Taylor’s POVI sashayed through the hallway of Sterling Winery, surrounded by four bodyguards. I didn’t want to be here in the first place, and the last thing I needed was people gushing over me. I mean, they could, but from a distance.My bodyguards cleared the path of curious employees as I walked through. I stopped at the reception desk and flashed the bright-eyed lady one of my killer smiles. “Hello—” I stole a quick glance at the name tag on the table, “Valerie. Where’s Asher’s office?”It took her a moment to come to. She closed her mouth and bowed her head. “I’m sorry. Do you have an appointment?”“Well, technically, no…”“I’m afraid you have to have an appointment with Mr. Sterling before you can see him.”I sighed and folded my arms across my chest. “Do you know who I am, Valerie?”“Of course,” she stuttered. “You’re Taylor Martin!” she declared in admiration. “Everyone, I mean, everyone knows you!”I grinned. “You said it yourself, so do I still need an appointment?” I was a
Asher’s POVThere was a lump in my throat, my mouth turned dry, and beads of perspiration formed on my forehead despite the chill air conditioning. An internal battle raged inside of me. I couldn’t believe the images before me.No matter how much I squinted my eyes to look and tried to picture someone else’s face, I knew I was the naked man in those pictures.I gritted my teeth and stole a glance at Taylor. The expression on her face remained unchanged. She looked like the unbothered person who had strutted into my office just moments earlier. She didn’t feel any of the discomfort I was feeling - no signs of nervousness, nothing but that darned smile on her face.“What are these?” My voice had dropped an octave, my hands trembling as I held the pictures.She glanced at my hands and then back at me. “They are exactly what you think they are, Asher...”I glanced at the pictures again. Taylor was there, naked, with me. There was one of her on top of me. In all of them, I looked like a co
Asher’s POVThe table was set perfectly. Candlelight flickered softly in the cool evening breeze, casting shadows on the ivory tablecloth and the bunch of roses I had picked out earlier for her. The garden was quiet except for the soft sounds of the night breeze.I sat, trying to seem relaxed, nursing a glass of red wine that tasted bitter in my dry mouth. It was a wine from Sterling Winery. We were trying to perfect a new wine. I was not satisfied with the results yet; there was something missing, and I couldn’t quite figure out what it was, neither could the rest of my team.But I wasn’t relaxed.Taylor’s words echoed in my head. “There’s so much pressure with this. You’re a billionaire; there are many things I could want, but I can’t make up my mind.” Her voice had been soft, almost pitying, as if she hadn’t just threatened the happiness I had just found in my life, like she wasn’t enjoying this. And those photos.God, the photos. Every time I blinked, I saw them, burned into the b
Luca’s POVI stared at her, my eyes twinkling with admiration. “You look...”“What?” she asked, blinking rapidly.I pulled her closer until she was pressed up against me, tucking her hair away from her face and cupping her cheeks. “You look like a snack, Janine, and I want to eat you up.”She giggled. “Okay then?”“Okay?” I asked, unsure. With Janine, I always took my time. She wasn’t like the other girls. She meant so much more to me. I was afraid to hurt her, afraid to do anything she didn’t like.She nodded, her eyes shining brightly.I gripped her jaw and drew her in. I kissed her tenderly at first, savoring the feeling of her soft lips against mine. My hands slipped around her waist.Then, before I knew it, she stood on her tiptoes, her hands wrapping around me as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue probed my lips, and I let her, surrendering to her. With the other women in my life, I was always in charge. Not with Janine. She was like an enigma to me. Apparently, Janine didn’t fee
Asher’s POVI held out a hand to her. “Are you ready?”She grinned at me. “What’s this? Take your spouse to work day?” she teased.I smiled at her as she slipped her hands into mine, and I shrugged. “Something like that.”Ivy was the one who had offered to follow me to the company today. I had woken up to breakfast already set at the table. It was a gesture that warmed my heart, but nothing compared to when she told me she would call in sick from work and follow me to the office.I led her through those glass doors, and as soon as we walked into the reception area, all eyes turned in our direction. Well, they were mostly looking at her. It wasn’t every day a hot model strode into work. And by God, she looked hot today.She wore a simple white dress that clung to her in all the right ways. It stopped mid-thigh and made her legs look longer. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She had light makeup on and a simple piece of jewelry. It was minimal effort, and yet she looked the most
Asher’s POVI hesitated, then turned to her fully. “I want you to be proud of me.”She paused, her hands resting lightly on my arm. “Asher, I am proud of you and of what you’ve done so far. You are a good man, and you’re going to do great things with this,” she gestured around. “You don’t have to prove anything to me.”Her words, so simple and sincere, unraveled something in me. I didn’t deserve her faith, not with the secrets I was keeping, but in that moment, I wanted to believe her.We stood there in the quiet, her gaze locked with mine, until the weight of it gave way to a shared grin. Moments later, we were giggling uncontrollably, slipping on the juice-slick floor as we tried to balance.Once the grapes were pressed, we poured a small glass of the fresh wine and tasted it. Ivy made a face. “You know what would make this better?” she asked, tilting her head thoughtfully.“What?”Her grin widened as she leaned in. “What if we added this to the wine from our dinner in the garden—th
Asher’s POVIvy leaned closer to me on her tiptoes as she tried to fix my black bow tie. She was so close I couldn’t help but inhale her scent. She smelled of the loveliest flowers, her scent was intoxicating. I brought my nose to the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply.She inched away, giggling uncontrollably. “That tickles…”“You really can’t come?” I asked for the umpteenth time, giving her the puppy dog eyes.She smoothed my dress and pulled back. “I told you I can’t. I have a shoot in the city in a few hours,” she glanced at her wristwatch, “2, 3 hours. It’s a simple shoot, and also Janine and I have a coffee date for later in the evening. So yes, I have quite the commitment.”He exhaled and shook his head. “You know Janine is hanging out with you as an excuse to get out of a family event?”She flashed me a wide grin. “Is she now? I’m flattered she’s picking me over family?”“Hey,” I knew she was joking, but I still needed her to know it. “You know I’d ditch them in a heartbeat
Asher’s POVI tried to walk away, but Marcus stopped me. “How’s Ivy?” he asked.I had a smartass reply at the tip of my tongue, but I decided against it. “What is it, Marcus?” I didn’t want to deal with him any longer than I had to.He shrugged. “A lot of people would love to see her. I, for one, would love to see her. If she doesn’t show up for important family events like this, then it has me thinking, is something up?”I couldn’t help but grin. “Marcus, Ivy and I are fantastic. If you would like to know, there’s nothing…”He turned around. “Meet my plus one, Asher. Isn’t she a beauty?”I looked up and stared in the direction he was pointing at. It was Taylor. She was wearing a shimmery black halter neck dress, her hair tied back in a slick bun, with a wide smile on her face as she sashayed towards us.What the heck? I cursed under my breath. How? How was she with Marcus? Where did they even meet? Wasn’t she just with Luca the other time? My eyes widened. Could she have told him?Ta
Taylor’s POVMax stumbled into the room, blood smeared across his chin, his eyes darting around like a scared animal boxed into a corner.My gut twisted. My heart hammered in my chest. Something had happened.“Max,” I said, keeping my voice steady as I reached for the towel on the counter. “What the hell happened?” I extended a hand to him, looking him over for any bigger wounds other than the bruises on his face.He snatched the towel from my hand but didn’t answer. Instead, he wiped at the blood, his movements jerky, avoiding my gaze.“Max,” I pressed, my tone sharpening. “Talk to me. Now.”“Water,” he muttered, his voice hoarse. “I need water.”I exhaled sharply, grabbing a glass and pouring him some from the bottle lying around.He took it without a word, draining it in one go. Still, he wouldn’t look at me.“What did you do?” I demanded, stepping closer.His head bowed, his shoulders hunched. For a moment, I thought he’d bolt.“Max!” My voice cracked like a whip. “Fucking talk to
Asher’s POVThe loud beat of the bass shook the walls as I stepped into the dimly lit club. I spotted Luca almost instantly, sitting in a booth near the back, drink in hand. His easy grin faltered the moment his eyes landed on me.“Asher?” he called out, his voice a mixture of surprise and suspicion. “What the hell are you doing here?”I slid into the booth across from him without waiting for an invitation. “Could ask you the same thing,” I said coolly.He chuckled, though it lacked his usual charm. “I wasn’t expecting you to show up. We haven’t exactly been on great terms.” He passed me a glass and poured whisky for me.“Yeah, about that,” I said, picking up the drink he slid my way. “I figured it’s time we talk.”“Talk?” Luca echoed, leaning back in his seat. “This should be good.”“Since when?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.Luca raised an eyebrow. “Since when, what?”“You know what I’m talking about. Janine,” I answered. “When did you and my sister…” I trailed off. “Well,
Ivy’s POVMy head spun and my stomach churned. The words Max had just let slip hung in the air like a poisonous cloud, suffocating me. Taylor drugged Asher. Framed him. Slept with Max. It wasn’t Asher.It was never him. The anger I had carried for so long, the hatred I had aimed squarely at my husband, evaporated in an instant, replaced by a heavy, crushing guilt that made my chest ache. He had tried to tell me. He had tried to explain. And I didn’t listen.My mind reeled, jumping back to that moment, the moment where we had resolved our issues. The time he had bound me to the bed. When he finally loosened the restraints, I was breathless, ready to lash out.But something stopped me. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, raw and pleading. Or the way his hands trembled as he undid the last cuff.“I’m sorry, flower,” he had murmured, his voice breaking. “For the stupid stunt I tried to pull earlier. I promise you I’d never have gone on with it. I don’t like her. I don’t like anyone. I don’
Max’s POVI couldn’t stop grinning. My jaw hurt, but I didn’t care. Ivy called me out of the blue for a date. Well, maybe not a date-date, but still. She said to meet her at her downtown apartment.That had to mean something, right? It was her private apartment away from Asher. I was elated, to say the least.I had been racking my head trying to come up with a plan to meet up with her, to fix things on my own. Now, she had invited me over?My head buzzed with questions as I walked into her beautifully decorated living room. What was she thinking? What was going through her mind?Was this her way of making peace? Or was this just… closure?I didn’t care. I was here, and she wanted to talk to me.The table was already set, candles flickering in the dim light, soft music playing in the background. It was intimate. More intimate than I’d dared to hope.I took a seat, glancing around, trying to steady the stupid grin that threatened to split my face in two.Then she walked in.My breath hi
Max’s POVTaylor’s apartment was suffocating; the tension was thick between us as I paced back and forth. She stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out of it. My blood boiled.“Are you going to say something?” I barked, spinning on my heel to face her.She didn’t flinch. Taylor was a fortress, as usual. “What do you want me to say, Max?” she asked in a bored tone.“I want you to tell me what the hell you’re planning with Ivy and Asher!” My voice echoed off the walls. “Because so far, all you’ve done is destroy any chance I had with Ivy! You were supposed to help me win her over, not drive her away!”Taylor turned slowly, her face a mask of calm that only made me angrier. “And whose fault is that, Max? You think I’m the one who ruined it? Maybe look in the mirror for once! Look at yourself, would you even want yourself?”I stepped closer, my fists clenched. “Don’t you dare put this on me. You were the one with all the big plans, and now all you’ve done is poison her against me. I
Ivy’s POVBlondie was the girl he had plastered all over his social media, the same one he had brought to dinner. He went out to get her, and they returned not long after.“Hello,” she said, glancing at me and giving a small wave.I shot her a glare and hissed, “Stay away from me.”Her gaze dropped, avoiding mine. She was beautiful; I couldn’t deny that. I could see why he would want her. I shook my head and shut my eyes. “Stop this madness, Asher!”“It shouldn’t matter to you, right?” he said with a raised brow. “So, sit still, flower.”My heart hammered in my chest as he sat back down, and she dropped to her knees in front of him.A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, making him look unbearably handsome. “Oh, heading straight to business,” he murmured, caressing her cheek as she scooted closer, positioning herself between his legs.She began working on the zipper of his pants.I blinked rapidly, my voice shaking. “Asher…”“What is it, Ivy?” he asked, his eyes dark with mis
Ivy’s POV“Asher, stop!” I hissed, tugging against his grip as he pulled me down the hallway. His hand was firm around my wrist, his stride fast.He didn’t even look back at me. “Not a chance.”“You’re overreacting!” I said, trying again to wrench free, but his hold was unyielding.“I’m not overreacting,” he said through clenched teeth. “You don’t see what I see, Ivy.”I stumbled as he stopped abruptly at the door to our bedroom, his free hand twisting the knob. Before I could say another word, he pushed the door open and dragged me inside.“Asher, let me go!” I said, my voice sharp, but he ignored me, releasing me only to shut the door behind us with a loud click.I spun to face him, my chest heaving. “What the hell was that back there? You punched him!”“Damn right I did,” he snapped, his brown eyes blazing. “He deserved it. He was looking at you like…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening. “Like you were a piece of steak he wanted to devour!”“He’s my photographer, Asher!” I shot bac
Dexter’s POVThe makeshift studio in the Sterling mansion was every photographer’s dream. Under the bright lights, I hardly noticed anything but Ivy.She stood in the center, her bikini and shawl combo clinging to her perfect figure like it was designed to torment me, because it was. Despite the perfect air conditioning, I was hot and sweating. I kept stealing glances at her.She was radiant, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders like liquid gold, her blue eyes catching the light in a way that made my heart race.I couldn’t take my eyes off her, and I didn’t want to. She was everything I wanted, everything I needed. I just needed her to see it as I did.“You’re doing great,” I said, my voice low and smooth as I adjusted the camera.She laughed softly, sipping her cocktail between shots. “Thank you, Dex. You’re making this easy.”Her smile lit up the room, and I couldn’t help but stare. God, she was beautiful. She didn’t just look like a goddess, she was one. And for some reason
Ivy’s POVThe conversation around the room was muted to me as I stood near the corner, playing my part as the perfect wife.Asher was by my side, a perfect smile plastered on his face, while my parents laughed loudly and gestured animatedly with their hands.Across the room, Asher’s parents stood like statues, barely speaking. Their awkwardness next to each other was a sharp contrast to my parents’ lovey-dovey act.Marcus leaned against the wall with his companion, a beautiful brunette, murmuring something that made the girl smile widely, while Luca and Janine sat close, their heads together in quiet conversation.Everyone seemed to be in their own bubble, and I couldn’t help but feel like a stranger at my own birthday celebration. It was a small gathering of only close family members, yet I felt like an outsider, as though I didn’t belong.Asher leaned toward me, his voice low. “Are you okay?” His hand brushed my lower back, but I stepped slightly away, pretending to adjust the hem o