Defining Darkness - K E Osborn Page 0,59
wide as saucers as she stands, suddenly turning pale. “I meant you. Then when they brought me here later,” she blurts out in quick succession.
My heart rate quickens as my breathing intensifies. “Ivy?”
She starts to pace like she’s panicking. “Shit! I got it confused, Eva. Don’t listen to me. In fact, Void’s calling me. I need to go.” She turns, racing for the stairs.
Now I really know something’s wrong.
“Ivy Alicia Pérez, you get back here right now!” I take off after her as she runs up the stairs taking two at a time.
I chase after her, anxiety flooding through my veins. I’m not entirely sure what’s happening right now, but something’s been hidden from me. Something I’m sure I’m not going to like.
“Ivy!” I yell out to her as I reach the top of the stairs.
She’s sprinting toward Void. I stop at the top. Anger races through me as Nycto turns to take in the chaos.
I huff. “Ivy… stop!” I yell, making everyone halt what they’re doing to turn and look at me. I have the attention of the entire clubhouse, including Nycto.
Ivy’s fearful eyes turn from Void to Nycto, and she grimaces. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpers.
Nycto takes a step forward. “What the hell’s going on?”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I flare my nostrils in irritation. “I’d like to know that myself.”
Nycto turns to Ivy as she throws her hands up in surrender. “It was an accident,” her voice is a soft whimper.
Suddenly, it starts falling into place.
The reason I was locked in Nycto’s room.
Why Ivy’s so calm.
I don’t understand everything, but it makes perfect sense.
Why they didn’t search for Ivy straight away.
When Nycto took me on a tour of the clubhouse, why he didn’t take me downstairs.
Because Ivy was already down there.
She’s been there since we were taken.
It’s why she’s so comfortable down there.
My body slumps as pain cripples me at their deception.
I let out a whimper as I clutch at my chest. “You lied,” I scream through my rapidly blurring eyes.
“Eva, let me—” I cut Nycto off.
“You lied!” I yell, the back of my throat hurting as nausea hits my stomach full force.
Tension fills the air, it’s so rife you couldn’t even cut it with a chainsaw, let alone a knife. Nycto moves to take a step forward, but I step back. He holds his hands up in surrender as tears stream down my face.
“How could you? Why would you? I-I d-don’t understand! It makes no sense.”
Nycto’s pleading eyes meet mine.
Dammit! I thought we had something.
A connection.
A future.
But everything was all a lie.
“Chiquita, I didn’t keep Ivy from you as a punishment—”
“Jesus Christ, it is true. She was here the whole fucking time! Is that why you’ve been staying away from everyone, Ivy. Out of the limelight because Nycto made you keep this lie from me?”
“No, Eva. I was telling the truth about why I like staying in the Brick Cell. I’m sorry we didn’t tell yo—”
“So, you were in on it? You knew the whole time he was keeping me in his room, and you did nothing to help get me out? Ivy… I fought day and night for you.”
Ivy’s bottom lip trembles. “It wasn’t like that, Eva.”
“Wasn’t it? Tell me what it was, then? Because you knew I was locked in a room, and you did nothing.”
My bottom lip trembles as I wipe the tears away from my face.
Nycto takes another step forward. “Eva, this is all on me.”
I let out a half-laugh. “You better believe this is all on you. It’s your fault completely. You took me. You made me believe Ivy was sold. Probably having God knows what done to her. You sat there… Night. After. Night… while I cried to you, while I begged you to find her.” I let out a hefty scoff. “You are the biggest liar of them all. I can’t ever trust you, Nycto. My whole relationship with you is based on a fucking lie.”
“Eva…”
“I thought you were some hero. Some guy who swept in and saved not only me but then you ‘found’ Ivy. In my mind, you were like a god. I put you up on this pedestal like no one could come close to how amazing you are… even with all your flaws and faults. I mean fuck, how do I believe anything you say? About your past. About any fucking thing! I don’t even know who the fuck you are, Alec.”
Everyone in the room shifts uncomfortably as Nycto’s nostrils flare, the vein in