Page 92 of Redeem Me

‘But I need her.’ It’s out before I think about it.

‘She needs to settle on a proper career now she’s home. It’s time to think about what she wants to do with her life.’

‘This is what she wants to do with her life.’ I sweep a hand towards the door, motioning towards the kids in the living room.

Dermot scoffs. ‘She’s twenty-three. She’s not going to want to be your nanny forever. She has so much potential.’

‘Hello, I am here, you know.’ Ivy waves sarcastically. ‘Dermot, I told you, I don’t want to go back to college.’

‘You said you’d think about it.’ He arches an eyebrow.

‘No, youtoldme to think about, and I did. I don’t want to.’

Dermot’s jaw locks and he inhales deeply through his nose. ‘I just want what’s best for you.’

‘What’s best for me is doing a job I love. Look at me.’ She points at herself. ‘How many jobs do you know where I get paid to drink beer by a pool? To go on holiday with two of the coolest kids I’ve ever met?’

‘You don’t seriously plan on being a nanny forever?’ he scoffs.

‘Why does she have to have a plan? Why can’t she just take things one day at a time?’ I interject.

‘Ha, says the man who always has a plan,’ Dermot reminds me wryly.

‘And look where that got me.’

Dermot’s eyes narrow as he glances between Ivy and me.The breeze picks up, fanning her hair back, revealing her neck and the hickey I put there. Fuck. He leans forward, peering at it. ‘Is that another love bite?’ Horror hangs on his every word.

Ivy’s hand flies to her throat. ‘Oh, probably. I met this really hot single dad in Portugal, and we had crazy, intense, indecent sex every day. Multiple times.’ She says it like she’s joking. I hold my breath, waiting for Dermot’s reaction.

His eyes narrow. ‘You’d better be kidding.’

‘I’m an adult woman with needs.’ Ivy shrugs, deliberately brazen. Damon and Samuel step out from the house as if sensing a storm brewing.

‘I don’t need to know about your needs.’ Dermot shakes his head, then turns to me. ‘You were supposed to be keeping an eye on her.’

Ivy crosses one long leg over the other, drawing my focus to her silky tanned skin.

Dermot catches me looking. I avert my eyes rapidly, but not quickly enough.

‘Motherfucker!’ He leaps out of his seat, tossing his beer aside. The bottle smashes on the ground.

Samuel and Damon react instantly, grabbing him before he can launch himself at me. Roxy leaps forwards, a low growl rumbling in her throat.

‘You!’ Dermot’s veins pulsate in his temple. ‘Tell me you’re not sleeping with my kid sister.’

I stand and motion for Damon and Samuel to let Dermot go. If he wants to hit me, I won’t stop him.

They loosen their grip, but don’t completely release him.

‘Answer me, Caelon. Fucking answer me,’ Dermot snarls, beet-red and panting. ‘Are you sleeping with my sister? Is she the woman you were talking about in the club?’

Ivy stands and attempts to placate her brother, placing her palm on his bicep, but he shrugs her off. The dog positionsherself between Ivy and Dermot. Maybe she’s not so bad after all.

‘Yes.’ I nod for Damon to release Dermot. He pauses for a split second and waits for Ivy to step back. It gives me three seconds to prepare myself. When Dermot’s fist hits my jaw, I barely even feel it. I grab his wrist tightly, despite his efforts to keep swinging punches. ‘Dermot, I’m in love with your sister,’ I announce, not caring that half my security team is witnessing my declaration.

‘Love?’ he splutters. ‘Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night? How would you feel if I was fucking your kid sister?’

I open my mouth to answer, but Ivy beats me to it. ‘Dermot, I’m not a kid anymore. Caelon and I are in love. We’re together, whether you like it or not.’

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