Undressed By His Arrogance

Winn’s chest tightened painfully. He reached out and gently gripped her elbows. "Ivy. Look at me."

She shook her head vigorously, tears falling faster.

"I can’t," she whispered. "I can’t. I can’t. I can’t."

Winn cupped Ivy’s elbows when her knees buckled, steadying her. "Hey! Hey! Hey!" he whispered urgently, his breath warm against her cheek. "You will. You can. You have to," he murmured. "Because all we have is today. Tomorrow, we will walk away from her to still keep her safe. You hear me?"

Ivy’s face snapped up, eyes blazing. "What? What are you talking about?" she whispered, then screamed the second part. "I am not leaving here without my daughter!"

Winn dragged a hand down his face, pacing one step, then coming back to her. "She is my daughter too!" he thundered. "Damn it, Ivy! Do you think I want to do this? Do you? It’s safer for her that no one knows about her yet. But I promise you... I promise you, Ivy." He took her trembling face between his hands. "I don’t care what I have to do. Elizabeth will come home to you. I promise."

She crumbled into him, a sob ripping out of her chest as she threw herself into his arms.

He held her tight, burying his face in her hair, his breath shaking. Together they stood there on the icy driveway, wrapped in a pain only parents robbed of their child could ever understand.

*****

Tom arrived at the Orchard estate.

Reese stood waiting on the front steps, arms folded over his broad chest, body language relaxed but unmistakably unmovable. He’d been given very clear instructions: Tom Kane was not to step a single foot inside the premises.

Tom jabbed a finger toward him as he approached. "Where the hell is Winn? I need to speak with him. Now."

"Mr. Kane isn’t here."

Tom scoffed, lifting his chin in arrogant disbelief. "Don’t play games with me, Reese. I know he’s inside."

Tom stepped closer, lowering his voice into a growl. "Let me in. I’m not asking again."

"And I’m telling you again. Mr. Kane. Isn’t. Here."

"What do you mean he isn’t here?" Tom boomed. His face was flushed as he jabbed a frantic finger toward the mansion behind Reese. "You go in there and get him or you get me my wife."

"Mrs. Kane is heavily medicated," he said, his calmness only adding gasoline to the fire building behind Tom’s eyes.

"Then I will go in and see her." Tom barked, pushing forward a step. "I refuse to be treated like this. I have every right to be here!"

Reese’s jaw tensed just slightly—just enough to betray the storm under the professionalism. He had a hundred things he wanted to say. He had watched this man destroy his own daughter’s emotional, mental and physical stability. And now this man had the audacity to demand special treatment?

Worlds collided inside Reese: the trained security operative who must remain neutral, and the man who had grown to care deeply for Sylvia.

With a quiet breath, Reese let his professional mask fall a little. "I will have to ask you to leave, Mr. Kane," he said slowly, "or I will personally throw you out of the premises."

Tom barked a nasty laugh, stepping closer, his face inches from Reese’s. "Winn’s lap dog got teeth. Look at that."

Reese shifted, muscles coiling. But before Reese could act, the door opened and Joey stepped out.

"Joey!" Tom snapped. "Tell this mutt to let me in."

Joey first assessed Reese—saw the tightness in his shoulders, the restraint in his jaw—and gave a barely perceptible nod, silently acknowledging the tension. Only then did he turn to Tom and walk between them, inserting his body.

"Mr. Kane," Joey began, "Winn has specifically instructed that you not be allowed anywhere near Mrs. Kane."

Tom’s face went slack at first. His hands shook at his sides.

"That’s my wife," Tom hissed. "My wife."

"And she is barely holding together. We are following medical advice, Mr. Kane."

"Have you forgotten Sylvia is my daughter too?" Tom barked. "I don’t even know where she is. Where is my daughter’s dead body? I want to know right now."

"Winn gave Heathcliffe and Associates power of attorney in handling the body and funeral rites," Joey said. "You’ll have to go through them. I do not know where she has been taken. What I do know is that an investigation is underway. This is officially a homicide."

Tom inhaled sharply. "She is my daughter!" he roared. "My daughter!!"

"And I don’t think you’ve shed a tear since her demise," he replied. "Maybe it’s what you wanted. Because who knows what goes on in the head of Tom Kane," he continued. "A liar. Manipulative bastard. Now please, sir... Mrs. Kane needs all the peace she can get. I advise you leave now."

"I’m going to have your ass for this!"

Joey smirked. "You can as well kiss it," he said coolly. "Get out."

Reese straightened as Joey nodded to him—silent communication between two men.

Reese moved toward Tom. His fists twitched at his sides, shoulders tight, breath steady but heavy. He was itching—God, itching—to beat the man to a pulp. Every muscle in his body screamed for it. Every nerve begged for the satisfaction of putting Tom Kane into the pavement face-first.

But his mama raised him right.

"You don’t hit elders," she used to say.

Reese grit his teeth and swallowed the fire.

Tom glared at him. But even his glare wavered under the weight of Reese’s quiet fury. Finally, Tom jerked his gaze away and stalked off stiffly, muttering curses under his breath.

He yanked open the car door. The car pulled off, tires spitting gravel as Tom fled a battle he’d never win.

*****

Back in Vancouver, Canada, Ivy’s palms were sweaty as she stepped through the front door with Winn behind her.

Mary was in the living room, sitting on the sofa with her legs bouncing rhythmically as she held Elizabeth on her knees. The baby giggled, kicking her little socks off her feet. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

(Yay! 400 power stones. 600 anyone?)