Page 89 of Relentless (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 2)

“Ivy’s awake,” Dad’s hand lands on my shoulder, “you should go check on her.”

“That’s where I was heading,” I nod at Lake and Nolan before turning on heel and getting on the elevator.

I knock when I get to her room, and Isaac’s voice carries through telling me to come in. He and Parker are sitting on either side of the bed holding Ivy’s hands while she sleeps.

“How is she?” I ask softly.

“She has a concussion, and they’re keeping her for hypothermia and exhaustion. She pulled Claire through open water for over twenty minutes, in the dark.” Parker looks down at her equally in awe and concerned. “I don’t know the specifics of what happened or why Victor is so set on not alerting the police, but I won’t have her in danger like this.” He looks up at me fiercely. “If she’s going to be in your life, I expect you to protect her.”

“Absolutely. I told both Con and Victor that I was done with their family’s dangerous games. I want to marry Ivy. She has always been the one for me, even before I realized it.”

“I don’t want her touched by this ever again,” he says.

“She won’t be.”

“She’s dealt with more in her life than anyone deserves,” Isaac says holding his hand out to me, “from now on the three of us shield her from anything else.”

“Agreed.” I shake on it.

“We’re going to go find Frank and Victor. Stay with her until one of us gets back.” Parker pats my shoulder as he walks past.

I sit beside her and grab her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. When I lay it back down, I rub my thumb over her knuckles, my gaze landing on her ring finger. I was going to wait a year or so to propose, make sure we graduated. Get her settled into her job at the company. Make sure I got the camp up in working order and ready to roll.

Sitting here, with her injured in the hospital and Lilith two floors down recovering from a stab wound, I can’t wait. Somewhere in the mess of the day, my broker called and let me know our offer for the camp was accepted. I’m going to propose soon, probably before the semester starts this fall.

I fall asleep sitting beside her, my head beside her hand on the bed. Planning exactly how the proposal is going to go. Luckily, I don’t have to worry about choosing and buying a ring. I’ve always planned on using my mother’s engagement ring. A way to include the woman I don’t remember.

30

IVY

I come to slowly.My IV bag is empty, and the machine attached to it is beeping. When I finally bring myself to open my eyes, I see Levi passed out with his head on my bed. I run my fingers through his hair in the way I know he loves. His eyes flutter open, and when he looks up at me, time stops.

The fierce love that pours from him wraps me in a cocoon. I will never again question the love we share. It fills the air with a tangible desperation, my need for the comfort of his arms eclipsing everything.

A sob tears from my throat as I open my arms for him. He climbs onto the bed beside me and holds me while I fall apart. This is the first time I’ve been coherent since escaping and all the emotions are like a maelstrom inside me. Fear, relief, anger, sadness—I can’t even pinpoint which I’m feeling the most.

Levi holds me steady throughout my breakdown, murmuring promises and pressing sweet kisses to my face. I take a shuddering breath and let myself relax completely onto him. At some point, a nurse comes and changes my IV bag, so the incessant beeping stops, and I fall back asleep to the rhythm of Levi’s heartbeat.

I wake up still wrapped in his arms and see Griff stretched out in the recliner by the window. He’s awake and on his phone. Levi looks uncomfortable, he’s hanging off the edge of the hospital bed, so I scoot over a bit.

“Hey,” Griff gets up and walks over to me. “How are you feeling?”

“Not gonna lie, I’ve been better.” I reach over to give him a hug. “After we got out of the water, I don’t remember anything. Who found us?”

“We did,” he motions back and forth between him and Levi, “with Lake and Nolan. Claire’s earring was fitted with a tracking device.”

“Of course it was,” I say sarcastically. “Not that I mind, considering it helped you find us but still. I have so many questions, Griff. It feels like my head is exploding.”

“Do you need me to grab a nurse?” Levi asks rubbing his eyes.

“No, it’s just some things are fuzzy now. Can you tell me what exactly happened? Who those guys were and what they wanted?”

“Not entirely.” He and Griff look at each other. “You weren’t a target though. They were trying to grab Hoodrat and Claire.”

The blood rushes to my ears as I remember the glint of the knife and the look on her face as she was stabbed.

“Oh God,” I stand up, ripping my IV out in the process, “Lilith! Is she okay?”

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