Page 116 of Seeds of Malice

Why did Bobby have to do that?

Why did I let my fingers relax?

Dax turns back to me. "You say you love me?"

"I do," I claim.

"Then prove it."

Hope flares in my chest. "How?"

"Let me really have you, Ivy," he asserts.

"You do have me."

He puts his finger over my lips. "Don't say I have you if I don't. Make sure the next time you tell me I have you, I have all of you."

I swallow hard. I don't understand what he means.

He removes his finger.

I blurt out, "You have my soul, Dax. My heart. Everything. Don't you know that?"

"Great. Let's go." He grabs my hand and turns, dragging me through the house, avoiding the others.

Everything's a blurry fog. My head keeps spinning, but Dax tightens his arm around my waist, pushing the tight crowd out of the way.

Bobby calls out, "Where are you going, Dax?"

He finally stops. He glances over at him. In a dark voice, he states, "The boathouse."

Bobby's lips twist, making my gut drop. He glances at me, then back at Dax. "Checkmate, brother."

Dax gives him another look I can't decipher.

What does checkmate mean?

He moves us faster through the house, and we step outside into the darkness. He pulls me farther from the music and steers me onto a dirt trail curving through the woods.

"What did Bobby mean by checkmate?"

Dax shrugs, tightens his grip around my waist, and answers, "No idea. Ignore him. He's an idiot."

"He's your friend."

"So? He's still an idiot," Dax claims.

I don't say anything else about it. I let him lead me down the trail until we approach a small structure next to the lake.

He opens the door and points. "After you, gorgeous."

I hesitate. "Where are we?

"The boathouse."

"Is it safe?" I question, peering into the darkness.

Dax chuckles. "Why would I take you somewhere that's unsafe?"

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