Page 128 of Corrupting Ivy

Had I fallen down so far in life where I could watch him kill people and dispose of their bodies, but still look at him with a yearning that rivaled the greediest individual on earth? Or maybe I could see these things because I knew he held my future in his hands, and he handled it with the utmost care.

I grabbed my mug of morning coffee, and with the plush bathrobe wrapped around my body, I plodded to his office, then knocked.

“Come in.”

Randall sat at his desk, his ankle resting on his knee. He’d styled his silver-streaked hair off to the side, showing the tight fade, and dressed in black slacks and a button-up white shirt with the sleeves rolled to just before the elbows. “You got a minute?”

“Always.”

“Can we talk?”

“Sure, come in.” He pointed to the chair across from him instead of his lap.

“I was thinking maybe we could sit out on the porch.”

“Okay.”

Randall stood and walked towards me, holding his hand out for me to lead. I shuffled my slippers across the floors, slid the sliding glass door open, and took a seat underneath the overhang. The fragrance of clean rain and the rhythm of it splashing against the rocks below filled the air.

It surrounded us in a cloak of serenity.

I took my seat on the cushioned patio chair and tucked my feet under me to the side, placing my cup on the small table. He took his across from me but dragged the chair a little closer.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Okay.”

How do I begin this?

“You… When you told me about what you do… it scared me. And I mean, I wanted to jump out of the truck going down the freeway, scared.”

Randall nodded ever so slightly. “I told you—”

“You’re not a good man,” I held up my hand in front of me, “I know.”

All the warnings, yet I thought I knew better and people were overreacting. I dove into the arms of someone so dark inside it engulfed me like a black hole, pulling me in with his overpowering gravitational force. There was no way to break free even if I wanted to.

“Randall, I know things have been crazy.” He took a deep breath and my chest ached for him. “I just know that, no matter how chaotic or dangerous my life becomes, you’re always there to restore the balance to my world.” Tears burned my eyes as the sadness I’d held deep down overflowed.

I released a shaky breath and picked at my cuticle. “I don’t paint you as the villain, Randall, just a monster disguised as a hero.” He leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees with a slight smirk. “But that monster protects me and treats me as if I’m the most precious woman to ever grace his existence.” A single tear rolled down my cheek and curled around my chin. “Loving you felt so wrong because I know what you’ve done. But I also see you did it for me—to protect me. And because of that, loving you feels right.”

Randall reached out and pulled my legs from beneath me, settling me on his lap, my legs straddling his. “I’ll always protect you and be there for you, Ivy. No matter what you decide. I just want us to be forever.” He palmed my cheek, and I leaned into his warm touch. “I may not know what love is or how it feels, but I know if it’s anything like how I feel right now for you, then I’m glad you were the first to help me experience it.” He pressed his thumb to the pulse in my throat while I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck.

I grinned and leaned forward, gently brushing my lips against his. He placed his palm on the small of my back and grabbed the side of my neck, drawing me in closer. The world around us stopped as his warm lips parted, allowing my tongue to slip inside. Heat rose from my toes to the apex of my thighs, finally settling in my chest and encompassing my heart.

The inner turmoil twisting my gut ceased as he showed me just how much he needed me and I him.

He drew in a deep breath, then pulled back, his lips a whispered touch against mine. “Will you stay with me forever?”

I pressed my forehead against his. “I’d be a fool if I didn’t.”

Randall’s mouth met mine as his hand trailed down and squeezed my ass, rubbing me against his solid length.

“You won’t regret it.

I smiled against his mouth and moaned. “There was never any doubt.”

Four Months Later

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