I burst from the door and into the hall, heart pounding so hard I can’t breathe. My feet move ahead of me as I struggle to keep my composure. He knows.
Leo had me sign a stack of papers written in Greek just so he can nail me to the wall.
The more distance I put between Leo and me, the better I feel. My rational thought returns. No, there’s no way he could know. How could he know who I am? Even I don’t know who I am. Not officially.
I find a quiet corner of the kitchen. I need the equivalent of human Valium. My fingers dial Aunt Grace. From the window, I watch as Smoke holds Fluff while Trini feeds her. “Leo’s right,” I say to myself, smiling. “We’ve really got to stop feeding that much food to Fluff.”
The phone only rings once. “Ivy. Thank goodness you called. I was starting to worry. Were you with your Hottie McGoddie?” she asks.
I wish. “Actually, I got the job. And I’ll be living on the property.”
“That’s so exciting, though you will still have to visit on your days off.” And for the second time, Leo’s right. I should have read the fine print. Do I even get time off? “And this gives you more time to look for your father.” My father. Everything happened so fast. I never got to tell her that I did find him. About five years too late.
“Yes,” I say with the heavy weight of sadness. “Find my father—” The second the words leave my mouth, I notice Leo. His dark eyes hold mine as he steps closer. Did he hear what I just said? My heart pounds a mile a minute as he steps my way. “I have to go,” I say into the phone.
“All right, Ivy-vine. Love you.” It’s how she always says goodbye if she thinks it’ll be a while before she sees me again. It won’t be. I’m an hour away and can be there in no time.
Still, I say it back. “Love you, too.” I smile sadly, hearing the line disconnect.
Leo steps into my space, broody and sullen. I haven’t the foggiest clue what he’s thinking, but it feels like a barrier between us. Did he put two and two together? His eyes lock on mine. Maybe something came up in the background investigation.
The harder he stares, the more I tense. Is he going to kick me out?
Still, there’s a chance he doesn’t know, and my heart races with indecision. Sooner or later, I have to tell him. This is my chance to come clean. Tell him the truth. From the moment we met, I was looking for my father. Smoke might be my brother. Trini might be my sister.
Purge the enormity of the secret between us. And then what?
You’re right, Leo. I was stalking D’Angelo Tower, but not in a bad way. And I managed to wedge myself into the trust and home of a family worth billions, but it’s not about the money.
Losing myself in his darkening eyes, I take in a sharp breath, ready to tell him. Now.
Before I overthink it, I force it out. “Leo, I—”
“Look, I meant what I said. We’re not in a relationship. You’re free to see, date, or love anyone you want.”
“Love?” I shut my eyes. “No, you don’t understand—”
He lifts a palm. “I don’t need to know. I’m your boss. You’re my employee. What you do on your time is your business. We are platonic. Professional. Though it seems a little fast,” he fumes under his breath, and oh, my God. He’s jealous.
“Leo, seriously. You have nothing to be jealous about.”
“I’m not jealous,” he scoffs.
“You’re the one spouting off how platonic and professional we are.”
“Don’t remind me,” he seethes. “Here.”
He holds up a small white card with six digits on it. “What’s this?” I ask as I take it.
“The code. It unlocks the front door.”
“I figured you’d have some crazy technology like facial recognition or palm print scanners. Maybe a robot that greets me with a drink.”
His eyes narrow, unamused. “Probationary period. Remember?”
His words are hollow. Whatever closeness we’ve shared is gone. “Of course.”
Having just handed me the keys to this kingdom, Leo walks away. And I can’t help wishing I could have this family and Leo, too.
* * *
I watch as Trini walks further around the lake, letting little Fluff keep up with her. It’s as if she’s taught the little swan to heel.
“How did it go?” Smoke asks as I approach.
“Not bad. I might have signed away the rights to my first born, but it’s done.” Trini is far enough out of earshot that I can seize the small opportunity to speak with Smoke. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he says, selecting a few small stones from the lakefront.
“For hiring me.”
He’s careful in selecting a rock from his hand, then flicks it across the lake. It skips along the water six times before vanishing below the surface. “I didn’t,” he says. “The position is Leo’s to do with as he will. Whether or not you were hired was completely his call.” He hands me a smooth, flat rock, demonstrating how I could hold it.
I mimic his grasp, aiming at some imaginary target far in the center of the lake. “I was under the impression he didn’t want me around.” I flick it. It skips four times before sinking below the water.
Smoke drops the remaining rocks to the ground and dusts his hands on his pants. There’s a trace of a smile that manages to meet his eyes. “I think you and I both know that isn’t what he wants.”