Chapter 51: I Was Ready

Chapter 51: I Was Ready

Ivy

Did Leo see Andy and me?

The question looped in my head like a bad song I couldn’t turn off. Of course he saw.

I had been pressed right against that window, Andy’s mouth on mine, my fingers gripping his arm like I needed the support to stay upright.

My lips still tingled from the force of it—warm, insistent, and completely unwanted in the moment. I bit down on them hard, trying to erase the feeling, but my stupid heart wouldn’t stop racing.

Andy was getting bolder. That much was obvious.

He didn’t care about Maddie waiting downstairs or the celebration happening in his honor. He didn’t care about consequences anymore.

Part of me wondered if this was finally it—if watching me with Leo had cracked something open inside him.

Was it possible he was finally acknowledging how he really felt about me? Had Leo’s presence been the push he needed to see me after all these years?

I shook my head sharply, pressing my forehead against the cool window of Leo’s car. Stupid thoughts, Ivy. Stop it.

Everything had changed. Andy was marrying Maddie. I am with Leo now. And I liked Leo. A little too much. More than liked, if I was being honest with myself in the quiet corners of my mind.

The way he looked at me, the way he claimed me—it made me feel seen in a way Andy never had.

The front door of the house swung open. Leo stepped out, that cocky, satisfied smile on his face, my duffel bag slung over his broad shoulder like it weighed nothing.

My spine went rigid. I sat up straighter, smoothing my hands over my thighs, heart hammering against my ribs.

He knew. There was no way he didn’t.

He popped the trunk and tossed the bag inside with a solid thud. Then he slid into the driver’s seat, closing the door with a quiet click that somehow made the entire car feel smaller.

His presence filled every inch of space—broad shoulders, the strong scent of his cologne mixed with the crisp outdoor air, the quiet intensity that always seemed to radiate off him. I waited, breath held, for the explosion.

But he didn’t say a word.

Instead, he reached across me, opened the glove compartment, and pulled out a packet of wipes.

My stomach flipped.

Before I could even form a question, his strong hand gripped my jaw, tilting my face toward him with effortless control. The wipes were cool and slightly rough as he dragged them across my lips—forceful, thorough, almost punishing.

I tried to turn away, to push at his wrist, but it was useless. I was no match for Leo’s strength, and some strange part of me didn’t really want to be.

He kept going until he was satisfied, then leaned back to inspect me like I was a painting he was checking for flaws. His dark eyes traced every inch of my face.

“There,” he said, voice low and satisfied. “Much better.”

“You knew?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“I saw.” His tone was flat, but his eyes burned. “You lied to me.”

“I didn’t want you to start a fight with him there,” I whispered, cheeks heating. “Enough with the fighting, Leo. Andy just got out of the hospital—”

“Sending him back to the ER for kissing my girlfriend is a good enough reason, Ivy.” His hand returned to my jaw, thumb brushing my now-clean lower lip. “He touched what’s mine. And he did it to prove a point.”

“What point?” I asked sheepishly, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That you still love him.” Leo started the engine, the low rumble vibrating through the seats. He pulled away from the curb smoothly, one hand on the wheel, the other resting possessively on my thigh.

“I don’t love him. Not anymore.” I said it with as much conviction as I could muster, turning to face him. “It’s true I used to. For years. But that love… it died. After everything.”

Leo glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Is that so?”

“Yes.” I nodded firmly. “I don’t love Andy anymore. Not after he secretly spied on us at the lake. But I’m guessing it wasn’t exactly secret, right? You knew he was watching.”

I’d suspected it for a while. Leo was too sharp, too in control, to be caught unaware like that. He hadn’t invited Andy to watch, but he’d known. And he hadn’t stopped. He’d used the moment—used me—to twist the knife deeper into his rival.

“Yes,” Leo said casually, like we were discussing the weather. “I spotted him hiding behind a tree like a chicken.”

I let out a bitter chuckle. “Wow. And you didn’t bother to tell me? Or get rid of him?”

“Why would I?” He shrugged, his hand sliding a little higher on my thigh, warmth seeping through my jeans. “That was our moment, Ivy. He was the one trespassing. Why let him ruin it? There are so many ways to make a fool out of a man. This was one of them. He wanted to watch? We gave him a hell of a show.”

“I was naked,” I hissed, horrified all over again at the memory. The hood of Leo’s car, Leo’s hands and mouth everywhere while Anderson lurked in the shadows. “Exposed. You don’t care about that? You're not bothered that he saw me like that?”

“No.” His voice was calm, almost reverent. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Ivy. You looked ethereal that day. If anything, that image is exactly why Anderson has been losing his goddamn mind over you ever since.”

I stared at his side profile—the strong jaw, the faint scar near his eyebrow which wasn't there before, the way his eyes stayed focused on the road but his hand kept that steady, claiming pressure on my leg. Heat bloomed in my chest.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of or feel self-conscious about,” he continued, rubbing gentle circles with his thumb. “You’re the real prize, Ivy Lennon. No one else but you. Anderson knows he fumbled you. He realizes how badly he fucked up. That he could have been the one with you all this time. That’s why he’s so desperate and regretful. He knows he lost you forever.”

His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket.

I’d spent years being “the mid girl.” The “okay” sister. The one who faded into the background next to Maddie’s effortless beauty and confidence.

No one had ever called me a prize before. Not like this. With Leo, I felt like the most beautiful girl in the world. Dangerous, how quickly I was starting to believe it.

“Anderson doesn’t even give two shits about his fiancée anymore,” Leo went on, voice darkening with anger. “All he cares about is keeping you for himself. Tucking you away like some sordid little secret. He wants your affection and your body. The disrespect to something so sacred.” He practically spat the last words.

I swallowed hard. “How about you? Isn’t it the same? You’re using me too. Using my body to piss Andy off.”

“True.” He didn’t even try to deny it. His hand squeezed my thigh. “But that doesn’t take away from my feelings for you. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you. That I’m not fucking crazy over you.”

Love. Earlier he'd referred to my body as sacred. Now he was saying he loved me. Love?

The word hit me like a spark to dry tinder. My eyes widened, heart slamming against my ribs. He’d said it. Casually, like it was obvious. Not “like.” Not “care about.” Love.

I looked away quickly, staring out the window at the passing streetlights, trying to calm the whirlwind in my chest. Don’t read too much into it, Ivy. Don’t.

“You ghosted me,” I said instead, voice quieter now. “For weeks. I called. Julia called. Why would you do that?”

“Because I didn’t want to hear my mother and my girlfriend whine and moan about Anderson.” He said it so casually, like it was the most logical thing in the world. “He was hospitalized because of me. Weren’t you both calling to guilt-trip me into visiting him? To give me updates? Wasn’t it obvious I didn’t give a fuck? Covering his medical bills was generous enough.”

“You’re wrong.” I turned back to him, eyes stinging with unshed tears. “That wasn’t why I was calling. I wanted to talk to you. To hear your voice and make sure you were okay.”

He glanced over, surprise flickering across his face before that devastating smile returned. “How sweet. So you wanted to take care of me?”

I nodded, suddenly shy. “Yes.”

The car turned onto a quieter road leading toward Leo’s family house. He took my hand, lifting it and placing it firmly over the growing bulge between his legs. The heat of him through his pants made my breath hitch.

“We have the house to ourselves for the next two weeks,” he said, voice dropping into that low, commanding tone that always made my stomach flip. “That’s more than enough time for you to take care of me.” His fingers pressed mine down gently, encouraging me to feel him. “And all my other needs.”

The air in the car thickened instantly. My cheeks burned, but I didn’t pull my hand away. The weight of everything—the kiss with Andy, the confrontation, Leo’s confession of love, the weeks of silence—stayed right there between us.

But underneath it all was this undeniable pull. This heat that always seemed to ignite whenever we were alone.

I curled my fingers slightly, feeling him harden further under my touch. Leo let out a low hum of approval, his own hand returning to my thigh, sliding higher until his fingers teased the seam of my jeans right at the apex.

“You’re mine, Ivy,” he murmured, eyes on the road but every other part of him focused entirely on me. “Anderson can cling to his delusions. Maddie can plan her perfect wedding. None of it matters. By the time these two weeks are over, there won’t be a single doubt left in anyone’s mind—especially yours—who you belong to.”

I bit my lip, the cleaned one that no longer tasted like Andy’s kiss. Only Leo’s presence filled the car now. His scent, his touch, his words.

And for the first time in a long while, that felt exactly right.

I squeezed my hand gently over him, earning another appreciative sound from deep in his chest. Two weeks alone. No interruptions. No spying eyes. Just Leo and me, and whatever this intense, chaotic thing between us was turning into.

I was scared. Excited. Overwhelmed.

But mostly, I was ready.