Page 18 of Ivy's Venom

“I want to know what has you looking like you want to run and hide.”

“Are you stalking me now?” I sneer at him and he chuckles darkly.

“My only sister is around here somewhere, I need to make sure she’s not in danger.” He retorts and my stomach rolls.

“Fuck you.” I snarl and turn to go inside of the yacht. I need to piss and I need to get away from him.

As soon as I walk through the small door, I feel a body close at my back, and a hand landing against my stomach. His scent curls around me, hugging me in a musky fragrance, and I lean into him.

His breath hits my ear as his mouth brushes the lobe, and I suck in a breath at the foreign feeling inside me, it's not an uncontrollable lust taking over like usual. My insides are quaking for another reason, for things I want but can't describe, and I don't want his warmth to leave me.

My legs begin to shake as I turn my face towards his, I open my mouth to speak, and his hand clamps around it, shoving me against the wall. My head slams into the fiberglass and I whimper at the brief shot of pain.

He crowds in around me, his mouth running a trail up my neck, and stopping at my ear.

"You're tempting me, bitch." His voice is harsh, "and it's pissing me off."

I try to shake my head and dislodge his hand but it's no use, his fingers only dig in tighter.

"I want to slit your fucking throat," fear races through me at his words, "but I want to be inside of you before I do it."

He presses his hips into my stomach, showing me just how bad he wants it, and I once again try to shake my head. I believe him, each word he utters, I know without a doubt is the complete truth, and it scares the shit out of me.

His tongue slips along the shell of my ear and I shiver, not from lust but from terror. I can't move my limbs and I am transported back to another time when another man held me against my will. I can suddenly smell the stench of bourbon, feel the scratch of a beard, and the large swell of a cock pressing into me.

I’m no longer on the boat with Neil, I now have book spines digging into my back, my head throbbing from the impact of the wooden shelf, and my nails finding purchase in the soft flesh of my palms.

"Are you a virgin, Ivy?" His voice attacks my ears and I feel the tears slip down my cheeks. No, not this again. I can't live this again.

I begin to shake, fear so thick, it pushes itself through me at a rapid speed, and I go limp at the feeling. My heart pumps faster and louder, drowning out any other words, and my throat begins to close around my breath.

No, this is not happening, this is not happening. I repeat in my head just as the hand leaves my mouth and the warmth I thought I wanted steps away. Someone is speaking but two worlds have collided inside my head and I can't determine one from the other.

I sink to the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs, and begin to rock. I need to forget and I need to be alone. Cold air swirls around me and I exhale the breath I've been holding, relief coursing through me.

I don't know how long I'm left here, but at some point I feel Carmelo as his arms encircle me and lift me off the ground.

"It's okay, Ivy." He whispers. "I got you."

I watch as her cousin picks her up and carries her off the boat, but not before he throws me a menacing look. No matter how hard I try, I can't stop the guilt from eating away at me, and I know I caused her to break down with my words and actions.

Something bad happened to Ivy and I want to know what the fuck it was. She's clearly battling with trauma and my curiosity won't let it go. The Ivy I knew before two years ago wasn't like this, she was tough, and she wouldn’t have folded like that.

If I knew this about her, would I have still done the same? Yeah, I would've. I can't help the rage and want that envelops me every time she's near and no matter how hard the two emotions battle it out, I'm fearful of which one will win the war.

"What's wrong with Ivy?" Amelia's frantic words hit me before she grabs my arm.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

"Neil," she whispers, "did you do something?"

I look down at my sister and she looks up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I don't think it has anything to do with Whitsborough." I tell her.

Ivy left here two years ago completely herself and without remorse for her actions, I can still see her holding her chin high as I watched her get in a limo that would take her to New York. This girl now, is traumatized, and only when she can't control the strong front she puts up.

"I'm gonna need you to get me some information." I tell Amelia as I watch Ivy being swept away by Carmelo and Cameron.

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