Phantom's Fight

Chapter Thirteen

Ivy

Jade had found out it was Tommy's birthday upon their return from their visit to the makeshift kennels in the outhouse and had insisted he couldn't celebrate his birthday without a cake. Since no one was allowed to leave to compound without a good enough reason and an escort, Ivy had spent the best part of her afternoon in the kitchen baking a chocolate birthday cake. Jade's attention had been wavering until Ivy had given her the bowl to lick clean.

Prospect Sam had become a permanent fixture in the place. He'd been sat on a bar stool at the edge of the island from the time Jasper had found her alone with Jade in the kitchen until the time they had finished baking. Jasper had freaked the fuck out, ordering Sam to not leave the room whilst she was still using it and to take anything that could be considered a knife away from her. Ivy thought he was being ridiculous and she had told him so.

"Sharp objects have consequences, the scars on your hand suggests you've already found that out for yourself. I'm not prepared to deal with those consequences today. The prospect stays. I'll see you after my patrol shift."

His response had left no room for arguments and quite frankly she was unusually speechless. Knowing when she was beat she had shrugged and turned towards the task at hand not taking any notice of when Jasper left the room.

That was over six hours ago and Ivy hadn't seen Jasper since. She noticed that the brothers on the patrolling shifts usually changed over every four hours. Jasper had been gone longer than four hours. She tried to reassure herself that there was no need to panic as everyone else was as cool as cucumbers however she couldn't stop the worry creeping in.

When under lockdown, parties were suspended not only because the kids were all in attendance but all the brothers always needed to be alert and ready to up and leave at a moment's notice so getting drunk was prohibited. The finger foods that old ladies had created for the minuet celebration had already been demolished as well as the cake Jade and Ivy had made. The kids had already gone to bed in their soundproofed bunk room and the adults had pushed the tables and chairs to the sides of the room to create a makeshift dancefloor and were dancing to moderately loud music. Jasper was missing it all and Ivy couldn't relax and enjoy the night without seeing that he was safe first.

"What are you doing sitting by yourself Ivy? You're usually the first one on the dancefloor." Tiger sat down on the bar stool next to her and motioned to the prospect tending the bar for a drink.

"I'm not really in a partying mood at the moment. Have you seen Jasper?"

"Yeah, he's in the office with Spike. I'm sure he won't be long."

Looking around the room she mentally checked off a list of who was present and who wasn't. She finally noticed that her father along with Jasper and her brother were missing. Now slightly relaxed at knowing his whereabouts she turned to her friend that she felt she'd neglected for the past couple of weeks. "So what have you been up to? Have you gone to the golf course recently?"

He drank the last of his beer and motioned to the prospect to get him another before answering. "Nothing much; just work and the club. Club business has kept me away from golfing the past month or so. To be honest I've been too tired to make time for a game; unless of course you're offering to be my competition? I'll always make time for you Ivy."

Ivy was mid sip when he spoke and almost snorted out the drink out of her nose. "I think I'll pass on that one, you'd be much safer going on your own. Do you remember the disaster that was our last game?"

They were both laughing at the memory when she felt a hard warm body at her back and a strong arm wind around her middle anchoring her to what she recognised as Jasper's chest.