THE BILLIONAIRE’S RETURNED LOVER

WE DON’T HAVE A HOUSE ANYMORE

Ivory shuffled under Eli's accusing gaze. He wouldn't understand, she had known that. What was she supposed to do? Stay and watch him parade his several girlfriends before her very face? Her heart would not bear it. No. Oxford was safe. Oxford was the wall that would protect her fragile heart from Eli's mercies.

"Look-" She began.

"There's nothing to look at." Eli interrupted in a deadly cold tone.

She glanced up at him and shivered from the fury in his eyes. "I can't stay Eli. I have school, it and... Responsibilities."

He snorted. "Yeah sure. Responsibilities. Like what?"

Ivory gave a tired sigh and smiled at him weakly. "You wouldn't understand-"

"Then by all means Ivory!" He shouted, throwing his hands to the sky. "Help me f*****g understand! Why are you so determined to leave? Is there someone you so darned eager to meet, that my dad's barely cold and you're running off like a f*****g coward?!"

Ivory reared back in anger, facing him fully until she glared right at his face. "Will you stop it? You know how much Frederick meant to me."

He laughed harshly, stepping closer, the air between them crackled with fury and tension. "Oh, I know how much. So much that you told him you were going to Oxford, but not me. You called him every day for those shitty three years, but not me. I guess he was the real deal for you huh?"

Ivory saw the pained expression on his face and her eyes softened into sad ones. The past three years had been tough on her, She could imagine it must have been tough on Eli as well. Heck, he probably even saw her actions as a betrayal. Her heart cried within her. She shook her head sadly.

"I don't want to fight Eli. I am my own person, I can decide what I want and what I don't."

"Yeah." He spat. "Because what matters to you, in the end, is you, Ivory. You're selfish and cruel and...stop f*****g crying!"

Tired, Ivory threw him a look of disdain and hurriedly wiped her tears. "Stop yelling at me!"

They settled into a pregnant silence, with occasional sniffling from Ivory who tried to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes. She wiped her glistening cheeks, pinched them to bring warmth back into them and sighed. Beside her Eli fixed his glare on the pool waters, his reflection frowned back at him in anger.

"This isn't going too well."

Eli grunted, eyes still fixed on the water. "Yeah right." Another bout of silence later, his frown eased and he slowly looked at her. "Are you leaving because we...because of yesterday?"

Oh crap. Ivory's hazel eyes widened in alarm and without realizing she took a few steps away from him. The last thing she wanted was to talk about what had happened the night before. Elijah however caught up to her quickly, grabbing her arms and holding her in place.

The nearness of his beautiful face caused the heat to rise in her cheeks and she looked at the pool pavement dodging his eyes.

"You regret it don't you?" Eli demanded gruffly "That's why you want to leave?"

"That's not the point." She murmured feeling his intense gaze burn holes into her face. "Last night was a mistake."

"A mistake?" He breathed, grasping her jaw between his fingers.

"Yes, a mistake." Ivory replied trying to sound defiant, but her voice came out in a rush of breath and she struggled to break his hold on her. "We weren't thinking. I was sad, you were grieving-"

"Cut the crap Ivory." He snarled, leaning closer until his lips grazed her ear. "You f*****g wanted it. If I recall correctly, these were your words- 'f**k me. Does that sound familiar?"

Irritating jerk! Her face heated in fury at the shameless jibe he threw her. "You know what Eli? f**k. You" And with all the strength she could muster she shoved him away from her.

And then things went awry.

She had forgotten, no surprise there, that they were by the freaking pool. Shoving Eli off her had caused him to slip into the pool, but because he was a brute, a jerk, a certified asshole in Ivory's opinion, he dragged her down with him.

Ivory gasped for air as she reared up her head from the cold waters. Goosebumps littered her skin and her teeth clattered from the cold.

"You're despicable!" She yelled when she had enough air in her lungs. Her eyes were still closed and she thrashed around the pool blindly.

"I'm despicable?!" She heard him yell somewhere behind her and tried to swim away quickly. But it was too late. Eli came down on her sudden and fiercely. His arms tightened around her waist and flattened her against his chest.

His warm, wet chest.

"We had plans to go to Hamptons that summer! I came back to some pansy-ass letter telling me you were gone! Despicable doesn't describe how I feel right now Ivory! I'm f*****g seething!" He growled.

"I got a scholarship." She defended weakly, feeling her body grow warm from his breath against her ear. She could feel his racing heartbeat, she could hear him panting, each breath coming down on her harshly.

"I hadn't known you applied to Oxford. We were supposed to go to UCLA! Ivory you... You left and everything was ruined. I was ruined." His voice dropped a few pitches lower and he turned her around, so he could face her.

Her eyes were still closed and she felt a thump on her forehead that caused her to open them. Elijah's sad green eyes stared directly into her hazel ones and his forehead connected with hers.

"I waited for you." He whispered. "For a call. For something Ivory."

"Eli," she breathed, feeling the anger drain away from her slowly. Awareness of his hands caressing her face, and sliding down her neck to cup it heated her.

His green eyes darkened into emeralds and with a tormented sound in his throat, Eli captured her mouth with his, diving his tongue through her parted lips. An involuntary hum slid from her, encouraging him as their mouths sought and found each other like starved souls.

Eli placed a hand on her hips, drawing her impossible closer until her they met chest to chest. With a ragged groan, he tore his mouth from hers and she cried in disappointment. In a swift movement, he turned her around, so that her back was to his chest and slid his hands over her breasts.

The build of pleasure caused Ivory to toss her head back, moans spilling from her lips as Eli groped and fondled her through her wet shirt.

"Oh, God. Eli." She gasped when he plucked and pinched her n*****s.

"Mhmm," He hummed, burying his face in her neck and sucking on the soft skin there. "You want this Ivory."

Yes. She thought when she felt her thighs soak with desire. Behind her Eli groaned as she rocked against his hardness, grinding against him.

"Let's go upstairs, Ivory. You don't have to leave baby. We can just-" His words fell on her like heavy ice blocks.

She didn't have to leave? Go upstairs? Wait? What the hell was going on?! Her eyes flew open and realization dawned on her.

"Oh s**t! Not again." She cried, pulling away from a dazed Elijah. He stared at her, his eyes foggy with desire.

"Ivory," he hummed.

"No! No Eli." She stated with a note of finality and scrambled away from him.

She had to leave the goddamn house! It was the only way she would be truly free from Elijah.

****

"Mom, pack your things, we're leaving." Ivory announced the second she burst into her mother's room.

It was quite large and housed two beds.

Madeline who sat on Henry's bed, reading him a bedtime story, paused and gave her daughter a placid look. The girl strode in, all wrapped in an old dress and with a sour expression on her face.

"It's late Ivory. Can we do this tomorrow? And did you just come out of the shower, you're dripping water all over the rug?"

Ivory gave her mom an irritated look. She didn't have time for this. The more she remained in Carter's mansion, the more chances of her having s*x with Eli again! And that was a big No! Not when she knew he was just knacking her to get his troubles out of his system. What would happen after a few days when he regretted it too? She would not wait to find out.

"The rug should be the last of your worries mom! Look I'm leaving either you guys go or not. Our house is just around the block!" She disputed.

"What house?" Henry quipped and she frowned at his question.

"Henry baby, mommy and Ivory need to talk hmm? Go play outside with your teddy bear." Madeline urged the little boy and despite the confused look on his face, he eagerly ran out of the room, happy to have a few more minutes of playing before bedtime.

Now Ivory was super suspicious. "What's happening Mom?"

Madeline sighed, revealing the ageing lines around her brown eyes. She patted the bed. "Sit Ivory."

Ivory shook her head in defiance. "You're freaking me out mom. What's wrong? What's happening?"

Madeline chuckled then, wringing her hands together. "I suppose it can't be helped anymore."

Oh no. She felt her stomach drop at the sad look on her mother's face. "Honey... We don't have a house anymore."