Page 35 of Volatile

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Chapter Ten

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Jon had made a decision. His top priority was helping Lily get back into the life she deserved, the lifestyle she was meant to have, with the man who would guide her there. She didn’t need psychological help; she needed a sister who accepted her for who she was. And now that Joshua had been thoroughly checked out—Jon had even contacted some of his former subs to confirm his integrity—he could, in clear conscience, send Lily on her happy way.

Right after Ivy let that happen. And the sooner Jon could get through to her, the sooner that woman would be out of his life.

That was his decision in a nutshell, and it’d been a good one. Until she turned up on his doorstep at five o’clock on Tuesday.

It wasn’t as if he wasn’t expecting her; he’d invited her for fuck’s sake, but the sight of her caused his resolve to leave him in the dust once his dick decided it had a say in the matter.

He opened the door, holding it as she stepped over the threshold. “Thank you for coming, Ivy. I have a couple steaks grilling out back. I hope that’ll do.”

“Oh yes! Thanks.” She backed away as if he would bite, and he chuckled.

He waved her to follow him down the hall. “Did you come right from work?” he asked. She was neither wearing her loose, feminine clothing, nor her painted-on jeans with the neck-breaking heels. She was dressed in between—a fitted blouse with a flowered skirt that was sexy as hell.

“No, I stopped home first.”

They went through the kitchen and out to the back patio. “What is it that you do exactly?”

“Cherise’s flower shop. You know that.” She scanned the area. “This is gorgeous.”

He pulled out a chair for her. “Thank you. It’s such a beautiful night. I thought we’d eat outside if that’s okay.” She nodded, sitting down at the table he’d set earlier. Jon went to the grill and flipped the steaks. “Yes, I know about the flower shop. I was asking about your other job.”

“What makes you think I have another job?”

“You told me you did. Over the phone that day at Stolly’s.”

“Oh. Well, it’s no big deal.”

Jon shut the lid and sat down next to her. She looked a bit tense. “It is to me. I’m interested.”

Ivy scrunched up her face. “What does it matter to you?”

“Because I’m curious. You stopped by the office once right after work, in clothes that didn’t leave a whole lot to the imagination.”

She reddened. “Rig’s. You happy now?” She turned away, swinging her crossed leg, appearing to focus on his backyard, but she was probably a million miles further.

Rig’s? That sleazy dive? No wonder why she dressed like that. It was a job requirement. It was marketed as a restaurant, but the only reason men went there to eat their shitty food was to get wasted while drooling all over the waitresses. Lines were blurred, the women were treated like garbage, and he’d heard enough rumors to give him a gigantic knot in his stomach.

“And Wes allowed that?”

She snapped her head back and glared at him. “What the hell do you mean by that? Wes didn’t allow or disallow anything for me. I’m not a frickin’ child.”

Her hands were trembling, and it was clear by her whole reaction that she wasn’t proud to be working there. So, why did she put up with it? Money?

He had this urgent need to pull her onto his lap but beat it down. She wasn’t his, and if she were, she sure as hell wouldn’t be working at Rig’s. The thought of all those greasy eyeballs leering up and down her body while their foul breath spewed out lewd comments made him want to lose his shit. This wasn’t consent. She wasn’t happy to subject herself to this. He fucking knew that. She was tolerating it for whatever reason. It had to be about money since he remembered something about her paying for Lily’s schooling. No other explanation fit.

“Does Lily know you work there?”

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