Page 18 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

I watch him close his door before turning into my room. I start pulling my uniform off and decide to take a quick shower. Sitting out in the sun for an hour and a half made me just sweaty enough to be gross but not bad enough to wash my hair.

I walk into my closet wrapped in a towel after my shower and realize I don’t know how they dress for dinner at home around here. If Mom is having dinner with us, I’ll need to be dressier. If it’s just us and Levi’s friends, I could probably wear yoga pants and be fine. I go with a pair of white jeans and pink and white stripe crop top. My feet hurt after a day in heels, so I skip wearing any shoes.

I have a few minutes, so I flop down on my bed to scroll through The Ridge, an app for the students at FPA. I’m scrolling through and see post after post about Levi, Connor, and Griffin. There has to be at least half the senior class bragging about fucking Levi. My stomach clenches at the photos of him kissing and holding other girls. I know I should just stop looking, but much like a car accident, I can’t bring myself to look away.

“Ives?” Levi pokes his head in my room. “Dinner’s ready.” He pushes the door the rest of the way open, and I see Connor and Griffin in the hallway behind him.

I close the app and set my phone on its charger before following them. I do see the appeal for all the girls in the school to go after them. All three of them are attractive in different ways. Levi looks like a golden god, poised to rule over plebeians from a gilded throne. Connor looks like a dark prince with his dark brown, almost black hair and piercing green eyes. Griffin is the leanest of the three but carries himself with the most poise and grace; his hair is a beautiful auburn, and his eyes are a hazel maelstrom of green, gold, and brown.

We get to the dining room and both Levi and I stiffen at the sight of my mom, overdressed as usual in a skintight bodycon dress, her Sofia Vergara-like curves on full display. Her long dark hair is curled to perfection and swept over one of her shoulders. Her makeup is heavy and dark, making her look thirsty for attention.

The slow look she gives me is full of disdain. I can feel her gaze like a lash as she takes in every part of my appearance and dismisses it. “Ivy, where are your shoes? You can’t come to dinner barefoot.”

“Sure she can,” Levi says as he toes his flip-flops off and slings them across the floor to the wall.

When I look over at Connor and Griffin, they’ve both taken their shoes off, too.

“My dad never wears shoes in the house, even when he’s in a suit,” Connor says giving my mother a scornful look. “We all know how obsessed you are with my parents.”

“My sisters always complained about how awful those school-issued heels were, too.” Griffin adds as he sits down.

I give each of them a grateful smile. It’s nice to have someone backing me up again after all the years without Dad or Isaac running interference.

At this point during dinner, one would expect their mother to ask about the first day of school, how it went or if you made any friends. Jennifer Bane-Marsh is not like most mothers though. Instead she goes right for the jugular.

“I had Babs create a meal plan for you that restricts carbs and sugar,” she says as the food is brought out. “I know you think you’re still young enough to eat whatever you want but soon it’ll catch up to you.”

My plate is the same as hers. A piece of grilled sea bass and steamed broccoli is all that’s on it. The guys all have filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, and grilled veggies with some delicious smelling fresh bread. I sense Levi stiffen again beside me and hear him take a breath to say something, but I lay my hand on his thigh, squeezing to keep him quiet. I know how this will go if anyone pushes back, and it will only end in embarrassment for me.

“Thank you, Mother, this looks delicious.” It does, and I’m sure it’ll taste fantastic. I’m not too worried about having my calories and carbs restricted while I’m in the off-season. This isn’t a fight for today, so I smile and bear it.

We make it through the dinner with my mom fawning all over Connor and Griffin. She keeps making suggestive comments about how attractive and successful both their families are and asking them if they have girlfriends. She also mentions how I’m single and so intelligent, such a catch. I have to force my dinner down past the bile that rising as she pretends to be proud of me.

6

LEVI

All weekI’ve watched Oliver circle around Ives like a goddamned shark, waiting to strike. At lunch, he’s there, and Ivy sits with the soccer team every day. He walks her to almost every class, even when I am or one of the guys is in it with her. I’m surprised he doesn’t follow her to my practices after school.

It’s Friday, but we don’t have our first game until next week, so I’m thinking about hanging at home and staying low key. Griff is going to something with one of his sisters in Boston, and Con has family shit going down. I walk out of school and see Ivy standing by my car and Oliver standing way too close with his fucking hand on her waist.

He says something.

She smiles.

He leans in and hugs her.

She hugs him back.

He turns his head like he’s about to kiss her…

Oh, hell fucking no.

“Ives, let’s go. Do we still need to stop and pick up super tampons for your heavy flow problem?” I tap the hood of G Wagon. “Should I put a towel down on the seat again?”

I glance over at her and have to fight back a laugh. She’s mad, raging bull mad. Her eyes are narrowed to slits, her mouth a thin slash under reddening cheeks. I bet she’d be an amazing fuck angry like this. I have to adjust my dick thinking dirty thoughts as I slide into the driver’s seat. She and Oliver keep talking for a minute before she gets in and slams the door.

“The fuck was that, Levi?”

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