Page 120 of Clint & Ivy

Likely feeling outnumbered, Tricky stalked off and left us to finish our meal. My crew finished up quickly and returned to the road. My mind instantly returned to Ivy. Her texts were always vague. She wasn’t accustomed to messaging people. However, Elle sent a message to explain they were at the condo with Hanzee, Boa, and Goblin.

My relationship with Ivy no doubt distracted me from club business. Normally, after trouble like today, I’d sit with my people at the Sorority House and brainstorm the problem. Instead, I only wanted to reunite with Ivy and get a nap.

My mind didn’t feel sharp as I arrived at the condo. Tricky and Jagger arrived at the building at the same time as my guys and me. We soon took an awkward ride up. There were far too many large men in one elevator.

I worried a pissed-off Tricky would pitch a fit and demand a conversation with me. Instead, he disappeared into his condo. I told Rock and Rowdy that I’d bring their dogs around later after my nap.

I walked into my condo to find Ivy in the kitchen with the three dogs watching her clean dishes. Elle sat on the couch with her back to me. While my sister didn’t react to my arrival, Ivy and the dogs instantly rushed to greet me.

“I missed you,” Ivy said once our kiss ended. “I was worried about you, too.”

“Everything went fine,” I replied, holding her close. “It’s been a long morning, though.”

Ivy stared at me with a lovestruck gaze. Then, her big blue eyes flashed at Elle as if to warn that my sister wasn’t happy.

“Thanks for picking up Ivy,” I told Elle, who still sat with her back to me.

Standing up, Elle turned dramatically slow and snarled at me. “How. Dare. You?” Elle demanded in an exaggerated way that fell somewhere between fucking about and genuinely pissed. “Why wasn’t I invited to Rawlins?”

“I didn’t want Sutter to wake up to find you gone.”

“So, you’re kicking me out of the club because I had a kid, huh?”

“You know that’s not what’s happening,” I said and kissed Ivy. “Has she been like this for long?”

“Yes, she has. Were you aware Elle is a ferocious beast locked in a cage thanks to you?”

I grinned at Ivy while Elle prowled closer. My sister stared hard at me, searching for something.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not kicking you out of the club because you had a kid. That is not a lie.”

“No, but Sutter isn’t why you kept me at home. Speak the truth, and Imightconsider forgiving you.”

“I am speaking the truth.”

Elle tugged Ivy away from me and into her arms. “Help me find the lie, pixie child. If we discover the truth, your prize is my brother’s hot body.”

“I feel like I might get that prize even if I don’t help you.”

Elle balked and stepped away from Ivy. “How can you say that? Who supported your relationship from the beginning?”

“You.”

“Exactly. In fact, I’m calling in the brother-sister loyalty card,” Elle told me. “If you recall, I supported your relationship to this tiny woman as soon as I saw the Oompa Loompa.”

Ivy crossed her arms and flashed her temper. “Hey, don’t be mean just because I didn’t let you use me as bait against Clint.”

“You’re a terrible friend. Stop standing up for yourself. First, the peanuts. Now, this madness.”

“What happened with peanuts?” I asked before flinching as Elle dove for me.

“I supported you from the beginning!” she cried while yanking on my shirt. “No one backs you up like I do. Now, I’m pulling the brother-sister loyalty card. You must be honest, or I will leave this condo and never speak to you again. I might even leave town and go on an odyssey with Sutter. He’s been talking about visiting the Griffith Observatory. We might stay in LA. He could go to better schools and meet other geniuses. Yeah, I’ll never come home. Mom will blame you.”

Ivy stopped frowning at Elle and focused her scowl on me. “Why did you keep her home if it wasn’t about Sutter?”

“It was about Sutter.”

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