VOID
Adrenaline spikes, not only because Ivy has taken off believing this is from me, but because it’s obviously another package from the same assholes who are targeting me, and now they’re coming for Ivy.
“Voltage, grab the heart and do some testing. You and Nerve do whatever you need to do to figure out who it belongs to,” Nycto calls out, then turns to me. “Void, you need to get your head in the game right now.”
“This is from the same people who are targeting me, I’m sure of it.”
“It’s a threat… a warning. You need to take Ivy and go to a safe house. Talk to Demon from Savannah, use theirs, it’s far enough away to get you out of town for a while. It’s between Savannah and Tampa, so if you meet any shit, either of the clubs can come to you. Both of you are obviously not safe here.”
I roll my shoulders. “Yeah, just gotta convince Ivy.”
“First step is telling her you didn’t send it. After that, it should be easy, brother.”
I grip his shoulder, then spin, taking off for the stairs.
“Someone get Dash on the line, make sure he’s okay,” I hear Nycto call out as I run down the stairs.
Ivy’s sobs echo through the Bricking Room as I enter, and it rips my heart apart because she assumes I could betray her like that, but also because she’s that bent up over Dash.
It stings.
But I have to accept, in some way, she cares about him.
As I walk to her room, her eyes lift to meet mine, and she curls up her lip. Instantly, she hurtles one of her calming candles at me. I swerve out of the way when she unleashes it at me.
“How could you, you sonofabitch? Dash was my friend! I get you’re jealous that he has feelings for me, but killing him and sending me his heart? What in the actual fuck were you thinking? You egotistical, maniacal, fucked-up coward! Urgh!” She throws another candle my way, this one barely missing, then she flops on the bed in a huff.
Walking over to her as she softly cries into her pillow, I sit beside her to pull her into my arms. She tries to pull away, but I won’t let her. “It wasn’t me, Ivy,” I whisper.
She sniffles, stopping her aggressive movements as she glimpses up at me. Wiping under her eyes, recognition clicks over her features. “The box wasn’t from you?”
I shake my head. “It was a threat.”
She pulls back, her eyes widen as she gasps. “Shit! What does it mean?”
“It means we need to leave. Go somewhere safe.”
“But won’t whoever sent it just find us?”
I tense, but try not to give myself away. “Hopefully not.”
Her eyes begin to water again, her bottom lip trembling. “Was the heart…”
I reach out for her hand. “We aren’t sure whose it is. Voltage and Nerve are checking it out now. It might not be Dash.”
She closes her eyes, letting out a long exhale. “Fucking hell!” She sniffles again, opening her eyes, looking right at me. “I’m sorry I blamed you. The lingerie… the rose… I thought—”
“It’s okay. I’m not mad, but I do need you to pack some shit. We’ll get on the road as soon as we can.”
“How long will we be gone?”
My muscles seize. “Honestly, sweet thing, I have no idea. I’m kinda winging this.”
A pained expression crosses her face. “I’ve only ever been apart from Eva when I went to Tony’s, and I don’t want to be away from her again.”
“Ivy… the threat is to you and me. I don’t know who it is, but the targets are clear. We need to get out of here. For your safety, and for Eva’s, we need to leave.”
She wipes under her eyes. “What do you mean? How do you know it’s for us both?”
“I received some packages as well, targeted at me. This last one was obviously aimed at you…´ rolling my shoulders, I exhale, “… seeing as whoever this is came for us both, we need to make the move and leave for everyone’s safety.”
She scrunches up her face like this saddens her, but she nods. “Okay. Can I at least say goodbye?”
I lean in, planting a kiss on her forehead. “We’re leaving in fifteen. You need to pack and be ready by then. You can say goodbye then. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“I’m gonna go pack. I’ll meet you upstairs when you’re ready.” I lean in, pressing my lips to hers gently, then pull back.
She bobs her head in agreement as we both stand, then she starts moving around her room. I rush to the stairs to make way to my bedroom to grab a bag and some essential shit I know we’re going to need, including the small zipper pouch of cash I had stashed behind my dresser.
I can’t help but think of what Ivy said. She hasn’t really been apart from Eva before.
I’m going to need to be a rock for Ivy through this. I know I can do that
I will always be a rock for Ivy.
Her cornerstone.
She may struggle with this, but my top priority is keeping her safe.
This threat, whatever it is, is coming for us both, so I need to do whatever I can to keep her protected. Because if anything happened to her, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.
After packing my shit and placing a call to Demon at Savannah, I head out into the main bunker to see Ivy and Eva locked together in a tight embrace, and tears are streaming down both their faces.
Nycto stands by ready to catch his Ol’ Lady if she breaks.
I need to be there for Ivy if she does too.
Hoisting my duffle bag over my shoulder, I walk to them, placing my hand on Ivy’s back to comfort her. “You ready to go?”
She cries, shaking her head. “Just another few minutes?”
Nycto reaches out, grabbing Eva and slowly pulls her away from Ivy.
Eva sobs so hard she can hardly control herself as she clings to Nycto like he’s her lifeline. “You fucking look after her, Void.”
I wrap my arm around Ivy, and she cuddles into my side. “With my life,” I reply.
“You know the drill,” Nycto states.
“I do. I’ll signal when we arrive.”
Nycto holds Eva tighter, which gives me the go-ahead. “Take some cash, you can’t use any plastic in your travels.”
“Already packed. C’mon, sweet thing, time to go.” I turn us walking for the exit.
“One more thing, make sure Ominous looks after my crop. If he kills it, I’ll kill him!” Ivy calls out to Nycto, making him chuckle.
“I’ll make sure he’s fully aware.”
Ivy peers over her shoulder, keeping eye contact with her sister as we walk out of the clubhouse. “I love you, Eva.”
“Love you, Ivy,” Eva calls back.
I lean in, planting a kiss on Ivy’s head as I lead us to a pickup truck. Throwing my duffle in the rear, I grab Ivy’s and throw it in too. Then I exhale. “I’m so fucking sorry you have to leave her, Ivy, but it’s the only way.”
She sniffles, opening the passenger side door and slides in. “I know.” She slams the door shut, making me tense with the sheer brute force she used. But I inhale a deep breath, then slide in the driver’s side. Ivy’s staring out the window blankly as Nycto comes out with Whiskey to see us off. I bob my head, reverse out, then head for the gate. West lets us through with ease, and we’re off, heading for Pearson Island, halfway between Tampa and Savannah—to the Savannah RBMC safehouse.