Page 110 of Thorns of Malice

Jaxon: I know where you're at.

My chest tightens, and the blood between my ears pounds harder. I stare at the screen.

How does he know I'm here?

Jaxon: I need to meet you tonight. I'm in Greenwich.

The hairs on my neck rise.

Jaxon: Don't avoid me, Ivy.

Me: Where in town are you?

Jaxon: Downtown. There's a coffee shop a block from my hotel. It's called Steam. Do you know it?

I went to it often with Dax and some of the girls from the sorority. So I have good and bad memories of that place. It's no different from any other business in Greenwich. Everywhere I turn reminds me of how I thought I had everything, but it was only a farce.

Me: Yes, I know where it's at.

Jaxon: How quickly can you get here?

I glance at my watch. It's 5:45.

Me: I'll leave now.

I grab Dax's key fob and my purse off the table, then step outside. I get into his Porsche, drive through the estate, and out of the gates. I accelerate toward town.

My insides clench tighter. Jaxon's not going to be happy with me. I shouldn't have lied to him, but I feared he'd convince me not to pursue my plan.

I laugh out loud, thinking about the irony of how I thought I had a plan to get revenge on everyone, but in reality, it was too loosely put together. I still don't know how I'll ever do it, and wonder if I'm even capable.

The car goes over a pothole and tears me out of my thoughts. I rev the engine, and my blood buzzes again.

Not now.

Please, not now.

Maybe I could fuck Jaxon.

No. I have to stop doing that with him. He's not who I want.

I'm never going to have who I want. Dax will never truly love me.

By the time I arrive at the coffee shop, I feel sick. I'm guilty of so many things. There are too many people I've fucked who I shouldn't have, Jaxon included.

Now, I get to add lying to my list of sins. And of all the people in my life, Jaxon doesn't deserve dishonesty.

Who did I think I was, coming here and thinking I could hurt these people the same way they hurt me?

They're too twisted.

Dax is right. I'm not like them.

I am.

Ironically, Dax is taking them down for me. The thought makes my heart swell. It's just like when he used to protect me, but I remind myself he only did what he did to play the game. His protection never meant love. It was only a strategy to win whatever the sordid prize was between him and the others.

He hurt others in the process of revenge, including Matt.

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