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Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Can’t You Endure It a Little Longer for Me?

”Sis.”

Joel Winslow broke the long silence. Lynn Winslow raised an eyebrow at his back.

”Why do you like him?”

Lynn Winslow blinked. Instead of answering, she asked, ”Why do you ask?”

”I just feel... there’s nothing particularly special about him. I don’t think he’s good enough for you,” Joel Winslow said, lowering his eyes and trying to be tactful.

Lynn Winslow didn’t answer. She slowly stood up and started walking toward the manor, drying her hair as she said, ”Don’t forget you’re coming with me to pick him up.”

Joel Winslow watched her back recede into the distance, his fists trembling from how tightly they were clenched.

* * *

The first thing Ian Sterling did after his plane landed was turn on his phone and call Lynn Winslow, his brow furrowed with impatience.

The moment he saw Lynn Winslow, his lips curved into a smile. He strode forward and enveloped her in his arms, whispering, ”I missed you so much.”

Lynn Winslow wrapped her arms around his waist. Hearing his words, she patted his back, her voice full of amusement. ”Such a clingy baby.”

His words melted her heart. She pushed him away gently, pointed to Joel Winslow behind her, and said with a smile, ”This is my little brother, Joel Winslow.”

Ian Sterling looked up at Joel Winslow, his expression unreadable. It was Joel who spoke first. ”Hello, Mr. Sterling. I’m Joel Winslow.”

Ian Sterling nodded, then wrapped an arm around Lynn Winslow’s waist and whispered, ”Stay with me at a hotel tonight, okay?”

Lynn Winslow looked up at him, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. She reached up and pinched his cheek. ”You’re not staying with me at my family’s house?”

”We’ll go tomorrow. Tonight, you’re staying with me at the hotel.” Ian Sterling’s intentions were written all over his face, openly telling Lynn Winslow that he wanted her.

”But my grandfather is still up. He’s been waiting to meet you,” Lynn Winslow teased. Just as she expected, a flicker of disappointment crossed Ian Sterling’s eyes. He sighed in resignation. ”Fine.”

Joel Winslow watched them speak intimately with a smile on his face, but his fingertips, clutching the car keys, tightened progressively. Cuddled in Ian Sterling’s arms and listening to him talk, Lynn Winslow didn’t notice, but Ian Sterling registered the action.

Once in the car, Lynn Winslow said to Joel Winslow, ”Stop at the hotel near Winslow Manor in a bit.”

Hearing this, Ian Sterling tightened his grip on Lynn Winslow’s hand. Lynn slowly lifted her eyelids, leaned toward him, and rested her chin on his shoulder, her breath warming the skin of his neck.

Joel Winslow glanced in the rearview mirror, his gaze meeting Ian Sterling’s. Seeing the dangerous look in Ian’s eyes, Joel nonchalantly looked away.

After they arrived at the hotel, Lynn Winslow instructed, ”If Grandpa asks, just tell him we’ll go see him tomorrow.”

Joel Winslow smiled gently and nodded. ”Okay, Sis.”

His car remained parked for a long time. Only after their hand-in-hand figures disappeared from sight did he finally start the engine and drive away.

Inside the hotel, Ian Sterling, feeling grimy from his travels, went to take a shower first. Meanwhile, Lynn Winslow stood on the balcony, idly gazing out at the bustling city lights.

He came up behind Lynn Winslow and embraced her, his lips brushing the tip of her ear as he asked in a husky voice, ”Joel Winslow... is he related to you by blood?”

Between men, one can always sense when another has designs on what is his. This was especially true for someone as possessive and controlling as Ian Sterling.

Lynn Winslow turned her head to meet his gaze, blinking. ”Why do you ask?”

”I heard he was adopted by the Winslow family. Everyone outside the family thinks he was taken in from a collateral branch.” Ian Sterling couldn’t tell her the real reason, so he casually made something up.

”No. By my grandfather’s generation, the Winslow family had basically cut ties with all its collateral branches. We don’t have any contact. Besides, handing over the vast Winslow family business for a child from a branch family to manage in my stead? There’s no guarantee they wouldn’t get greedy.” Lynn Winslow shook her head and continued, ”My parents rescued him from a war-torn country. A couple of years ago, I was sick, and the family affairs were too overwhelming. My grandfather, worried it would take a toll on my health, made the decision to have him officially registered under my parents’ names.”

She wrapped her slender, pale arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed the corner of his lips, which tasted faintly of mint. ”In his heart, I’m his real older sister, and he’s my real little brother, just like Zane Lancaster,” she said softly. ”So, you don’t have to be jealous.”

Ian Sterling placed a hand on the back of her head, deepening the kiss. His half-closed eyes were thoughtful. ’It seems Joel Winslow hasn’t revealed his true feelings to Lynn,’ he thought.

He bent down, scooped Lynn Winslow up, and started walking toward the bed. Lynn dangled her legs. ”I haven’t showered yet.”

Ian Sterling paused, then turned and carried her toward the bathroom instead. ”We’ll shower together,” he said as he walked.

Lynn Winslow blew a breath of air near his ear and asked, ”Didn’t you already shower?”

”I want to wash again. With you.”

Before Lynn Winslow returned to Morelia, Ian Sterling had just recovered from a back injury. All told, it had been at least a month since they had properly been together, which led to Ian being exceptionally wild that night.

”I’m. Going. To. Die.” Lynn Winslow gritted out, yanking his hair to pull him away.

Ian Sterling’s eyes were bloodshot, the depths dark red. He pouted, looking aggrieved. ”But I missed you so much. Can’t you endure it a little longer for my sake?”

”I’m trying to endure it,” Lynn Winslow ground out through clenched teeth. ”But have you ever considered what happens in the future if you go and kill me tonight?”

Ian Sterling froze for a moment. It was only when he moved that he realized Lynn Winslow was actually bleeding. He instantly panicked, scrambling to get up and hold her with trembling hands.

”What do I do? You’re bleeding.” His mind went completely blank, with no idea what to do.

Lynn Winslow tried to move her leg, but a wave of pain shot through her, and the color drained from her face.

”Call the front desk. Have them buy some medicine,” she said, pushing him away with an effort. She turned onto her side on the bed, lying perfectly still to ease the pain.

Ian Sterling nodded quickly. He scrambled to get up and nearly tripped on his way to the phone, which made Lynn Winslow let out a muffled laugh. But the movement pulled at the sore spot, and she couldn’t help but hiss in pain.

He watched Lynn Winslow the entire time he was on the phone. Not long after he hung up, a hotel staff member arrived. Ian Sterling threw on a bathrobe to get the medicine, then carefully applied it for her.

”Is that any better?” Ian Sterling asked, his lips pressed together, his eyes filled with guilt and contrition.

Exhausted, Lynn Winslow kept her eyes closed and just hummed in assent. Only then did Ian Sterling relax a little.

She had been about to drift off to sleep, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She started to lift her leg to kick Ian Sterling, but then she remembered the last time she’d kicked him—it had injured his back for a whole month. So instead, she reached out and pinched the flesh at his waist.

Ian Sterling clutched his side, apologizing while enduring the pain. Lynn Winslow saw that his eyes had turned red, making him look even more pitiful than she felt. She gritted her teeth, pulled her hand back with a cold snort, and laboriously rolled over to face away from him.

”I’m sorry. Don’t be angry.” Ian Sterling scooted closer and held her tight again, murmuring, ”I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again. You have to understand, I just missed you so much. Please don’t be angry.”