[4]

Ivy hadn’t forgotten the deal between them. It had only been three days, but how could she forget a single detail? Especially when that conversation happened right after what they'd done all night at the hotel.

Ugh. Ivy had always prided herself on never regretting her decisions. But that night... that night left her with a thousand questions and a crushing weight on her shoulders. She should’ve known better than to fall for a stranger’s tempting invitation to “have a little fun,” right?

“I think you’ve got the wrong idea,” Ivy said calmly. “I’m not a call girl.”

Josh chuckled softly, running a rough hand through his hair.

“Wow. I honestly have no idea how to respond to this... whatever this is,” he said, blue eyes scanning his own naked form—and then looking at the equally bare woman in front of him.

They had stripped each other down to absolutely nothing. As Josh's gaze roamed, he noticed faint red marks still scattered across Ivy’s skin—his handiwork, without a doubt.

Did we really get so drunk last night that we didn’t know what we were doing?

No.

Josh wasn’t drunk. He remembered everything. Too clearly.

He was just lost—in every move she made. Whatever spell Ivy had cast, he had been completely consumed by it. Once wasn’t enough. Nor was twice. They had explored every inch of that hotel room like it was a world of its own, fueled by raw hunger and reckless desire.

“Shit,” Josh muttered, rubbing his face. “What time is it?” He needed to pull himself together.

“Eleven a.m.,” Ivy replied, trying to sound unfazed.

“I think we both need a minute to breathe.” Her voice was steady, even if her heartbeat wasn’t. “Mind if I use the bathroom first? I need to get dressed.”

“Go ahead.”

Ivy gathered her clothes—scattered like confetti across the floor—and hurried into the bathroom. God, this is humiliating. She took a moment to breathe, then splashed cold water on her face and washed herself off. Once she felt somewhat composed, she stepped out, doing her best to mask the awkwardness gnawing at her.

Josh was already waiting on the sofa, dressed in nothing but a hotel bathrobe. His clothes were still on the floor, like he had no plans to put them back on anytime soon.

“I ordered coffee and toast,” he said casually. “Hope you don’t mind having breakfast while we talk about... last night.”

Ivy gave a faint smile. “No, that’s fine.”

She sat across from him. “How about we—”

“How much would you like as an apology?” Josh cut her off smoothly. “Just name the price. Whatever it takes to make sure we never have to see each other again.”

Ivy blinked, stunned into silence. “I’m sorry, what?”

“We both know last night was about having fun.”

He wasn’t wrong. Ivy couldn’t deny it—last night was unforgettable. After so long without being touched like that—with such hunger, teasing, wild passion, and no time even to catch her breath—it had broken down her walls. Completely.

“But I’m not about to deal with a stranger coming to me later, asking me to take responsibility.”

She stared at him, still processing.

“Pregnancy, for example,” Josh added with a pointed cough, as if the memory hit him too—the way they’d done it last night. No protection.

At that, Ivy laughed. “Oh my God, that’s what you’re worried about?”

This man. This impossibly handsome man—no wonder people adored him, threw themselves at him just to get a second of his attention. But none of them realized what a complete bastard he really was.

He discarded women like used napkins. Never mind their feelings—as long as he got his pleasure, that was enough.

Damn it, Ivy thought bitterly. Why did I have to get involved with a man like this?

"You don’t have to worry—I’m not asking you to take responsibility for last night. In fact, I came here to apologize. But sadly, I see now just how little I’m worth in your eyes.”

Ivy let out a slow sigh and rose from her seat.

“I think we’ve said enough. Besides, we never even exchanged names, did we?”

For the first time in a long while, Joshua Miller was at a complete loss for words. He stared, unblinking, at the woman in front of him. How could she reject his offer so outright—without hesitation, without even the usual fake protests he was used to hearing from women after a night together?

This never happened. That’s why he preferred dealing with escorts—clean, simple, no drama after the fun was over.

Dylan’s going to pay for this mistake, Josh swore to himself.

And yet… last night had been spectacular. This woman—whoever she was—matched his every move, met every desire without flinching. Her touch, soft and melting like marshmallow, had set his skin on fire. Was she that experienced, or did she just instinctively know how to bring a man to his knees?

Josh didn’t know. And that unsettled him.

“Just name it. Tell me what you want,” Josh said, crossing his arms, unwilling to let her slip away so easily.

He wasn’t about to be manipulated by flowery words. Surely she had an angle. Women always did. They played the long game—acted indifferent, only to ask for something more when they thought the moment was right.

“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often, does it? I could make your wish come true in an instant.”

Once again, Ivy laughed. “What, did I just sleep with the genie from Aladdin’s lamp?”

Josh couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sure, let’s go with that. Don’t tell me you don’t know who I am?”

“I don’t care who you are, sir.”

“Ouch,” he said, placing a hand over his chest with theatrical flair. “Alright, fine. Let’s pretend I am the genie. So tell me—what’s your wish? Let’s end this conversation today.”

“Why are you so insistent?”

That question caught Josh off guard. She was right—why was he pushing this so hard? It wasn’t like him. And yet... he didn’t want to stop.

“Just say it. Really—I can make it happen.”

Ivy sighed deeply. “If you insist...”

Josh straightened, ready. He figured she'd ask for money—probably a generous amount. Enough to buy a car, go on a shopping spree, whatever. That was fine. For Josh, money was never an issue.

But what Ivy said next caught him completely off guard.

“Help me get revenge on the man who betrayed me—my husband. He cheated on me. Can you do that?”

For a moment, Josh was stunned into silence. And then—

“Ah, sorry. That was ridiculous of me to say,” Ivy laughed lightly. “Forget I said anything. Goodbye—and like you said, let’s hope we never meet again.”

“Wait—hold on,” Josh stammered, reaching out and grabbing her hand. The firm grip startled her.

“I’m not done talking.”

Ivy looked at him in disbelief. Wasn’t the conversation over? Why was he suddenly changing the direction again?

“What if we made a little deal?”

Her brows knit together. “What do you mean?”

"I'll help you get your revenge—but in return, you’ll have to treat me the same way you did last night."

Ivy stared at him, completely thrown off.

"The same way as last night?" she echoed, her brows knitting together. Then the realization hit.

"You mean... you want me to pay you back with my body? To sleep with you?"

Josh nodded, utterly unapologetic.

"Oh, hell no!" Ivy snapped, yanking her hand from his grip. "I don’t appreciate being treated like I’m some cheap trade-off, sir. Thanks for the offer, but I’m not interested."

In a matter of seconds, Josh's ego took a serious blow.

He wasn’t used to being turned down. Ever. Everything he wanted had always come easily. But this woman—this stranger—was a whole different story. Still, Josh wasn’t the type to give up so easily. He felt a strange pull, an urge to break through her defenses.

"I’ll send you the full details of my medical status," he said suddenly, a rare hint of vulnerability lacing his voice. He looked uncomfortable, like he wasn’t used to sharing personal information.

Ivy should’ve just walked away. She knew that. But something about his tone stopped her cold.

"You’re... sick?" she asked cautiously.

"What does that have to do with what we did last night?"

Josh chuckled, low and a bit bitter.

"Everything." He patted the empty space on the sofa next to him, silently inviting her to sit.

After a moment of hesitation and a wary glance, Ivy complied, settling beside him.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve had good sex," Josh admitted, his voice low. "No one’s ever matched my pace the way you did. Do you know what it feels like to have sex and still walk away unsatisfied? I’m a grown man with very real needs, Ivy."

Unbelievable. Ivy nearly rolled her eyes. If shameless had a face, it was sitting right next to her. He was really talking about this—out loud—with a straight face. Unsatisfied? Was he for real?

"It’s been a struggle," Josh continued. "Not being able to fulfill those basic needs—it messes with everything. So, how about this: you become my sex partner as payment. Fair trade, right?"

Ivy looked at him, long and hard. She said nothing at first, just studied his face. Handsome. Frustratingly so. The kind of man who could easily be used as a weapon in the right scheme. A man like that could be the perfect tool for revenge. He didn’t seem like he came from money either—probably just some restaurant employee.

But the real question was: Could he be trusted?

"How long would this arrangement last?" she asked at last. If you’re already ankle-deep in the mud, what’s the harm in diving in all the way?

Josh smiled, sensing victory. "Until your revenge is complete. So… are you agree with me?"