Chapter 109: We never promised exclusive!

IVY 109

IVY

"Why am I even here?" I whispered to my empty car, my knuckles white as I gripped the steering wheel.

I was biting my lip so hard I tasted copper, my gaze fixed on the imposing iron gates of Winslow Estate from the driver’s seat of my car.

"Hi guys, I was just in the neighbourhood and wanted to drop by and say hi."

My amber eyes glared at me from the rearview mirror, and I groaned.

It was a complete lie. The flimsy excuse I had been feeding myself, that I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by, was utter bullshit.

I hadn’t been anywhere near this neighborhood. I had been on the other side of town all day, overseeing a building project my father wanted to start. And the project... well, it had looked so suspiciously like the Pandora project details from the files I had copied from Gideon’s laptop.

That guilt had eaten me alive from the inside out. I kept telling myself my father wasn’t a thief or a copycat, that it had to be a coincidence. But considering I had just witnessed one of his junior executives on her knees for him not three days ago, I didn’t know what to believe anymore.

Then there was the news.

Milo’s betrayal was splashed all over every tabloid and news site. The brothers were private people, at least from what I had noticed after two months being their housekeeper; they hated the press. Something in my gut told me my father had leaked the story, and that made me feel even worse, like I was an accomplice against the very men I...

I stared at the gates longingly.

Okay, I’d admit it. I missed them.

Ever since that horrible day with Milo on Monday, I hadn’t seen them. I’d gone to my hotel room, but I couldn’t rest. I just tossed and turned, aching and pining, my mind a frantic loop of worry.

Were they okay? Was Roman’s fury finally sated? I fought the urge to text any of them so bad.

Yeah, look where that had landed me. Here.

"It’s nothing," I mumbled, checking my face in the mirror. "I will just pop in, see their faces, be sure they’re fine, and then get my ass out."

Maybe Kai would taunt me, Roman would soothe me with his honeyed words, and Gideon... Gideon could...

A hot flush spread across my entire body as I remembered him in his study, his thick fingers inside my cunt, while his deep, dark voice rumbled in my ear. My whole body caught fire, and that was what had me pushing the car door open. I smoothed down my black pencil skirt, adjusted my cream satin top, then took a deep, shaky breath and trudged toward the gate, ignoring the shrill voice in my head screaming that this was insane.

I didn’t even have my brown contacts in. Had I forgotten the monstrous task my father had just given me? The bags of white powder hidden in my closet?

I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the rising panic, as I pressed the gate bell. A security guard peeked out from the station between the gates. "Miss Harpley?"

I nodded, and he buzzed the gate open. I reasoned with myself as I walked up the long driveway. It didn’t matter. They all knew the color of my eyes now. As long as they didn’t know who I really was, I would only be Ivy Harpley to them. It was safe.

I walked into the mansion, and the silence was unnerving. If they weren’t home, the security would have said so.

"Kai?" I called out. "Roman? Gideon?" My voice echoed in the vast space. I wondered where they were when I heard a soft, feminine moan.

My stomach dropped to my feet. I almost turned back right then, my hand flying to my mouth. But the fear quickly curdled into a hot, acidic jealousy.

There was no fucking way they were with another woman.

I continued forward down the hallway, my footsteps silent on the floor due to my flats. I was about to turn the corner when I saw Kai had some woman pinned against the wall, his body pressed flush against hers.

And it was Tatiana. Of all fucking people.

Fury, white-hot and blinding, surged through me. I wanted to run forward and demand what the hell he thought he was doing.

But then Tatiana had seen my face. She would recognize me instantly. I gritted my teeth, my jaw aching as I fought back the stinging tears. How could I have been so stupid? Of course there was no label between us. I wasn’t their woman. I was nothing to them but a housekeeper.

Kai’s head lifted, his eyes finding mine as I peeked around the corner. "Ivy?"

I immediately whipped around and ran like some coward, bursting out of the house into the cool night air, insulting myself with every step.

Stupid, pathetic fool. Why did you come here? Are you happy now? You’ve seen what you wanted to see.

"Ivy! Wait!" Kai’s voice was right behind me. He caught me just as I reached the fountain, his hand grabbing my arm, spinning me around. "Calm down."

"Calm down?" I shrieked, yanking my arm away. "What were you doing with her?"

"What does it look like I was doing?" he shot back. "Why the fuck are you acting like some annoying, clingy woman? We never promised you we would be exclusive, did we?"

My eyes widened, the tears I’d been fighting finally spilling over.

"Oh... Oh, you’re right, my bad," I scoffed, a bitter, broken sound escaping my lips. "You’re right. I forgot about that." I wiped at my cheeks, my voice dripping with self-loathing sarcasm. "I have an itch. I should have just gone straight to the club to scratch it instead of coming here like a pathetic fool."

"Like hell you will!" Kai exploded, hazel eyes blazing in the evening light.

"Why?" I yelled, throwing my hands up in the air. "We aren’t exclusive, remember? Watch me!"