Ivy looked up and noticed that Xander had closed his eyes.

His breathing had grown heavier, his chest rising and falling with each slow breath.

"Do you mind helping me?" Xander asked as he opened his eyes and looked directly into hers.

There was no hesitation in his gaze—only a quiet request.

Ivy nodded almost immediately.

Raven had never truly been with a man before. Xander was her first. Even so, she wasn’t completely unaware of what men desired or how she could help.

Maintaining eye contact, Ivy slowly slid her hand from his broad chest down over his toned abdomen.

The moment her touch reached him, she froze.

She couldn’t see much beneath the water, but she could feel enough to make her breath catch

’Just how big is he?’ she wondered but the second she wrapped her fingers around it’s thickness, her eyes shot up.

Xander couldn’t help but chuckle seeing her stunned expression. "One day it will be inside you" he said and her face went pink.

Ivy didn’t mind Xander being shameless, but the thought of taming him clouded her mind. She might have accepted to help him, but she feared she would be the one who would need care after that.

"What happened already scared. "Want to give up?" Xander inquired, his eyes amusedly fixed on her.

Raven despised the idea of giving up. She despised the idea of anyone looking down on her, thinking she was too fragile to be threatened by anyone. She was the woman who wasn’t scared of everyone.

"In your dreams," she said, with a challenging tone that made Xander laugh. Her grip on him tightened before his mind could process it, and his breath became locked.

The desire he sensed in her eyes was far more lethal than his own, and he couldn’t help but be proud.

’Watch how I make you cum, Xander.’ Ivy’s brows twitched at the silent challenge she issued, and her hand began to move up and down.

Xander was too big for Ivy’s grip, but she still managed to hold it perfectly, moving her hand up and down and feeling the veins in his bulge.

Xander dropped his back against the tub’s rim. The rub of her palm made him breathe more deeply. His mind soon became cloudy, and all he could hear was the sound of his heart beating and breathing in his head.

"Ivy," he called her name as tension rose in his body. "Faster"

His voice became hoarse, but it was enough to encourage Ivy, who believed that whatever she was doing was helping him.

Without wasting a second, she quickened her pace and began to glide up and down as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, she had enough dinner to keep her going even though she could feel her wrist breaking. But she refused to give up and lose the challenge.

Xander, on the other hand, gripped the tub’s edge on either side, feeling the tension build. Every time Ivy walked into the room, his body would react, and he had to come himself to calm down.

But now, with her soft hand holding him and sending him into pure bliss, all Xander could think about was asking for more.

"Faster," he groaned as the veins around his neck popped, but Ivy was left stunned.

’Faster. What does he think I am....a machine? Despite her mental composure, she continues to compel him to his words, pushing him to the brink of explosion.

"Ah," Ivy groaned and moved back, leaning on the other side of the tub and breathing heavily as if she had come undone.

It took her a few seconds to calm down, but when she looked up and saw that Xander hadn’t yet opened his eyes, all of her tiredness vanished.

She then moved closer to him, touching his face before planting a kiss, but she didn’t realize it was a mistake because the man was arouse again and had already pulled her closer to him.

"Ready for another round," he said, leaving Ivy stunned to the point where her soul departed her body.

***

"Ugh... I’m never doing that again," Ivy groaned, flexing her sore hand as she lay on the bed, glaring at Xander.

Xander chuckled as he climbed in beside her and pulled her closer beneath the duvet.

"Okay, I’m sorry," he said, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I shouldn’t have asked for another round."

There was genuine guilt in his voice, making it difficult for Ivy to stay annoyed.

She pouted anyway and shifted closer, resting her head against his chest.

Despite the lingering ache in her hand, she wasn’t entirely upset. In fact, she felt oddly pleased with herself.

After all, she had managed to make Xander cum more than once tonight.

"We’re even now," she declared firmly. "So keep your apology to yourself."

Xander glanced down at her, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Oh? Does that mean we can do it again later and become even more even?"

Ivy immediately smacked his arm.

"Xander!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You’re impossible."

His laughter filled the room.

"Okay, okay. I surrender."

He raised both hands in mock defeat before wrapping his arms around her again.

"We won’t do anything unless you want to."

Satisfied with that answer, Ivy settled comfortably against him.

"Good."

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The room grew quiet, filled only with the soft hum of the air conditioner and their steady breathing.

Xander’s fingers gently combed through her hair, the repetitive motion soothing away the last of her irritation.

The warmth of his embrace and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat made Ivy’s eyelids grow heavy.

Within minutes, she was asleep.

Xander looked down at her sleeping face and smiled softly.

Carefully tightening his arms around her, he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

Not long after, sleep claimed him as well, both of them drifting off while holding each other close.

....

Ivy thought she had finally drifted into a peaceful sleep. But she was wrong.

Once again, she found herself standing inside the same house.

The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and on the floor lay a woman, motionless in a growing pool of blood.

The little girl stood frozen nearby, tears streaming down her cheeks.

At first, she cried and called out desperately.

"Mom... Mom, wake up..."

But as the seconds passed, her voice gradually faded.

A terrible realization settled over her. Her mother wasn’t going to wake up. The bad men had won.

"Daddy..." she whispered shakily before turning toward the doorway. "Daddy, where are you?"

The girl ran outside, calling for him. "Daddy!"

He was supposed to be with her sister. He was supposed to be there. Yet no matter how many times she called, only silence answered her.

A cold fear crept through her chest. Then suddenly—

"Look! She’s over there!" The unfamiliar voice made her blood run cold.

The men hadn’t left. They were still here. And they had found her.

The girl stumbled back in panic. Her mother’s final words echoed in her mind.

Run. No matter what happens, run.

The memory hit her like a bolt of lightning. Without wasting another second, she turned and sprinted away.

The property had a hidden path that only her family knew about. Her father had shown it to her once during a game.

At the time, she had thought it was a secret adventure. Now it was her only chance.

Pushing through the bushes, she slipped into the narrow passage and emerged beyond the estate grounds.

Branches scratched her arms and legs as she ran barefoot into the forest.

Her lungs burned. Her vision blurred with tears. But she didn’t stop. She had to find help. Someone had to save her mother. Someone had to help her find her father and sister.

But behind her, the voices grew louder. "There she is! Don’t let her get away!"

The little girl forced herself to run faster. Then a harsh voice shouted from behind.

"Stop right there! Stop running!"

She ignored him.

"Keep going!" another man barked. "The boss ordered us to wipe out the entire family!"

Panic surged through her veins. The men were getting closer. Too close.

One of them suddenly slowed down and reached for the weapon hanging at his side.

His expression remained cold and emotionless.

"If she escapes, we’re dead." He raised the gun.

The little girl continued running, unaware of what was happening behind her.

The man’s finger tightened on the trigger, and soon a deafening gunshot shattered the night.

Bang!

....

Gasp!

Ivy jolted awake, her chest heaving as she stared blankly at the ceiling above.

Sweat clung to her skin despite the cool temperature of the room.

The dream. It had happened again. And this time, it had felt even more real than before.

For a moment, she remained frozen, trying to steady her breathing. It all felt less like a dream and more like a memory.

Closing her eyes, Ivy took a slow breath and forced herself to calm down.

It was just a dream. she told herself but soon she heard a faint sound beside her.

Ivy blinked and turned her head, and the sight that greeted her instantly eased the tension in her chest.

Xander was still asleep.

A small smile tugged at Ivy’s lips.

"He looks like a baby when he sleeps," she murmured quietly.

The thought made her chuckle.

If anyone heard her comparing the intimidating Xander Emerson to a baby, they would probably think she had lost her mind.

Careful not to wake him, Ivy slipped out from beneath the covers and made her way toward the bathroom.

However little did she knew her phone would light up on the bedside table buzzing with Kevin’s message

From: Kevin

[Ivy, can we meet]