Page 66 of Wild Hearts

It’s a slow day, but I don’t complain because it means I can get a bit of studying done before Ivy finishes classes for the day.

Not long after Ivy arrives for her shift, a group of high schoolers still in their awful blue and yellow Blue Haven High uniforms come in, taking up three tables. I recognise one of them as the girl Harley had been seeing, and Ivy scowls in her direction.

“I can’t believe Ellie actually has the nerve to show her face in here,” she mutters to me as we stand at the milkshake machines, filling their orders. “She knows this is where Harley hangs out.”

I glance over my shoulder at Harley’s ex, whose eyes keep darting from her phone to the door of the shop like she’s waiting for someone. I hope to God it’s not another guy or Ivy might just “spill” her milkshake all over her.

During the next half an hour, I watch as Ellie’s face drops. Whoever she was waiting for hasn’t shown up. Her group of friends have been laughing and talking animatedly, but she hasn’t joined in. She stares at her phone once more and then places it face down on the table in front of her. She bites her lip, and I wonder if she’s going to cry. The poor thing looks miserable.

I shake my head. Why am I feeling sorry for her? She’s the reason Harley got beat up. She doesn’t deserve my sympathy.

I’m clearing the tables when a tall, stocky, dark-haired guy roughly around Brady’s age enters the store, eyes narrowing as he searches the room. He looks pissed. His gaze finally lands on Ellie and he stalks over, grabbing her roughly by the arm.

“Hey,” I snap, causing Ivy to look up from where she’s serving ice cream cones to an elderly couple.

The guy ignores me and pulls Ellie up from her chair. Her group of friends fall silent, their mouths agape as they stare at the scene unfolding in front of them.

“Dad told you to come straight home after school,” he growls at Ellie. “He may be out of town, but don’t think that means you can sneak around with that lowlife Breed.”

Without even realising it, I’ve moved closer to Ellie and I place my hand on her shoulder.

“I think you need to let her go and leave this store immediately,” I say, my tone ice cold as I stare down who I can only assume is one of Ellie’s brothers.

“Stay out of this,” he sneers. “Ellie, come on.”

He attempts to drag Ellie toward the door, but she wrenches her arm out of his grip. “Go home, Conrad.”

Conrad stares at her, fire blazing in his eyes. “You get your ass home now, Ellie, or I’ll make true to my promise that Harley Breed won’t be coming anywhere near you ever again.”

Ellie lets out a choked sob as she shoves her tiny hands against her brother’s chest. “You don’t have to worry about that, Con,” she spits. “I hate you so much.” With another sob she snatches her phone off the table and storms out of the store. Conrad makes a dismissive noise and follows her.

I glance over at Ivy, who shrugs with an,I wonder what that was all about,look. Ellie’s friends stare at the door she just stormed out and then start whispering and giggling.God, high school is brutal.

“Well that was an interesting turn of events,” Ivy mutters to me when I get back behind the counter. “What do you think that was all about?”

“I have no idea,” I reply with a sigh. “But I have a feeling Ellie isn’t staying away from Harley of her own free will.”

Once the shop is empty and Ivy has locked the money in the safe, we turn out the lights and lock the front door.

“Ivy?” A quiet voice speaks up from behind us.

I jump, placing a hand over my racing heart. “Far out,” I say, turning to see a tear-streaked Ellie standing there. “You scared the crap out of me.”

I’d assumed after the showdown with her brother, she’d gone home. I guess I was wrong.

“What do you want, Ellie?” Ivy’s voice is wary as she eyes the girl.

Ellie sniffs. Another tear rolls down her cheek, which she quickly swipes away. “H-Harley isn’t answering my texts–”

“Can you blame him?” Ivy mutters. I elbow her in the side.

“I just wanted to...” She takes a deep breath. “Can you tell him I’m sorry? I never meant for him to get hurt, and I wanted to call him to make sure he was okay after...” Her voice trails off and she stares down at the ground.

“After Conrad beat him up?” my friend supplies.

“Ivy,” I hiss, but my warning goes ignored.

“Did you ever think it was going to work out?” Ivy asks. “Seriously? With your dad and your brothers, did you ever think you were ever going to be able to take Harley home and sit down for dinner like one big happy family?” Her tone isn’t harsh, it’s more resigned.

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