me to deal with. I should never have brought her here straight from the facility.
“I am!” She smiles again, but it looks too forced to be real. “I’m really happy. Of course I remember the name. Wow—how did you manage to do this?”
“I had a little help.” I open my mouth, but I don’t want to tell her about Prince Luca. One shock is enough for the day.
When I bring her inside the bakery, a murmur sounds through the customers inside. One influencer, busy taking selfies by the flower wall, lets out a yelp.
“Margot LeBlanc!”
To her credit, Margot slides right back into her old persona. She smiles at the influencer, and hooks her arm around the girl’s shoulders. They take a picture together, and the influencer runs off with her nose close to her phone screen, excited to post whatever picture she’s managed to take.
Margot’s eyes scan everything. She finally looks at me, shaking her head.
“This is incredible, Ivy. Really, really great.”
This time, her smile seems genuine. Maybe knowing that her presence still has the same effect on people bolstered her confidence, and now she’s able to be happy for me, too.
Or maybe the shock has worn off, and my sister is back to herself.
“I guess I’m going to need a new PA, huh?” She wraps me in a hug, squeezing tight. “I’m happy for you, Ivy.”
In that moment, I think she means it.
For a few hours that day, I’m completely, utterly happy. I have my sister back. I have a boyfriend who cares about me. I have a new business that’s been successful right out of the gate.
It doesn’t feel like anything could ever go wrong.
32
Luca
The past three months have lulled me into a false sense of security. That’s the only explanation I have for not noticing the paparazzi following me to the bakery.
It’s become Ivy’s and my evening ritual—I pick her up when she’s done closing up, and we head back to her place together. By that time of day, she’s tired and happy, and ready for some food, a foot rub, and maybe an orgasm or two.
Today is a bit different. The tour with Damon and Dahlia has wrapped up, and Theo asked me to come back to Argyle. I leave in a couple of hours, so I’m just coming by to say goodbye to Ivy.
I walk in the back door of the bakery to find Ivy finishing up the last of her tasks for the day.
She smiles at me, leaning her head toward me for a kiss. As soon as she wipes the last counter down, she lets out a sigh.
“Margot saw the bakery.”
“You brought her straight here?”
Ivy nods. A bright, happy smile stretches across her lips. “She really liked it.”
I slide my hands around her waist, nuzzling my face into her hair. Ivy lets out a soft sigh, hooking her arms around my neck. We sway back and forth for a moment, and then I lay a soft kiss on her neck. I trail my lips up her jaw and over her mouth.
“Don’t go,” she sighs.
“I don’t want to.”
“Duty calls?” She lifts her eyes up to mine.
I nod, nudging her nose with mine. “I’ll be back in two weeks.”
“Miss you already.”
I press my lips to hers. Our kiss starts slow, and then slowly becomes more frantic. Within moments, Ivy is clawing at my pants, pushing them down to my ankles. She sits up on one of the stainless steel tables, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I groan, shaking my head. “You’re incredible, Poison.”
Her eyes darken, and a sinful smile tugs at her lips. “Will you fuck me, Luca? I won’t get to feel you for two whole weeks.”
I’ve never had such a strong, visceral reaction to someone saying simple words to me. My whole body arches toward her, as if every single cell in my body is screaming yes, yes, yes.
We don’t even have the time to remove any other clothing. Her dress gets flipped up to her waist, her panties pushed to the side, and I’m inside her. We claw, bite, rip, grunt, and explode together.
I’m breathless. Ivy is smiling, her hair falling out of her bun in all directions. She lets out a sigh, pulling her dress back down and shaking her head.
“I love the way you do that to me.”
Catching her chin in my hand, I kiss her perfect lips. “And I love you, Poison Ivy.”