Slowly, Ivy clasped his hand in her own gloved one. “Deal.”
Chapter 7
This was a terrible idea.
The barista behind the slate-and-reclaimed-wood counter was already giving her the hairy eyeball. Ivy’s grungy layers of thrift-store denim clearly didn’t fit in with the trendy cafe’s carefully-cultivated shabby-chic decor. Ivy sipped the overpriced latte that she couldn’t afford, making it last as long as possible, and tried not to dwell on how badly wrong this deal could go.
But she had no choice. She’d do anything to buy Hope even the slightest chance of recovery.
The deal she’d struck with Hugh, now that had been a good bargain. She’d gotten the one thing she wanted more than anything else—a chance for Hope—and in return all she’d had to give away was something she couldn’t keep anyway.
Yes we can, his
sed her wyvern. Our mate! Go back, claim him, now!
Ivy grimaced, mentally muzzling her beast. Her unruly wyvern was even more agitated than usual, baffled and furious by the agreement she’d made with Hugh. The stupid animal couldn’t understand just what a good deal it was.
And now she could only pray that she could strike another one.
“I have to say, Ivy Viverna.” Gaze slid into the booth opposite her, eyebrows raised over the rims of his mirrored sunglasses. “That was not a Facebook message I was expecting to receive this morning.”
The basilisk shifter did fit in with the hipster decor. Dressed in slim jeans, an ironic vest, and a white dress shirt with sleeves carefully pushed up to display his muscled forearms to best advantage, he looked more like a lifestyle blogger than a crime boss. He made a slight gesture at the barista, who simpered and started fixing what was obviously his regular order.
Gaze turned his attention back to Ivy, studying her for a long moment without speaking. Even though his eyes were hidden, his scrutiny still made the hairs rise on the back of her neck. She hadn’t forgotten the agonizing burn of being pinned by his unshielded stare.
“I’m curious to hear why you wanted to meet.” Gaze accepted an espresso from the barista, and waved her off again. “I thought you’d have had the sense to skip town by now.”
“Yeah, well.” Ivy leaned back, trying to copy Gaze’s relaxed, assured pose. “I have some business that I need to take care of.”
Gaze’s head tilted slightly. “Business involving Hugh Argent?”
Ivy’s coffee cup rattled on its saucer as she twitched. “Are you following me?”
“Oh, come now, Ivy. You’re smarter than that.” Gaze picked up his own coffee, taking a casual sip. “Of course I’m having you followed. You didn’t think that you could just walk away after last night, did you?”
“No.” Ivy’s tongue was dry in her mouth. “That’s why I want to make a deal.”
“I distinctly recall that you rejected my very generous offer. In no uncertain terms.”
“I’ve…things are different. My sister’s starting some new medical treatment which means we have to stick around Brighton for a bit longer.” Ivy folded her hands on the table to hide how they were shaking. “And that means I don’t want to be on your bad side. I know I can’t protect my sister from you, not on your home ground. So. What will it take to get you off my back?”
She already knew the answer. He was going to want her venom. Deadly poisons, powerful acids, addictive hallucinogens…a wyvern shifter could make all kinds of useful things for a man like Gaze.
Once again, she was putting herself under the thumb of a dangerous, amoral criminal. Only this time, she was going into it with her eyes wide open. She knew exactly what she was doing.
To save Hope, she’d sacrifice her very soul.
Gaze contemplated her for a long, agonizing minute. It was impossible to tell what was going on behind those mirrored sunglasses.
When he spoke, however, his words were the last thing Ivy had expected. “Tell me more about this medical treatment.”
Ivy was so wrong-footed, she could only blink stupidly at him. “Huh?”
“Hope told me she has motor neuron disease.” Gaze leaned his elbows on the table, his posture oddly intent. “That’s incurable, as far as I’m aware.”
“Yeah, uh…we just found out about this new thing. It’s kinda experimental. Never been tried.”
Gaze tipped his head forward, his sunglasses sliding down his nose just far enough to expose his glowing, blood-red eyes. Before Ivy could look away, she’d once again been caught by that burning stare.