Chapter 10 - VIVIENNE’S REVENGE
Vivienne waited in an old private club on the south side.
Ivy’s mother sat across from her.
Eleanor Lancaster was sixty-two, weak from treatment, and furious.
“You hit my daughter?”
Vivienne blinked.
“What?”
“My nurse has internet.”
Even kidnapped, Eleanor had attitude.
Vivienne almost smiled.
“I can see where Ivy gets it.”
“From me.”
“You should be more afraid.”
“I raised three children after my husband was murdered. You’re wearing pearls and pretending to be dangerous.”
Vivienne’s face hardened.
“Where is the second tape?”
Eleanor smiled.
“What tape?”
Vivienne slapped the table.
“Don’t play with me.”
“I don’t like you enough to play with you.”
Across town, Ivy sat in the passenger seat while Ronan drove faster than she thought physically possible.
“You’re going to get us killed.”
“I’m trying to prevent that.”
“You drive like a psychopath.”
“I’ve been told.”
“By who?”
“My mother.”
“Smart woman.”
“She also hated my father.”
“Smarter than I thought.”
Ronan glanced at her.
Even terrified, Ivy could still cut through tension.
He liked that about her.
He was beginning to like too many things about her.
That scared him more than the gunfire.
Marcus called.
“We traced Vivienne’s burner phone.”
“Where?”
“Halsted Club.”
Ronan’s expression changed.
“I know it.”
“Victor owns the building.”
Of course he did.
Twenty minutes later, Ronan’s men surrounded the club.
Ivy refused to stay in the car.
“No.”
Ronan turned.
“This is not a negotiation.”
“It is if my mother is inside.”
“You are injured.”
“My mother is sick.”
“There are armed men in there.”
“She once chased a burglar out of our apartment with a frying pan.”
Ronan stared at her.
“I’m starting to understand you.”
“Good.”
“I still hate this idea.”
“Also good.”
They entered through the service entrance.
The hallway was quiet.
Too quiet.
Ronan stopped.
“Trap.”
Ivy whispered, “Obviously.”
A light came on.
Vivienne stood at the far end of the corridor.
She held a gun.
Ivy’s mother sat beside her.
“Hello, Ronan.”
Ronan stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
Vivienne laughed.
“You humiliated me.”
“You did that yourself.”
“You chose a maid over me.”
Ronan’s eyes hardened.
“I chose basic human decency.”
Vivienne’s face twisted.
“That woman ruined everything.”
Ivy stepped forward.
“I didn’t ruin anything.”
Vivienne aimed the gun at her.
“You existed.”
Eleanor suddenly stood.
Vivienne turned.
Bad decision.
Eleanor swung her metal IV pole straight into Vivienne’s wrist.
The gun fired.
Ronan lunged.
Ivy screamed.
Vivienne fell.
For one terrible second, nobody moved.
Then Ronan looked down.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Ivy’s face went white.
“Ronan.”
He touched his side.
His hand came away red.
Then the ceiling lights died.
May you like
Victor’s voice filled the room through hidden speakers.
“Now we negotiate.”
