Page 5 of Melt For Us, Daddy
Her lie? What about Cordelia’s lies? Like the fact that she was married?
Anger sparked in her chest at the thought of being punished, no matter how playfully, for her supposed ‘lie’. And immediately on the heels of that anger came guilt. This wasn’t the time or the place to have it out with Cordelia, not when they were discussing how to help the boy in front of them, a boy who had apparently just escaped an extremely harrowing situation.
At the same time, she also couldn’t bring herself to give her normal, submissive answer. Instead, she simply lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Sure.”
Cordelia’s eyes narrowed slightly, but apparently she’d decided it also wasn’t the time, because she didn’t push the issue. Instead, she looked down at the paper in her hand. With another deep inhale, she unfolded the note, her eyes scanning the words on the page.
“It’s basically just her explaining to Zach that Jacob’s her brother and that we can trust him. It says…” Trailing off, she swallowed hard, and her voice was rough with emotion when she continued. “She’s begging us to send help.”
“They want me to marry my sister, Ruthie.” Jacob’s voice trembled slightly when he spoke, but fire sparked in his eyes. “Father says it’s what kings do, but he’s wrong. I know he’s wrong. But if I defy him…”
“You can’t defy him,” Cordelia finished softly, squeezing her eyes shut. And when she opened them again, Ivy’s heart shattered at the ghosts haunting that dark green. “I know. I get it.”
“I’ve heard of you,” Jacob said, and once again every person in the room was on alert, including Ivy who instinctively stepped closer to Cordelia, pressing herself against her softness.
“You have?” Cordelia’s words were a whip crack, sharp enough to have Jacob’s eyes going round. “How? What have you heard?”
“Just whispers. I never heard your name. Just that one of grandfather’s wives had escaped a long time ago. I was young when it happened, only four or five, I think. But even in our house it was big news. Everyone talked about it for weeks at the time and every now and then someone still brings it up. Nobody ever mentions you by name, but you’re something of a legend in our family.”
“Fucking hell.” Muttering under his breath, Holden ran his hands through his thick silver hair. “Maybe we should talk about that safe house after all, Cordelia.”
Safe house? What safe house?
More secrets. More lies. Her stomach twisted, so many emotions running rampant inside her she could barely breathe through them.
“No.” With her arm tightening even further around Ivy’s waist, Cordelia shook her head. “You’re not sending me away, not now. There isn’t a single person in this room who knows more about The Prophets and what Jacob’s dealing with than I do. I’m not letting you or him face this on your own.”
Despite the hurt and anger churning inside her, pride welled in Ivy’s chest. She knew Cordelia was terrified of these people, and yet, she was willing to set that all aside to take care of some boy she’d just met.
And he was a boy. If he’d only been four or five when Cordelia had left home at the tender age of sixteen, that meant he was at most twenty or twenty-one now. Almost a full decade younger than her and Cordelia both. A boy, being forced into things even the strongest men she knew would balk at. Knowing that, knowing he’d put himself at risk to save his sisters only added to the attraction she didn’t want to feel for him.
Braden stepped forward. “All right. I don’t think we’re going to get anything decided tonight. I need to get Lottie home and we all need to give Cordelia some space to think about how she wants to move forward. Holden, do you have somewhere safe Jacob can stay until we sort through all of this?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a few buildings in the city and I keep a couple of the apartments open for situations like this. I’ll get him set up, put Zach on him at least for the night. One of the things we’ll need to talk about is whether or not it’s worth sending Zach in deeper.”
The thought of anyone, even one of Holden’s men, going into that place chilled Ivy to her bones.
“No!” Eyes wild, Jacob leapt from his seat. “You can’t send anyone in there. If they learn who he is… No,” he repeated, shaking his head. “It’s too dangerous. For him and for my family. Others have seen him talking to Hannah and they’ll hurt her again if they find out.”
“Again?” Though he’d mostly stayed silent, it was Beckett who spoke up now.
“Yes. Again. It took her weeks to heal the last time. Father might actually kill her if he thinks she’s done something… impure.”
A horrified silence fell over the room. It was Cordelia who broke it, letting go of her hold on Ivy to approach Jacob again, taking his large hands in hers, her eyes boring into his pale gaze.
“We won’t let that happen.” Even though Ivy knew this had to be bringing up trauma she hadn’t faced in years, Cordelia’s voice rang out strong and clear. “You have my word, Jacob. We will do everything in our power to keep your family safe, and to get you and your sisters out of there for good. Do you trust me to do that, Jacob?”
Whatever he saw in Cordelia’s eyes, it seemed to do the trick. He still looked terrified, but he nodded, his gaze locked on hers.
“Yes, ma’am. I trust you.”
Chapter 2
Cordelia
Tired. She was so fucking tired, right down to her bones.
But as she steered her car toward the apartment she and Ivy shared, she knew the night wasn’t over yet. Beside her, Ivy sat silent, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she watched the city pass them by.
