Thirteen
“How is Ivy?” Brian asked, scanning Jack’s pale face as his partner joined him by the road.
“She’s okay.”
“How are you?”
“I’m … I don’t know,” Jack answered, his mind busy. “I have no idea. She’s so strong. I’m a coward and she’s a hero. I don’t know what to do.”
“You know what to do,” Brian countered. “You’re right about being a coward, though. That’s why you’re out here with me instead of in there making things right with her.”
Jack ran a hand through his hair, yanking on it for good measure to draw him back to reality. “How bad is her car?”
“I’m having it towed to the garage in town,” Brian replied, knowing Jack needed to talk about the investigation as a front so he could internally wrap his head around whatever went down with Ivy inside of her house. “I don’t think it’s too bad. She’s going to need a new tire and windshield … and she’ll probably need a front-end alignment … but she got off lucky.”
“Did she?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if whoever is doing this isn’t trying to kill her but scare her away from me,” Jack suggested. “Both of the shots had to come from some distance … and with a handgun … that means whoever this is has training. If they’re that good, they should be able to deliver a kill shot. They certainly wouldn’t miss twice.”
“I think there’s merit to that theory,” Brian said.
Jack nodded, relieved Brian had faith in his pronouncement.
“I also think you’re floating it because it gives you a reason not to run back to Ivy and get what you want,” Brian added.
“But … .”
Brian shook his head. “It doesn’t matter if this person is trying to kill her or not,” he said. “She could’ve died from the impact if she hit a tree. She could’ve moved her face at the last minute and took that bullet in the cheek and died in the middle of your picnic. No matter how you try to justify staying away from her, she’s a target.”
“I know.” Jack glanced back at the house, wishing Ivy would at least stand in the window so he could see her.
“Jack, you said yourself that you’re being a coward,” Brian said, choosing his words carefully. “Stop being a coward. Be a man. Go get your girl.”
Jack didn’t need to be told twice.
IVY was annoyed when she heard the insistent knocking on her front door. She tried to ignore it, visions of sinking into a steaming bath flitting through her head, but whoever was out there wasn’t leaving.
She gripped her robe against her chest, being careful it wouldn’t fly open and traumatize the person knocking, and wrenched open the door. “I’m fine. I … .”
She didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence because Jack pushed his way into her house, kicking the door shut behind him with his foot and cupping her face with his hands so he could draw her close.
“Jack, I told you that I didn’t want you to come back until you decided what you want.”
“I have decided,” Jack replied. “I decided weeks ago, but I was too scared to admit it. I don’t want to live my life afraid for one more second. I want you.”
Ivy’s heart pounded as she tried to grasp his words. “But … .”
“No. No more ‘buts.’ No more ‘what ifs.’ No more ‘we’ll make this work down the road.’ We’re making it work now. I can’t be without you. I don’t want to try. This is what I want.”
“I can’t take it if you walk away from me again.” Ivy’s eyes filled with tears. “I can’t. It’s just going to get harder every time you walk away from me and it already hurt so much I could barely breathe this time.”
“I won’t walk away,” Jack promised. “I can’t because it hurts too much to be away from you. I want to be with you.”
“You say that now. What happens when you decide you need to protect me again?”
“Then we’re going to fight,” Jack said, rubbing his thumb against Ivy’s cheek. “It’s a good thing we’re both good at it.”
“What happens when you decide you have to leave me for my own good?” Ivy almost choked on the words.
“That won’t happen again,” Jack said. “I can’t be away from you for my own good. I … ache … when I’m away from you. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry for making you doubt me – and yourself – by being an idiot. I won’t do it again. Please … give me one more chance.”
“I … .” Ivy pressed her lips together, unsure. Her head was telling her to kick him out because he would hurt her again. The next time she might not be able to recover. Her heart, though, that was a different story. “If you try to leave me again I’ll hunt you down and kill you.”
Jack laughed as he pulled her closer. “Right back at you.” He didn’t give her a chance to argue … or change her mind. He slammed his mouth against hers, need overwhelming him. He lifted her off the ground, holding her flush against his chest with one arm as he double-checked to make sure the door was locked with his free hand. Then he walked down the hallway, not stopping until he reached her bedroom.
He knew with absolute certainty that he would never walk away from her again. Now it was time to get everything he ever wanted and prove to her that he could be everything she would ever need.
“THAT WAS … pretty interesting,” Ivy said, brushing her hair away from her face as she rested her chin on Jack’s bare chest an hour later. “I … .”
Jack slapped his hand over her mouth. “This is not a time for talking, honey.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes and pushed his hand away. “Excuse me, but did you just tell me to shut up?”
“No,” Jack said, tracing lazy circles
