Fraud

Ivy

This situation keeps getting more complicated. It feels like every plan I make to evade or avoid Gabriel blows up in my face.

At the start of this, I hadn’t pla

But then they pulled out their secret weapon.

Facing Luca’s sad face and wet, hot tears shoved me to my knees. I couldn’t help myself after that. I sang like a fucking canary, just tweeted that information all over the place because I couldn’t stand not being able to help her.

It wasn’t just that, though. The moment Gabriel told me the information I had could potentially hurt their fathers was the same moment I became Team Inferno, a fact I’m not completely comfortable admitting.

I have no idea where any of this leaves me, or what it means for the war I know is still ongoing with Gabriel. All I know is that I’m willing to call a ceasefire if it means I can help take down the assholes who raised him.

All I’ve ever wanted was to see Gabriel freed. It’s why I wouldn’t stop fighting as we grew up. Why I dug my claws in and held on despite how cruel he could be.

Does that mean I didn’t hate him for what he did?

Hell no.

I couldn’t stand him for most of our lives.

But the thing about hate is that it’s easily transferable when you discover a more fitting target than the one you had.

The night I saw those men hurt Gabriel was the night I decided I hated them more. And everything that happened after that was simply a matter of me finishing the war.

Still, that doesn’t mean things aren’t hella awkward or as shaky as a chihuahua on meth. There is no stable ground for me to stand on at the moment, but rather than ru

Ta

And while I wasn’t upset to see them go - especially since Ta

Mostly, I didn’t like the twins being here, which is why I made up some excuse about not trusting Gabriel in order to convince Emily to sleep in my room with me.

Thankfully, she bought it, and I didn’t miss the relief in her expression to accept the offer.

The twins ended up taking the two other rooms, and Gabe crashed on the couch downstairs, which was all well and good with me. I’m not sure I can close my eyes around him, or if he would feel safe closing his eyes around me.

Seeing the relief on Emily’s face to sleep with me only made me trust the twins even less.

Something is going on, but despite my repeated attempts to get Emily to open up about it, she refused.

Now, it’s the next morning, and I’m sitting in the living room staring out at the side balcony where Emily is in a heated conversation with Ezra. Or maybe it’s Damon.

Honestly, I can’t tell them apart, but regardless of who it is, I don’t like it.

“We need to talk about our living arrangements before we head back to town.”

Peeling my eyes away from the conversation occurring outside the French doors, I turn to see Gabriel coming down the stairs in only a pair of jeans.

His tousled hair is dripping at the ends since he just got out of the shower, the drops of water splashing down to roll over his shoulders and down his bare chest.

It’s unfair how beautiful he is. I can’t help but stare as he approaches me, his lips tipped into a knowing grin when I finally force my eyes back to his face.

“See something you like?”

It’s habit for me to deny it.

“No, I was just thinking that you’ve really let yourself go lately. Not even thirty years old and you’re already past your prime. Such a shame.”

He grins down at me, the curl of it calling me out for the liar I am.

“I’ll be sure to cry about it the next time you’re riding my cock and praying to God.”

“I’ve never prayed,” I argue.

“Sure you haven’t, but that’s not what’s important at the moment. We should discuss our living arrangements.”

He drops down on the couch beside me, and I shove his chest back so he’s not obstructing my view of the porch.

“What living arrangements?”

My eyes lock on Emily’s face to see her cheeks are red. What the hell are they arguing about?

Gabriel’s voice recaptures my attention.

“I figure since we’re so desperately in love, you’ll want to stay at my place so we can explore your newfound religious conviction.”

My eyes snap to him.

“First, you’d actually let me stay at your house again? That’s dumb. Second, we’re not in love, we just play a real couple on TV, and third I don’t pray.”

“I’ll record it next time for proof.”

“You will not. Plus, I never said there would be a next time,” I argue just before I hear Emily shouting something outside, and my eyes snap back her direction.

“What is going on with them?”

Gabriel glances over at the porch, then back to me, obviously not as concerned about the argument between Emily and one of the twins.

“There will be a next time. Especially considering I’ll have to tie your ass down to keep you from causing more damage at my house, and it would be a pity to waste the opportunity.”

Lifting my hand to his mouth, I shut him up.

“Shh, I’m trying to listen.”

Gabriel knocks my hand away before his fingers touch my chin and direct my face back to him.

“You’re listening to me at the moment.”

“You know what? Both of you can fuck off if you think that’s what I’m doing! I’m sick of this!”

My head snaps back Emily’s direction, a vein of anger unfurling in me to see tears in her eyes that she slaps away seconds before turning to run down the stairs leading from the porch.

Oh, HELL no...

I’m on my feet a second later, the room and everything in it disappearing from view as I throw the French doors open and step in front of...whoever the hell this is...to prevent him from chasing after her.

“What did you just do to her?”

Amber eyes narrow on my face, his nostrils flaring as he attempts to sidestep me in pursuit of my bestie.

Sorry, pal, but that’s the last thing I’ll let happen, even if it means I die for it.

Slamming my hands against his chest (which, I should mention is as hard as a brick fucking wall), I shove as hard as I can and only manage to knock myself back.

That’s fine, though. At least, he’s no longer chasing her and is now directing all his rage and death glares at me.

Pointing a finger at his face, I realize I have no clue who he is, but I take a guess to start this conversation.

“Listen, Damon-“

He growls down at me.

Not the good kind of growl either. You know the type. The one that makes your thighs clench and your skin a little sweaty. No. This is a growl that means he’s about to rip my face off and wear it around as a Halloween mask.

“I’m Ezra,” he says on a voice so deep and razor sharp that it’s carving the name directly into my skin.

Still, I won’t back down. I’m protecting my friend. He can step off with his aggressive, alpha male, bully bullshit if he ever wants to get near her again.