LOGINThe masquerade was still alive with music and laughter, but Roth had no patience for velvet masks and shallow conversation. He’d already had his feast tonight—Elena’s body trembling on his fingers, her panties pocketed like a prize, and now his hunger was sharpened to something cruel.He needed release. Something raw, something messy. And Celeste was waiting. She had slipped into his study willingly, her gown already half-undone, her mask tossed carelessly onto his desk. She leaned back against the polished wood, her lips swollen from his kisses, her breasts spilling free of satin. Her eyes glittered up at him, daring, desperate.“Roth,” she whispered, spreading her thighs, baring herself to him. “Take me. Please.”He didn’t bother answering. He tore at his clothes, undoing his trousers, freeing the thick length of his cock already straining and aching. His blood burned, his control frayed. And in his fist—Elena’s panties.He lifted the center part of the delicate lace to his face, in
It was Adrian's birthday, and the ballroom had been transformed into something out of a dream. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, spilling warm golden light over velvet drapes, masked guests, and glittering gowns. Soft music drifted through the room while waiters moved effortlessly between clusters of wealthy guests, balancing trays of champagne. The air carried the scent of expensive perfume, fine cigars, and polished wood, blending into the atmosphere of old money and power.Elena stood near the edge of the ballroom with a champagne flute resting lightly between her fingers. A delicate silver mask framed her eyes, hiding just enough of her face to make her feel protected, though she knew it was only an illusion. Her midnight-blue gown hugged her figure gracefully, the silk catching the light every time she shifted. She greeted guests with practiced smiles, exchanged polite conversation when approached, and laughed softly whenever etiquette demanded it.To everyone aro
The Dimitri penthouse was quiet. A soft amber glow spilled from the bedside lamp, painting Elena’s skin in molten tones as she stretched beneath the sheets.Adrian hovered above her, his lips warm against hers, kissing her slow and deep. His body pressed into hers, the weight of his devotion heavy and grounding. His hands roamed tenderly, tracing her cheek, cupping her waist, and stroking her thigh.“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, mouth brushing hers. “Mine.”Elena’s breath caught. She should have felt whole, safe in that word. Instead, the syllables curled like smoke inside her chest, leaving her restless and unfulfilled.Adrian’s hand slipped beneath her nightgown, fingers brushing the damp heat between her thighs. He groaned, kissing harder. “Already wet for me, baby.”Elena’s throat tightened. She wanted to respond, wanted to fall into his arms, and let the comfort of his love drown the ache that burned inside her. But she couldn’t. Not when the ache belonged to someone else.An
The city stretched endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of Roth's office, from the top floor of Dimitri Holdings. Everything beneath him looked distant and insignificant. Roth had always liked the view. It reminded him how high he'd climbed and how few people could ever stand where he did.Normally, he would have stood there with a glass of whiskey in one hand, watching the city settle into the evening while planning his next move. Tonight, he barely noticed it. His attention was fixed elsewhere.On the woman sitting casually on the edge of his desk.Celeste crossed one elegant leg over the other, as though she belonged in his office. A slow, confident smile curved her lips when she noticed him looking her way. Her skirt rode high, silk blouse deliberately undone, each button teasing down toward the valley of her breasts. She knew exactly what she was doing, one leg crossed over the other, dangling a heel in the air. The soft scent of her perfume curled into the office like
Adrian pulled back just enough to study her face. His eyes searched hers with quiet concern, as if he could see she was carrying something she refused to share."Come with me tonight," he said gently. "Let's have dinner. Just the two of us. No work, no wedding planning, no family. I think you need a break."Elena looked at him for a long moment. A few weeks ago, the idea of spending an evening alone with Adrian would have filled her with excitement. It should have felt comforting. He was the man she was supposed to marry, the man who loved her with a patience she had never truly appreciated until she started losing herself.But lately, safety felt strangely empty. Her mind kept wandering toward danger, toward the man she knew she should hate. The one who had turned every peaceful thought into restless nights and guilty mornings.She hated herself for it. Still, she forced a small smile and nodded. "Okay."The rest of the day passed in a blur. Meetings came and went. Emails piled up. R
The next day, Elena sat in her office, the city glittering through the glass walls like a thousand unblinking eyes. The papers on her desk blurred together. Her fingers trembled around the pen she’d been clutching for the past half-hour, the ink bleeding into the page where she’d pressed too hard. She couldn’t stop picturing him. Roth’s hand on Celeste’s thigh under the table. Roth’s mouth ghosts over her ear. Roth standing now, maybe, in the bedroom of his penthouse, stripping that silken dress from Celeste’s body. His voice was low and commanding. His body is relentless.The image gutted her. And worse? it ignited her. Her thighs pressed together under the desk, a pathetic attempt to smother the heat building between them. She hated the shame curling tight in her chest and hated that she could imagine it so clearly that she could want it so badly.Elena Caldwell was unraveling. She pushed back from the desk, standing too abruptly, pacing across the polished floor. Her heels clicked







