Page 75 of Ink Me Three Times
"Look, Jess," I start, trying to sound calm, trying to reassure him like everything’s fine. "It's not like that. We’re just friends, man. She’s helping me with Penny, that’s all. And you know how people here like to gossip. It’s all bullshit."
Jesse doesn’t seem convinced. His eyes narrow, studying me with a sharpness I’m not used to.
"You’re my best friend and everything, Fred, but I’m still worried about her."
I can feel my chest tightening as panic starts to rise within me. I want to shake it off. Tell him not to listen to rumors. But the truth is, I can't ignore what he's saying. I can’t brush off the reality that thisisa risk. That everything could go horribly wrong.
I can already see it.
Ivy, torn between us… Mitchell, Timothy, and me. Hell, we’re already fighting, and nothing has even happened yet. Not anything permanent anyway.
And Penny, man, Penny. She deserves to feel safe, to feel loved, without the mess of our shit hanging over her head.
And the town... They don’t understand. They never will.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ivy
ThankGod Penny isfinallyasleep.
At one point, I didn’t think it was going to happen.
The only problem is now I’m left with way too much quiet and only my own thoughts for company.
Timothy’s words keep circling my mind, relentless, like a broken record."We’ve all developed feelings for you. All three of us."
All three of them. Mitchell. Freddie. Timothy.
How did this happen? When did everything get so tangled?
The fact that they have been fighting only makes this a million times worse. Ihaveto figure out what to do before it all erupts into hell.
I rub my forehead, pacing the small space of Freddie’s living room, trying to clear my head. I need to think. I can’t just stand here and let everything spiral. But what’s the solution?
There isn’t one, not right now. Not while I’m standing on the edge of this thing, not knowing whether to fall or pull back.
I glance over at the door. It’s closed, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s coming. Maybe it’s just the anxiety building in my chest, or maybe it’s because I’ve been waiting for something to happen, waiting for the tension to break.
Just then, the sound of the door creaking open makes me jump.
I freeze, my heart racing.
But of course, I recognize the footsteps immediately.
Freddie is home.
I turn, my breath catching in my throat. He stands in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the dim light from the hallway. His eyes are shadowed, and it makes my heart thunder.
For a moment, neither of us says anything.
His presence is heavy, and I feel the pull of it, like gravity, drawing me in and pushing me away all at once.
"I didn’t mean to startle you," Freddie says, his voice almost too soft.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my nerves. "It’s okay. I just… didn’t know what time you’d be back."
"Yeah, sorry about that." He takes a step forward, and I can see how tired he looks. "It’s been a day."
