Chapter 60 – My Everything (Ivy’s POV)

Chapter 60 – My Everything (Ivy’s POV)
On the other side of the door, I heard him inhale sharply. Did he catch my words? I wasn’t certain. But a moment later, his hand thumped lightly against the wood, and I could almost feel the desperation radiating from him.
He knew. On some level, he knew what I’d just resolved.
“Ivy,” he called, voice anguished. “Please—”
I turned the lock with a loud click. He fell silent.
I was doing this on my terms.
I yanked the door open. Damian stumbled back a half-step, clearly having braced against it. He recovered quickly, straightening to his full height, eyes raking over me with a volatile mix of relief and worry.
I folded my arms tightly across my chest. “We can talk then.” I said, tone like ice. His throat bobbed; he nodded mutely.
I brushed past him without meeting his gaze. As I strode away, I heard him fall in step a few paces behind me. Soon, we were both at the solarium which was empty at this hour, sunlight pouring through the glass walls onto an assortment of tropical plants. I rounded on him as soon as the door closed. Damian stood a few feet away, hands flexing at his sides, jaw tight. Now that I was facing him, I didn’t even know where to begin. Fury and agony warred in my chest, strangling my words but no, I wasn’t going to this because I really loved him. I was going to do this because I needed to put up an act… Yes, that serious act of desperately needing him; that jealousy that will prompt him to trust me more.
He beat me to it. “I—” he started, but I sliced the air with my hand.
“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t start with an apology. I’ve heard enough apologies.”
He shut his mouth, eyes never leaving mine.
I drew a shaky breath, aiming for controlled anger but hearing a tremor under my words. “I want you to choose, Damian. Here and now. Her, or me.”
His brows shot up, stunned. “Ivy—”
“No.” I held up a finger. “No deflections, no excuses. One or the other. Your mate, or your little sudden family.”
Color drained from his face. “Ivy—” he whispered.
“It’s not that simple,” he said hoarsely. “There’s a child involved, Ivy. An innocent. I can’t just turn them away without finding out the truth.”
I wanted to remain unaffected, but a bitter laugh escaped me. “What truth? The truth that you fucked my cousin and knocked her up? The truth that you might have a bastard son?” His face twisted with pain at my crude phrasing, but I pressed on mercilessly. Yes, that was it! “Some truth.”
“And what if he is yours?” I demanded. “Then what? You move them in permanently? Expect me to play stepmother while Bianca lives off your charity in the guesthouse?”
He flinched. “Of course not! Ivy, I would never ask that of you.”
“Then what?” My composure slipped. I heard the crack in my voice. Was I just good at acting or dammit, was I really hurt? “What is your brilliant plan, oh fearless Alpha? Enlighten me, because from where I stand you look like a coward too scared to make anyone unhappy, so you’ll string us all along!”
His eyes flashed gold at that. “That’s not fair,” he snarled. “You think I wanted this? You think I’d ever intentionally hurt you like this?” He dragged a hand through his hair, frustration evident. “What do you want me to do? Throw a woman and a small child out on the street without mercy? That’s not the man I’m trying to be anymore.”
“I want you to put me first!” The words ripped out of me, loud and echoing in the glass enclosure. My chest heaved.
Damian looked like I slapped him. “You are first,” he whispered. “You’re everything, Ivy.”
Shit! That stroke something in my emotional guard. “Prove it,” I whispered back. “Because right now it doesn’t feel that way. Right now I feel like the second priority, the afterthought…”
“You’re not,” he interrupted fiercely. Before I could react he closed the distance between us and grabbed my shoulders. “Listen to me,” he snarled, leaning down so we were eye to eye. His fingers trembled where they held me, belying the steadiness of his glare. “Bond or no bond, I choose you. I chose you every day. But there is an innocent child under my roof and I could not in good conscience turn him away if he’s mine. Can’t you understand that?”
My eyes searched his. He was so damned sincere it hurt. I didn’t want anything as close as one bit of emotion towards him stopping me from wrecking him and getting the hell out of here. I found myself softening for half a heartbeat. A low growl built in his chest. “You are my real family. You’d be his family too, if—if he’s mine. We’d figure it out. Together.”
“Choose,” I said again, softer this time. My hands uncurled and I gently placed them on his chest. His heart was a wild drumbeat under my palm. “Either you send Bianca and her son away today, or…” My throat closed around a sob. “Or I leave. Those are your options.”
He stared at me, horror dawning in his gaze as he realized I meant it. “Don’t,” he choked out. “Don’t do that. Don’t leave me.”
My vision blurred with tears. “Then show me I’m first. Send them away.”
He opened his mouth… and hesitated. A split second, a moment’s pause but it was enough. Hot tears spilled over onto my cheeks. I nodded slowly, stepping out of his grip.
He reached for me. “Wait—”
I backed up farther, wrapping my arms around myself. “That’s what I thought.”
“Ivy,” he rasped, pressing my knuckles to his forehead. “I love you. I choose you. Please believe that. I’m begging you… I’ll fix this. I’ll do whatever it takes, just—just don’t go. Don’t leave me. I—I can’t—” His voice broke.
I searched his face. I believed him—god help me, I did. He looked wrecked, eyes red-rimmed, breath coming in panicked pants as he awaited my next words.
I brushed his dark hair back from his brow entirely speechless for a reason I couldn’t quite place.
 “I swear to you,” he whispered, voice shaking with conviction, “I swear I’ll make this right. I’ll never let anything come between us again. Not Bianca, not anyone. I’ll prove it to you.”
Alright. Let me see what you’ve got, Damian Lucenti.
He framed my face in his hands, kissing the tears off my cheeks reverently. “My Luna,” he murmured between kisses. “My queen. My everything.”