Wrong Flirt, Right Trouble: His Uncle Pulls Me Close

”How dare you bring her up!” Xavier Mercer grabbed Quentin Blackwood again, his gaze turning vicious.

But Quentin Blackwood showed not a hint of fear. The look in his eyes held an even greater presence than Xavier Mercer’s.

Quentin Blackwood was utterly resolute. Though his handsome face was marred, it didn’t faze him in the slightest.

”I love Ivy Sherwood. I know I did things to wrong her in the past, but I can still pursue her.”

”In your dreams! You can’t just bully a member of the Mercer Family. I came here today to warn you. She’s not the same person you could push around anymore. She has the entire Mercer Family backing her. If you dare try anything with her again, we will use everything in our power to make sure you don’t get away with it!”

”I love her, and I don’t care if she’s one of the Mercers or one of the Sherwoods. She’s my woman. Unless you beat me to death right here, right now, I will be with her.”

There wasn’t a flicker of doubt in Quentin Blackwood’s eyes. He was more clear-headed than ever.

No one and nothing could stop him from being with Ivy Sherwood. Besides, she still loved him too.

He knew he had done wrong and was willing to accept any punishment. Even if Xavier Mercer decided to beat him up every single time they met, Quentin Blackwood wouldn’t retreat.

”Impossible. Ivy doesn’t want to ever see you again. I’m warning you—stay away from her!”

Of course, Xavier Mercer knew Ivy still had feelings for this man. ’But there was no telling how much of what he said was true and how much was a lie.’

”Then let me make myself perfectly clear, too. That’s impossible. Ivy Sherwood is the only one I want in this life.”

Xavier Mercer’s brow tightened. The more he looked at this man, the more detestable he found him. He raised his fist again and knocked Quentin Blackwood to the ground.

By the looks of it, he seemed intent on beating Quentin Blackwood to death.

Just then, the door to the reception room was pushed open, and a voice called out, ”Brother!”

It was Ivy Sherwood.

Ivy Sherwood and Connor Mercer appeared at the door. Ivy walked in. ”Brother, stop hitting him.”

Xavier Mercer refused to stop. He raised his fist again, but Ivy Sherwood caught his arm.

”Ivy,” Xavier Mercer said, ”you’re still protecting him at a time like this?”

From the moment Ivy Sherwood appeared, Quentin Blackwood’s eyes were fixed on her.

Ivy Sherwood’s hair was down today, cascading over her shoulders. She wore a loose coat over a little skirt. Her face was bare, without a trace of makeup, and looked so lovely. But she seemed to have lost a lot of weight.

A pang of pain shot through Quentin Blackwood. Being beaten like this by Xavier Mercer hadn’t hurt, but seeing Ivy Sherwood made his heart ache with a sharp, wrenching pang.

He didn’t dare to imagine how happy he and Ivy Sherwood would be right now if none of this had happened, if he had never pushed her away.

He missed the moments Ivy Sherwood would nestle in his arms. He missed every single second she was by his side.

And yet, from the moment she entered, Ivy Sherwood hadn’t spared Quentin Blackwood a single glance.

Ivy Sherwood pulled on Xavier Mercer’s arm. ”I’m not protecting him. But Brother, if you beat him to death, how am I supposed to make him suffer?”

The corner of Quentin Blackwood’s mouth curled up. He would love for Ivy Sherwood to make him suffer. She could do anything she wanted to him. For Quentin, it wouldn’t be a punishment, but a reward.

”Besides, we parted on good terms. We’re not going to have anything to do with each other anymore, and we won’t be seeing each other. We’re just strangers. Why should we bother with a stranger? I’m doing great right now, and I’m very happy. I can even go find other, better men.”

”Come on, Brother. Let’s go back, okay?”

Ivy Sherwood had rushed over because she was afraid her older brother would fly into a rage and kill someone.

But Quentin Blackwood heard Ivy Sherwood’s words—they would have nothing more to do with each other, they wouldn’t meet again, they were strangers.

The worst part was, Ivy Sherwood said she was going to find another man!

Although Xavier Mercer felt this was letting Quentin Blackwood off too easily, he had at least vented his frustration, so he got ready to leave.

Ivy Sherwood stayed by Xavier Mercer’s side, but before they reached the door, her arm was seized by a man with bloodshot eyes.

Before anyone could react, he had pulled Ivy Sherwood back into the room, swiftly shutting and locking the door behind them.

Quentin Blackwood dragged Ivy Sherwood to the far wall, pinning her there with his hands braced against the wall on either side of her. He paid no attention to Xavier Mercer and Connor Mercer as they pounded on the door from the outside.

His eyes saw only Ivy Sherwood. ’Quentin Blackwood is a complete psycho,’ Ivy thought.

”What on earth are you doing?” Ivy Sherwood stared at Quentin Blackwood’s face. The corner of his lip was still bleeding, and his cheek was swollen. ’Even beaten and bruised like this, he has a different kind of appeal,’ she found herself thinking.

His voice was thick with possessiveness. Then, he leaned down and pressed his lips against Ivy Sherwood’s.

”Let me go!” Ivy Sherwood couldn’t believe Quentin Blackwood was being so audacious. ’Her brothers were right outside! Wasn’t he afraid they would burst back in and cripple him?’

Quentin Blackwood kissed Ivy Sherwood, and she could taste the coppery tang of blood from his mouth.

Quentin Blackwood released her lips, but only to rest his chin on her shoulder and bury his face in the crook of her neck.

Just then, Quentin Blackwood was like a wounded beast. His voice was choked with anguish. ”I forbid it. You can’t treat me like a stranger. And you can’t go looking for other men.”

He couldn’t imagine a scene like that. He knew things between Ivy Sherwood and those other men were fake, yet he still couldn’t control his jealousy, his urge to claim her as his own.

If one day Ivy Sherwood truly fell in love with someone else, with another man standing by her side, Quentin Blackwood felt like he would go completely mad.

”What gives you the right to forbid anything? We’re not in a relationship anymore.” Ivy Sherwood struggled to remain calm and rational, refusing to be swayed by Quentin Blackwood.

”I love you. I can’t let you go. Everything before was just said in anger, just to push you away. Something happened back then, an accident... Joy Sheridan’s grandfather—”

BANG!

Before Quentin Blackwood could finish, the door was kicked open with a loud BANG.

As Xavier Mercer’s fist came flying, Quentin Blackwood, afraid of Ivy Sherwood getting hurt, pulled her into his arms to shield her.

This move only enraged Xavier Mercer further. He yanked Quentin Blackwood off of her and landed two more punches. ”Quentin Blackwood, what were you doing to my sister!”

”Brother, stop hitting him.” Ivy Sherwood knew Quentin Blackwood wasn’t fighting back. If he decided to, Xavier Mercer might not get the upper hand.

Xavier Mercer threw one last punch before stopping, then led Ivy Sherwood out of the room.

Ivy Sherwood left with Xavier Mercer and Miles Mercer. Xavier was fuming. ”He dared to bully you right in front of my face!”

”Brother, in a few days it’ll be the Lunar New Year. I want to go to Elandra with you all.”

Xavier Mercer had suggested that Ivy Sherwood return to Elandra with them before, but she had been unwilling. ’Why the sudden change of heart?’

”Are you sure?”

Ivy Sherwood nodded. ”Yes. I still haven’t met Uncle and Auntie. Last time I went to Elandra, I didn’t get the chance to really look around. This is the perfect chance to go and do that.”

”Okay, I’ll arrange it,” Xavier Mercer said, leaving at once to do just that.

”Brother,” Ivy Sherwood said, ”there’s one more thing I need your help with.”

Xavier Mercer agreed without even asking what it was. ”Your business is my business. Don’t be so formal. Even if you asked for the stars in the sky, I’d go pluck them down for you.”