Page 86 of Ivory's Ruin Romance

“Good. Let’s head home.” The bike purred as he revved the engine, but the ring of those words echoed louder in his ears.

Home.

???

Once they got to his apartment, the first order of business was tending to her finger. And tending to his after she insisted on it with the same cute stubbornness that had become his ultimate weakness. He took a quiet moment to brush her hair until it fell in silky tresses, then watched her drink a glass of water before letting her claim the kitchen.

While Ivory happily made sandwiches, he cleared off his desk to give her enough space to work. The clutter was easily sorted, mostly paid bills and junk mail that needed to be filed or thrown in the trash. Except for the printed copy of the police records. He shoved them unceremoniously in the back of the drawer without a second glance.

That bitter taste crept into his mouth again. Maybe he should tell Raptor about the ring and Jace’s admittance that it symbolized the Yu family. If nothing else, Raptor had to know something about who could’ve passed it down.

But that would have to wait until after the weekend because wasting his time with Ivory would be a crime in itself.

Ceramic plates clanked against the wood kitchen table as he walked into the main room, shrugging off his persisting dark thoughts. Barefoot and with purple hair spilling over her shoulders, Ivory had her back turned, ass poking out as she picked through the fridge. He watched with hungry eyes, noticing the two immaculate sandwiches that sat across from one another on the dining table.

“What do you want to drink?” she asked. “Beer? Juice? Water?”

“Juice sounds great.” Good thing he stocked up on groceries for this weekend. He’d even managed to find those canned margaritas she liked so much. “Feel free to take whatever you like.”

“I’ll have juice, too,” she said. “Although I did notice my favorite treats on the shelf.” Her lips curved into a smile as she turned and closed the fridge with her hip, holding a carton of orange juice. “Better to not get too distracted from my studies.”

“Good call.” He walked over and took the juice from her. One of his hands automatically gripped her hip, slowly sliding down to squeeze her ass through her pair of sweatpants. “Feeling better already, are we?”

Her eyes sparkled as he pressed her into the counter. “Still a bit sore,” she admitted, her voice breathless and sweet.

Despite the lingering soreness, she curved towards his touch, arching her back and giving him no choice but to lick the bite mark on her neck. She’d removed the ribbon, and as much as he loved to see it on her, she tasted even better without it. He kissed up her jaw and settled over her mouth. “I like this meal,” he rumbled.

She giggled. “But I’m not—”

He cut her off with a nip on her bottom lip, then reached behind her to pull out two glasses from the cupboard. “Sass me one more time, and you’ll see who’s eating what.”

Her hair still smelled faintly of rain, skin warm and fragrant with her natural aromatic scent and hints of sex. He’d never been into candles, but he’d put one in every room if they could replicate her.

A much sweeter scent wafted from the oven, and he backed up to peek inside. Raising his eyebrows, he shot a questioning look over to Ivory.

“I like to munch when I study,” she explained with a shrug, face painted with a half-guilty expression as she sat at the table. “I just used what you had on hand. Although I found it odd you’ve never opened your vanilla extract. Hope you don’t mind oatmeal cookies.”

“No raisins?” he asked, knowing he’d end up eating them regardless.

“Nope,” she said, popping the ‘p.’ “Just plain oatmeal with extra butter.”

“Sounds perfect.” He took a seat across from her, disgruntled that the table created too much space between them. “Pretty sure the vanilla extract was part of the supply package my mom and sister brought for the kitchen when I first moved in. I’m glad you found a use for it.”

He lingered before taking a bite, pouring his juice as Ivory picked up her sandwich. His father had always insisted on waiting until their mom started eating, and the habit still stuck with him. “If you ever need extra stuff to cook with, let me know,” he offered. “I’ll try anything you make.”

She nodded around a mouthful of food. Satisfied she was happy, he started on his own plate. Sandwiches were a daily item on his menu, which was why he had the ingredients in the first place, but damn, Ivory made this taste better than the deli. He narrowed his eyes at the stack of bread, cheese, and meat.

“How did you make this taste so good?” He was almost afraid to ask.

Her smile radiated from across the table, and he was pleased she’d become better at accepting compliments. “Most people forget sandwiches can be seasoned, too,” she replied, sipping her juice like a true connoisseur. “Adding a little of the right herbs goes a long way.”

“Mm,” he hummed after swallowing another bite. “My sister is going to love you. Her spice selection is as big as the grocery store. Maybe bigger.”

“What’s she like?” Ivory asked. “She’s married to Raptor, right?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “Riri is…” He frowned. “Even more stubborn than you are. Hot-headed. Incredibly irritating and irrational. But I’m sure she’d beg to differ.” No doubt she’d say the same things about him if asked. Or even if she wasn’t.

Ivory laughed. “Is Riley a member of Royal Flush too? How did she meet Raptor?”

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