Chapter 18
 

Julian held Eve tightly, a rising fury coursing through his veins. How someone could have hurt his beloved Eve.....he wanted to annihilate that bastard TC Russell. He would protect Eve this time...the woman that he loved, the mother of his child. He kissed her forehead, overwhelmed that he was a father, for certain this time.

Suddenly, he realized that Eve had been pregnant when she had left him! "Eve," he said slowly,"I am so sorry, my dear. You were carrying Whitney when we parted all of those years ago...."Julian buried his head in her hair. "I chose money over my most precious romance and the child we conceived."

"You've already apologized for that."

"There aren't enough apologies in the world to make up for what I did back then! It was inconscionable, and I will always regret it!"

Eve looked into his face, seeing it lined with self-reproach. "I know you do, Julian. Please, let's put that part of the past to rest, so that we can move forward." Smiling, she kissed his cheek. "I love you very much."

"And I love you, my darling. No one will ever hurt you, not ever again. I swear." And least of all, the SOB who dared to lay hands on you, he thought TC Russell will know what it means to cross Julian Crane....!
 

Ivy sat in Harmony Hotel's lobby, a look of utter disdain on her face. "I can't believe Julian lives in such a dinky little town--they don't even have pate here." She sniffed. "So much for attracting tourists, I fail to understand why anyone in their right mind would pass through."

She looked at her platinum Rolex. "This TC person had best hurry, being around all of these working class folk is making me break out in hives."

A dreamy smile lit up her face. "Except Sam.....he is the one man that I love. His being a police officer just makes him all the more desirable.

As Ivy was deep in thought, TC slowly approached her. He studied her as he walked up--she was wearing a white silk pantsuit, her blond hair swept up into a becoming French knot.

That must be Ivy Crane, he thought; she said she'd be wearing white. Pretty enough, if you like the overbred type. TC was directly in front of her now, but Ivy still was not focused on him. Folding his arms, he stared at her.

"Are you Ivy Crane?" he demanded loudly. Ivy immediately snapped out of her reverie and her ice-blue gaze fixed upon his. Somehow, even though she was sitting, she managed to look down her nose at him.

"Yes I am--I presume you are Mr. Russell?" What an oaf, she thought. No class at all. "I've been waiting for you,you are late," she huffed.

"Well excuse me, Poison Ivy, I've never been to this town--I missed my exit." What an arrogant bitch, he thought.

"Never mind all of that. We need to get to business, namely your ex-wife." Ivy was annoyed that TC had unknowingly managed to insult her with one of Julian's favorite epithets.

"You never told me how you know her, and why you are so interested in my finding her." TC studied her. "What's in it for you?"

"Who said anything was in it for me?" Ivy smiled knowingly.

"Do I look that stupid?"

Yes,quite frankly you do, Ivy thought nastily. "I thought no such thing, Mr. Russell."

"Last time, what does all of this have to do with you? I'm not in the mood for games."

Ivy shrugged nonchalantly. "Very well, I'll tell you. I saw Eve with my husband, Julian Crane--he's cheating on me with her." A little white lie would definitely help my cause, she thought triumphantly. He doesn't need to know that Julian and I are divorced, why bother with insignificant details?

"What the hell--that no good slut is sleeping with your husband?" TC's nostrils flared in anger. "She is still screwing around, even after what happened!"

"Yes, this time with my husband. I thought you would want to know what she's up to--I'm just plan disgusted by the whole affair." Ivy mentally rubbed her hands together in delight--this should set things off but good!

"Where the hell is she? It's time she learned not to commit adultery," he fumed, clenching his fists. "And your bastard of a husband is going to pay, too!"

"Exactly what I had in mind--the role of a cuckolded wife is not one I have ever intended to play," Ivy agreed. "However, we have to find out where exactly they are."

"I thought you knew, isn't this why you told me to come to Harmony?"

"They're here, but the last time I saw them together was at Julian's mansion, but they've left since then. Don't worry, I've hired a PI to find where they are now." Ivy's expression was one of smug haughtiness.

"Good--I'll just check in the hotel then, and wait for your call." TC turned his back on her and headed to the front desk. He didn't notice the cruel smile that spread across Ivy's face, and wouldn't have cared if he had. Soon his wayward ex-wife and her lover were about to learn what it meant to cross TC Russell....!

Ivy was delighted that TC seemed just as irrational in person as on the phone, and according the reports her PI had acquired. The fact that he had physically abused Eve meant nothing to Ivy--Eve was just a means to an end. "If Julian doesn't pay up, I'll unleash that animal TC on both of them!" Ivy didn't bother to think ahead about what would happen if Julian actually did give her the alimony that she thought she so richly deserved. "Julian should know better--if he dares to refuse me, he'll learn what it means to cross Ivy Winthrop Crane...!
 

Julian was glad that he'd arranged with Eve's boss to give her time off. There are definite perks to being on the board of directors, he smiled to himself. I can spend more time with Eve.....my wonderful, beautiful Eve.

She lay beside him, her eyes closed, but he knew she was not asleep--a smile lurked at the corners of her mouth. His eyes roamed her face, his heart almost aching at the love he felt for her. His breathing became shallow, and the urge to kiss her became too much for him to withstand. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, and as Eve's lips softened under his, he kissed her with all the desperation of a dying man. Eve still didn't open her eyes, but her arms enveloped him, and her fingers ran though his hair. Julian responded by deepening the kiss, his tongue dueling with hers in a sensual dance that Eve nearly cried from the sheer beauty of it. Breaking the kiss, he gazed at the woman he loved.

"I'm here for you, Eve," he rasped. Eve said nothing, but the loving look on her face told him how she felt. "I want you, my darling." He lowered his head to her breast, and soon Eve was adrift in a world of ecstasy that she knew could only be with Julian. And Julian was happy to show her again how much he truly loved her. And would protect her.