Page 72 of Brightness

I hesitate, and she fully withdraws from me, stands, and folds her arms across her chest. “Void, what the hell is going on? Don’t hide shit from me. Not here. Not now.”

I rub the back of my neck, my muscles tense as fuck. She isn’t going to like this.

“Another package was delivered to the clubhouse.”

She’s trying to remain stoic, but one look and I can see her walls are crumbling. “Another heart?” she says, her voice straining.

“A timer.”

“A timer? What for?”

“A countdown. Apparently, it has three days left on it.”

She lets out a heavy exhale, then starts pacing. “Three days? Three days till what?”

Here comes the storm.

“Nycto is assessing whether to keep everyone locked down or get them the hell out of the clubhouse.”

Ivy’s head snaps to me, her eyes wide in terror. “They’re going to attack the club looking for us… in three days? But Eva… Eva’s there!”

I stand to go to her, but she turns, heading for the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

She spins, glaring at me. “I have to go back. I must help Eva.”

“And what are you gonna do that the entire club isn’t already doing? Think this through, Ivy. You’re one woman. The club is better off with us here. Then they don’t have to be concerned about protecting us as well. They will be better able to defend themselves if we stay away. After all, whatever this is… it’s leveled at us.”

She lets out a low growl and throws her hands in the air. “This is bullshit!” she says, then turns, heading for the back door.

“Ivy, it’s for the best.”

She scowls at me. “What would you know? You took me away from my sister, and now she could die. I might never see her again. This is all your fault!”

Her words hit like a sucker punch straight to the gut.

She heads for the door, and I move to follow her out, but she puts her hand up in a stop signal. “Don’t you dare follow me. I don’t want to see you right now. ¡Déjame en paz!”

I’m glued to the spot as she walks out the door, slamming it in my face. Usually, I’d yell right back, tell her not to talk to me like that. Show her who the man is in this relationship.

But she has me by the balls.

Why?

Because she’s right.

This is my fault.

We are here and not helping those back home because of me and my fucked-up family.

And because of that, Ivy might not get to say goodbye to hers.

With a deep inhale, I turn, make my way back to the sofa, and slump down on it with an overexaggerated huff. She needs to cool off. Chasing after Ivy won’t accomplish anything right now.

I have to let her come to me.

And she will, once she realizes we’ve got to stay here to protect those back home.

It’s the only way.

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