Asher’s POVI looked into the mirror as Ivy adjusted my tie, her fingers brushing against my collar. She had this focused, gentle touch, and her lips were pulled into a serious pout. I could barely look at her—her perfume filled the air between us, making it hard to think.“You know,” she said, giving my tie a final pat, “you actually clean up really well.” She smiled at me, and I felt that familiar warmth building in my chest.“If dressing up like this is what it takes to get a compliment from you, I’ll do it every single day,” I declared.She stifled a blush. “It doesn’t have to take so much,” her voice was barely above a whisper.A smirk tugged at my lips. Was Ivy flirting with me? Was it just the magic of the night, or were her defenses slowly stripping away? I caressed her cheek and stared as she leaned into my touch, her eyelids fluttering shut. A small gasp escaped her lips.I slipped my hand around her waist. “You’re going to make it hard for me to let go of you, Ivy…” I glanc
Ivy’s POV.I giggled at something Asher said. My hand was resting on the crook of his elbow as we walked back to our hotel room. The energy between us felt different tonight, and it wasn’t because of the alcohol. I had purposely stayed off it; I didn’t want to be the desperate person I used to be when I was drunk and around him. It was embarrassing how much my body desired him when my senses got dulled.It wasn’t like I didn’t desire him. Even now, as I listened to him and stole glances at him, as our bodies slightly touched, I did - in a way that I hadn’t desired any man before. But I could control it and pretend I wasn’t feeling anything. I could ignore all the sparks that went off whenever we touched.“Janine was the worst of us, I tell you…” he was saying as he punched a couple of keys on the elevator panel. As we walked in, the guards that had followed us at a safe distance tried to enter, but he stopped them. He glanced at me and then back at them.“I need some time alone with m
Ivy’s POVMy core throbbed as he whispered in my ears. I could feel the wetness in my panties. My whole body had been tightly wound up; it had been so long since I felt pleasure. Without the alcohol, my body still felt the aching need for his touch, the need that made me desperate. I wanted to tear off all our clothes until our bodies were naked and touching, and I could feel his cock inside of me, filling me up.He leaned back on the bed so he could gawk at me, slowly taking in everything.“Look at me,” he whispered in a deep voice when I tried to look away.I did as he asked and looked into those beautiful eyes. Those eyes that spoke volumes long before he opened his mouth and uttered the words, “I want to worship you, Ivy...”Jolts of pleasure traveled all over my body, desire washing over me. He lifted me up and placed me on the bed, turning to face me. He held my feet in his hands and stared for a moment before slipping off my shoes.His eyes were fixated on me as he brought my f
Asher’s POVI walked through the VIP room, flanked by three mean-looking bodyguards. They were tall and muscular, dressed in all black with dark sunglasses. I scanned the area, looking for Luca. It wasn’t hard to find him, as the club wasn’t full that day, with not many people showing up on a Sunday night.I walked up to him. “Luca.”He was nursing a drink and spun around. “Goddamnit, Asher! What are you doing here?”I pulled out a stool and sat across from him. “What do people do at clubs, Luca? I’m here to chill and drink...” I gestured to the bartender. “The regular, please.”The bartender nodded and began to fix my drink. Luca glanced at the hefty men standing behind me. “You don’t look like you’re here to chill at all. You brought the bodyguards in?”I nodded. “There’s no way in hell I’m coming to your club without security. Someone’s got to watch my back while you’re doing whatever the hell it is you do... Why are you at the club on a Sunday, Luca?” I asked after a second though
Max’s POV“I hate it when you’re pacing around...” Taylor began, “And can we do something about your dingy apartment? Do we really have to meet here?”I stopped in my tracks, “I’m sorry, Taylor Simmons, I can’t afford pricey hotels for us to stop for a chat. When I was with Ivy, she had no problem handling that...”“Oh, no! That’s not gonna be me, honey. That kind of foolishness is Ivy’s forte, not mine,” she replied. “If you really want us to continue meeting, you’ve got to do better about our meeting place. That is, if you still want to win her over.”“Well, I don’t know how I’m supposed to win her over if you won’t use the one weapon we have against them!” I yelled. “They are getting closer. You saw them at that fashion show? How did it feel watching them together? Being all lovey-dovey with each other, how did it make you feel?”She slowly broke into a smile. “I don’t care for either of them, Max. I don’t have feelings for Asher Sterling. I just like the idea of him. He’s a hot ma
Max’s POVFlashback cont’dI drove into the parking lot of the hotel just behind Taylor. I jumped out of the car and rushed towards her. "Taylor! You’ve got to give me a fucking explanation. I just drove a high man in his own car after abducting him from the club to a hotel—we are going to get arrested!"She got out of my car and slammed the door. "If you keep yelling at the top of your voice, the police are going to come in earlier, and the arrest is going to happen quicker than you think!"My heart was beating faster in my chest. She had a point. I had to calm down. There could be CCTV. I glanced around nervously and looked away the moment I caught a glimpse of one, subtly hidden away from view. I took a deep breath."If you want me to act calmly about this, you’ve got to give me an explanation that makes sense at least," I told her in a controlled voice. "What did you do to him?""I slipped something into his drink," she answered simply. She walked up to Asher’s car and opened the
Max’s POVFlashback cont’dI didn’t respond. What could I say? That my replacement and Ivy’s husband was hot? I didn’t care; I would smother him in his sleep if I could get away with no consequences.She got closer and tugged at his shorts, the last piece of clothing he had on. “Oh, and he’s packing too!” She hummed in satisfaction and bit her lower lip. “I see what Ivy likes about him now, really.”I frowned. “What are you doing, Taylor?” I was still confused about what she planned to do. Nothing made sense; nothing had made any sense since she called me earlier.She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she pulled a phone from her pocket. My phone and tossed it to me. “Take pictures.”I stared at her in confusion at first, wondering how she had gotten a hold of my phone in the first place. My brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”“You heard me, Max. You’re going to take pictures—"“Why?” I interjected. “Are we going to blackmail Asher with nudes of him? Really, what’s that going to get
Asher’s POV“Hello, Kat,” I greeted as soon as she slid into the booth.She flashed me a wide smile. “It’s no longer Ivy? Damn, I missed when you called me that.”I shut my eyes and let out a frustrated grunt. “Am I ever going to hear the end of it?” I asked.She looked like she was thinking about it for a moment, then shook her head. “No, no, I’m not,” she said with a big grin.“I guess it is my fault...” I said with a sigh.She chuckled.I signaled the waiter, who rushed to our table immediately. “Take the lady’s order.”The waiter tipped his head at her. “What would you have, miss?”“A rosé, please,” she answered. When he was out of earshot, she turned to me. “Is it okay for you to be here... with me?”“There’s no one around, and the staff here have a confidentiality agreement not to leak pictures or information about my whereabouts,” I explained. “I figured it was best to meet here. The club is—” I shrugged. I was sick of it ever since that night. “I couldn’t meet you at my office
Ivy’s POVThe wineglass hovered near my lips as I froze. Slowly, I turned to face him, my smirk faltering as my gaze locked onto the storm brewing in his eyes.“Can we talk?” His tone was calm, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him.I arched an eyebrow, letting a flicker of defiance cross my face. “What do you want?” I kept my voice even, but my heart clenched in frustration at his audacity.Marsha glanced between us, visibly uncomfortable. “I’ll… give you two a moment,” she murmured before turning to leave. Miles followed her out.But then Asher stepped closer. Too close. His presence loomed over me, the space between us shrinking until I could feel the weight of his gaze. I swallowed. “I don’t know where to start from, Ivy,” he said, his voice low and firm. “I’m really sorry, about...”I tilted my head, taking a deliberate sip of my wine, savoring the burn as it slid down my throat. Setting the glass down on the counter, I met his gaze head-on. “What part are you actually sorry fo
Author's POVA week later…The dining room was quiet except for the soft clinking of silverware. Asher sat at the head of the table, his dark brown eyes flickering toward Ivy, who was seated opposite him. She refused to meet his gaze, her posture stiff, her focus entirely on the untouched plate before her. Marsha and Miles, their assistants, sat between them, and the silence was deafening.Marsha dramatically cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "I'm glad you guys finally agreed to sit down and talk. We need to get ahead of this mess."Ivy scoffed softly, her arms crossing as she leaned back in her chair. Asher's gaze lingered on her for a moment too long, taking in the defiance etched into her features, those beautiful blue eyes that wouldn't meet his, the slight tremble of her lower lip.Was she holding back tears? His chest tightened at the thought. He had hurt her so much, and there was nothing he could do to take away the pain.Miles leaned forward, his hands clasped togethe
Marcus’s POVHe rolled his eyes and shook his head as soon as he opened the bedroom door. “What are you doing here, Marcus? Don’t tell me Luca put you up to this. I already told him I was fine and there was nothing to worry about.” He shook his head again. “I can’t believe he told you to come to my house...”I gave my brother a long look. He looked so downcast - a shadow of his former self. All that aura and charm he carried around like he was born with was gone. I couldn’t even bring myself to put him down. I dramatically cleared my throat. “No one put me up to this. I don’t even speak to your obnoxious friend. I stopped by the Winery...”“Don’t you have better things to do?” he interjected, still standing at the doorway, blocking the entrance. “Really, Marcus? Don’t you have better things to do?”“Aside from being the heir of the Sterling fortune and the CEO of Sterling Industries?” I asked, my tone mocking.He massaged his temples. “What do you want, Marcus? Really? What do you wan
Luca’s POVThe housekeeper was waiting for me at the door as soon as I stepped into the house. The worry in her eyes sent a wave of panic through me. “Where is he? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”“He asked me to tell everyone who called that he was out of town,” she explained, her voice trembling.I followed closely as she led me toward Asher’s room.“I really thought it wasn’t anything serious. The lady of the house was away, and I assumed he just needed some time to himself. That’s why I left him alone.” She let out a heavy sigh. “But with each passing day, I grew more worried. He wouldn’t eat his meals...”We reached his bedroom door, and I grabbed the handle before she could stop me. It was locked.“He hasn’t come out of that room in days,” she said, fishing through the large keyring hooked on her waist. “And lately, it’s been suspiciously quiet. No sounds from inside…” she trailed off, shaking her head.The unspoken implication terrified me.I let out an exasperated sigh, m
Ivy’s POV“Hello, I’m Ivy,” I said nervously, tucking my hair behind my ear. My eyes searched those chocolate-brown eyes staring at me.He smiled - a beautiful smile, showing pearly white teeth. Clearing his throat, he lowered his gaze. “Hi, I’m Dexter. Nice to make your acquaintance.” He extended a hand toward me.I looked at him hesitantly before taking his hand. His handshake was firm. Glancing behind him at Janine, he said, “Your friend, well, she’s persuasive, isn’t she?”I nodded and chuckled.He burst into laughter, and I joined in. We laughed for a while. “Yes, she is.” Janine caught my eye and gave me a thumbs-up. I smiled at her, grateful for her. Grateful that I was far away from Asher - all because of her. I needed the break.Dexter gave me a long, curious stare. “You look really familiar. Trust me, this isn’t one of those corny lines guys always use with the ladies. You actually have a familiar face, and I think I may have seen you somewhere...”I let out an exasperated s
Ivy’s POVThe moment I saw the pictures, it felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. There he was - Asher, my husband - his arms around Taylor, my ex-best friend.The woman I once trusted like a sister. The woman who had already betrayed me once before. And now, she had struck again.My chest tightened, and a cold, sharp pain stabbed through me. It felt like my heart had been ripped out, tossed to the ground, and stomped on repeatedly.My breath caught in my throat, and my vision blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. Betrayal crushed down on me, a weight so heavy I thought I might collapse. My hands trembled as I clutched my phone, my fingers turning white.Why wasn’t I enough? That thought screamed through my mind, louder than anything else. Anxiety crept up inside me, twisting into unbearable knots. Had I ever been enough for anyone?My ex didn’t love me. And now Asher didn’t either. The lie I had clung to— that Asher could change, that he was different— unraveled be
Asher’s POVMy heart leapt the moment Ivy sauntered into my room, wrapped in a pale pink robe. Though we were still officially sleeping apart - her decision, not mine - I had asked her countless times to move in.Something was holding her back, but that didn’t stop us from spending nearly every other night together. I always looked forward to those evenings. I rushed home early every day, eager for our routine: a movie before bed or simply talking until we fell asleep.Tonight was no different.She beamed as she entered; her smile lighting up the room. Slowly, she slipped off her robe, revealing the flimsy nightdress underneath.“I had quite the day…” she began, climbing into bed.My gaze locked onto hers. “Tell me all about it,” I encouraged, my voice low and eager.She tucked her hair behind her ear, leaning closer. “It was Taylor,” she said, her tone exasperated.I rolled my eyes and sighed deeply. “What did that bitch do this time?” I muttered under my breath.Ivy laid back, resti
Taylor’s POVI had a grin on my face as I walked into the dressing area. It had been there since the moment I woke up that morning. My mind danced back to the week’s events.It wasn’t every day that I pulled off something as spectacular as blackmailing Asher Sterling. Of course, it had taken a whole week of careful planning and luck.Luck had been on my side that evening at the formal dinner. Walking up to Marcus Sterling had been a gamble, but it paid off. Luck was what made him listen to me. Not that I had to say much.The dick fucker was sold the moment I told him I was a friend of Ivy’s. Odd, wasn’t it? Did he like his brother’s wife?I shook my head. None of that mattered now, though it had been my golden ticket to the Sterling event. Sure, it meant enduring Marcus’s endless chatter, but it was a small price to pay for the look on Asher’s face when he saw me on his brother’s arm.I could still see it - his pale expression, his eyes desperately trying to piece me together and figu
Asher’s POVI sat absentmindedly at the table, the faint sounds of silverware clicking and the low hum of conversation filling the grand dining room. I forced a polite smile, nodding at something one of the guests said, though I wasn’t paying attention.I wasn’t even sure if I was expected to respond. Thankfully, the man who had spoken to me turned back to his plate.Across the table, Taylor was smiling, her expression tinged with amusement. She was clearly enjoying this - watching me struggle to focus on anything.Then I felt it— a nudge against my foot. Subtle at first, then firmer.I stiffened, glancing up. Taylor was looking directly at me, her expression as innocent as ever. When no one else was watching, she winked, her lips curling into a smug grin.I pulled my foot back, forcing myself to focus as Marcus, seated next to me, leaned in.“Asher,” Marcus said, his tone light but probing, “what’s the progress on Sterling Winery? Any new wines in the works?”I blinked, realizing I h