Chapter 119: Five Minutes or I Knock

Ivy’s pov

Why the hell was Angel calling my Ivy Harpley line?

Ever since I became housekeeper at Winslow estate, I had a different line for Ivy Harpley so that the brothers couldn’t connect anything to Harper Kingsley through my number. Only Dad had that number asides from everyone else who only knew me as Ivy Harpley.

Angel had been calling me nonstop on my personal number so I had blocked him. Did he get this number from my father?!

What if Gideon had picked the call up? Why won’t that asshole just leave me alone?

A nervous, high-pitched laugh escaped my throat. "Oh, that," I got off the kitchen island quickly, my legs wobbling slightly.

"It’s probably just my... uh... neighbor. They’re always calling about the strangest things."

I reached for the phone, my movements jerky as I tried to pry it from Gideon’s firm grip. His sapphire eyes were narrowed, but he let it go.

While I fumbled with the phone, he turned his attention to Irene.

"Irene, what are you doing back here? I thought we agreed you’d stay at the vacation house until Monday."

Irene sighed dramatically, flopping into a chair. "It was so boring! And besides, Daddy’s been blowing up my phone. He’s not happy about the whole ’running away’ thing."

"I spoke to your father yesterday," Gideon sighed. "He’s worried. You can go back home now."

"But I don’t wanna," she started to whine.

That was all I heard until I slipped out of the kitchen, backing away slowly.

I didn’t stop walking until I was in the grand foyer and kept glancing back, my heart pounding, making sure no one was following me.

I needed to be far, far away when I took this call. I pushed through the heavy front door and stepped into the crisp morning air that whipped against my legs.

I re-dialed the number.

"Well, well. So she finally picks up," Angel’s condescending drawl reached my ears. "I thought you were going to hide from me forever."

"What do you want, Angel?"

"What do I want? What the hell do you think you’re doing? Disappearing just like that. It’s been over two weeks, Harper. Two weeks since you’ve been home."

The audacity. The sheer audacity of him to berate me as if I left home for no freaking reason .

"Are you insane? Have you lost your mind? You moved your mistress into my room, Angel. Into my bed! You know what? I don’t even have the time for you right now. Stop calling this line."

"Oh, I don’t think so. I know where you are, Harper. I know you’re in there with those... devils. I can see the gates from here."

My blood ran cold. I whipped my head around, glancing at the gates. My legs carried me quickly to them and I peeked through the gaps to see Angel’s flashy lemon sports car parked on the other side of the road, a glint of sunlight bouncing off the windshield.

"If you don’t come out right now, I’m going to walk right up and knock on that gate," he continued, his voice dropping into a threatening purr. "I wonder what the Knight brothers would think of their little housekeeper then?"

"You wouldn’t dare," I seethed. "You would really try to destroy Kingsley and Co?"

"Oh, Harper," he sighed, as if disappointed. "You’ve seen how petty I can be. Do you really want to dare me? Besides, this is your fault. I was supposed to have lunch with my father last week."

"I’ve been stalling, making excuses because you weren’t there to play the part of the doting wife. But he’s getting impatient and my old man wants to have breakfast with both of us, today. So if you don’t get your ass out of that house in the next five minutes, I’m going to walk up to that gate and tell them I’m here to pick up my wife."

"Fine!" I spat, my voice trembling with rage and fear. "I’ll be out in a few minutes."

"You have five," he hung up.

I cursed under my breath, a string of vile words that would have made a sailor blush. He wouldn’t.

Oh he would. The bastard would come right up and if he did, it would only take the Knights five seconds to google who the hell Angel Braddock is and five more minutes to find out who he was married to. My entire house of cards would come tumbling down.

I ran back into the house, my mind a chaotic mess. How was I supposed to go back in there and tell them I was leaving? I was shaking so badly I felt like I might fly apart.

I quickly got a few of my things around the house, just my purse anyway, and went to find them all still in the kitchen, chatting. Kai was pulling Irene’s cheeks, telling her to accept her fate.

"I... I have to go," I announced and all pairs of eyes riveted on me.

"What’s wrong?" Roman asked, his hazel eyes clouding with concern as he stepped towards me. "You look frazzled, Vivi."

"Is it that neighbor?" Kai piped up, his playful demeanor gone. "Do you need me to fuck him up?"

Even Deon was watching me. "Ivy, what is it?"

"I’m fine," I lied, forcing a smile. "I just... I have to go handle something. An emergency at home." My mind scrambled for a plausible lie. "It’s... Saturday. Right. I have to go do that thing. The... thing."

"I’ll drop you," Roman offered instantly.

"No!" That came out a little too loudly. "No, that’s okay. I’ve already called a cab. It’s... it’s here. You guys shouldn’t worry."

I didn’t wait for them to argue. I fled, walking out of the house with their concerned gazes burning a hole in my back, until I was through the gates and out of their sight.

As soon as I was clear, I ran towards the sports car. Angel honked as I got closer, as if I wasn’t already coming.

Asshole.

I yanked open the passenger door and slid in, slamming it shut.

"You have some ridiculous nerve," I seethed, buckling my seatbelt.

His eyes raked over me. "Is this how you’re going to go to my father’s place? Wearing another man’s shirt?"

I turned to him slowly, letting my eyes show all the contempt I felt for him.

"No," I spat, "Because you are going to drive me to the mall, you are going to buy me a new dress, and then, we can go have breakfast with your daddy."

Angel raised a brow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. I turned my head to look out the window, dismissing him completely when suddenly, his hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking my head back.

"Ang-"Before I could even scream, he slammed my face forward, hard, my forehead colliding with the dashboard.