Page 6 of Disturbed Lucidity

“Then how can you be sure this is her?”

“Because when I ordered her autopsy report, it stated she bore the same mark as me.”

“The one on your shoulder?”

I nodded.

Mike sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before handing me back my phone. “I don’t know, Ivy. It’s still not definitive. Besides, you’re in a good place now. I thought you wanted to start over and leave that shit behind?”

“I do, but I can’t ignore this, Mike.”

“The last time you went down this road, I had to institutionalize you. Do you remember that? Because I do, and I won’t do that to you again.”

“I know,” I snarked. “It was a bad time.”

“Bad time?” Mikie clipped. “Jesus fucking Christ, Ivy. They sedated you for two weeks. Bastards wouldn’t even allow me to visit you, and when I could, you were so doped up on whatever they gave you, you didn’t even recognize me.”

I got it. He was worried. I was too, but he didn’t understand my need to remember. There were so many gaps in my head, my memory looked like a slice of Swiss cheese.

Nothing made sense.

“Are you still taking your meds?”

“Yeah. I have them in my bag.”

“Good. Look, Ivy, I know you want answers, but sometimes it’s best to just move on and forget about the past.”

“I know.”

“Look, I’ve already talked with Frost and Saint. They said you can have one of the club apartments. It’s completely furnished. I sent one of the club bitches over yesterday to stock the place with all your favorite foods. Since you are good behind a bar, Saint said he would give you two weeks to feel the clubhouse out. But I gotta warn ya, babe, you are gonna need to keep a tight lid on that temper of yours, if you know what I mean. Flying off the handle and going nuclear won’t fly around this bunch. They will kick you out on your ass, fast.”

“I can control it.”

“Just keep taking your meds, Ivy. It looks like the doc’s finally found you the right cocktail. You look good. Healthy.”

I smirked at that.

If he only knew how close to the edge I really was.

Chapter Two

Ivy

“It’s not much, but it’s yours.”

Standing in the small one-bedroom apartment, I smiled.

It was perfect.

I didn’t need much. Never had, but this place was more than I imagined. A small kitchen with all the amenities that opened onto a small living room where a small couch and coffee table sat on a nice beige rug. To my left was a door that led to a reasonably-sized bedroom with a full-size bed, nightstand, and dresser. The adjoining bathroom wasn’t a girl’s dream, but it was functional, with a shower-tub combo.

“Sorry about the lack of décor, but I ain’t good at that shit.”

“No worries.” I smiled up at my friend.

“Well, I need to get back. Frost wants you behind the bar tomorrow at five before the evening kicks off. Wear something sexy. His words, not mine.”

“I can do that.”

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