Semua Bab Raw Pleasures: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Claire’s POVI swear I blinked, and my whole life fell apart.It was Thursday morning when it finally snapped. I was sitting at my desk, the hum of fluorescent lights above me digging into my skull like tiny knives. My boss, Mr. Hawkins—fifty, balding, always smelling faintly of stale coffee—was giving me that look. The one that said, Claire, you’re not good enough. Claire, you’re replaceable.“Claire,” he started, his voice sharp like paper tearing, “this just isn’t working out. We’ve given you enough chances.”I’d heard the rumors in the office for weeks. Cutbacks. Layoffs. But I thought maybe—just maybe

3rd Person POVSaturday morning arrived with a sun that seemed determined to spotlight every inch of the tennis club’s courts. Claire pushed open the iron gates, her heartbeat syncing with the crisp click of her sneakers against the cobblestone path. Today was different. She wasn’t just here to learn tennis—she was here to be seen.Her outfit was carefully chosen: a short white tennis skirt that flared just enough with each step, a fitted navy crop top that hugged her curves without seeming provocative, and her ponytail bouncing with every movement. A hint of subtle perfume lingered in the air around her, floral with a trace of musk, enough to hint at the woman she could be if someone paid attention.Inside, the morning was already in full swing. Balls ricocheted, sneakers squeaked, and occasional laughter echoed across the courts. Claire signed in at the reception, feeling the eyes of a few players drift her way. It

3rd Person POVClaire’s heart was still hammering from the drive, the scent of his cologne lingering in her clothes, her pulse echoing with anticipation. She had stepped inside his house countless times now, but tonight felt different—electric, charged, as though the air itself promised indulgence.He greeted her at the door with that same calm, commanding presence. Broad shoulders, tattoos peeking under his rolled-up sleeves, scars that hinted at battles survived, and an expensive watch catching the dim light. His eyes held her, dark and calculating, yet with that undeniable hunger that always sent heat curling through her veins.“Make yourself comfortable,” he said smoothly, gesturing to a plush chaise in the private lounge. The room smelled of sandalwood and leather, faint notes of his cologne clinging to the air.Claire sank onto the chair, legs crossed, and tried to steady her racing thoughts. The f

3RD PERSON POVThe Tuesday sun burned hot against the hospital windows, throwing white light across the polished floors of St. Augustine’s Trauma Center. The ER buzzed with its usual blend of chaos — phones ringing, doctors shouting, the faint smell of antiseptic thick in the air. It was just another day in the relentless world of emergencies.Vivienne Cole moved through it all with practiced grace. At thirty-two, she had become the department’s steady heart — a nurse who is calm in the face of blood and panic, this has made her both respected and admired. Her scrubs fit her in all the right places, hugging the soft curves of her hips, the neckline hinting at the cleavage she usually hid beneath her lab coat. Her colleagues called her “the iron flower”: beautiful, resilient, and untouchable.But beneath the surface, Vivienne was anything but untouchable. Her husband

THIRD PERSON POV Selene moved through the heavy iron door, her heels clicking against polished stone, into the place Alexander called The Black Chamber. She came as he preferred—completely naked, stripped of fabric, stripped of pretense. Only heels adorned her feet, beads that adorned her waist, wrist and ankles, her black pouring long hair, the sharp sound echoing her submission as her body gleamed in the low light.Alexander’s gaze devoured her the moment she entered. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. He set aside his whiskey and rose, prowling toward her like a predator who’d been waiting all night. His hand cupped her jaw, tilting her face up before his mouth crashed against hers—hot, demanding, claiming. His tongue plundered, his teeth tugged at her lips until she whimpered into him.When h