Blake: A Bad Boy Romance (17 page)

Chapter Thirty-One

Ivy dropped her purse onto her couch and slumped down next to it. She put her feet up on her coffee table and stared off mindlessly into space. She had no idea what to do with herself. But she wanted to do something. Darryl had been chipping away at her life for too long and she was ready to do something about it. He had started with little things, strange phone calls and gifts and Ivy thought she could handle it. It got worse, vague threats and personal visits to her apartment, and she thought she could handle that. But the list of things he was capable of just kept growing and she wasn’t sure she could handle it anymore. He had involved Blake. That was the breaking point. It wasn’t just her and Darryl anymore; Blake was stuck in this mess now, too. She was like that little boy with his finger in the dyke. Darryl was constantly creating new holes and she was running out of ways to stop the coming flood.

Ivy put her head in her hands and sighed. She didn’t know if leaving Blake’s had been the right move or not, but it was important for her to try to minimize the damage Darryl did to the people she loved. She didn’t know any other way to protect him other than leaving him. It had been Darryl’s order, but Ivy’s decision. She wasn’t happy, though, and she wasn’t sure if it had been the right thing to do.

There was a knock on her door. Ivy sat up straight and looked over towards the white solid wood of her door. Darryl was still in jail; she was sure of that. But she knew he didn’t work alone. He had friends who provided alibis and other friends who sometimes did his dirty work for him. They weren't friends, really; Darryl obviously had no friends. They were people he paid. So it might be one of his employees at the door.

Ivy took a deep breath and walked the short distance between her couch and her door, her treading quietly over the hardwood floors. She looked through the peephole. But it wasn’t Darryl standing there. It was her father. Confused and wondering if she should have been expecting him, Ivy quickly opened the door, but the face that greeted her wasn’t a pleasant one.

Jonas looked haggard. His thin hair was messy on his head and there was dark, heavy bags under his eyes. His clothes were wrinkled and the lines on his older face seemed to stand out more than they usually did. But what struck Ivy the most was that he looked unhappy. Normally anytime she saw her father he had a smile spread from ear to ear. He was always so happy just seeing her, but this was different. He looked miserable.

“Dad,” Ivy said. “Is everything okay? Where’s Ellen?”

“Ellen is with Blake,” Jonas said. Ivy moved aside to let him in. Jonas moved slowly and delicately, as if the act of walking was painful. He was wearing a scarf and he slipped it off from around his neck and then sat down on the couch still in his coat. He didn’t say anything else. He just sat there and stared off into space, the same thing Ivy had been doing only moments before.

“Is everything all right?” Ivy asked as she closed and locked the door and walked over to the couch to join him. She sat down next to him leaving a space between them. Something about her father was off and wrong. She had never seen him like this before. Normally he was jovial and sweet and always smiling. But, now, it was as if there was a heavy cloud hanging over his head.

“Blake’s arrest has been all over the news. Everyone is waiting for his statement. I saw the footage of the two of you leaving the courthouse.” His voice was low and even and he refused to look at Ivy. “Some reports are suggesting that you and he have a romantic relationship. Is that true?”

“Yes,” Ivy said. In the instant before she spoke that word she went through about a million possibilities of what she could say. She could have lied. She could have tried to buy herself some time with half-truths and empty words. But, the truth was, she was in a relationship with Blake. She loved him, more than she had ever loved anyone else. She knew in that instant that if she couldn’t be with Blake, she would never be with anyone. She would rather be alone.

“But now that Ellen and I are engaged the two of you are calling it off, right?” Jonas asked.

Ivy didn’t say anything. She stood up and slipped her hands into the pocket of her jeans and looked at the floor as she debated what to say. “We...it actually started recently and we wanted to see where it could go. You know how close he and I were back in high school.”

“Yes, back in high school when you were both kids, but you’re older now. I thought you had learned your lesson about Blake. He broke your heart in high school, if you remember.”

“I do remember. But he’s different now and so am I, and, at the same time, we’re exactly the same. We’re really good together, Dad. There’s no other way I can explain it.”

“Ellen and I are getting married.”

“I know.”

“That will make you and Blake stepsiblings.”

“I know,” Ivy said. Her voice was barely above a whisper and even though she and Jonas were in the same room and having a conversation, neither could look at the other.

“And you’re okay with that?” Jonas demanded and Ivy could hear the tinge of disgust in his voice.

“I wish it could be different. But it is what it is. I don’t want you and Ellen to break up-”

“So you and Blake need to end it,” Jonas said interrupting her. “Ellen and I want to spend the rest of our lives with each other. We are in a serious, committed relationship. You and Blake are just fooling around. I’m asking you to end it, Ivy.”

“We’re not just fooling around,” Ivy countered. “Blake loves me. He protects me and he’s good to me. We’re serious about our relationship, too. I had my doubts, Dad, but Blake doesn’t think the stepsibling thing is a big deal. He and I are both adults and we weren't raised together. It’s not as weird as it sounds.”

“I have reputation in town, Ivy,” Jonas said. He was twisting his scarf around in his hands, rolling it between his fingers and stretching it out. He finally looked up at her and continued, “The hardware store only does well because the people of the town support me. If this rumor were to start going around it could ruin my business and my marriage to Ellen. Can’t you see that? Can’t you see how wrong this is? And what happens when you and Blake inevitably split up, which you will? Are you still going to be able to stand each other during holidays? What if you have children? Your kids would have one set of grandparents between them.”

“They would only have one set because my mom is dead and Blake’s dad is a deadbeat who he hasn’t heard from since he was six. Why are you making this so hard? I thought you wanted me to be happy. I am happy with Blake.”

“What about my happiness, Ivy?” Jonas demanded and his words were like slap to Ivy.

“Of course I care about your happiness. But can’t we both be happy?”

“Maybe you can, but I can’t. I’m not okay with this. I don’t approve of this relationship and I think you should end it. Until you do, I think I might need some space.” He looked at Ivy who looked back at him shocked. Was her own father asking her for space? Did he really not want anything to do with her because she was dating Blake? Who was this man and what had he done with her kind and loving father?

“Dad, don’t do this. I don't like the fact that Blake and I are almost stepsiblings. It’s not something I want, but our feelings for each other are so strong that I can’t ignore them. I deserve to see what they are and see where they go.”

“Didn’t you already do that in high school?” Jonas demanded. “You were together, he broke your heart, you missed prom. Why on earth would you want to do that again?”

“Because it’s different this time. He’s different. I’m different. We’re both older and more mature. We love each other.”

Jonas stood and looked at Ivy. “I’ve made my feelings on this matter clear,” he said and then he started walking to the door.

Ivy watched his movements; she had never been more confused in her entire life. Where was this coming from and how could she fix it? But then something else bubbled up inside of her. Some long dormant aspect of her teenage rebelliousness snuck up and out of her subconscious and she wasn't confused anymore; she was mad.

Her father couldn’t tell her who to date. She wasn’t living in his house. She didn’t rely on his money. There was nothing he had to offer except his love and support. He was holding those things hostage and forcing Ivy to choose between him and Blake. In a lot of ways, it reminded her of Darryl. Both men were trying to control who she was with, but she wasn’t going to let them do it.

Ivy crossed her arms over her chest and moved aside so her father could leave. She didn’t say anything. She knew the moment he left she was going to grab her phone and call Blake. She should have ignored Darryl. She should never have given into her demands. People were trying to tear her and Blake apart and if she didn’t stand firm against them they would win.

Jonas reached the door and pulled it open and standing there, his fist raised to knock on the door, was a stunned-looking Blake.

Chapter Thirty-Two

“Jonas,” Blake said as he looked from Ivy back to her father. There was something in the look Ivy was giving him. Her arms were crossed and she looked rather unhappy. The look she was giving him was a warning. She was trying to warn him about something, but what? “I didn’t know you were in town...”

“I came to speak to Ivy,” Jonas said. But the warm and friendly voice Blake was used to hearing was gone. Instead Jonas sounded cold and detached. He was wrapping a scarf around his neck and slipping into a pair of gloves. Finally, when he was dressed for the weather outside, he looked up at Blake and continued. “I have asked Ivy to end her relationship with you. Ellen and I are getting married and the two of you will be stepsiblings soon. It’s...unacceptable.” He almost shuddered as he said that final word and Blake felt a ball of anger begin to form in his stomach.

“I wasn't aware Ivy and I had to get your permission,” Blake said. “We’re both adults. We can do whatever we want. And,” he continued, taking a step closer, “I’m not your son. You can’t tell me what to do.”

“I don’t want you anywhere near my daughter,” Jonas said and, to Blake’s surprise, he didn’t back down. Blake was taller, stronger, younger, and a better fighter than the older man, but Jonas didn’t seem as intimidated as Blake would have expected. “You broke her heart once in high school, Blake. I was there. I was the one who held her while she cried. I was the one she spent her prom night with. Did you really think she wanted to be watching TV with her dad that night? It’s not just that you’re stepsiblings. It’s that you are not mature enough for my daughter. She needs a man who understands how the world works, not some overgrown boy who fights for a living.”

“Dad, that’s enough!” Ivy’s stern voice cut through the room and both men turned to look at her. “I think you should leave. I’m not going to stand here and listen to you insult Blake. He’s lost everything because he was trying to protect me. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I don’t like it and I want you to leave.”

Blake raised his eyebrows at Ivy. He had never heard her talk to Jonas like that. Ivy was normally very respectful to her father. She always did what she was told. She never missed curfew or talked back. She never went through a real rebellious phase, but it looked like she was hitting it now.

“And what happens when you break her heart again?” Jonas asked as he walked past Blake. “We’ll be family soon. What will you do then?” He walked away before Blake could say anything.

Not that Blake was going to, it was a rhetorical question and one he had asked himself many times. He had an answer for it. He wanted to be with Ivy forever and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

Blake entered Ivy’s apartment and closed the door behind him. He looked over at Ivy, but she wasn’t crying. She was shaking her head with an almost rueful smile on her face.

“Can we talk about what happened earlier? When you ran away from me?”

“I’m sorry,” Ivy said.

“What did Darryl do?” Blake asked. He didn’t know how he knew; he just did. Ivy loved him as much as he loved her. The only thing that would drive her away was some outside threat: Darryl. It had to be. The son of a bitch was behind bars, but rich people have a different sort of prison experience than everyone else. It wasn’t too surprising that Daryl could harass Ivy from within a jail cell.

“He said he would drop the charges against you if I broke up with you,” Ivy said with a shrug of her shoulders.

“And you believed him?” Blake asked raising his eyebrows.

“What was I supposed to do? Stay with you and watch you go to jail?”

“Look, I’m not some little fish Darryl can push around. I have a lot of money, too, and I have a lot of connections, Ivy. It’s not going to be so easy for Darryl to push me around. Especially once this article comes out. I read the rough draft; it looks good. It makes Darryl look like a pathetic stalker, which he is. I brought it for you to read, too. I haven't asked Tim to change anything about our relationship, but I can...”

“No,” Ivy said shaking her head. “I can’t keep doing this wishy-washy nonsense. You’re right. We want to be together and we are. If people have a problem with it, it’s their problem. We know we love each other and we’re both adults. So, let's do this.”

Blake smiled and took two steps towards Ivy. He put his hand on her cheek and then pulled her close to him for a deep kiss. He could smell the soap she used, could feel the sweep of her long, dark hair. Her back was warm and soft as he pulled her closer to him. He could feel her heart beating and he focused on the tha-thump of her heart. He closed his eyes and fell into the sound. It was like the noise of the universe. It was the only sound he wanted to hear.

“What about your fight?” Ivy asked, her voice muffled. She was leaning against Blake’s chest and she spoke directly into him, which made him smile.

“Still cancelled for the moment. But that decision can be overturned and Tim thinks it will be. But it doesn’t matter. There are always more fights. The only real issue is if I get a felony conviction. That could cause a real problem. But I punched Darryl once and he was violating his restraining order against you. I really don’t think I’m going to get a felony charge for it. I didn’t do that much damage to the guy. This isn’t as bad as you think it is, Ivy.”

Blake looked over to the table and saw the cardboard box half opened on the table, a few items were spread out over the table. He recognized his first metal from his first ever boxing match hanging over the brown cardboard edge. Ivy was the person who encouraged him to join the local Y’s boxing club. She had actually filled out the paperwork and everything. She begged him to join. There was something about the legitimacy of a club that appealed to Ivy. Blake didn’t like it as much. He found the rules too confining and he felt like he was always waiting on the slower kids in the club to catch up. But nothing beat the thrill of a real match in front of an audience. That made it all worth it for Blake: the bright overhead lights, the referee edging around the corners always watching, the glare of sweat on his opponent's face.

“I can’t believe you still have this,” Blake said walking over the table and holding the cheap plastic medal up to the light.

“Of course, it was your first win,” Ivy said as she leaned against him and wrapped her hands around his waist. “It was your first match. I remember I was so nervous as I watched you. I was so worried you were going to get hurt. I had to watch the match from between my fingers.”

“But I won.”

“You kicked that other guy’s ass.”

“That was the exact moment I knew I wanted to be a fighter.” He could still remember the roar of the crowd, though there couldn't have been more than twenty people there. He remembered the referee holding his hand up as he was declared the winner. His heart was pounding, he was out of breath, but he had won and he had seen Ivy sitting in the stands smiling up at him.

“You’re welcome,” Ivy said with a kiss.

“What are we going to do about your dad?” Blake asked as he slipped the medal back into the box.

“I don’t know. Maybe he just needs a little bit of time,” Ivy said with a shrug. “I wonder what your mom thinks…”

“My mom loves you,” Blake said. “I know she’ll be okay with this. Maybe she can convince Jonas to change his mind.” He leaned down and kissed Ivy on the forehead as he looked at the clock. It was still early, only ten o’clock in the morning. But his statement would be coming out within two hours. He needed to go to Tim’s office and get ready. He would have to answer questions and deal with the press and the backlash. But he had Ivy back and she was ready to fight for their relationship. As long as she was there, he could convince himself everything would be okay.