Surviving Ice (Burying Water #4)(64)

I loved watching her come the other night.

But actually bringing her to the brink?

It takes every ounce of control in me not to go with her when she does, her moans loud and unfiltered. Sounds I already want to hear again. The second I’m sure I feel the last muscle spasm inside her, I pull out and tear the condom off. Without having to say a word, she reaches out and pumps me until I let loose all over her smooth stomach and tits, a muffled “f*ck” slipping out through my groans.

She sighs, lying languidly against the mirror and sink, her body limp and used and covered in sweat and cum. “Yeah.”

I never stick around after. With whores, there’s no point anyway. It just costs more. But with Ivy, I don’t want to leave. I’d do this all night with her.

But I have a job to do first.

I reach for a facecloth from a shelf above and hand it to her. “I’ll let you clean up,” I offer, laying one last kiss on her swollen lips before ducking out of the bathroom, sliding the door shut.

I listen for it.

As soon as I hear the door lock latch, I dive for the case, keeping one ear on her movements inside. I made one hell of a mess on her intentionally. Now that I know where the tape is, I make quick work of the duct tape, peeling it all the way off to remove the video. I slide the video under the bed and focus on tucking the foam back into the kit exactly how it was to avoid any questions.

I finally get it right, just as the toilet flushes.

When Ivy steps out a few minutes later, fully dressed, I’m doing up my belt.

“So . . . Dakota’s tat will probably take me about an hour and a half. You can watch if you want. But you don’t have to. You can do whatever you want. Stay or go . . .”

Back to being indifferent. She’s adorable when she’s trying to act like she doesn’t care, like we didn’t just finish f*cking in the bathroom five minutes ago. The truth is, I want to stay. I could be hard again in no time, just looking at her. We could do it in the bed this time, and I wouldn’t get up and leave right away.

But I can’t stay, not now. “Actually, I need to get going.” I tug my shirt on. “I have some errands to run.”

“Really?” She glances at the clock—it’s almost nine—and then shakes her head. “ ’Kay. Well, it was nice hanging out.” She lifts her kit. “And thanks for all the help around the shop and the house.”

She thinks I’m ditching her now that I’ve gotten what I wanted.

The thing is, I should be ditching her, and it has nothing to do with f*cking her and everything to do with the tape lying under the bed. Once Bentley has it my assignment is over. I could be back in Santorini by Sunday, and that’s for the best, for everyone. As much as I’ve enjoyed these last few days with Ivy, my lifestyle is a solitary one; it doesn’t yield to anyone else’s needs or questions.

But handing that video over to Bentley is not going to resolve the potential issue of Scalero. Ivy is still a witness in a double murder that he committed. Will he simply leave her alone? From our conversation today, I’m guessing not.

I can’t just leave her here, unprotected, waiting to be plucked off once he’s given the chance.

Cupping the back of her neck with my hand, I lean down to steal a last deep kiss from her. “I’ll pick you up at ten tomorrow.”

“I can drive myself now that I have—”

“I’ll pick you up. Ten a.m. Sharp. You still have a lot to clean up.” I let my voice drop an octave and grow softer. “Let me help you.”

She purses her lips. “Fine. The real estate agent is meeting me there at ten thirty.”

She’s already written me off as not coming back. I know there’s no point trying to convince her otherwise, I’ll just have to prove it to her. I let her go, ducking in to use the bathroom. When I step out, she’s gone, and so is her case.

Sliding the tape out from beneath the bed, I crack open the window and stick it in the bush butting up against the house. There’s no way I can hide something that bulky under my thin T-shirt.

Ivy’s already setting up on the table in the living room when I come out, clearing the space and lining up the soap spray and gloves. She’s meticulous about her space and her process. Music pumps through the tiny speaker next to her. The woman loves her music.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Uh-huh.” She shoots a quick smile over her shoulder at me, her freshly f*cked glowing cheeks a thing of beauty. Telling me that she’s not angry about the bang-and-run. Or at least I think that’s what that is. Fuck, I don’t know how to deal with this kind of shit. I can read a person’s motives and evil intentions like they’re painted on a wall, but this?

Dakota steps into the house, her limbs relaxed and eyelids slightly lazy, the smell of her recently enjoyed weed wafting toward me.

Something else I haven’t done since my teenage years.

“Are you leaving already?” Dakota’s lips curl in a pout, and she looks genuinely upset. She’s an odd one, and I can’t understand what attracts the two of them to each other. Dakota’s acceptance of others, maybe. Because, as much as I like Ivy, you have to be a pretty open-minded person to understand—and tolerate—her.

I offer her a smile. “I am. Thank you for dinner.”

Dakota peels off her light sweater, revealing several feminine tattoo designs already decorating her arms, back, and shoulders. “My pleasure. I’m making kimbap for dinner tomorrow. You’ll love it.”