I glance from Oz to Ivy, and she tucks a lock of blond hair behind her ear nervously and picks up the story.

“My family is from old money in Connecticut and they have political ties to the White House. I was considered an up-and-coming socialite, so I was photographed every now and then when I was in college. Miles was obviously someone to watch because of his father’s business, and Miles’s growing reputation at Yale.” She puts her hand on top of Brian’s and continues. “We were photographed one day after a study group. I couldn’t even remember leaving together, and I never saw the person taking the photos. When my mom called me the next day and asked if I was dating Miles, I brushed it off. Neither of us had any romantic feelings for one another.” She lets out an exhausted laugh, one that indicates she still doesn’t understand. “Miles and I weren’t even friends. We were in a study group together, so we were hardly acquaintances. But knowing the way paparazzi make things out to be, I told my mom there was nothing going on and to brush it off.”

Oz nods, agreeing with Ivy, and he continues the story. “I’d had a couple of run-ins with my father when I was in college because he was disgusted I wasn’t going to follow in his footsteps. I’d started digging into his past and figured out where the dirty money from my trust fund came from, and the truth about some of his black market dealings. I found out that the source of it may have been made from the blood he’d shed. The trafficking, the guns, the drugs. All of it made me sick. I made a mistake then, and tipped my hand too soon. I’d told him that I was going to ruin him and take everything away from him. I didn’t want him dead, because that would have been too easy. I wanted him broke, ruined and worthless.” He shakes his head as if he’s remembering something he doesn’t want to. “I was young and angry and instead of making plans and carrying them out, I told him how I was going to get my revenge. I made a costly mistake that day. I showed my hand too early and I swore it would never happen again.”

Ivy smiles softly, picking up where Oz left off. “I was driving back home for a long weekend, and the only thing I remember is going around a curve and being run off the road by a black SUV. I woke up two months later in a hospital bed, not knowing what had happened. And with Brian at my bedside.” She turns to him and smiles so sweetly, you can see the love in her eyes.

“My father reached out to me not even hours after Ivy’s accident, letting me know he was behind it. That if I didn’t back off he’d do more to the people I cared about. Assuming Ivy and I were together. We weren’t but it still hurt that I’d gotten Ivy into this because of my anger and running my mouth.”

Ivy shrugs like it was no big deal what happened to her.

“That day gave me Brian back. He was the head of security for my family and I’d always had the biggest crush on him. We’d fallen in love, but never said the words. He refused to be with me, saying I had to go away for college for the experience. I think he thought I’d get over him if I wasn’t with him all the time. After the accident, he never left my side once in the two months I was in a coma, and when I woke up, he said we’d never be apart again.” He leans over, nuzzling her neck and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

She smiles at Oz and I. “I know I shouldn’t say this, but I don’t regret what happened. It brought us together, and for that I’m forever thankful. I don’t blame you for what happened that day, and I’ve made Brian swear to not seek his own revenge on your father.”

She glances over to him and then back to us. “To be honest, his need for payback almost broke us. It was only when I explained to him that his desire for vengeance felt more important than me and our future. There comes a point in your life where you have to decide what’s most important. I didn’t want the anger and hate to consume him, or come in the middle of our relationship anymore. Being with Brian and being in love was the most important thing. Letting that go, and living our lives, is the only thing that matters now.”

I examine Oz, who has his brow furrowed and a concerned thought in his eyes. Seeing our joined hands, I think about what it would mean if he continued to seek his own revenge. Would it always be a cloud between us? Would only the death of his father fix everything? Somehow I don’t think the answer is yes. And Oz doesn’t want him dead, he wants him ruined. Eventually will that be enough? Will this be a constant worry?

“I never meant for any of this to touch you, Ivy. And it’s the reason I kept Mallory at arm’s length for so long. I wanted to be sure all of my plans were in place before I let it be known what she meant to me.” He turns to me and brushes a loose strand of hair from my eyes. “I wanted you to understand the danger you were in by being seen with me, but the time’s come for all that to be over. I promise to watch over you, and to take care of you. Always.”

We sit for a moment in silence before a deep voice breaks it.

“If you need anything, you know where to find us.”

With Brian’s words, we all stand, and he and Ivy make their way out of the office. After the double doors close, Oz comes over to me and we sit down on the couch again.

“Are you okay, baby?”

His eyes that have held a part of my soul for so long, give me a sense of being more connected to him. To know that all of this has been to protect me, makes my love for him even deeper than before. Oz doesn’t do anything lightly, and to know that he calculated all of this so that none of his darkness touched me, could only make me cling to him more.