Page 29 of Volatile

Could Lily’s situation be as simple as a passionate encounter spiraling out of control? Not that she liked thinking of her little sister in that way, but Lily was old enough to have sex, and Ivy wasn’t naïve enough to think she didn’t.

Ivy shook off that thought. No, this went beyond a bout of vigorous sex. This wasn’t a scrape on the back or some tenderness between the thighs. This was a swollen, bruised neck. He’d choked her. She might as well have come home with two black eyes and knocked-out front teeth. Whoever this lowlife was could have fucking killed her, and Lily was defending that way of life? Defending him? Fuck that.

“And what if he does this to another girl, Lily? Could you live with yourself if you don’t report him and he ends up hurting someone else badly?”

Lily squeezed her eyes shut tightly. It looked like she was trying to blink herself away. “He won’t,” she said softly.

“And how the hell do you know that? Maybe it won’t happen again with you if you keep your good sense to stay away, but there’s no way you can guarantee he won’t do it to another.”

Lily opened her eyes and threw the sweater on the bed. “Keep your damn sweater.”

“Lily....”

She stormed out, slamming the door so hard little chips of lead paint flaked to the floor.

Shit. That did not turn out as she’d hoped. Not even close. She loved her sister more than anything else in the world; the need to protect her would never go away, no matter how old she got. All Ivy wanted was for her to be safe and happy, and until that happened, she’d never give up.

She just hoped keeping Lily safe and keeping their sisterhood intact was not an either-or proposition.

And I hope Jonathan can help piece her life back together without blowing apart mine.

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