with four siblings.”
Ivy smiled. “I can’t. Though, I admit that I like the atmosphere here. The way you all protect each other. You know they’ll always be there for you.”
“Yeah.” He looked down at his hands. “Despite all the tragedies the family has suffered, we do lean on each other. I never thought of that until now.” He lifted his eyes to her. “You didn’t have anyone to lean on when your mother died.”
Ivy shrugged, trying not to feel the same overwhelming sadness that had stayed with her for many months. “I was numb at first. The shock of it all, I guess. I barely remember planning the funeral. I don’t think it hit me until a few days after the service when I woke up and walked into the kitchen calling to her.” Ivy swallowed, her throat clogged with emotion. “That’s when I realized I was alone. The tears I hadn’t been able to shed up until that moment were like a dam bursting. I didn’t leave the house for days.”
“No one should have to suffer something like that alone.”
Ivy hastily wiped away a tear that had escaped. “I got through it.”
Christian nodded and looked out over the Chiasson land. “You’ll get through this, as well.”
“Let’s be honest, Christian. Despite all you and your family have done, there’s no getting away from the Hell Hounds. This could be my last day.”
His head jerked to her, his gaze narrowed and angry. “So you’re giving up?”
“I’m not saying that. I get through each day by being realistic. Do I hope something comes of all the research and I get the Hounds off my scent? Yes. But the odds aren’t in my favor.”
“Sometimes you need to forget reality.”
“Reality for me was months in the hospital hooked up to numerous machines that beeped all the time. Reality was taking handfuls of pills three or four times a day to beat whatever was wrong into submission. Reality was not being able to stand on my own or even put on my own clothes. I couldn’t feed myself, much less bathe myself. That was reality.”
“A reality your mother changed.”
Ivy looked away. When she had herself back under control, she met Christian’s gaze and stood. “Now my reality is that the Hell Hounds have come to kill me so that they can show my mother my soul before – presumably – it is allowed to go free. Reality is reality, no matter how you look at it.”
“Is that right?” he asked and climbed to his feet. “Hope, Ivy. You need hope. Yes, face your reality, but don’t give up. You survived your illness every day because you wished to beat it.”
“Don’t talk as if you were there and experienced it,” she stated angrily and walked to the door.
Before she reached it, she was yanked against Christian’s hard chest. His bright blue eyes were alight with some emotion she couldn’t place.
“I’ve experienced you, Ivy Pierce,” he murmured before he kissed her.
CHAPTER TEN
Christian had known it was a mistake to pull her against him, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. He’d needed Ivy, like she was a basic ingredient to his survival.
The tightness in his chest loosened when her arms snaked around his neck. He deepened the kiss, his body responding instantly to the heady feel of her.
By the time he ended the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Christian leaned his forehead against hers.
“Don’t give up,” he urged.
Ivy smiled and traced his lip with her finger. “I’m not. But you need to be realistic. I might die.”
“There’s a chance I might die every night I go out hunting,” he argued.
She kissed his jaw before she rested her head on his chest. “If the worst happens, it won’t be because you didn’t do all that you could.”
Christian tightened his arms around her. There was a way to save Ivy. There was always a way. He just had to find it.
“I should get back inside and do more research.”
Christian didn’t let her move. “Not yet. You need to have a bit of
Ivy smiled. “I can’t. Though, I admit that I like the atmosphere here. The way you all protect each other. You know they’ll always be there for you.”
“Yeah.” He looked down at his hands. “Despite all the tragedies the family has suffered, we do lean on each other. I never thought of that until now.” He lifted his eyes to her. “You didn’t have anyone to lean on when your mother died.”
Ivy shrugged, trying not to feel the same overwhelming sadness that had stayed with her for many months. “I was numb at first. The shock of it all, I guess. I barely remember planning the funeral. I don’t think it hit me until a few days after the service when I woke up and walked into the kitchen calling to her.” Ivy swallowed, her throat clogged with emotion. “That’s when I realized I was alone. The tears I hadn’t been able to shed up until that moment were like a dam bursting. I didn’t leave the house for days.”
“No one should have to suffer something like that alone.”
Ivy hastily wiped away a tear that had escaped. “I got through it.”
Christian nodded and looked out over the Chiasson land. “You’ll get through this, as well.”
“Let’s be honest, Christian. Despite all you and your family have done, there’s no getting away from the Hell Hounds. This could be my last day.”
His head jerked to her, his gaze narrowed and angry. “So you’re giving up?”
“I’m not saying that. I get through each day by being realistic. Do I hope something comes of all the research and I get the Hounds off my scent? Yes. But the odds aren’t in my favor.”
“Sometimes you need to forget reality.”
“Reality for me was months in the hospital hooked up to numerous machines that beeped all the time. Reality was taking handfuls of pills three or four times a day to beat whatever was wrong into submission. Reality was not being able to stand on my own or even put on my own clothes. I couldn’t feed myself, much less bathe myself. That was reality.”
“A reality your mother changed.”
Ivy looked away. When she had herself back under control, she met Christian’s gaze and stood. “Now my reality is that the Hell Hounds have come to kill me so that they can show my mother my soul before – presumably – it is allowed to go free. Reality is reality, no matter how you look at it.”
“Is that right?” he asked and climbed to his feet. “Hope, Ivy. You need hope. Yes, face your reality, but don’t give up. You survived your illness every day because you wished to beat it.”
“Don’t talk as if you were there and experienced it,” she stated angrily and walked to the door.
Before she reached it, she was yanked against Christian’s hard chest. His bright blue eyes were alight with some emotion she couldn’t place.
“I’ve experienced you, Ivy Pierce,” he murmured before he kissed her.
CHAPTER TEN
Christian had known it was a mistake to pull her against him, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself. He’d needed Ivy, like she was a basic ingredient to his survival.
The tightness in his chest loosened when her arms snaked around his neck. He deepened the kiss, his body responding instantly to the heady feel of her.
By the time he ended the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Christian leaned his forehead against hers.
“Don’t give up,” he urged.
Ivy smiled and traced his lip with her finger. “I’m not. But you need to be realistic. I might die.”
“There’s a chance I might die every night I go out hunting,” he argued.
She kissed his jaw before she rested her head on his chest. “If the worst happens, it won’t be because you didn’t do all that you could.”
Christian tightened his arms around her. There was a way to save Ivy. There was always a way. He just had to find it.
“I should get back inside and do more research.”
Christian didn’t let her move. “Not yet. You need to have a bit of
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