Dirty scene

Dirty scene
“Okay, boys, this fiasco has got to stop!” Ivy interjected, sensing the tension between the men. Her gaze shifted between Alvin and Raul, before returning to Alvin. “It's true that we need a capable hand, but I’ll think about it!”

“Well, everything has always been your choice to make, hasn't it?” Alvin replied calmly, though his sly demeanor spoke volumes. “Don’t overthink it, honey. Take your time. I was only offering a hand,” he added as he turned his attention to a wad of papers in front of him.

“Ivy, I’ll head back to my office. I have a meeting at noon. Just let me know if you need help with anything, okay?” Raul offered, patting her arm lightly as she nodded and watched him leave the meeting room.

Ivy’s eyes darted to Alvin, who had been casually staring at her. There was something about the way he stared that weakened her resolve.

Lately, specters of their past haunted her. He wasn’t just attractive and hard to resist; he was always there to pull her out of a dead end. 

“Stop staring, Vin, it’s—” 

“Maddening, I know...” he finished for her, a beam resting on her lips. “Tell me,” he leaned on his arms on the table, “do you ever miss us? The bond we shared?” His question planted a multitude of thoughts in Ivy’s head. 

Ivy scoffed lightly. “Drop it,” she demanded.

“No, you should drop the pretense for once, Ivy!” he stated firmly. He rose from his seat and walked over to her, leaning closer.

The familiar scent of his cologne hit her nostrils. It was one of the things she used to love about him.

Before Ivy could speak, Alvin’s fingers traced her thighs, gently caressing each side while his other hand softly held the back of her neck.

“Wh-what are you doing?” she stuttered, a mix of shock and nervousness consuming her as her eyes met his.

“You used to love it when I did this,” he whispered.

“Used to,” she blurted, slightly annoyed.

“And now?” he asked, his fingers teasing her despite the trousers she wore. She tried to pull away from his touch.

“Get off me!” Ivy finally pushed him away and walked to the other side of the room, adjusting her blazer while Alvin rubbed his nose with a swift motion.

“You can't run from what we have, Ivy. I'm crazy about you... and so are you,” he insisted.

“No, Vin, wake up. Nothing will ever happen between us,” she clarified, reaching for her purse and the documents she needed. Alvin grabbed her hand before she could escape his grasp.

“I thought Nathan was the problem, but I get it now. You need time; you can have it. Just to be clear, that rickety journalist who's sweeping you off your feet has no chance with you…” Alvin asserted as Ivy scoffed.

“Your guts are kind of cute!” she snapped with a faint smile, walking out of the meeting room. “That was intense,” she told herself.

Alvin felt disappointment wash over him. He wished he'd approached the situation differently, without putting so much pressure on Ivy. He loved her so much, and it felt out of his control. Yet, he couldn't stand the thought of anyone else sharing her company.

He rubbed his head in frustration and kicked the chair angrily.

…

As soon as work ended, Ivy resolved to visit each contact on the list Alvin had given her. Although she felt overwhelmed, she couldn’t give up on her journey.

Ivy rushed to the parking lot, making her way to her car. Raul had offered to drive her home, but Ivy politely declined.

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Lana, her best friend who had suddenly felt like a stranger.

“Think we could catch up this weekend?”

Ivy reread the text, feeling slightly annoyed. “Oh, now she wants to hang out?” Ivy muttered to herself, uncertain about whether to respond.

In the end, she accepted the invitation. Although she missed her best friend, she still didn't understand why their relationship had become so rocky. Just as she was about to get into her car, Alvin called out to her.

“Hey Ivy, I know you're mad at me for constantly showing up—I’m mad too. I just thought I could come with you,” he said politely as Ivy sighed.

“You’re really a pain in the ass, aren't you?” Ivy snapped. “I can handle this on my own,” she stated firmly.

“I know. I just want to be there, that's all. I promise I won’t bother you about… our past,” Alvin assured her.

“Yeah, for the umpteenth time!” she grumbled under her breath, glancing at her phone before looking up to meet his gaze. “Okay, but you'll drive…” she said, tossing the car keys to him. He deftly caught them with a proud smirk.

If there was anyone who knew Ivy well, aside from Nathan, it was Alvin Hart.

…

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the middle of an unfamiliar street. Alvin glanced at Ivy’s phone screen and read aloud.

“First on our list is… Zoe. Ready to see her?” he asked, looking away from the screen.

“I’m never ready to face someone new, but I need to know why the hell she slept with my husband,” Ivy replied bluntly.
“I’m never ready to face someone, but this? I have to know why the hell she slept with my husband,” Ivy said bluntly.

“Late husband,” Alvin corrected under his breath, rubbing his chin.

Ivy shot him a brazen look. “Not funny, because I heard that…” she snapped, causing Alvin to shrink back into himself.

Alvin and Ivy stepped out of the parking lot across the street. In front of them were condominiums leading up to Zoe’s apartment. 

“Damn, Ivy, this isn’t your regular drive-in. Maybe I should get her down here,” Alvin suggested. 

“Nah, I want to see the shock on her face when I tell her Nate was my husband,” Ivy stated, pursing her lips. 

“Okay, I understand, but you look too rich for this neighborhood. You’re literally wearing a blazer that costs five rental payments upfront,” Alvin teased, though there was warmth in his words. 

Ivy scoffed, realizing he was right. 

“And you’re wearing a Versace suit—oh please!” she shot back, tugging at his arm. 

“Thing is, we’re going to get robbed,” he admitted.  

“While you’re here? Vin, you’re street smart when it comes to combat—it’s basically your thing…” she pointed out, surveying the area.

“We’re going to tone it down!” he proposed, taking off his suit jacket and tossing it into the car. He rolled up his sleeves, unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt, and ruffled his laid-back hair. “How do I look?” he asked.

“More like a tout,” she teased as he managed a half-smile. 

Ivy reluctantly took off her blazer, feeling incomplete or like a peasant since her taste had evolved ever since she met Nathan at university. 

On the other hand, Alvin’s eyes didn’t leave Ivy’s body. She had an enticing figure with defined curves; even the see-through top she wore added to his growing list of problems. 

“Good to go?” she asked, snapping him out of his daydream. 

“Y-yeah, why not?! Damn, Ivy, you look incredible…” he commented offhandedly, earning a roll of her eyes. 

“Really, Vin? What’s incredible?” she scoffed, dismissing the matter with a short, skeptical wave. “You know what, just lead the way, please…” she said dryly as he nodded and collected himself before they made their way to the metal stairs. 

…

The stench of cigarettes, weed, and booze lingered in the air. Some apartments filled the atmosphere with banging loud music, which Ivy now deemed ‘inappropriate.’ Other units emitted the smell of burnt bread or meat, while others echoed with arguments. 

Despite all that, Ivy ignored them, focusing on the first stop on their list. 

“Here! Number 38!” Alvin announced as they stood in front of the door. 

Unlike the other apartments, Zoe’s smelled like scented candles. 

“What is she, a psychic?!” Ivy commented dismissively as Alvin knocked. 

“Let me handle this,” he replied. 

After knocking three times with no response, Alvin twisted the knob and found it unlocked. 

He glanced over his shoulder, waiting for Ivy’s reaction. 

“No way are we breaking into someone’s apartment,” she protested in a whisper. 

“But they left the door open. It’s now or never, Ivy, let’s go in…” Alvin coaxed, taking her hand as they entered the apartment quietly. 

“Hello?” Ivy called softly, her eyes darting around at the portable furniture. From her observation, Zoe clearly loved the color red. 

“She’s not in, and we are wrong for—”

“Shh!” Alvin interrupted as they slowly walked toward the bedroom.

They heard soft, hurried moans spreading across the room like the scent of candles, accompanied by slow, sad love music playing in the background.

Alvin peeked through the crack in the door and saw Zoe in a compromising position, which Ivy would have deemed inappropriate. She decided it was better not to see what she had stumbled upon. Whatever Zoe chose to do in her own time was her business. 

“Forget it, Alvin, I’m out…” Ivy snapped, turning back to the tiny living room. 

Alvin pushed the door further open to capture Zoe’s attention. She had been using a rose-shaped vibrator, naked on her bed. 

“Oh boy!” Alvin muttered under his breath as Zoe, startled and disheveled, pulled the sheets over her chest. 

“Wh-who are you? What do you want? I’m going to call the cops—”

“Now, if I were you, I would do my best not to piss off the man standing in front of you because we come in peace, okay sweetie?” he said with a sly smile, leaning against the door frame. 

“Okay, you slept with Nate, right?” Alvin asked directly, frowning slightly before she could respond.