Ivy’s POVMy eyelids fluttered open as I woke up with my head pounding like a drum, the sunlight streaming through the curtains far too bright for my comfort. My throat was dry, and my body felt heavy as I shifted under the covers. A groan escaped me as small pieces of memories from the night before began to seep into my consciousness.Oh no. Oh no, no, no.I sat up quickly, too quickly, clutching my head as the room tilted for a moment. Flashes of me... dancing. No, not just dancing. Stripping. For him. My husband.I buried my face in my hands, heat flooding my cheeks. Why didn’t he stop me? I could remember his teasing grin as he sat on the sofa. He enjoyed every bit of it. I saw it in his eyes, that unbridled look of desire that urged me on until I was giggling and bold enough to pull off something I’d never dared before. And, God, I did it.My cheeks heated as the memory of him pumping his dick in front of me came to mind. I had watched, intrigued by him and the show he was puttin
Ivy’s POVAsher groaned. “Remind me again, Janine. What are you doing in here?” He stood with his hands on his hips.I grinned in amusement, watching the exchange between Asher and Janine. She was wearing the hottest silver dress, paired with matching shoes that made her legs look endless. Her hair and makeup were perfectly done, making her look like a supermodel.She lightly shoved him aside. “Move away, ogre. I’m here to see my sister.”Asher raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you two are close like that?”I chuckled at his expression.“Yes, we are. Are you jealous?” she asked, scooting closer to me on the bed. “Ivy, you need to get out of bed. We need to go out. Now.”“What?” His eyes flew open. “No way! My wife and I were having such a cute moment together.”It was true. The day after my wild strip show for Asher, I had to endure his teasing all day, but the days that followed drew us closer. It was like the energy between us shifted, and we suddenly fell into step with it. We ate breakfast
Ivy’s POVWe were giggling like two teenage girls as we slid into the limo. The moment I held Janine’s hand while we rushed out of the house together, I knew this was exactly what I needed. Besides Taylor, I didn’t really have other strong female friendships.I had built my whole life around her, so when she was gone, I didn’t have any other friends. I didn’t realize how much I had missed it until today. The driver started the engine, and the bodyguards in the car ahead of us pulled into motion.“So,” I turned to her with a raised brow, “where are we actually going?”“A club,” Janine said with a sly smile, stretching her legs out. “Obviously.”I laughed, shaking my head. “Of course, it’s a club. Why didn’t I guess?”“You’ve been cooped up too long. It’s time to remind you what fun feels like,” she teased, nudging my shoulder.We made light small talk as the city lights zipped past the tinted windows.After a while, Janine turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eye. “You and my b
Janine’s POVI wore a long face as I watched Ivy leave. Maybe I shouldn’t have called her out. I should have left her in the comfort of her home, with Asher, instead of pulling her away only for her to leave immediately.I meant what I said about planning a trip for us girls together, and the gears in my head were already turning sharply, making plans.Luca cupped my cheek. “Hey,” his voice was a deep whisper.I broke into a wide smile as I turned to stare into those beautiful eyes. All this time had passed, yet I was still acting like a girl in high school with a massive crush on the school’s football captain. I still needed someone to tag along with me to deal with him, hence why I dragged Ivy here. I stifled a blush and averted my gaze. “Hey.”“We’re finally alone...” he trailed off, his emerald green eyes boring into mine.I bit the inner corner of my mouth, a small smirk creeping up on my lips as I answered in a low whisper, “Yes, we are…”Technically, we weren’t. The VIP lounge
Ivy’s POVThe unexpected contact made me moan out loud, “Oh...” I visibly shuddered, breaking our kiss.“Fuck, flower. You’re dripping wet...” he muttered in a hoarse voice. His fingers pushed my lacy panties to the side, parting my smooth folds with ease.I gripped his arm, “Asher...” I breathed. The pleasure that coursed through my body just by that simple touch was crazy. I bit down on my lower lip to stifle my moans.It was crazy how my body was reacting. I told myself it was because I was wound up from being celibate for months now. Deep down, I knew it was more than that. I knew it was because it was Asher, his hands touching me. I could lie to him, but I couldn’t lie to myself.He was the reason why my body was reacting in this manner. I lowered my gaze, but then his other hand gripped my chin and lifted it so he could look into my eyes.“Look at me, Ivy,” he whispered. “I don’t want you to look away at any point. I want to stare into your eyes when I touch you and when I fuck
Asher’s POVShe obeyed, just as she did with every one of my other instructions, and I dipped my head back down to her pussy.The moment I got a taste of her, I knew I would never get enough of her. She tasted so good, even better than I imagined.She spread her legs wider, opening herself to me. “Fuck,” I muttered.Ivy was like a sweet drug; I would never get tired of tasting her. I thrust my tongue into her, and she moved her hips to meet my thrusts. She clenched the sheets and let out a guttural moan as I worked her nub.I loved hearing her moan; it was like sweet music to my ears. I would eat her out every morning just to hear her sweetly cry out in pleasure.I flicked her clit with my tongue and suckled lightly on it. She shut her eyes and threw her head backwards. “Oh, fuck me Asher!”I grunted in pleasure. I loved how she called out my name. I gripped her thigh in each hand, spreading her legs further, and continued to eat her out. I was staring right at her as I did.I wanted
Ivy’s POV“There are no other women," he cut in. “And Kat was simply a ploy to get you into my bed.”My eyes grew wide and my mouth hung open. Ploy? What did he mean by that? “What?”He sighed and looked at me apologetically. “Kat’s job was to make you jealous so you would...” he shrugged. “Well, we would have sex...”I hit him on the arm. “Why would you lie about that?”“Oww!” He exclaimed, feigning pain. “Of course, it wasn’t my intention to hurt you. It was a small white lie to get you to put down all your defenses and give in to me. It was clear that you wanted this and yet you were holding back, for some reason.”I couldn’t even deny that he was right. I was holding back, pretending I didn’t want him. Also, the method was effective. I was driven more by jealousy the night I gave him that strip show. Technically, it had worked.“I was holding back because of the women. I didn’t want to have to compete for your love or your affection.” I swallowed and held his gaze. “I couldn’t bea
Asher’s POVStacy had an apologetic look on her face as I walked up to her that morning. “Stacy?”“Good morning, Mr. Sterling,” she responded in a small voice and lowered her gaze.I got closer. “What is it?” I asked, my eyes searching her face for answers.“I’m sorry. I told him to wait for you, but he just barged into the office. He—”I didn’t wait to hear the rest of the sentence. My face was set in a deep frown as I burst into my office. There was only one person who would do that and throw her into a panic like this. I saw him sitting in my chair like he owned the place. What an annoying start to my day!“Asher,” he drawled, his voice laced with mock cheer as he twirled the chair around. “Thought I’d drop by,” he shrugged. “You know, have a small chat with my little brother. To my disappointment, you weren’t in.”I was still standing in the doorway, unmoving, my arms folded across my chest. “You’re in my seat, Marcus.”His lips slowly curled into a smirk. “I’ve grown quite used t
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
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
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 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 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
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 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