Undressed By His Arrogance-Chapter 295: There Will Never Be

"I’m gonna haunt the fuck out of you," Winn laughed.

Ivy smiled then, truly smiled, holding his gaze as if the rest of the world had narrowed down to just this man in front of her. "There is no one else for me," she said softly. "There will never be." Her thumb brushed his lower lip. "You... you’re my lightning rod."

Winn gave a smug smirk, his hand briefly cupping himself through his pants with some swagger. "Oooh, lightning rod," he drawled. "Damn, I feel like a real man."

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Men..." she muttered, fond exasperation lacing the word. She kissed him again, quick and lingering all at once, as if trying to compress an entire night into one touch. "I have to go."

"Take a break tomorrow," Winn said, slipping effortlessly into command. "Partner’s orders."

"When will your interview air?" she asked, already bracing for the ripple it would send.

"Tomorrow night. But I’m going in the morning," he explained, falling into logistics. "We should wrap things up by lunch. I’ll take a swing by the mall site and head home." He paused, then shook the thick bundle of cash near her face, eyes dancing. "Maybe spend some of this money on pizza and beer."

"I’ll video call you with gramps’ phone," Ivy said.

"No—don’t. I have a burner in my bedroom. I’ll call Sam and ask for you."

"This feels like we are spies, doesn’t it?" Ivy said, delighted by the absurdity.

He straightened, lowered his voice, and delivered his best imitation. "Hi, my name is Kane. Winn Kane." The accent was terrible.

"I really have to go," Ivy cried, laughter bursting free.

"I know," he said softly.

"I don’t want to," she admitted. She rested her forehead against his chest, inhaling him.

Winn wrapped his arms around her. "Then don’t want to," he murmured into her hair. "Just... go anyway." He pulled back. "We’ll steal tomorrow when it shows up."

She nodded, eyes bright, heart loud. One last look, one last smile, and then she stepped away—every stride an act of courage—while Winn stayed where he was, watching until she disappeared, already counting the minutes until he could hear her voice again.

Winn sighed, looking down at his pants. It was never enough with her.

******

"He was at Mel’s school. My daughter’s school. You promised me none of this madness would come near my kids, now James has been talking to Sylvia for years and your brother is showing up at my daughter’s school!" Morgana’s hands trembled despite her effort to look composed.

Tom stood near the bar, fingers curling slowly around the rim of his glass. He took a measured breath before answering. "All he has are suspicions, love. He has nothing concrete." He crossed the room toward her.

"And if he starts digging?" Morgana shot back. She stopped pacing and faced him squarely, fear sharpening her tone. "Stop sending the pills to the charity for now."

Tom set the glass down on the coffee table. "We cannot stop the dosage so suddenly," he said, irritation flickering beneath his controlled exterior. "That’s not how this works."

"Then what will you have me do?" Morgana demanded, the fight draining out of her all at once. Her shoulders slumped. "I cannot risk exposure, Tom. I have my kids to think about."

"Stopping it will raise brows," Tom countered, moving closer. "What happens when her blood pressure drops drastically? You don’t think the doctors will ask questions?" He lifted an eyebrow.

She sank into the sofa as if her bones had turned to water, hands covering her face for a brief, undignified moment. "I don’t like this," she whispered, muffled by her palms. Then louder, desperate, pleading, "Make him go away, Tom. Make him go away."

Tom sighed. "Fine," he said at last. "I’ll find him." He moved to her side and sat. Pulling her into him, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his touch both possessive and oddly tender. "You need to stay strong, sweetie," he murmured against her hair. "Don’t let the kids see you this way."

"They’re in bed." She leaned in to him. Her hand rested lightly on Tom’s chest, fingers curling into his shirt.

He kissed her hair. "You wanna go upstairs and fool around before I go home?"

Morgana chuckled. She rolled her eyes slightly.

Behind the wall of the stairs, James gagged as he eavesdropped on his parents. That was his cue to leave. He turned and headed up to his room. Even now, part of him felt guilty for overhearing.

He had known since he knew what the word meant that his mother was the other woman. It hadn’t been a shocking revelation so much as a quiet realization. He had grown up to understand it, to rationalize it the way children of complicated adults often do—love is messy, adults are flawed, things aren’t black and white.

When he had met Sylvia five years ago, it had been... nice. She had laughed at his jokes, asked his opinions, remembered his favorite snacks. That had mattered more than he’d ever admitted.

He curled up into bed staring at the ceiling. Mel and Cole didn’t know her, they would never know her.

It was odd considering they didn’t grow up together or live together or were even supposed to meet, but he missed her. The ache surprised him every time it surfaced. Grief had a strange way of ignoring logic. Sylvia had seen him, really seen him, and now that space was empty. Sylvia Kane, snuffed out in her prime.

*****

Winn arrived for the talk show – ’Behind The Scenes Of Wealth’ with Tyler Wilde, the studio buzzing with controlled chaos. Assistants hurried past, lights were adjusted, cables taped down. The set was minimalist, designed to project effortless success—glass tables, neutral tones, a city skyline backdrop. He was fitted with the microphone.

Tyler made a couple of jokes to help Winn relax before delving into the questions. And as the countdown began, Winn reminded himself of one thing: smile, breathe, and never forget what—and who—he was doing this for.

(100 power stones!!! Up next...200. Lets do this. This book gotta go out with a bang!)