“Now is so not the time, Vi, but I’m glad to see there’s still some fire left in you.”
Blaze walks back into the kitchen and meets my eyes. “It’s time to go.”
His eyes give away everything he doesn’t want to say and I know Julian is already on his way. He won’t give Ivy up without a fight, but neither will I.
“You got a back entrance?” Chance asks Vernon and he nods, pointing over his shoulder.
“Over that way.”
Blaze pulls his phone out and calls Smith, telling him to bring the van around the back. When he hangs up, he turns back to us.
“Just wait here a second. I’m gonna go make sure our friends out front aren’t causing any trouble.”
Ivy starts trembling in my arms and I rub my hand over her skin, trying to calm her down. “You doing okay?”
“I just want to get out of here,” she whispers. Chance meets my gaze, offering me a reassuring smile but I can’t bring myself to reciprocate. Ivy might be here right now but she’s not safe. Not until Julian is behind bars and out of her life for good.
“Let’s go, y’all,” Blaze calls, marching through the kitchen again with Logan on his heels. We follow them to the back entrance where Smith has the van parked. I help Ivy inside first before climbing in after her and Chance tosses his keys to Storm.
“Drive my truck for me, yeah?”
Logan nods. “Yeah, you got it.”
As the van door slides shut, I wrap my arms around Ivy again. “Let’s get you home.”
“Yeah,” she whispers, her voice sounding hollow and my heart wrenches in my chest. She’s never going to be the same.
We’re all quiet on the drive back to the clubhouse with Chance watching out the window for any sign of trouble and me focusing on Ivy, who is finally starting to calm down. When we pull into the parking lot, Chance’s phone rings.
“Yeah, Boss,” he says and after a second, his gaze flicks over to me. “Okay, I’ll let her know.”
“What is it?” I ask as soon as he hangs up and he sighs, looking over at Ivy.
“Rodriguez called Blaze to warn him Julian is on his way here with the police. He told them we kidnapped you, Ivy.”
Ivy’s eyes widen and she shakes her head. “He’s going to take me back?”
“Hey,” Chance whispers, grabbing her hand. “That’s not going to happen. He can’t force you to go anywhere, Darlin’. When the police get here, just tell them the truth, okay?”
She shakes her head, her gray gaze filling with panic as she glances out the window of the van before looking back to me. “I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can, Vi. You are strong and you have this entire club at your back. No one is going to let anything bad happen to you.”
After studying me for a moment, she nods and the sound of sirens fill the air.
“Showtime,” Chance whispers, sliding the van door open and I grab Ivy’s hand as we step out of the van and walk around to the front. I sense more than see the guys fanning out behind me and I feel so incredibly blessed to have them all. I’m sure it’s an interesting picture – Ivy and I standing here with all these bikers at our back as police cars race into the lot with red and blue lights bouncing off the clubhouse.
Ivy starts shaking and her breathing stutters. “I’m scared, Car.”
“I’ve got you,” I whisper the same words Chance says to me anytime the fear starts to win and feel his gentle touch on my back. My heart races and a familiar panic tickles my throat but, in a way, I’ve never felt stronger. Maybe it’s just because Ivy needs me right now, but I’ll take it.
The cars screech to a stop and police officers file out, some with their hands on their guns, others watching us curiously.
“My name is Officer Brooks. We’re here about a woman named Ivy Mills,” one officer says, stepping forward and Ivy raises her hand.
“That’s me.”
“Are you okay, ma’am?” he asks and Ivy nods.
“Yes.”
“We have reports that you were kidnapped from a restaurant.”
Before she can say anything, a car door slams and Julian runs through the patrol cars toward us. She instinctively takes a step back, but I squeeze her hand, standing strong as I stare him down.
“Ivy,” he calls and her hand starts shaking again. An officer holds his arm out, stopping Julian before he can get too close. “It’s okay, baby. I’m here.”
“Ma’am, can you tell us what happened?” Brooks asks and Ivy opens her mouth before snapping it shut again, her gaze glued to Julian. She’s so pale and I know all too well the fear coursing through her veins right now.
Come on, Vi.
You can do this.
“You’re safe now, sweetheart. I promise I’ll protect you from these people,” Julian says, opening his arms wide. To anyone else, maybe he looks like a worried fiancé, but I see past the façade – I always have.
“Miss Mills, I need you to straighten this out.”
Ivy shakes her head and looks up at Officer Brooks. I squeeze her hand again and she peeks over at me before sucking in a breath. “I wasn’t kidnapped.”
“Ivy!” Julian screams, anger making his mask slip for a second before he regains himself. “Tell the truth, baby.”
“That man is my fiancé… or ex fiancé. I left him and my sister and her boyfriend came to get me from the restaurant. I’m so sorry for any trouble this has caused y’all.”
“Motherfucker,” Julian hisses, slamming the door of one of the patrol cars closed and Brooks flicks an annoyed glance over his shoulder. It’s clear he’s not buying Julian’s story anymore.
“Where did you get that bruise, Darlin’?” he asks, pointing to Ivy’s cheek and she raises a shaky hand to cover it.
“Oh, I’m just a klutz, you know.”
Damn it.
He sighs, his lips pressing into a thin line. It’s domestic violence excuse number one and he doesn’t believe it for a second but if Ivy refuses to tell the truth, his hands are tied. He studies her for a moment before reaching in his pocket and pulling out a business card.
“My number is on there and you can call me anytime. I’d like to talk to you again in a few days. Would that be okay?”
Ivy stares down at the card for a moment before nodding. “I’ll think about it.”
“Ma’am,” he sighs, his gaze roaming her body like he’s checking for more bruises. “If someone hurt you, you have to tell us so we can help you. They could hurt you or someone else if you let them get away with it.”
The intent behind his words is clear and I’m glad there is someone taking this seriously. Ivy nods.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He sighs again, giving up since it’s clear Ivy won’t be talking about any of this today. I don’t blame her, though. She literally just escaped from Julian minutes ago and she needs time to process. Officer Brooks turns away and as he walks back to his patrol car, I meet Julian’s gaze across the lot. With just a look, one thing is clear.
This isn’t over.