His Entertainer

Chapter 24

            HERMANN RODRIGUEZ POV.

"What you're saying is, you want to take Ivy to our headquarters?!" Norman exclaimed, his voice sharp with disbelief.  He was struggling to process the implications of my words, the sheer audacity of my plan. I knew he'd react this way, but I had to tell him.

"What I'm saying is, I want to show Ivy how things are done here," I corrected, pouring myself a glass of whisky, the amber liquid a stark contrast to the storm brewing in Norman’s eyes.
"Hermann, are you insane?!" Norman exploded, his eyes wide with shock and outrage.
"No, I'm perfectly sane, Norman," I assured him, taking a slow sip of my whisky, the smooth burn a temporary balm to my frayed nerves.
"You said you wanted to take the Godfather's place, and this, Hermann… this is going to be your downfall," he said, his voice thick with fury.
"I'm not going to discuss this now. I'm taking Ivy to the headquarters, and that's final," I stated, my tone unwavering. My decision was made, and even Norman couldn't dissuade me.

"Because of her! Eve almost died!" he yelled, his voice raw with emotion.

"So that's what this is about, huh? And she's not likely to die," I retorted, my voice cold and clipped.

"You called her your fucking whore," he reminded me, his words laced with bitter contempt.

"She still is…" I admitted, the words hanging heavy in the air.

"She's going to be the reason for your downfall, Hermann. She'll be the reason your heart is ripped from your chest," he warned, his voice laced with a grim premonition.

"Listen, consider Ivy as Eve… she could be one of us," I suggested, trying to remain calm, to reason with him.

"Ivy is no Eve," he replied angrily. "Ivy is a whore, and Eve isn't."

"Say that again, and I'll cut your tongue out, cousin," I snarled, my blood boiling.  I surprised myself with the raw fury that coursed through me, the strength I found to restrain myself from physically punishing him.

"Is that what you're becoming now? Threatening your family?" he asked, his voice laced with pain, disappointment, and anger. I ignored him, storming out of the room, my anger a consuming fire.

On my way downstairs, I decided to visit Genevieve. The doctor had reported a week ago that she'd woken from her coma. I entered her room slowly, a smile playing on my lips as she mirrored my expression, though she looked pale and weak.

"You look horrible," I mocked, and she chuckled, a fragile, breathy sound.

"You look… not you," she said, her eyes studying me with a strange intensity.

"What do you mean?" I asked, sitting beside her on the bed.

"You look… normal…" she replied.

"Is it a crime to look normal?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Normal isn't your thing," she said, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Tell me, what's behind this… new you?"

"Nothing… just taking Ivy to the headquarters today," I said, my voice betraying none of the turmoil within.

"Is she sure about this?" Genevieve asked, worry clouding her eyes.

"For now… yes," I replied, the ambiguity deliberate.

"What do you mean, 'for now'?" she pressed, her concern growing.

"Relax… I'm not going to kill her. I thought she could be… occupied," I said crisply.

"And you think joining her in the crime gang will keep her occupied?" Genevieve retorted drily.

"Eve, trust me on this," I pleaded, my voice softening.

"Just don't hurt her," she finally agreed.

"Never," I assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room.

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                        IVY SILVER POV.

Norman was worse than I'd anticipated. Almost an hour ago, I'd managed a genuine smile for the first time in a week, and now, this.

"Whatever special treatment my cousin gave you for sucking his cock all day long, you shouldn't expect it from me," he sneered as i was making my way pass him slowly his words dripping with venom. I was beyond fuming.

"If this is about Eve, I'm sorry," paused and I said, guilt gnawing at me.

"Ever since you walked into our lives, it's been a disaster. Eve almost died because of you, and Hermann is cracking. You'll be the reason for his failures. He hasn't even dealt with his wedding plans, He needs that wedding to happen… " he said, his voice raw with anger and frustration.

"Hermann is getting married?" I was stunned, the news hitting me like a physical blow.

"Look, Ivy, I know about you and Wilmert Grants," he said, his words piercing through my shock.

"Wilmert? How… how did you know about Wilmert?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper.

"It doesn't matter how I know him. What matters is… don't you want to be with him?" he pressed, his words like a devil's whisper, tempting me with my deepest desires.

"But… what about my mother?" I asked, a desperate hope flickering in my heart.

"Wilmert will take care of that," he said, his voice smooth and confident.

"What did Hermann say about this?" I asked, my mind racing.

"Hermann is getting married soon, and your concern about his words? This is a friend's concern for you," he said, his tone shifting, a strange mixture of manipulation and concern.

"Friend? You've shown nothing but hatred towards me since I arrived… why should I trust you?" I challenged him, my eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"You have no choice. After Hermann is married, you're nothing but a whore to him. His wife will be his priority," he said, his voice sharp, his words chilling me to the bone.  Fear, cold and paralyzing, ran through my spine.  My legs felt weak, but I stood my ground.

I blinked back the tears that threatened to spill, rushing towards the door, ignoring his further manipulations.  My cheeks burned with anger, my fists clenched tight.  The anger was a burning brand, but beneath it, a sharp pang of pain surprised me.

"Asshole," I muttered under my breath, kicking off my heels the moment I was alone, hurrying downstairs.  I quickly opened the downstairs washroom, slamming the door shut, finally allowing a single tear to escape.

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