After Last Night

After Last Night
Ivy’s POV

Cassian’s scent still clung to my skin and the memories of everything I did came rushing to me instantly. It made my thighs tremble with something I didn’t want to name. 

Gosh…I hate myself. I sat up slowly, gripping the edge of the bed as memories slammed through me in jagged flashes — his mouth pleasuring me in ways I’d never imagined, how we both satisfied each other.

Not to talk of how I acted like a damn slut last night…begging him to fuck me. My body remembered more vividly than I wanted. One part of me told me it was wrong while the other part felt right about it.

Every time I tried to push the images away, they returned even sharper, darker. My pulse skipped when I remembered how easily he’d taken control of me with his huge cock, and the shameless way I surrendered to him. 

Part of me hadn’t stopped thinking about the way his dick felt inside me. Why the hell was I even so wet for Cassian last night? I pressed a shaking hand to my chest, as if I could claw the thought out of me. 

“Stop,” I whispered to no one. “Stop thinking about it, Ivy. It won’t happen again. A knock on my door snapped me out of it. I jumped.

The door creaked open, and my mother’s familiar perfume filled the air before her voice did. “Ivy?” she called softly. “The wedding planner is here. She’s been waiting downstairs for you.”

I turned away from the mirror, terrified of what my face might reveal. “Okay,” I whispered. “I’ll be down soon.”

Her eyes lingered a moment longer than they should have as she studied me like I was some puzzle that needed to be solved. Maybe she sensed it — that something was wrong with me. But she said nothing more and closed the door.

I exhaled, forced myself to stand but my legs felt weak, as if the floor might give way beneath me. I dressed quickly, trying not to notice the pain between my thighs and what must have caused it.

Just go downstairs and get this goddamn wedding planning over with. I grabbed the doorknob and stepped out of my room, but before I could close it back a hand caught my arm. Hard.

I gasped, turning around to know who it was with a terrifying thought that it might be Cassian. Maybe he’s back to finish what we had started last night.

But instead it was—

Adrian.

His eyes are wild with rage as they lock on mine. He looked like he hadn’t slept all through last night, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought his teeth might shatter.

“Ivy,” he breathed, nothing gentle about the way he called my name. “What happened last night?”

My throat closed. “Adrian, I—”

He stepped closer, his hand still gripping my arm. “Don’t lie to me. We agreed to meet and I waited for you but you never showed up.”

I shook my head in disbelief as my heart pounded so loud it drowned out my words. “What the hell are you talking about, Adrain? I did come. You’re the one who didn’t show up. I went to the secret room… like you said.”

Confusion flickered across his face — then something darker. “What are you even saying? I waited the whole damn night and you didn’t show up.”

“You sent me a note,” I shot back. “It said to meet you there. I thought—”

“I didn’t send any note, Ivy.” His voice cut through the air. “I would never risk that. I never sent you a note for us to meet and you know that.”

The blood drained from my face. “Then who—” But he already knew. We both did. Without waiting for me to finish my words, Adrain's grip tightened on my hand even more. “Cassian.”

His eyes blazed. “Tell me nothing happened between you two last night.”

“Adrian, please,” I whispered.

“Tell me nothing happened!” he roared, slamming his fist against the wall beside my head. The sound cracked through the room like thunder.

Tears threatened to blur my vision but I forced them back. “I didn’t have a choice. He showed up last night instead of you and he suspected that I was waiting for you, Adrain.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” He snapped, chest rising and falling heavily. I couldn’t say it. I didn’t know how to put the words together and tell him the truth. The moment I did, everything between us would shatter.

M“Ivy,” he growled, voice low and dangerous. “Look into my eyes and tell me you didn’t let him touch you. Did you?”My breath hitched. And at the same time, my mind too screamed for a way out — a lie, an excuse, anything. But nothing came.

Adrian’s face twisted, horror bleeding into fury. “He did, didn’t he?”

“No!” I said it too quickly. “Adrian, please, I did it to protect you….” 

His expression changed — confusion mixed with disbelief. “Protect me? What the hell are you talking about?”

“He knew,” I whispered. “Cassian knew we planned to meet. He came instead. He questioned me, Adrian. He….”
My voice cracked before I could finish. 

Adrian took a step back, running a shaking hand through his hair. “You’re saying you… let him….”

“Stop.” The word tore from me. “You don’t understand. If I hadn’t, he would’ve known. He would’ve killed you.” He stared at me with eyes full of something raw and broken. 

“So that’s your stupid excuse? You fucked Cassian to save me?”

I flinched. “Don’t say it like that.”

“How else am I supposed to say it?” His voice echoed through the hallway. “You let that monster touch you, Ivy. You—”

“Because I love you!” I cut him off before he could finish, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. The words hung between us as we just stood there staring into each other's eyes and said nothing.

Adrian’s expression crumbled— between heartbreak and fury. His lips parted, but no words came out.

“What the fuck is going on here?” another voice cut through the tension like a blade. Adrian and I turned, our entire bodies going rigid the moment we spotted Cassian standing at the doorway.

His posture was casual but his eyes burned with something darker the moment he stepped inside, every movement slow and deliberate. 

“Adrian,” he drawled, his tone laced with warning, “why are you harassing my fiancée?” The air turned electric and I could barely breathe. Adrian’s rage was a living thing, shaking the air around us, but Cassian’s calmness was worse — colder, deadlier.

“Get your filthy hands off her,” Cassian said, stepping closer. His gaze flicked to where Adrian still held my arm. “Now.”