taking away every ounce of rational thinking.

I desperately want to say the words right on the edge of my tongue. But I can’t. Not without letting my guilt and grief consume me, making me vulnerable and unable to keep my girl safe.

The silence and peace are soon interrupted when the door swings open, slamming against the wall, and Blaire goes limp.

Monitors scream and nurses come flying in, only to skid to a halt when they see a man pointing a gun in my direction.

Subtly, I shift my body to cover Ivy and smile at the intruder who dares to interrupt this beautiful reunion. “Hello Tank. It’s not a pleasure to see your ugly face. How can I help you die today?” A laugh escapes me, and I continue, “Sorry, I meant to say goodbye. ”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I draw my gun out of the back of my pants and aim the barrel in his direction, not wasting a second before sending the bullet flying straight in between his eyes.

His body hits the ground with a thud as nurses scream in the background. But I can’t be bothered.

Turning my attention back to an unconscious Blaire, I yell, “DOC. Get your ass in here and save my girl before your nurses will need two body bags instead of one!”

My thumb brushes against her pale cheek. “Come back to me, Ivy. We are just getting started.”