Ivy staggered back in shock, then quickly stepped forward in an attempt to grab Balfourâs hand, desperately trying to stop his escalating fury.
âBalfour, what the hell are you doing? Stop it, right now!â
Ryan got to his feet, his temper flaring, glaring with eyes that threatened to retaliateâ¦
Ivy knew all too well that Balfourâs skills were unmatched; Ryan didnât stand a chance.
To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, Ivy threw caution to the wind and positioned herself in front of Ryan, clutching Balfour tightly, finally making him stop his assault. âBalfour, youâve got it all wrong! Cool down, just let me explain.â
âGet out of here, Iâve got this.â Ivy turned back to warn Ryan, but before she could finish her sentence, Balfour pulled her away stiffly.
Clearly in a huffing rage, Balfourâs grip on Ivyâs wrist was painfully tight.
âOuch-damn it, Balfour, whatâs gotten into you? Let go of me.â
Ivy stumbled along behind him, her other hand wrestling with Balfourâs wrist, trying to break free from his iron grasp.
Balfour was an imposing force, a veritable iceberg on the move.
The rest of the crew lowered their heads, not daring to catch his eye for fear that one look could cost them their livelihoods.
Balfour didnât go far. Upon reaching the next vacant room, he pulled Ivy inside and slammed the door shut with a thunderous bang.
After a fierce struggle, Ivy finally wrenched her hand free from Balfourâs vice-like grip.
She immediately stood opposite him, rubbing her reddened wrist, her face a mask of incredulous anger. âBalfour, what are you doing here? What the hell is all this about?â
âYouâre asking me what Iâm doing? Maybe you should take a hard look at what youâre doing first!â
Balfour had seen them together, so close, and it had ignited a firestorm inside him.
Ivy, equally upset, shot back, âIf you need to lash out, go home! Donât have a meltdown on my set, okay?â
Rubbing her sore wrist, Ivy tried to sidestep Balfour to leave the roomâ¦
But Balfour blocked the door with one hand while his other hand grasped Ivyâs chin firmly.
âYou canât stand being in the same room with me for a minute, can you? Do you want to run back to that guy?â
Ivy frowned in frustration. She didnât want to argue, but she couldnât swallow the indignation building within her. âSo what if I do? You assault someone for no good reason, and you expect me not to check on his injuries?â
But to Balfour, her words twisted in his ears. He thought she didnât care about his displeasure and was ready to abandon him for another man.
In a fit of rage, he gazed at the defiant Ivy, not knowing what to say to teach her a lesson, and suddenly bent down to aggressively bite down on her soft lips.
The kiss, fierce and biting, took Ivy by surprise. She struggled to break free. âMm⦠what the-â
Ivy shoved Balfour away with unexpected strength.
Distracted by his own intensity, Balfourâs grip loosened, allowing Ivy to push him off.
Furious, she wiped her lips with her sleeve, her eyes red with anger.
Balfourâs brow furrowed involuntarily.
Was his touch that repulsive to her?
âWhat the heck is this all about, showing up and going berserk like that?â Ivy was both angry and dumbfounded.
What exactly did she mean to Balfour?
Even if their relationship was a one-sided contract, did he have to bully her like this?