Page 34 of Recovering Ivy (Red Team #4)

Ivy

“I promise I won’t have a freak-out this time,” I joked as I joined Violet and Olivia in Jasmin’s living room.

It had been nearly eight-bliss-filled weeks since the argument in Zane’s living room.

Eight weeks of living on cloud nine. Fifty-six days of loving Zane.

He’d been true to his word and had been patient with me.

When my insecurities bubbled to the surface, we worked through them.

Together. He never allowed me to retreat or run.

And in return he repeatedly told me, I calmed the ache in his soul.

He smiled more, laughed more, he looked happy.

“Lunch date, take two.” Olivia laughed and gave me a hug.

“You didn’t freak out. You just didn’t let the big baboon walk all over you.

Though I have to say, now that I’ve seen the way Zane is with you I kinda, almost, feel bad calling him an overgrown primate.

Not really, but maybe a little. I mean, he still calls me Miss Loose Lips, so I get to return the favor and call him a hairy beast,” Violet told me.

“Well, he is a beast, thankfully not hairy. And there are parts of him that are overgrown, I’ll give you that,” I returned.

Jasmin made a gagging sound, triggering a round of laughter. “Gross. I get it, he’s hot. But he’s my brother-in-law and gross, just gross.” She looked around and with a conspiratory whisper added. “But those Parker – Lewis brothers got lucky in that department, didn’t they?”

“I’d say we got lucky,” I answered.

“You can say that again.”

“Say what again?” Linc asked, walking into the room.

“Nothing. You leaving now?” Jasmin asked.

“I’d say it’s not nothing the way your face is the shade of a beet.”

“Whatever. Don’t you need to go to the office?”

“I won’t be long, an hour tops. Goldsborough and the DA want to go over the evidence one more time.” Linc walked to Jasmin and planted a smoldering kiss on her lips. “Don’t have those babies until I get back.”

“Sheesh, we still have like three more weeks.”

“Ladies. Have a good lunch.” Linc ignored Jasmin’s grouch and walked to the door. “Please don’t let her do anything crazy.”

“Damn. We were planning on table dancing today!” Violet yelled at Linc’s back as he closed the door.

“Alright, now that he’s gone, what’s happening at the office? I swear, he won’t tell me anything.” Jasmin scooted back on the couch and tried to get comfortable.

She was adorable, not that I would tell her that. Even pregnant and the woman still scared the hell out of me. Over the last two months I’d heard story after story about how badass she was. But she looked like a Barbie doll with a huge stomach. I didn’t know skin could stretch like that .

“Nothing really. Colin is still back and forth to DC. I think Erin has a new call sign, Super-Pain-In-The-Ass. That’s been upgraded from Pain-In-The-Ass over the last week. She’s ditched her detail three times in seven days. The President is ready to go nuclear,” I told her.

“She won’t return any of my calls.” Olivia’s smile faded, and sadness laced her tone.

“She’s my best friend and refuses to speak to me.

I think it’s payback for when I was… you know, before I was taken, I was drinking all the time.

Erin tried to reach out and stop me, but I wasn’t ready to listen.

Both the stupidest and best thing I ever did. ”

“What do you mean?” I inquired.

“Stupid because I was behaving like a spoiled bitch and putting myself in danger. But if I hadn’t gone through what I had, I wouldn’t have met Leo.

He’s the best decision I ever made.” Olivia’s hands went to her belly and I wondered if she realized what she’d done.

She, too, had a baby bump, only hers was small in comparison to Jasmin.

“Declan had an op in Bangladesh,” Violet informed Jasmin. “Some rich businessman wanted a guard. From what Jaxon and Dec said, the man paid a whack, too.”

“He did. It was absurd, but Zane was happy. He said with the man’s contract alone he could cover payroll for six months.” Not that Zane’s business was hurting for money, but he was smiling the day he gave me the check to deposit.

Rena had decided to cut back on hours to spend more time with her family and I’d been slowly taking over some of her duties.

Well, the ones that didn’t include being Zane’s assistant.

We were finding a healthy balance. He tried to bark orders and boss me around, and I told him where he could shove it.

If the smile, dimples included, was anything to go by I’d say it was working well .

“Linc told me that Z looks happy.” Jasmin pinned me with her gaze. “I’m glad. After everything he’s been through, he deserves it.”

“I hope he is. But everything is still new; it’s only been a few months. I’m still a little worried he’ll get sick of my shit. He tells me every day I have a problem following orders. But I’m getting better.”

“The last thing that man needs is a woman who follows orders. He needs an equal. And he’s found that in you.” A sly smile played on Jasmin’s lips. “Give him hell.”

“Let’s eat. I’m starving,” Olivia said. “By the time I have this baby, I’m gonna look like I’m having triplets.”

We made our way to the kitchen where Jasmin had more food than necessary spread over the island.

“Damn, this kitchen is huge,” I commented.

“Yeah. It’s a little big. This house used to be a duplex.

It belonged to Zane. I lived on one side and when Lincoln moved back here, he lived on the other side.

Once we finally sorted our shit and I got my memory back, Zane had the wall in the middle opened up and made it into one big house.

The kitchen was the only snafu . It was easier to make one huge space than replumb,” Jasmin explained.

“Anyway, after the work was complete, Zane signed the house over to us as a wedding present.”

“Over the top bastard,” Violet muttered.

“It’s awesome.” I looked around the area trying to find where the house was split in two but couldn’t see it. The space was open, one room flowing to the next. I’d never seen a kitchen this big before, not even Zane’s was this large.

“Sure, if you like to cook. I’m more of a takeout kinda girl.” She laughed and gestured to the containers in front of her .

“Speaking of weddings,” Violet cut in. “Jaxon and I set a date. Next weekend.”

“Next weekend?” Olivia laughed.

“Yep. In our backyard. Jax’s parents and brother are flying out. We have everything set up, small, family only. It will be perfect.”

Violet’s smile was infectious, I couldn’t help but return her happiness.

“That is so awesome. I can’t wait to see pictures. I bet it will be beautiful,” I told her.

“Pictures? You’ll be there. Right?”

“You said family,” I reminded her.

“You are family. The whole team will be there.”

“I just assumed…”

“We are family, Ivy.”

“I’ve never had this. Thank you,” I whispered.

I tried to hold the tears back. The first time I’d met Violet and Olivia I flipped out and turned into a crazy person, now I was crying. Great. They really were going to think I’m a few fries short of a Happy Meal.

“Well, you have it now.” She graciously didn’t comment as I swiped my eyes. “And in other top-secret news, I’m officially off birth control. Jax wants to start a family right away.”

“Oh my God. That is so awesome. You won’t be far behind me and Jas. Now we just have to get Zane to jump on the baby train.” Olivia winked.

“Zane’s ready,” I blurted.

“What?” Jasmin turned to me, her face had turned to stone.

“Um…”

“Zane wants kids?”

“Well, that’s what he said,” I rushed out. “But we haven’t talked about it again. Maybe he was caught up in the moment.”

“Z doesn’t get caught up in the moment.” Her eyes narrowed. “Do you want children?”

“I never thought I did until I met Zane. It’s not like I had the best role model and I was always too afraid to hope. So I pushed it out of my head and tried to convince myself I was alright with my decision. But, yes, I want to give Zane all the babies he wants.”

“Thank you.” Her mask slipped away, and she looked almost sad. “Thank you for bringing him back to us. I never thought I’d see him happy. Thank you for loving him.”

“He’s easy to love.” I looked away, not comfortable with the emotions I was sharing.

“As if.” Violet chuckled. “No part of Zane Lewis is easy. He’s prickly, grumpy, and downright irritable with everyone but you.

No one knows the Zane you know, and that’s the way it should be.

We all know deep down he is a good man, but he refuses to allow anyone to see the side he shows you.

I’m not talking bad about him, I only want you to understand what you mean to him. ”

I thought about what Violet said. Zane was prickly and bossy and he did hold himself back from everyone else, which was a travesty because the type of man Zane was should’ve been praised, not hidden away.

Over the last few months I’d learned so much about Zane, but what stood out the most was his generosity.

He shouldered the burden so others around him wouldn’t have to.

He gave his time to his men even if he pretended it was hardship.

He gave advice, he listened, and he meddled when he knew one of them needed a push in the right direction.

Above all that, his kindness extended tenfold to me.

He was patient with me in a way no other person had ever been.

When he sensed I was drawing into myself or something was too much, he brought me back around and pulled me from the darkness.

He gave me an escape from the demons that had haunted me my entire life.

We’d shared eight Sunday morning breakfasts.

Based on how we’d met and his aversion to the meal, it was eight more than I ever thought we’d have.

During those mornings he told me stories about his childhood and all the shenanigans him and Linc got into.

Even then, as a child, Zane had looked after his mom and brother.

He’d learned responsibility early in life and along with that came loyalty, commitment, and honor.

But you’d never hear him admit it. His ego was the size of Texas when it came to his abilities on the battlefield, yet he remained humble about his devotion and caring toward his family and team.

Everyone knew him to be menacing and deadly. I knew him to be loving and gentle.

The next few hours were spent eating and gossiping.

Communing with my new sisters felt good, a feeling I never wanted to go away.

Something else Zane had given me was the courage to accept friendship.

Sure, I still had my doubts, only now they were in a faraway place in the back of my mind and I knew when they tried to break free, I was strong enough not to believe the ugly lies my mother had taught me.

When it was time to say goodbye, I was anxious to get home to Zane. As much fun as I’d had with the girls, I missed being at home with him.

I got in his Rover and sent Zane a text I was on my way home.

I was now driving his very expensive SUV while he drove his ’66 Chevy Nova if we were going somewhere separately, which was rare considering Sarah had up and vanished.

I knew she’d slithered away back to Florida.

My mother did what she had always done, popped up, spewed her vile poison, then when she thought she brought me low and had me hating myself, she walked away.

Story of my life.

Correction, story of my old life.