One reckless night. One dominant stranger. One obsession that refuses to end. Ava Sinclair thought the dark, sinful stranger she met at an exclusive club will be a fleeting escape from her suffocating life. But Damien Blackwell doesn't let things go easily. Marked by a single night of passion, Ava is dragged into Damien's world. A world of power, jealousy and secrets. He owns the night, and now he wants to own her. But Ava isn't one to be caged...or is she?
Lihat lebih banyakThe music throbbed through the floor, each beat pulsing under the soles of my heels like the heartbeat of the city itself. I tugged at the hem of my dress – too short, too tight – and glanced at Lila. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, lips already curved in a playful grin as she led me further into the club.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” I muttered, scanning the dimly lit space. Eclipse wasn’t exactly my usual scene. Velvet shadows, flashing gold lights, and the kind of atmosphere that felt heavy with secrets and seduction. It was the kind of place I imagined power players frequented – not struggling law students drowning in debt.
“Oh, come on.” Lila laughed, tugging me closer as we maneuvered through the crowded floor. “You’ve been a stressed-out hermit for weeks. This is exactly what you need. One night to forget about briefs and contracts.”
I sighed, loosening the knot in my shoulders as I allowed her words to sink in. Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to step outside the carefully constructed walls of my life.
I followed her to the bar, sliding onto the edge of a leather stool. The surface was cool beneath my bare thighs. Lila ordered us drinks, chatting up the bartender while I let my gaze wander.
The room was a swirl of movement and low voices. People laughed too loudly, hands touching too freely. The air practically hummed with the promise of indulgence.
And then I saw him.
I almost didn’t notice at first – he was too still, too composed, sitting at the far end of the bar like he owned the place. Sharp suit, dark hair, and eyes that gleamed like steel under the low lights. He didn’t blend into the crowd. He stood out, not because he wanted to be seen, but because he didn’t care if he was.
His gaze flicked to mine, locking on like he’d caught me staring – which he had.
I flushed, tearing my eyes away as heat crept up the back of my neck.
“Who are you blushing over?” Lila leaned in, smirking knowingly as she followed my gaze.
“No one,” I said quickly. “Just… people watching.”
Lila arched a brow, unimpressed. “That’s Damien Blackwell.”
I blinked. “You know him?”
“Not personally. But he’s… well, let’s just say he’s notorious.”
Notorious. I didn’t ask for details, but the word lingered in my mind like an aftertaste.
“Careful with that one,” Lila whispered. “Guys like him chew girls up and spit them out.”
I laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I’m not looking to get chewed up.”
Still, when I risked another glance toward Damien Blackwell, he was watching me again. This time, he didn’t look away.
A slow, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at his lips.
I swallowed hard, reaching for the drink Lila slid in front of me.
It’s just one night, I told myself. One drink, one glance. And then I go home.
But Damien had other plans.
---
I didn’t notice him approach until he was standing beside me, his presence as unmistakable as the heavy scent of whiskey and cedar that lingered around him.
“You’re not enjoying yourself,” he said smoothly, voice low enough that I felt it more than heard it.
I stiffened, glancing at him. Up close, Damien Blackwell was even more devastating. Chiseled jaw, eyes that didn’t just look at me but seemed to see through me.
“I’m enjoying myself just fine,” I replied, lifting my drink.
“You’re lying.”
The way he said it, so certain, made me bristle. “And you know that because…?”
He leaned in slightly, his elbow brushing the bar. “I know the look of someone who’s trying to convince herself she’s having a good time. I see it a lot.”
I raised a brow, sipping from my glass to hide the way my pulse quickened under his gaze. “Maybe you should mind your own business.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. But he didn’t move away.
I hated how aware I was of him – of the way his eyes traced the curve of my bare shoulders, of the subtle but possessive weight of his attention.
“Damien Blackwell,” he said, as if I didn’t already know.
“Ava Sinclair.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Ava.” He tested my name on his tongue like it was something he could taste.
I should’ve excused myself. I should’ve smiled politely and walked away, but I stayed.
“Let me buy you a drink,” Damien said, his gaze dipping to the half-empty glass in my hand.
I tilted my head. “I already have one.”
“Not that.” He waved to the bartender. “Two bourbon sours.”
I blinked. “I didn’t say I wanted—”
“You’ll like it.”
His confidence was maddening, but something about it… intrigued me.
Minutes later, the bartender slid the drink in front of me. I lifted it to my lips hesitantly, tasting the smoky sweetness. It lingered on my tongue longer than it should have.
“See?” Damien said, his gaze fixed on my mouth. “Better.”
“Maybe,” I admitted.
A long silence stretched between us, the club fading into a distant hum around me.
“You shouldn’t look at me like that,” Damien murmured after a while.
I blinked. “Like what?”
“Like you want me to kiss you.”
My breath hitched, and I looked away quickly. “I don’t.”
Another lie.
Damien chuckled softly, and I hated how much I liked the sound.
“I think you like danger, Ava,” he said, brushing his knuckles lightly over the side of my arm. The touch was brief but enough to leave a trail of heat in its wake. “Maybe even more than you realize.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m not looking for trouble.”
“But trouble’s looking for you.”
He was too close. His words, his scent, his body – it all pressed against me in ways that made it hard to think.
“I should go,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
Damien’s hand found my wrist before I could stand. “Stay.”
I should’ve pulled away. But I didn’t.
---
Damien’s penthouse was everything I expected – sleek, sophisticated, and cold, with floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched out to the glittering New York skyline.
I wasn’t sure how I ended up here. I barely remembered the ride over, only the feeling of Damien’s hand resting lightly on my thigh the entire way.
“Drink?” he offered, tossing his jacket over the back of a chair.
I shook my head, my mouth suddenly too dry.
I felt him move behind me, his presence like a shadow that wrapped around my spine.
“You can still leave,” Damien said softly, his voice a dangerous whisper against my ear. “Say the word, and I’ll call you a car.”
I exhaled shakily.
“Do you want to leave?” he asked.
I turned to face him.
“No,” I said.
The moment I answered, his mouth was on mine – rough, demanding, leaving no space between us. I barely registered the sensation of his hands sliding down the length of my back before he lifted me, pressing me against the cold glass of the window.
“Mine tonight,” Damien growled, his breath hot against my neck.
I knew I should care. But I didn’t.
For tonight, I was his.
The weight of the past twenty-four hours settled heavily on my shoulders as I watched Damien and Liam exchange loaded glances. The air crackled with unspoken words, each of them measuring the other, two kings in a world of shadows and deception.Liam smirked, the expression laced with a dangerous amusement. “You’re playing a high-stakes game, Blackwell. I hope you’re ready to lose a few pieces.”Damien’s eyes darkened. “I don’t lose.”Liam let out a low chuckle. “We’ll see about that.”The tension in the room was suffocating. I shifted on the couch, feeling like an outsider to something far beyond my comprehension. The world Damien lived in was one of power, blood, and ruthless decisions. And I was now tangled in its web, unable to escape.Liam turned to me, his eyes sharp and calculating. “And you, sweetheart? Do you know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”I lifted my chin. “I’m not afraid.”His smirk widened. “Oh, I like her. She’s got fire.”Damien’s jaw clenched. “She’s not part o
The air inside Damien’s penthouse was thick with tension. The morning sunlight did little to chase away the darkness that seemed to settle over us like a storm waiting to break.I sat at the edge of the bed, my fingers gripping the sheets as I watched Damien pace the room, phone pressed to his ear. His jaw was tight, his movements sharp.“No,” he said into the receiver, his voice cold. “If they think they can back out now, they’re fools. Tell them they either stand with me or they stand against me.”I swallowed hard, my heart hammering as I listened. Every word he spoke was another reminder of just how dangerous this world was.He ended the call with a sharp exhale and turned to face me. “We need to talk.”I nodded, bracing myself. “Tell me everything.”Damien ran a hand through his dark hair. “Cross is moving faster than I anticipated. He’s made contact with some of my associates, and I don’t have time to convince them to stay loyal.”“Which means?”His gaze locked onto mine. “It mea
The weight of Damien’s words lingered in the air long after they were spoken. He held me like I was both his salvation and his greatest downfall, his grip tight as though letting go would shatter everything he had built. And maybe, in some way, it would.The room was dark, save for the dim glow of the city lights seeping through the vast glass windows. I traced slow circles against his chest, my mind racing with the knowledge that we were standing on the edge of something dangerous—something that could consume us both.“Tell me about Ethan Cross,” I whispered, breaking the silence.Damien’s muscles tensed beneath my touch. “He’s the kind of man who doesn’t need to make threats twice. If he sees an opening, he takes it. And if he considers you a weakness…”I swallowed hard. “Then I’m a target.”His hand slid up my back, fingers tangling in my hair as he exhaled. “I won’t let that happen.”I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. “Then we fight.”A dark smile ghosted his lips. “You’re not af
The city lights shimmered beyond the glass walls, but all I could see, all I could feel, was Damien. His body pressed against mine, heat radiating off him in waves as we lay tangled in the sheets of his king-sized bed. My breathing was still uneven, my skin tingling from the way he had claimed and owned me.I should have been terrified.But I wasn’t.I was addicted.His fingers traced lazy patterns along my spine, sending another shiver down my body. I turned my head slightly, watching the way his sharp jaw tensed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. There was something stormy in his eyes, something restless.“Damien.” My voice was soft, but it pulled him from his thoughts.He looked down at me, his fingers stilling against my skin. “You should sleep,” he murmured.I shook my head. “Not until you tell me what happens next.”His jaw clenched. “Ava—”“No more secrets,” I interrupted. “You told me you’re in a business where people disappear. That you have enemies. That those men last night we
I didn’t know how long we stood there, lost in the fire of his kiss, but when he finally pulled away, my breath was ragged, my body trembling with something I couldn’t name.His hands lingered on my waist, his grip tight, as if he was anchoring himself. Or maybe he was trying to keep me from slipping away.But I wasn’t going anywhere.Not yet.Not when I was drowning in the storm that was Damien BlackwellHis forehead rested against mine, his breath hot against my lips. “You don’t understand what you’re asking for, Ava.”I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. “Then make me understand.”A flicker of something unreadable passed through his gaze. Then, slowly, he pulled away.I felt the loss of his warmth instantly.Damien turned his back to me, staring out the window at the glowing New York skyline. His broad shoulders were tense, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike.I waited, my heart pounding.And then—“I wasn’t born into money,” he said finall
Damien’s words hung between us like a blade poised to strike."I’m in the kind of business where people disappear, Ava."The air in the penthouse felt colder. The city beyond the glass walls pulsed with life, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.I swallowed, my pulse thrumming in my ears. “What does that mean?”His gaze was unreadable, his body coiled with tension. “It means exactly what it sounds like.”I shook my head. “No, you don’t get to be cryptic. I want the truth.”His lips pressed into a thin line. “The truth is dangerous.”I stepped closer, ignoring the warning in his eyes. “I don’t care.”He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. “You should.”I clenched my fists. “Why? Because you’re involved with criminals?”Silence.My stomach twisted. “Oh my God.”He didn’t deny it.I staggered back, my breath coming in shallow bursts. “You—You kill people?”His jaw clenched. “Not in the way you think.”I let out a hollow laugh. “Oh, so there’s a better way?”Damien
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