Page 95 of Puck Yes

Her fire burns off, leaving only vulnerability. “Just talk to me. That’s what I want. That’s what you can do.”

I wrap my arms around her. “I’m sorry, baby. I ignored you. I practically ghosted you. I just shut down.”

She’s still at first, then she inches closer to me. “I noticed.”

“Of course you did. You always notice.”

“I don’t like being ignored,” she whispers, “by either of you.”

I let go and then meet her eyes, speaking straight from the heart now. “Come home with us. Please.”

Pretty sure it’s theusthat does it for her. I don’t even have to ask Stefan if he wants in. I’m not at all surprised when I look up and spot him standing in the doorway, gazing at Ivy.

He shuts the door and advances toward her. “We were jerks. We don’t deserve you. But let us take care of you anyway.”

Well, that sums things up nicely.

37

THE OPPOSITE

Ivy

Really, this is too much. But I’ll take theirtoo muchany day. We’re at Stefan’s place. Usually we go to Hayes’s. We’ve been cautious. But tonight feels different. But there’s also nothing wrong with three Avengers staff hanging together after a game. Kelsey checked on me as promised and declared me good to go.

Now, Hayes, Stefan and I are stretched out on Stefan’s king-size bed—it’s an Alaskan king, and it makes me never want to go back to anything smaller—and he’s massaging my neck while Hayes holds the ice pack on my wrist. Roxy’s curled up at my feet, keeping a watchful eye on both men, occasionally growling low in her throat while staring at them likesay the word, Ivy, and I’ll handle them for you.

Seriously, we don’t deserve dogs.

The guys insisted I take it easy, and so we’re relaxing with an episode ofThe Adventures of Mister Orgasmon the big-screen TV at the foot of the bed. Sometimes an animated show about a superhero dedicated to pleasing women is just what the doctor ordered.

I felt better after their apology. Also, I saw Stefan’s text message when Briar brought me my phone in the athletic trainers’ room. He’d replied right before the game saying:I’ll be there, and I can’t wait.

But the thing is, I don’t know if that means he wants me with or without Hayes—and I don’t know howall inHayes is anymore. I glance at the guy on one side of me, wearing a gold band that matches mine. Hayes’s dark hair is messy at the top, and his scruff has become scruffier. On my other side, the guy with the lighter eyes and even fairer skin hasn’t stopped working out knots in my shoulders and neck.

And yet…

We need to talk more than I need to be coddled.

When the episode ends, Hayes turns to me. “Want another, baby?”

I shake my head, and he turns off the Chromecast. “Want to go to sleep?”

A stupid lump forms in my throat. Annoying thing. I swallow it. “No. I want to know what happened. You guys went radio silent.” I hand him the ice pack then gently bat Stefan’s hand away.

Hayes sets the ice pack on a towel on the nightstand and drags a hand over his beard. He does that when he gets frustrated with himself. “It’s my fault.”

“Not true,” Stefan corrects.

“It is,” Hayes counters.

“Nope.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re fighting over whose fault it was that both of you shut down?”

“Yeah, but it was mine. I was spinning out the other night. I dragged him into it.” Hayes’s eyes are full of contrition.

“How so?” I ask Stefan.

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