Prologue 1

“Who’s going to be tonight’s lucky b*st*rd?”

The thought barely lasted a second before the pounding bass swallowed it, vibrating through the floor and up Ysa Sandoval’s heels. She stood beneath the club’s flashing lights, perfectly at home in a world of smoke, alcohol, and wandering hands.

She wasn’t some innocent girl who had stumbled into this life. Ysa was the club’s prized girl—the one men waited for, the one they were willing to pay more for. A college dropout forced to leave school because of her father’s condition, she had turned her beauty into a livelihood.

Tonight, as always, she was ready to play the role everyone paid to see.

The Prostitute Princess.

She’d come with friends, but they were gone lost in the crush, just another blur. She didn’t bother looking. Heat coiled low and tight in her belly, warm and thick, turning every thought soft and slow.

She knew this feeling. She knew exactly what it meant. She stepped onto the dance floor and let her body move, slow, deliberate, every sway and roll practiced to make men burn.

Hands reached for her right away—rough, eager, groping at her hips, her waist, brushing too close. She let them. She knew how to play this game. But then she looked up. And she a stranger. She had never met him. Never seen him before. But he sat there at the bar, watching her moves.

His eyes were dark and it was locked on her like he was stripping her naked right there. He didn’t glance away. Didn’t even blink. He looked at her like he knew exactly what she was, like he knew she sold herself, like he could taste every dirty, sweet thing she was capable of before she even stepped close.

It wasn’t just looking. It was eating her alive. He traced every curve with his gaze, from her lips, her neck, the swell of her chest, the way her hips rolled slow and easy. And she felt it, hot, sharp, straight through the drink and the noise and the crowd.

She felt seen. Known. Craved in a way that made her skin prickle and her pulse throb between her legs. She didn’t know his name. But she didn't give a d*mn.

She only knew that look, hungry, certain, rich and dangerous and ready to pay whatever she asked. She turned away from the hands grabbing at her, walked straight through the crowd, and headed right for him.

She knew exactly what this was. And tonight, she was ready to give him everything he wanted.

What had been a body moving wild and free to the music now went still as a statue. She stood frozen, watching him watch her, his gaze tracing every curve, every dip, every soft line of her body like he was memorizing every inch.

She grinned to herself. Possible client. She walked toward him slow, and he never once looked away. His eyes stayed locked on her, drinking in every step like he was already tasting her.

“You’ve been staring at me this whole time,” she said. “Like there’s something hard and throbbing straining right against your clothes, aching to get out. Does it ache to f*ck me? Is that really what you’ve been craving this whole time?”

He grinned back. “I do.”

Her heart thudded hard against her ribs. “Simple. Pay five thousand. That’s my price. If you want me… you pay five thousand. Take it or leave it.”

He laughed, cold, like she’d said something ridiculous. “You think you can put a price on this?” His voice was deep, cutting right through her. “You think you can count what you’re worth? You think this is just money? Just a transaction?” He shook his head, laughing sharp and bitter. “No. That’s not how this works. I don’t buy women. I don’t rent nights. And five thousand? That’s nothing.”

She bit her lip, heat rising in her cheeks. Shame twisted tight in her chest, but she’d done this too many times to back down. She needed this, needed the money for her father’s medicine, for his check-ups. “I know… but that’s my price. Just five thousand. That’s all I ask. Please.”

He studied her from head to toe, then reached for his phone. “Fine. If that’s what you need to say yes… I’ll give it to you. But you’re wrong about how much you’re worth.” He held it out. “Give me your bank details. Account number. Anything. I’ll send it right now.”

Her hands shook as she fumbled for her phone, squinting at the screen through the haze. She read out the numbers slow and slurred.

He typed fast, checked once, tapped send. Ten seconds later, her phone buzzed. Then again. It wasn’t five thousand. It was twenty-five thousand. Five times what she’d asked. Her breath caught hard. That was enough for two months of her father’s medicine and every checkup he needed. “This is too much…” Her lips trembled. “I only asked for five thousand.”

He leaned forward. “You asked for five thousand. I gave you five times that. Because five thousand is nothing compared to what I want. Nothing compared to how you make me feel right now. The money’s yours. Spend it on whatever you want. Keep it. Burn it. I don’t care.” He reached out, curling warm, firm fingers around her jaw. “All I want now… is this night. I want you to make me burn. I want you to make me so hot I can’t think of anything else. And I want you to satisfy me… completely. Until we’re both wrecked.”

She melted right there, knees turning soft and weak. He wasn’t like the others. No one had ever looked at her like this, like she was something precious and something to ruin all at once. But she had no choice… and god help her, she was already burning for it.

“Yes… yes… anything. I’ll do anything you want. I’ll make you feel so good. I promise.” She pressed her hands to her chest, looking up at him wide-eyed and eager, like a good little girl ready to do exactly as told. “Just take me away from here. Please… please take me now.”

He stood up in one smooth motion, wrapping an arm tight around her waist to hold her close. “Then let’s go. Beg all you want… I’m already yours. And you’re already mine. Now show me exactly what you’re worth.”

He took her straight to a hotel nearby. Her heart raced fast as they walked, she felt nervous, and already wet and aching just from his touch.

The second the door clicked shut, he turned on her. She wanted to step back, to say wait… but he didn’t care. He shoved her hard back against the bed and crashed his mouth to hers, it was hot, rough, burning, like he’d been starving for her all night.

His tongue pushed deep, devouring every gasp, every shaky little sound she made. She felt his hand slide hot and heavy up her thigh, pushing between her legs, cupping her right over where she was already soaked.

He pulled her hips flush against him so she could feel how hard he was, throbbing thick and solid through his clothes.

“F*ck, you’re already wet for me,” he growled against her lips, fingers pressing deeper, making her jerk and whimper loud.

“F*ck*ng dripping wet… you greedy little sl*t.” He bit her lip hard until she moaned, then pulled back just enough to speak.

“I want your mouth on my c*ck... now. S*ck me till I lose my f*ck*ng mind. And tell me how good it feels. Don’t hold back.”

Ysa dropped to her knees like she’d been told. She knew what she was, just something to use. Her fingers shook as she fumbled with his belt, yanking his zipper down fast. She shoved his pants and briefs out of the way… and her breath died in her throat. So big.