Luring Light - K.E. Osborn Page 0,17

thanks your MC.”

Nycto dips his chin as I pull Ivy to me in a tight embrace, pain sears through my chest. It’s like I can’t breathe as I cling to her. Ivy’s hands smooth up and down my back in a calming manner—I’m anything but fucking calm.

“Stop! I’m gonna be fine,” she whispers in my ear.

Pulling back slightly, I stare into her gorgeous chocolate eyes. They’re so calm, so stoic, as I stand here ready to fucking explode. “You call me the second you feel something’s off. I’ll be on my bike faster than you know.”

She weakly smiles. “You’ll be five hours away. If anything happens, you’ll be too far to do much. Dash will be with me. I’m sure he won’t let anything happen. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

She didn’t mean for it to sting quite like that, but it fucking did. Dash is going to be there for her, not me, and there’s not a damn fucking thing I can do about it.

I should have chosen West.

“Be safe. Listen to your gut instinct,” I tell her.

Ivy’s lips turn upward. “Always do.” She leans in, planting a light kiss on my cheek, then turns to grab Dash’s hand, and they both step toward the Audis.

“Matteo,” I call out. He lifts his chin in answer. “Touch her in any way, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Matteo chuckles. “You have the worst poker face. Putting all your cards on show is downright stupid. Anyone here can see your weakness… or who… and your enemies can use her to their advantage. You need to rein in your obviousness… just a word of advice, brother.”

“I’m not your fucking brother. You wanna threaten me like that again and see what happens?”

“Oh, that wasn’t a threat, not in any way, shape, or form…” Matteo smirks. “It was purely an observation. Keep your emotions in check when she’s around, or people will use it against you. I speak from experience.”

Raising my brow in curiosity, Matteo spins, not saying anything more, then heads for the car.

Tony exhales, cracking his neck to the side. “The thing is, Void… Matteo is complicated. His past, well… you remind me of him a few years ago. We will get your woman back to you. In one piece. Alive and well. You have my word.”

Nycto grabs my shoulder as I exhale. “That’s all I ask.”

“I’ll wait to hear from you, Tony. Regular updates. Non-negotiable on this. You hear me?” Nycto adds.

Tony dips his head in acknowledgment, then walks back to the car he vacated and slides inside.

“You guys sure know how to turn it on, don’t you? On that note, I’m gonna grab my shit and head off. You need anything, holler at me,” Mammoth mutters, but I ignore him as he turns back toward the clubhouse.

As Ivy and Dash slide into the back of the Audi, I keep watching. The door closes behind her, then the car reverses away from the clubhouse gates, and I know there’s little I can do now.

My feet want more than anything to chase after her as the car turns, driving off onto the main road, then out of sight taking Ivy and Dash with them.

Did I just let Ivy go with a prospect, the same prospect who’s vying for her affections?

What the fuck have I just done?

Chapter Five

IVY

I thought the five-hour drive to Jacksonville would be long, tedious even, but to be honest, it’s been nice. I’ve been able to see parts of America I would have never been able to see on my own. Dash has been making me laugh the whole way, keeping me entertained and my mind off the idea that I’m going to have my blood drained from me in a short while. But in all honesty, if I’m going to be saving a little girl’s life, then I’ll do it weekly if it means she gets to live.

Dash’s stomach growls loudly, and I grin.

“You ever not hungry?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I don’t think so. I believe my stomach goes the full length of my torso, then down my legs. It’s bottomless.”

I snort out a laugh while rolling my eyes. “Well, hopefully, they will feed us where we’re going.”

“Feed us to the wolves more like it,” Dash quips.

“I dunno, they just wanna help Mia.” I take a drink from the water bottle Tony gave me, which he said I needed to drink before we arrive.

“You trust too easily.”

“Maybe you don’t trust enough?” I smile

He bumps his shoulder into mine. “I trust you.”

“Then trust