Chapter 16

RHYS

"Answer me, Rhys," Eddie shouted. "Did you hook up with Ivy?"

My silence told him everything.

His stare burned into me as he took a thunderous step forward and shoved me. I could not look my best friend in the eye for the first time. I was a month away from saying goodbye to Eddie and Moose Creek to attend my first year of college at UCLA. The last thing I ever wanted was to leave on bad terms.

Charlie stood behind him, both arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips. This was all his fault. If Eddie's body weren't blocking Charlie's, I would've knocked him square in the jaw with my fist.

Fucking snitch.

Charlie saw Ivy leave her father's office in tears the night of our graduation party. When I stepped out behind her, he was standing there, knowingly. I was busted. I begged Charlie to keep his mouth shut. He didn't. When I showed up at Eddie's house to jam in the garage, he asked me point blank if I'd hooked up with Ivy. I was caught entirely off-guard. Usually, I could talk myself out of anything. This time, I couldn't find words to answer. I wanted to tell him that none of what I'd done was ill-intentioned. I wanted to finally come clean and tell him I did have feelings for Ivy, and she meant everything to me. Which was precisely why I didn't let what happened between us go any farther that night. It nearly killed me to see her cry and send her upstairs. But of course, I didn't tell him any of those things.

"Eddie, man...come on," I nervously laugh. "You're my best friend. Do you think I'd hook up with your little sister?"

My heart was pounding. I was lying like a coward. Eddie knew it. I knew. And fucking Charlie knew it too.

"We're fucking done," Eddie spat. The fire burning inside his eyes was flaming fierce. I'd never seen him look so angry. Eddie was always the cool, calm, and collected one between us. Not now, though. He was anything but. "I know you're lying to me, Rhys. Charlie saw you. Ivy was crying. What the hell did you do to her? So help me God-"

He took another step closer, fists clenched like he was seconds away from feeding me a painful blow.

"Okay, okay." I finally conceded and held up both my hands in surrender. "We kissed, okay? But I sent her upstairs. That's why she was crying. I didn't hurt her. I told her I couldn't go through with it –"

"Oh, how fucking noble of you," he shouted. "Are you suggesting my sweet little sister threw herself at you? Is that what you're saying?"

Well, yes...

"Eddie, come on," I said, trying to reason with him. "I stopped Ivy before anything more between us happened. Don't I get some props for that? I stopped it."

"You're a dirtbag, Rhys," he seethed. "I've watched you fuck and chuck so many girls. And I've seen you break a million and one hearts with your ways. I've warned you since we were kids that Ivy is and will always be off-limits to you. The last thing she needs is a fuckboy like you to screw up her future." His chest heaved up and down as he tore a strip out of me. "The only good news here is that you are leaving for UCLA soon, and hopefully, Ivy won't ever have to see you again."

"Eddie, I'm sorry. Come on, man. We can't let this affect our friendship."

Silence fell between us for what felt like forever before Eddie spoke again.

"Get out of my garage and get the fuck out of my sight, Rhys."

I glared at Charlie one last time before I turned away from Eddie and walked away from the best friend I ever had.

An early morning workout at the local gym would distract me from the mess inside my head. Nothing was better than cold, hard sweat beating down your chest or the pounding of your heart pulsing in your ears from exerting your body to its limits. I pushed myself harder to increase my speed from the sudden incline on the treadmill. Feet pounding, muscles on fire, it always worked.

I refused to let Ivy get under my skin. Especially when she had no right to be there; she hadn't returned to the ranch this week, even though I knew she was on shift at the resort. I had no idea where she was staying. I could only assume at the employee bunkhouse. Not having her around shouldn't have bothered me, but it did. I hated to admit it, but I missed her. I was growing accustomed to her having her around.

I was pretty confident Eddie's distaste for me had everything to do with Ivy's absence. I knew once he found out I was back in Moose Creek and staying at the ranch, he'd do everything he could to keep her away from me. He hadn't liked when Ivy had a crush on me in the past, and he most certainly didn't like the idea of me tainting his little sister now. Regardless of whether or not she was with Blaine, I knew Eddie didn't trust me, and maybe this time he was right not to. Disgusted, I shook my head and turned up the volume on my iTunes.

By the time I returned to the ranch, it was almost noon. I was tired with sore muscles, but it felt good. Going into town for the morning gave me some distance from the ranch and clarity in my thoughts. However, frustrations returned in my head once I returned to the ranch. As I walked up the front steps, I was blasted with a memory of Ivy reading a book on the porch swing. Her silky blonde hair was twisted up and exposed the freckles on her shoulders. She wore a cute blue sundress that was tight around her bust and loose around her waist. I shook away the memory with a growl and tugged an earbud free. Why the hell was she invading my thoughts again?

I was thankful the air conditioning was on full blast when I stepped inside. The hot sun sizzled on my skin. I needed an instant cool down, but a cold shower would have to wait. I was starving, and I needed to eat. I walked into the kitchen when the house phone started to ring. I turned toward the source of annoyance. No one ever called the ranch other than my father to check up on me to ensure I hadn't fled yet. I rolled my eyes and put the phone to my ear.

"What?" I answered.

"Rhys?" Blaine's voice came from the other end of the line. I swallowed hard and waited in silence for him to speak. "Rhys? Is that you? What on earth are you doing at the ranch?"

I felt my stomach tighten at her name and focused on pouring myself a glass of water. I took a sip and then replied. "I came home for the summer."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I mean, no," I said, scratching the back of my head. "I didn't want you of all people to know how badly I fucked up this time."

"Jesus Rhys," he said, tone impatient. "Where is Ivy?"

"Ivy isn't here."

"Where is she?" he snapped. "I've been trying to get a hold of her. When I call, it goes straight to voicemail. And no one is answering my calls the resort's reception desk."

"She's not here." I coldly replied.

"Fuck!" Blaine shouted. He paused and cleared his throat. "How long have you been back? Have you been staying at the ranch this whole time?"

"Yeah. It's my ranch just as much as it is yours."

"And neither of you decided to tell me?" his voice was tremoring with anger and getting increasingly louder with each breath. I suspected whatever flipped him off had less to do with me than with Ivy. Was it possible Blaine was the reason she didn't return to the ranch this week and not me? God, I hoped so.

"What did you do to piss her off?" I smirked.

"Fuck off, Rhys," he spat and then took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Ivy."

"What happened?"

Blaine let out a sigh, and silence filled the line. "She's angry with me because I didn't tell her about my assigned bunkmate, and I didn't tell my assigned bunkmate about her."

"So?"

"So.... my bunk mate is a gorgeous and single brunette," he grumbled.

Taking a long drink from my water, I continued to smirk. "And..."

"And nothing, Rhys," Blaine spat again. "I'm not like you. Nothing happened. I would never cheat or do anything like that to hurt Ivy. I love her."

Hearing him say he loved her caused my chest to tighten. It took a moment for me to breathe, only to be struck with a worse thought: Ivy loved him back.

An uncomfortable silence fell on the line. Blaine cleared his throat. "I need you to do me a favour."

"Okay."

"Go find Ivy at the resort and have her call me. I need to talk to her."

"Blaine – no. I don't want to get involved."

"Please. I'm begging you, Rhys. I need to talk to her."

Why did my stomach feel like it was suddenly trapped in my throat? It took me a moment to finally respond.

"Fine. I'll go down to the resort this afternoon and find her."

"I need you to promise me one more thing," he said.

"What's that?" I growled. I didn't like where this was headed. Not one fucking bit.

"Do not let her spend another night at that bunkhouse. She should stay at the ranch with you, where I know she is safe."

Fuck. I was starting to think she was far from safe in my presence, but I wasn't about to tell my brother that. I clenched my jaw and blew out my nostrils. My body was aching, and it wasn't from the three-hour workout I just finished. "Okay."

"Promise me."

"I promise," I said and hung up the phone.

I watched as several expressions passed over Ivy's face when I walked into the bunkhouse cafeteria. Surprise, annoyance, and then...curiosity? I barely took two steps into the room when Ivy turned her attention away from me and over to Missy, who sat on her right side. Charlie and Grayson were sitting across from them, all talking amongst themselves. I felt my inner animal begin to awaken when I heard a laugh escape from Ivy's pretty pink lips at something Charlie said. What the hell was so fucking funny?

I stalked over to their happy foursome. Selfishly, I wanted to break my promise to Blaine and have no part in mending his current disconnect with Ivy. But I was a man of my word, and I would be damned to break a promise to my brother. I was going to make things right between them.

"You lost Wyatt?" Missy asked as I approached their table.

"Nope," I replied.

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked, shifting her eyes between Ivy and me.

None of your fucking business. I wanted to tell her but didn't want to upset Ivy by being snippy with Missy. I looked down at Ivy's lunch tray, and my face heated. She was eating the most disgusting beef stew I'd ever seen. She was poking at it with her spoon. When she took a pitiful bite, I felt all shades of anger pass through my body. I clenched my fists at the sight of her eating that fucking slop my father fed his employees.

"Ivy, I need to speak to you," I said.

She lifted her head, and our eyes locked. Her long blond hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and her long, bare legs were crossed under the table. She looked perfect.

"I'm on my lunch break right now– it will have to wait," she said.

"Is everything okay, Rhys?" Charlie asked, straightening up from his seat.

I had no desire to acknowledge Charlie. I didn't like how he felt it necessary to always come to Ivy's defence. Ivy reached over and squeezed Charlie's arm. "Yes, everything is fine."

"I'm not going anywhere until we talk." I was starting to lose my patience. One look at her hand on Charlie's arm was enough to blow steam out my ears.

"You may own this resort, Rhys, but you don't own me," she said. "Now, if you don't mind..." she trailed off and poked at her stew, "...I'd like to finish my lunch."

We glared at each other in an impenetrable silence. When a triumphant smirk graced her pink lips, I reluctantly scooped Ivy into my arms and put her over my shoulder. If she weren't going to cooperate, I would make her cooperate. I was more than positive touching her like this was a bad idea. When a little shriek escaped her lips and the sweet wildflower scent on her body hit my nose, I was sure of it. But she would listen to what I had to say whether she wanted to.

Her ass was in the air, and my arms were wrapped around her legs. She was wiggling and shouting at me to put her down. I had to readjust my grip and fought back to restrain her feet from kicking me in the stomach. Her fists were already doing enough damage to my backside. I was sure I was going to bruise, but a sick part of me wished she had left me marked and sore. That way, I could be reminded not to touch what wasn't mine.

We had drawn attention from everyone eating their lunch in the cafeteria, and all eyes were on us. Missy shouted and demanded I put Ivy down as I exited through the doors and into the hot afternoon sun. I didn't care what anyone thought. No one was going to say anything to the owner's son. All that mattered was that I made right on my promise to Blaine.

I put her down, and uncertainty dared across her face. A tiny voice inside told me I should be nervous. Our eyes met, and her hand flew up and slapped me across the face. Hard. It stung like hell. For someone so damn tiny, she could sure hit hard. She whacked me again in the shoulder and then dropped her shaky hand. She flinched and let out a heavy, staggered breath; a sick sense of satisfaction washed over me.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she shouted with tears in her eyes. "You humiliated me back there!"

She placed her palms on my chest and shoved me backward. I grabbed her wrists, closed the gap, and looked down. "Enough, Ivy. You've made your point."

Her expression remained stoic.

"Blaine called the ranch looking for you this morning, and now he knows I'm back. And if you weren't such a pigheaded priss, you'd know the only reason I came down here was for Blaine. He's been desperately trying to get a hold of you."

We stood glaring at each other in silence. I was both stunned and aroused at the fury inside her. She was a damn firecracker, and I was impressed by her outburst.

Looking down, she shook her head, a small laugh escaping before a wicked smile graced her mouth. "Now you're doing his dirty work?" she replied sweetly.

My jaw ticked. "Christ, Ivy. Call him back already."

"I'm not ready to talk to him. He lied to me. Right now, I need some space," she paused briefly, her skin flushed slightly. "Which is exactly why I decided not to stay at the ranch this week."

"You're not getting any space." I smugly said. "Because you're moving back into the ranch. With me."

With a roll of her pretty green eyes, Ivy turned away from me. "I don't think so."

I stepped forward and wrapped my hand around her elbow, tugging her gently and closing the distance between us. When my front hit her backside, she tensed.

"Yes, you are," I breathed against her neck, smiling when her skin broke into goosebumps. "I made a promise to Blaine."

Slowly, she turned around and glared at me, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"You promised Blaine, huh?" she asked with a slight smirk. She didn't believe I was doing any of this for Blaine, which irritated me even more.

"He's my brother. I'm just keeping a promise." Ivy was making me on the verge of questioning my sanity. I clenched my teeth and forced myself to spit out the right thing to say. "This isn't a game, Ivy. Either make it right with Blaine or end it with him."

She hesitated for a moment and then took a step closer. "What do you think I should do?" her voice drew my attention back to her face, and her green eyes searched mine.

My throat went dry. My entire body tensed and stepped back, creating space between us. My eyes roamed her body, and a dark part of me emerged and suddenly wanted to tell her to end it with Blaine, but I stopped as soon as my eyes landed on her lips.

"Make it right," I said and then left.