Part 3: The ObsessionShe was still cuffed to the bench when he came back.Naked. Blindfolded. Skin welted from the crop. Thighs still slick with him, her own scent thick in the air.But now the room felt colder. Sharper.Something had shifted.He didn’t speak as he walked in. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence stretched.She barely flinched when the whip cracked in the air, right beside her ear—but it never touched her skin.It was a warning.He stood behind her and leaned close, breath hot against her neck.“You still think this is a game,” he whispered. “Still think this is about sex.”He ran the whip’s tip down her spine, slow and cruel. “But it’s not. Not anymore.”She swallowed hard, throat dry.“This is obsession now.”He yanked the blindfold off. Her eyes adjusted to the low red light, catching the reflection of herself in the mirror. She looked wrecked. Owned.And he was staring at her like she was his property.Because she was.“I should chain you here,” he mu
Sunlight slanted through the curtains, soft and golden, spilling across the tangle of sheets and limbs. Her eyes opened slowly, the ache between her thighs a pulsing reminder of everything they’d done.He was still there.Lucas.Not Jayden.He lay beside her on his back, one arm beneath his head, the other resting lightly across her hip, like he didn’t want to let her go even in sleep.But now, with the glow of the night stripped away, she couldn’t ignore what she’d seen.The name on the transaction receipt. The name that didn’t match.She slid out of bed as quietly as she could, reaching for her phone and tapping until she found it again—the email confirmation. The app. The profile. The lies.When she turned, he was awake. Watching.“How long were you going to pretend?” she asked, voice cold.He didn’t flinch. “Not long.”She crossed her arms, naked and furious. “You’re not a damn escort, are you?”“No.”“Then what the hell is this?”He sat up, the covers falling to his waist. “I cre
The event ended in due time with Adrian dazed and Vivienne embarrassed. Her ‘man’ did anything but look at her the entire night. Nora left the event and Jayden followed suit as her escort. The event centre was however far from her place of residence so she had to stick around someone who knew the city better than her. That's where Jayden came in. They were to pass the night at a hotel. Perfect.The hotel suite was carved out of silence and moonlight. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city like a painting—New York glittering in twilight arrogance. He’d booked the penthouse. Of course he had. Everything about him screamed curated luxury, even when he wasn’t trying.She stood by the wet bar, running her fingers along the marble, unsure if the chill on her skin was from the stone or the way his eyes hadn't left her since they walked in.“So,” she said, casually, “just one night?”He nodded once, sharp and clean. “One night. No strings. No regrets.”Her eyes lingered on him. That tailo
His hand slid to her thigh, inching upward beneath the sheer fabric. She trembled, torn between panic and an ache she’d denied herself for months.Adrian’s stunned voice echoed: “Nora?” She flinched—caught between two men, two worlds.Jameson pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh.”She let him lead her off the dance floor, adrenaline fizzing. Her heart pounded, shame and desire warring. She glanced back: Adrian watched, jaw tight, but didn’t follow.Jameson guided her to the service elevator at the back—quiet, dimly lit. He pressed her against the wall, hands carding through her hair, pulling her mouth to his. She moaned, lost.He backed her gently onto the wall, fingers skimming her waist. His mouth trailed down her throat, then to the valley of her breasts. He tugged her dress strap until it slid down one arm. Her skin prickled under his lips.She tilted her head back, offering herself. He sucked at the hardened peak of her breast until she arched, one hand tangling in his hair. His ot
Nora Sinclair slipped out of her sleek black dress in the powder room and stared at her reflection. The sequined fabric clung to her curves, the plunging neckline daring—and entirely intentional. She exhaled, smoothing a stray lock of hair. Tonight was her ex’s engagement party, and she was determined not to look heartbroken. She’d be a vision: confident, unattainable, unbroken.She stepped back into the main room atop the rooftop of the Sterling Estate hotel, glass of champagne in hand. Crystal chandeliers glowed overhead; guests in designer gowns and tuxedos mingled beneath strung lanterns. The city lights stretched out behind them, a glittering witness. She spotted Adrian Sterling laughing with his fiancée, Vivienne Laurent—Vivienne’s white diamond ring catching every floodlight.Nora’s jaw tightened. She raised her glass in a casual toast toward them, then turned away. Enough of this.A voice drifted behind her. “Nora Sinclair.”She inhaled sharply. He materialized at her side: ta
His dorm smelled like clean laundry and old books. The overhead light was off, just the warm desk lamp glowing over his textbooks and scattered flashcards. He adjusted his glasses nervously and checked the time on his phone—7:58 PM.Two minutes until she got here.Caleb tugged at the collar of his faded hoodie. It was too warm, but he wasn’t about to tutor her in a T-shirt that showed how easily he got flustered. He was already hard just thinking about her.Charlotte.Her name tasted too bold on his tongue, like something he wasn’t supposed to say. She was in his Econ 201 class—outspoken, flirty, wild. She'd shown up last week to ask for tutoring after failing a quiz. He almost choked on his granola bar when she leaned over his desk and said, “Help me pass. I’ll owe you one.”She didn’t owe him anything.He would’ve tutored her for free just to be near her, even if it meant enduring hours of mental torture.At 8:03