Redeem Me (Beckett Brothers #2)

29. Ivy

Chapter Twenty-Nine

IVY

While the kids had a second sleepover at their place, Caelon had one in my bed.

We’ve spent the past two days in a decadent limb-locked bubble, coming up only for air, to eat, to shower, and to crash on the couch, with me binge-watching Love Island, while he cites all the reasons why the couples won’t last.

My boss is a tad cynical when it comes to love.

He’s claimed it’s not going to be a love story between us, but as one day bleeds into another, I’m increasingly certain of how easy it would be to fall hard for a man like Caelon. For the past couple of days, he’s been a lot less tortured and a lot more tender. We’re supposed to be living for today, having sex until one of us gets bored, but the chances of getting bored with his kinky pleasure dom routine are slim to not-a-fucking-hope-in-hell.

I’m both curious and nervous to see how he behaves with the children at home. Will he sleep in my bed and creep out before they wake? Or was their presence in the house the reason he fought the urge to slink into my bed before his Monaco trip ?

I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

Scarlett and James drop a tired-looking Orla and Owen back late on Friday evening. James’s driver, Tim, helps Scarlett out of the car while James helps the kids. Scarlett greets me with a kiss on each cheek, then proceeds to scrutinise me from head to toe with unconcealed glee.

‘You’re glowing,’ she nudges my ribs playfully. ‘Anything you want to tell me?’

I shake my head, fight the smirk pulling my lips, and turn my attention to the children.

‘Hi guys! We missed you! Did you have a nice sleepover?’ I hug both kids hard, then take Orla’s Minnie Mouse backpack as Samuel takes Owen’s Spiderman case.

Samuel shoots me a less-than-subtle wink.

All the staff know Caelon and I are sleeping together. If limited access to the interior cameras wasn’t enough to give it away, Liz walked in on us going at it like rabbits on viagra in the kitchen yesterday. She squealed, made a show of covering her eyes and yelled at us to stop contaminating her workspace, but her usual stern tone was more akin to something that sounded like excitement.

While I’m not shy, it’s hard being watched and whispered about twenty-four hours a day.

I’ve crossed a line. I’m not exactly staff anymore, but I’m not a Beckett either.

‘It was so good. Scarlett had a fairy wigwam set up for a tea party and we had cupcakes,’ Orla announces, rubbing her eyes as she traipses up the steps and into the hallway.

‘That sounds amazing,’ I usher Scarlett into the house before me. Caelon and James shake hands then follow us inside.

‘Where are Harper and Halle?’ Caelon asks, as Owen wraps himself around his legs and clings onto to his father like a koala. I watch on while my ovaries vibrate with pure longing. I’ve spent the last two days physically attached to my boss, and it has done nothing to alleviate the perpetual horn I have for him.

James and Scarlett exchange a significant look, like they’re having an entire conversation with their eyes about Caelon and me. I glance guiltily at the spot on the wall where we first had sex, as if the outline of our slick, entwined bodies has stained the paintwork.

Scarlett’s silver eyes continuously bounce between Caelon and me, and the right side of her lip curves upward. ‘Harper and Halle are with their nanny. Owen and Orla aren’t the only two who are exhausted.’

‘Liz has supper ready. Go and get something to eat before bed.’ Caelon kisses the kids’ foreheads and ushers them into the kitchen. When they’ve disappeared along the hallway, he turns his attention back to his brother and future sister-in-law. ‘Drink?’

‘Yes, please.’ Scarlett rubs her manicured hands together.

Caelon motions us into the drawing room and pours James a whiskey from the Hollywood custom-made drinks cabinet against the wood-panelled wall, then opens a side panel which doubles up as a fridge. Pausing, he examines an extensive and expensive collection of bottles and selects an extravagant champagne. It’s clearly for Scarlett’s benefit, but I’m not prepared to let my new friend drink something that fancy alone.

‘Are we celebrating?’ I lean closer to Caelon. My arm brushes against his, sending goosebumps skittering over my skin.

‘Actually, we are,’ Scarlett says. ‘James and I have decided to get married.’ She raises her left hand to show off a glittering platinum solitaire .

‘The huge ring sort of gave that away.’ Caelon pops the champagne cork and pours into two long-stemmed flutes, handing one to Scarlett and one to me. ‘But congratulations again,’ he says, reaching for his whiskey.

‘No, we’re actually doing it.’ James drops an arm over Scarlett’s shoulder. ‘We’ve set a date.’

‘That’s fantastic,’ I gush, instinctively reaching for Scarlett’s hand and squeezing it. Her cheeks flush, her smile so bright, it’s practically neon.

Caelon’s lips purse into a grim line as his gaze flits towards the fireplace. A picture of him and Isabella on their wedding day stares back at him. They look stunning in their wedding finery, but the most attractive thing about them is their smiles.

An intricate web of emotions clogs my throat.

I knew what I was letting myself in for when I surrendered my body to Caelon. He made it clear he’s not interested in anything serious, but it already feels as though I’m losing part of my heart.

Caelon drags his eyes back to his brother. ‘Oh? When?’

‘The second of November.’ The words practically burst out of Scarlett’s mouth.

‘All Souls Day,’ Caelon says darkly.

‘I didn’t have you pegged as the religious sort,’ I tease, as my eyes rove over his torso.

‘I’m not.’ His pupils morph into his irises, his jaw setting in a hard line.

The conversation is taking a dark turn, and I don’t like it one bit.

‘Cheers!’ I raise my glass, conscious that in a heartbeat, Caelon’s flipped from my flirtatious, fucktacious boss back to tall, dark and tortured.

‘Where are you having it?’ I ask the blushing bride.

‘Cheval Blanc, St-Barth. You should see it – white sandy coves, stunning scenery, plush little villas that back onto the beach. We planned to travel the world before we had kids, but life is what happens while you’re busy having fun, right?’ She elbows James in the ribs. ‘So, we decided on a destination wedding with a month-long honeymoon.’

‘What about the kids?’ A month is a long time to be away from them. If I had kids, I’d hate to be away for more than a weekend.

‘We’ll bring the nannies.’ Scarlett beams. ‘You’ll come too, right?’

Is she inviting me as a guest, or as the hired help?

I glance at Caelon. ‘Of course Ivy will be there. She’s our nanny.’

My cheeks sizzle.

‘Technically, I might have finished by then,’ I remind him. He was the one that said my position was only for the summer.

His eyes narrow, flit to the photo on the mantle again, then refocus on me. ‘Clearly, we need to discuss that.’

‘Clearly, now is not the time.’ I feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. ‘I’m going to check on the kids. It’s my job, after all,’ I say, flouncing out of the room with my champagne, embarrassed and humiliated. At least it might numb the stinging burn in my chest.

‘Ivy…’ Caelon calls, but I ignore him. I don’t know how to be his nanny and his… what? Fuck buddy? We’ve had one official date and a fuck-load of sex. That doesn’t make me his girlfriend, no matter how increasingly blurred the lines have become.

I stalk along the corridor, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet.

‘Ivy,’ Caelon calls again, hot on my heels.

‘Can we talk about this later?’ I force a cheery expression as the kids come into view, blinking back the hot dam of tears threatening to burst out of my eyes.

I sit with Orla and Owen at the table, quizzing them about their day while they pick at their dinner. Their tired murmurs and complete lack of enthusiasm assure me they’re approximately three minutes away from face-planting into their food.

‘Come on, guys. Let’s get you bathed and ready for bed.’

While Caelon entertains James and Scarlett, I might as well do the job he’s paying me for. And by the time I get the kids tucked in and have read them a story, James and Scarlett have gone.

It’s Friday night. Technically, I’m off the clock. I could go out. But there’s nowhere I’d rather be than here – at least if Caelon hadn’t gone all weird on me earlier.

I poke my head into the sunroom. He’s sitting in one of the crushed velvet armchairs, staring across the room at his wedding photo again.

‘Are you okay?’ I ask tentatively.

He blinks hard and turns his head towards me. ‘Yes. About earlier... I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.’ He raises his whiskey to his lips and drinks deeply. His subtle slur is the only giveaway that it’s not his first.

I cross the room and perch on the arm of his chair. ‘I don’t need to put a label on us, but I do need to know what you expect of me when we’re around your family. One minute you’re asking me to share a glass of champagne with your sister-in-law and the next I’m back to being the hired help.’

If Caelon wasn’t so serious, I’d crack a joke about going to the wedding as Rian’s date, but clearly, something is bothering him. I wish he’d open up.

Caelon swallows hard, his dark eyes dilating. ‘James cancelled their original wedding plans because of what happened to Isabella. Now they’ve made new plans, it’s as if they’ve accepted she’s gone, and I… I just can’t.’ He swipes a hand over his jaw.

‘It’s bound to take longer for you. She was the other half of you for so long. It would be weird if you were over it so quickly.’

‘You would know, apparently.’ He arches a brow. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you had a twin?’

I sigh. Dermot. Big mouths seem to run in the family. ‘It was a long time ago. I don’t think I’ll ever get over it, but I’ve accepted it.’

‘But I can’t accept Isabella’s death, not until I’ve made someone pay.’ He clutches my hand and pulls it to his lips. ‘I just can’t.’

‘You will. You have to accept things are the way they are. And with or without me, you have to go to your brother’s wedding and smile.’

‘If I take a date, it’s as good as announcing we’re together and that I’m over Isabella.’

‘And you’re worried what your family will think? What Isabella’s family will think?’

‘No, my family, my brothers at least, adore you. And Isabella’s mother is forever telling me I should move on.’

‘What then?’

‘The press.’ He grimaces. ‘They’re bound to splash pictures of the big day all over the tabloids and everyone will see you and me together, our enemies included.’

‘Enemies?’ It sounds overly dramatic.

Dermot’s words from my first night at the house ring through my ears.

‘The Becketts and the O’Connors have been enemies for years. Both families run rival whiskey empires. Weeks after the Beckett brothers helped put Declan O’Connor behind bars, Isabella is killed in an “accident” that makes no sense whatsoever.’

‘The guy driving owed the O’Connors a serious debt. The rumour is the debt would be wiped and his family would be taken care of if he did this last job.’

I’ve read enough articles to know Jack O’Connor and his oldest son, Declan, are behind bars, while the other brothers are missing.

And even if they were responsible for Isabella’s death, they’re already serving time, even if it is for a different crime.

‘Are you worried they’ll attempt to sabotage the wedding?’ I place my hand on Caelon’s shoulder, silently urging him to open up to me.

Caelon snorts. ‘I don’t want them to think I’ve forgotten that they murdered my wife. To assume that they can sleep peacefully in their shitty prison cells because I’ve moved on. I despise the thought of giving them even a minute’s peace. I want them to live in fear, because I’m coming for them.’

‘You can’t be serious?’ My jaw drops. This is crazy talk. Dermot was right.

‘I’ve never been more serious in my life. I’m going to prove they were responsible for Isabella’s death, and I’m going to make them pay with their lives.’

A violent shudder skitters over my spine. He’s so unbelievably hot, but could he really be that cold?

Could he really take a life?

No, it’s the drink talking. It has to be.

‘Shh, now, that’s not the Caelon I know, and lo —’ I catch myself before the ‘l’ word slips out. It might just be a turn of phrase, but anything is liable to tip him over the edge tonight.

‘You need to focus on the here and now. Not the past. Life is a gift. We can waste it or use it wisely. Losing my sister taught me that.’

‘I live for two things; my kids and revenge. I have no intention of leaving this earth until I’ve taken care of all of them. Losing my wife taught me that.’

‘It won’t bring her back,’ I whisper.

‘It might bring me back, though.’ He eyes me darkly. ‘Part of me died with her. And I will get my revenge for both of us.’

I prise the glass from his hand, down the contents, slip my arm through his and help him to bed, the darkness blanketing his room matching the darkness blanketing his soul.