Page 147 of Vicious Knight

Her breath catches. “I have to tell them the truth. I have to.”

“It’s probably best. Try to get some rest.”

She relaxes against her pillows. The lost look in her eyes tugs on my insides.

Her parents arrive just before nightfall, and it’s awkward as fuck.

Ivy’s mom walks in first, catching me just as I kiss her daughter. I was about to go out to get Ivy some chocolate.

Ivy’s mom looks surprised while Levgen casts me a knowing look. The kind that says he knows his daughter is in the hospital because of me.

I decide to give them some privacy and wait outside. I’m not leaving, though.

I head to the waiting room nearby.

Half an hour later Levgen comes in to find me.

His face shows the same stern expression as before, but there’s also wariness in his eyes. I don’t know if that’s because of who I am or because Ivy must have told him I know their secret.

I stand when he gets close.

“How’s your arm?” He glances at my wound.

“I’ll live.”

“Ivy told me what happened. She told me everything. And I’m aware of what you know.”

“I see.”

“Thank you for keeping her secret. Given who your uncle is, I would have never expected that of you.”

“I love her.” I would have said something safer, like I care about her or something along those lines, but now isn’t the time to tread softly. I want him to understand that I didn’t mean for anything to happen to Ivy.

Levgen looks surprised by my confession but his prior sternness returns. “If that’s true, then you can’t put her in danger ever again.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“This was a drive-by shooting, Thorne. You both could have been killed. I could have been flying here to identify my daughter’s body in the morgue. Please think about that.”

The image of Ivy lying on a morgue slab devastates my soul. “I won’t put her in danger again.”

“Ivy told me about the man with the scar on his face. She said you’re investigating him. If he truly belongs to the group she told me about, then it won’t end here.” He swallows and his jaw clenches. “They will keep coming for you. So you cannot keep going as you are. This is above you.”

“But I have to do something.”

“Let me take over. Send me everything you have. I’ll get my team to look into it. My guards are here and I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to my little girl.”

I want to resolve this situation myself. But… maybe I should listen this time, to keep Ivy safe. I remember the moment when I thought she was dead.

Her body was limp in my arms and she’d gone ghostly pale. I can’t allow that to happen again.

“Okay. I’ll send you what I have tonight.” I nod, feeling defeated.

“Good. We have to do whatever we can now to find this guy. I know what finding him means to you, too. Is Ivy’s secret still safe?”

“It’s safe.”

“We owe you for that, Thorne Ivanov. You have given us a lead we never thought we’d find. We may even be able to get Ivy’s father out of prison. We owe you for everything.”

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