Page 190 of Thorns of Malice

Tension builds between us.

"Say something," he finally orders.

I swallow hard, my mouth dry. "I don't know what to say."

"Are you mad at me?" he asks.

I ponder his question.Am I?Dax has done so much with Seducing Ivy. His business acumen has given me businesses and income streams I never dreamed I would have. My father could have done anything with his hybrids, yet he did nothing. Now there are three more?

"Ivy, please don't be mad at me. I did it for you."

I shake my head. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"No." I step forward, holding the folders close to my chest. "Thank you."

"You're happy about this?" he asks.

"If more of my father's work can be brought to market, yeah. He always dreamed about it, and I don't know why he never did anything with it. He had the money to get the patent."

Dax's eyes widen. "He did?"

I nod, admitting, "I didn't know until he was dead, but he did. He had a lot of money saved. I just..." I sigh. "I think he was too cheap to spend anything, and I don't understand why. But what you've done with the Seducing Ivy hybrid is amazing."

I can see the tension drain from his body. "I'm so happy you think so."

"I do," I reiterate. I rise on my tiptoes and kiss him, then state, "I'll let you work so you can come home sooner."

"Okay, baby girl." He slides his arm around my waist and escorts me through the building, then outside. The security guards create a wall, pushing us past the reporters until I'm safely inside the SUV.

The driver takes off, and when I get back to the estate, I go into the sitting room and open up the folders. I read through all of my father's original work. It's on a copy of a screenshot from his leather notebook.

Then, I read through all the tweaks Dax's research team has done and diligently documented. Everything is dated with the results of numerous modifications, some that worked and some that didn't.

When I reach the end of the pile, I lay the photographs across the desk.

The three new hybrids are gorgeous. The pictures show the new ivies climbing up walls. One bloom, markedTantalizing Ivy, has sharp-edged, vibrant pink petals. A second photo, labeledTeasing Ivy, has dainty, striking purple blooms. A third photo, namedConquering Ivy,has huge, vivid flowers.

They all catch my breath, just like the Seducing Ivy hybrid.

My phone buzzes. I glance at it.

Lilly: Turn on the news.

I grab the remote and click on it. Bobby's walking into a police station with his father. A team of attorneys sticks close to them, and security guards escort them through a crowd.

The news anchor announces,"Dozens of women, as well as a handful of men, have come forward. The district attorneys stated multiple charges were filed against Robert Winston, III., known to most as Bobby, at five o'clock this evening."

34

Dax

Three Months Later

"Are you ready, baby girl?" I ask Ivy.

She arches her eyebrows, and her voice is laced with nerves when she says, "I'm not sure how to answer your question."

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