Page 98 of A Debt of Darkness

I don’t.

But I turn and my eyes dart between her and Ryan. Both of them are locked on me and at least they’re not sharing anything more after yesterday.

“He almost killed you. He almost took you from me, Ivy. You almost died and I cannot allow that to go unpunished.”

Her head tilts. “He also saved me. Risked his life for me. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for him, Henry. We both know I couldn’t have survived against six vampires on my own.”

Matt and I shift our weight, and I snarl at him. He retreats to the shadows and leaves me to my seething as I pace the floor, trying to find a way to explain to Ivy precisely what has me so riled.

I’m not even sure I know myself.

“He drank from you.”

She exhales and waits.

“Do you understand what that means, lea?” I continue. “He had access to your memories and could take any of them from the amount he drank. It’s a fucking violation—and now he refuses to tell me what he learned.”

She nods as my hands tighten into fists.

“Was it willing, lea?” I ask, bitterly. “Did you let him drink from you freely? Did you offer yourself to him?”

Ivy’s gaze meets mine and there’s no shame, no remorse. She looks me dead in the eyes and doesn’t flinch, making my stomach tighten. Everything hinges on this moment and I can’t bear the agony if she breaks my heart.

“He was dying, Henry. Ryan’s head was almost separated from his body. I had to do something, try something.”

My knuckles whiten as my jealousy takes hold and I grip the wood of the bed hard, making it creak under the strain.

“So, you offered it freely? You deny me but give to him?”

Ivy doesn’t move and she’s not shrinking away. I’m furious, on the verge of losing all control and tearing the world apart—and she’s taking it in her stride. It’s infuriating. It’s enraging me. It’s fucking magnificent and I can’t help but admire her. Her actions are reckless and stupid, but they’re brave as shit, and Ivy displays a rare courage that defies all expectations.

“What is it you’re upset about, Henry?” Her voice is scarily soft and it startles me. “Because this isn’t about Ryan. Not really.”

My eyes narrow and I lean my weight into my grip.

Ivy’s fucking right. She’s seen through all the bullshit and this comes down to one thing. One fucking thing.

“You trusted him when you wouldn’t trust me.”

She sits still. Perfectly still. In silence. The kind that screams I’d better keep going.

“You trusted him to drink from you, and I cannot forgive him for it. He accepted your offer and destroyed what we’ve built. He’s intruded on our bond, our connection, our relationship—and you trust him more than me.”

The room is thick with tension and even Ivy could hear a pin drop. Our eyes are locked and neither of us blinks, both determined to press our point. I’m hurt, wounded, and fucking devastated. She’s calm, controlled, and completely certain.

We’ve switched roles and the irony isn’t lost on me. In the storm swirling around us, she’s calling me home. She’s tethering me, holding the center as I spiral and my emotions collide with reality.

“Do you trust Ryan?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Try again, Henry. Until yesterday, did you trust Ryan?”

I grit my teeth. “Yes—and he fucking betrayed it.”

Ivy’s head tilts as she raises a finger and demands I stop talking.

This is pointless. She’s dragging the agony out and my temper’s flaring, about to break through whatever barrier’s holding it back.

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