TAINTED

Chapter 28

"What about you?" I asked.

He smiled sadly. "I'll be making my music, Ivy."

Why was saying goodbye to him so hard? This should be easy. He was letting me go. He was blessing me to be with Blaine and live a full and happy life without him, like our summer together never happened. Why couldn't I breathe? Why couldn't I let him slip away into the night? It felt wrong not to leave with him. Everything felt so incredibly wrong and confusing.

"But it hurts so much to say goodbye." Pain rocked through my body, and I couldn't stop tears from falling down my cheeks.

He kissed me softly. "I know. But it's the only way."

He kissed me again and then pulled back to look at me. His eyes were pained, just like mine. He reached a hand into his front pocket and grabbed something. Holding his fist out to me, he gently pried open my hand with his other one and placed something in my palm.

Through my tears, I looked down into the palm of my hand at what he'd given me. It was a gold vintage ring, and in the center of the ring was a brilliant emerald-cut diamond. It was simple and beautiful. I inhaled sharply and couldn't speak. My hand started to shake.

"Rhys...what is this?"

"I don't expect you to wear it, Ivy. It belonged to our mother. It was her wedding ring. After she died, our father gave away her belongings and jewelry to Goodwill. I fought him not to give her things away, but he did anyway. He has no idea I went back for her wedding ring. I thought maybe I'd get to use it one day – "his voice broke just like my heart was. "I want you to have it." He cocked his head to the side and gazed at my tear-stained face. "It wouldn't make sense to give it to anyone else. It should stay in the family."

I looked up at him, unable to speak. I grabbed his face, the ring still laced in my fingers. "Please don't go."

He brought his lips to mine, kissing me. The music and noise inside the ranch melted when his lips touched mine. It started as soft, but then it turned deep enough to make me want to climb inside his Range Rover, follow him to Nashville and never look back.

The sound of the front door slamming forcefully caused us both to jump. He pulled away first, breathing heavily. A shiver moved up my spine as I stared at Rhys's wide eyes. He looked past me at a body stalking toward us. I couldn't bear to turn around and look. I knew it was Blaine.

"Shit. Fuck." Rhys whispered, never once taking his off Blaine.

My whole body started shaking.

"Ivy? Rhys?" Blaine moved closer, and Rhys and I quickly stepped away from each other. He looked confused and, at the same time, full of rage. I had no idea how much he saw, but by the sound of his thunderous footsteps, I was pretty sure he had seen our kiss.

"Blaine, please..." I tried to speak, but he ignored me and glared at Rhys. I fought back my tears as I watched anger flare in his eyes.

"What the fuck is going on here? Did I see you two kissing?" Blaine's nostrils flared up, and his chest puffed out. He took a step closer and blurted out. "Are you two fucking? Did you fuck my girlfriend?"

"Blaine, stop – "I started, but he held up his hand.

"I wasn't asking you, Ivy. I was asking my brother."

The way Blaine said the word brother was like a curse. From the look on his face, it was clear he had suspected something was going on between us all along. We weren't fooling anyone except ourselves.

Silently, I pleaded for Rhys to lie to Blaine. I wished he would make up any excuse to ease Blaine's mind about what he thought he saw. I saw people from the party slowly trickling out of the ranch and onto the front porch, watching with heightened curiosity.