34. Ivy

34

IVY

I make it back to the house and slip inside, grateful to find it empty. My mind is still reeling from everything that just happened. I need a shower and some time to think.

As the hot water washes over me, I try to piece together the events at the cottage. Who was that woman? Why was Walcott already mostly dead? And what the hell is Torin playing at, putting out a hit on his own father?

None of it makes sense. I have a sinking feeling I'm caught in the middle of something much bigger and more dangerous than I can fathom right now.

After my shower, I throw on some comfy clothes and flip open the laptop. I sign into the dark web and check in with The Syndicate that the mission is completed.

I hope.

The usual one-word reply comes through, and I sit back, breathing a sigh of relief. I trust Ramsey to have sent the video to them, so all is good here. I slam the laptop closed and flop onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.

My phone buzzes, and I pick it up, staring at the unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" I say cautiously, answering it.

"We need to talk. Meet me at the old clock tower in half an hour."

The line goes dead, and I frown. Tate. How did he get my number, and what does he want to talk to me about?

My stomach flutters with nerves. What if Torin and Bram are suspicious? What if they're setting another trap?

But I trust Tate. At least, I think I do. This fated bond thing is still new and confusing as hell. Whatever's going on, I'll have to face it. It's not like I have much choice at this point.

Deciding to just get on with it before I fall asleep and miss the meeting, I slip on some running shoes and grab my hoodie. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I head out into the cool late afternoon air, my mind racing with possibilities. What could Tate want to talk about that's so urgent? And why meet at the old clock tower instead of somewhere more private?

As I jog across campus, I keep my senses alert for any sign of Torin or Bram. The last thing I need is for them to catch me sneaking off to meet Tate.

The clock tower looms ahead, its weathered stone face barely visible in the fading light. I slow to a walk as I approach, scanning the area for Tate.

"Up here," his voice calls softly from above.

I look up to see him perched on a ledge about halfway up the tower. With a sigh, I start climbing. Of course, he had to pick the most dramatic meeting spot possible.

When I reach him, I settle onto the ledge, careful not to look down. "What's so urgent?"

Tate's expression is grim as he turns to face me, but he smiles and cups my face. "What, no kiss?"

I smile back and lean in, brushing my lips against his. "Happy? Now spill."

"Torin's onto you. Or at least, I think he knows. He was giving me shit about you, Ivy-you, and then he just stopped. It was suspicious as fuck."

I nod slowly, knowing it was going to happen sooner or later. "Shit. Are you sure?"

"He's not an idiot, Ivy. To be completely frank, I'm surprised it took this long."

"What about Aspen?"

He shakes his head. "I don't think he has connected those dots yet, but it's a matter of time. How do you want to proceed?"

He gives me a stare that has multiple meanings. I'm just not sure of half of them.

"Are you telling me everything?" I enquire, trying to keep it casual.

"What do you mean?" he asks, also keeping his tone neutral .

"Why did you warn me about earlier? What do they want?"

He sighs and runs a hand through his blonde hair. "Poison. But not just for playtime. Torin has some serious ambitions, and he needs you to have any chance of seeing them through."

"And that would be?"

He hesitates, and I almost tell him it doesn't matter. His loyalty to Torin is obviously what's holding him back, but I need to know. "He is going to try to take over The Syndicate."

My mouth drops open in shock. "What?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"Fuck!"

"I know."

"He does realise that it is comprised of a bunch of extremely powerful supernatural beings most of whom never reveal themselves?"

"He knows."

"Fuck! Tate!"

"Yeah."

We stare at each other, and I close my eyes, exhaustion pulling me under. But I open them again and ask, "What does he expect me to do?"

"Work from the inside to destroy them."

"So basically, a suicide mission."

He doesn't reply. He doesn't have to.

I let out a long, slow breath, trying to process this new information. "So, Torin wants to use me to take down The Syndicate from the inside, and he thinks I'll just go along with this insane plan because... why exactly?"

Tate's jaw clenches. "He has ways of ensuring cooperation, apparently."

A chill runs down my spine at his words. "Torture?"

"Among other things, I'd imagine," Tate says grimly. "Torin can be... creative when he wants something."

I laugh bitterly. "Well, he's in for a rude awakening if he thinks I'll break that easily."

Tate's eyes darken. "Ivy, you don't understand. Torin will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and right now, what he wants is you - Poison - under his control."

"So, what do we do?" I ask, hating how small my voice sounds.

Tate is quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the darkening horizon. When he finally speaks, his voice is low and intense. "We could run."

I blink in surprise. "What?"

He turns to face me, his eyes burning with an emotion I can't quite name. "We could leave. Tonight. Get as far away from here as possible. Start over somewhere new."

For a moment, I let myself imagine it. A fresh start, away from The Syndicate, just Tate and me, building a new life together. It's tempting, so tempting .

But reality comes crashing back in. "We can't," I say softly. "You know we can't. The Syndicate would hunt me down. Besides, I don't want to run. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder every minute of every day. I need to think. I need to really think about what it is that Torin wants me to do."

"That isn't a no," he murmurs.

"It's not a yes, either. There are things that need dealing with first. Give me until the day after tomorrow, and I'll have answers, okay?"

He nods and captures my chin in his grasp. He leans forward and kisses me deeply and possessively, sending tingles up my body from my toes to the top of my head.

I pull away from Tate's kiss reluctantly, my mind spinning. "We should get back before anyone notices we're up here."

He nods, his eyes still smouldering with desire. "You're right. But Ivy, promise me you'll be careful. Torin is dangerous when he's fixated on something."

"I know," I say softly. "I will be."

We climb down from the clock tower in silence, both lost in our own thoughts. As we reach the bottom, Tate pulls me in for one last quick kiss before we part ways.

I jog back to my house, my mind racing. I need a plan, and fast. If Torin really is onto me, I don't have much time before he makes his move.