CHAPTER 103: SHE CAME FOR ME HERSELF

Ivy’s breath caught. She could almost feel the claustrophobia of that space — the helpless, terrifying stillness.

"He only remembered when my mum asked him that night. She thought I was in my room doing homework. She panicked, of course. She came for me herself. And then...She took the blame. Told my grandfather it was her fault. Said she forgot me in the car. She knew he would do anything to protect her from the law but not my dad. She sacrificed herself to protect the man who nearly killed me."

He gave a bitter laugh. "It became a whole cover-up."

"Why didn’t you ever tell anyone?" she whispered.

Winn turned his head to look at her. "Because I realized my own parents broke my heart," he said quietly. "And I didn’t want to break it further. The people I trusted most... they were the ones who hurt me. And if I told anyone, it’d just make it real again. I didn’t want it to be real anymore."

Ivy swallowed, her throat tight. "I’m sorry," she murmured.

He smiled faintly. "Why? You didn’t do anything."

"I’m sorry that you still carry that pain," she said softly.

That earned a deeper look from him. Winn reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "You’re too good for me," he whispered.

He ran his hand through her hair, feeling it spill between his fingers. She lowered her head back to his chest, her ear resting where his heart beat.

Her fingers resumed their path across his skin, but the motions were slower now. She wasn’t doodling shapes anymore. She was caressing him.

Winn’s body responded instinctively, muscles tensing under her palm.

Her fingers moved more slowly this time, tracing down until she reached the hem of his shorts as though she was unsure whether she was allowed to cross that invisible line.

Winn caught her wrist before she could retreat. He guided her lower, until her palm met his cock through the fabric. His breath caught and he shut his eyes.

He was exhausted. They both were. The long flight from New York had drained them. But now, with her touch grounding him, Winn’s mind scattered into pure sensation. "God," he breathed.

Her fingers slipped under the waistband of his shorts.

Winn’s hand dropped lower, tracing the line of her hips until his palm rested on her ass. His thumb made slow, circular motions. His other hand found its way beneath the thin fabric of her nightdress, fingertips brushing her nipple until he felt her shudder. "You like that, uhn?" he murmured.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then come here." She shifted, climbing carefully into his lap. Her pulse was frantic; his was worse. "Take off the dress," he said.

Ivy lifted it over her head and dropped it beside them.

"You’re—damn," he whispered, unable to finish the thought.

He pulled her down until her breasts were level with his face.

When his tongue finally touched her skin, she let out a soft gasp. He moved slowly, alternating between both nipples, his hands steady on her waist as though afraid she’d slip away.

Ivy’s head fell forward as her fingers tangled in his hair, her breath catching in short, broken gasps. She clutched him tighter, her nails grazing his scalp as a low sound escaped her throat.

His other hand slipped through her underwear and found her wetness, his fingers tracing lazy, knowing circles before sliding in deeper. She gasped, biting her lower lip, her body arching toward him in instinctive rhythm.

Winn’s mouth never stopped moving — his lips and tongue alternating between gentle licks and hungry sucks against her breasts. The dual sensations overwhelmed her, blurring thought into pure feeling. Every inch of her seemed to belong to his touch.

Her toes curled and stretched, the muscles in her thighs trembling as waves of pleasure rippled through her.

Just as she began to tighten around his fingers, her body coiling toward release, he withdrew suddenly. The absence made her gasp, her body protesting the loss. "Winn—" she started, the complaint slipping from her lips before she could stop it. He gave a low laugh, his eyes bright with mischief.

"Hang on, tigress," he said. "I just want us to cum together."

She opened her mouth to tease him, but her words turned into a soft yelp as he moved quickly — fluid, sure. He pushed his shorts down midway. Then he flipped her effortlessly onto her back, the mattress dipping under their combined weight. The movement made her giggle breathlessly.

He kissed her then, and at the same time he slid into her with one long, deliberate stroke.

Her moan caught against his lips, swallowed by his kiss. Winn’s hand came up to cradle the back of her head as he began to move. His body trembled slightly. Her fingers dug into his arms, feeling the tension there, the way his muscles strained beneath her touch.

The rhythm between them built slowly, perfectly in sync.

The space between them was electric, alive, filled with small sounds — her sighs, his uneven breaths, the slickness of his cock moving in and out of her.

He felt her tremble beneath him, that perfect shiver that told him she was close. Winn gritted his teeth, sweat sliding down his temple as he fought the urge to lose himself too soon.

Ivy couldn’t take it anymore. Her breath broke into sharp, frantic gasps until the sound turned into a cry. She broke the kiss and screamed into the night. Her leg lifted instinctively, body arching as the wave hit her, a perfect storm of tension and release. She felt weightless, almost outside her body, her mind filled with flashes.

"That’s it, baby. Come for me," he urged. He caught one of her bouncing breasts in his hand and pushed himself deep inside her one final time. When he finally lost control, he buried his face against her neck and let go completely.

He grunted. "Shit." His whole body went taut, then relaxed at once. The release was shattering.

Winn rolled onto his back, dragging a deep breath into his lungs. Ivy collapsed beside him, her hair a wild halo across the pillow.