Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(82)

“I’m going to go have a shower,” I declare, turning on my heels and heading back upstairs as quick as my legs will carry me.

I take an incredibly long shower as I try to scrub away all the traces of Steve’s lingering touches against my skin.

When I finally come back down again, Alex has gone, but he’s left a note on the counter for me.



Ivy,

Everything is cleaned up. I understand you need some time alone today, and as painful as it is to give that to you, I want to make you happy.

All I want is to fix the problem for you, but I can see that’s not what you want.

Know this … I love you, Ivy.

My heart is yours when or if you want it.

I’ll wait however long it takes for you to come back to me.

Alex

xoxo



Tears stream down my cheeks as I read his beautiful words. But I know I am not the woman for him. I think I’ve been living in a fantasyland, hoping this holiday romance could be so much more than it was, but it’s not.

I grab my phone and dial the one person I feel safe with right now.

“Ivy, my sweetheart, how did you do?” Pierre asks.

“Didn’t win. Um … I was wondering if I could come see you in Paris?”

There’s silence on the other end before he asks, “Is everything okay?”

“No,” I reply firmly.

“Sweetie, I’m in Dubai for the week, remember, but I can be on the next flight out,” he says.

“Can I come to you?” I ask my voice now barely a whisper.

“My princess, of course, you can. Let me make some phone calls, pull in some favors, so I can get you on a private jet out here as soon as we can.”

“Thank you. I really need you,” I say.

“I’m here. I’ve got you. See you soon,” he says before hanging up.





Later that night, I touch down in Dubai, and Pierre is waiting for me with open arms. He hugs me so tightly that I almost break, and I eventually do when we arrive back at his hotel suite. I tell him everything that happened with Steve, not just what happened last night but all of it.

“I will kill that man,” he declares.

“He’s not worth going to jail for, unfortunately.” I sigh, cuddling into Pierre’s side.

“I’m probably not cut out for jail. But I can afford a damn good lawyer, so I might get good behavior, so it would be worth it.” Pierre chuckles.

“Sweetheart, why did you never talk to me about this?”

“I was embarrassed, and I thought no one would believe me. Steve came from a good family, he put on a good show. You all loved him,” I explain.

“You hid it so well, Ivy. I’m devastated that you didn’t think you could confide in me.”

“No one knew.”

“None of this is your fault. You know this, don’t you?”

“I don’t know anything anymore. I baited him last night, I teased him and cursed him, and I told him he had a limp dick. I should have kept my mouth shut, and he would never have touched me,” I sob out the words against Pierre’s chest.

“My darling, no. Don’t say that. Nothing you could have said should ever have resulted in him attacking you. Nothing,” Pierre tells me quickly.

“Why does he enjoy breaking me? Why does he seem to take great pleasure in it,” I cry out.

“Because he’s a limp-dick coward,” he reveals his thoughts. “I’m surprised that Alex isn’t here. I can’t imagine he’s coping well?”

My stomach sinks, I know how much Pierre loves Alex. “I don’t think we’re going to work out,” I tell him softly.

Pierre frowns, but I can see he’s holding himself back. “Why do you think that is?”

“He deserves someone better. Not some messed-up loser of a woman.”

“Ivy Starr, I do not want to hear you talk about yourself like that ever again. Do not regurgitate that asshole’s words. Have you spoken to Alex?”

“He stayed the night because of my concussion, and then …” I bite my bottom lip, “… he smashed a vase of flowers that Steve sent to my home this morning in some sort of apology. He scared me with his rage, and then he left when I had a shower, telling me he loved me in a note.”

Pierre stares at me for a couple of beats taking in everything I’ve said. “So let me get this straight … the coward sent you flowers this morning to apologize after what he did?” I nod. “And Alex destroyed them for you?” I nod again. “Alex also told you he loved you while he was giving you space?” I keep nodding. “Does he know where you are?” I shake my head. “Ivy, that young man is probably pulling his hair out with worry. What you have gone through these past twenty-four hours is traumatic, but don’t push the one man away who loves you with all of his heart,” he says.

“How can he love me, Pierre? What is there to love?”

“My dear girl …” He sighs deeply. “I love you with all of my heart as if you are my own child. No, let me rephrase that … actually you are mine, both you and your sister. I hate that because of this one man’s actions, you don’t see how amazing you are. That someone as magnificent as you deserves the love of a devoted man. You deserve everything that you have in your life, Ivy. No one gave it to you. Everything you have came with nothing but hard work and determination to get you to where you are today. Please, sweetheart, don’t listen to that hideous man’s words. Do not let him rip away the happiness you so richly deserve. I cannot tell you what to do, but please listen to this old man … because I have your best interests at heart. Message Alex, let him know you’re okay but you need a little time. If you want to break up with him, fine, that’s on you. But do not break up with him because of that asshole. He’s robbed so much from you, and now you’re finally happy and back to your old self, and he can’t stand that fact. He can’t stand it that you have slipped through his clutches. He will never change. That asshole deserves to be behind bars for everything he’s done. Not you, sweetheart. But the only one doing time out of this situation is you. Can’t you see that?”