Chapter 5

The air in the private cigar lounge was thick, saturated with the scent of expensive tobacco, aged leather, and the metallic tang of anticipation that hung heavy in the penthouse suite. The muffled sounds of the main game room—clinking chips, low murmurs of high-rollers, the shuffling of cards—faded into a distant hum as I was guided away from the velvet ropes. I hadn’t even realized I was being led until my back hit the cool, smooth marble of the private study’s wall. I was breathless, my cheeks flushed from three hours of holding my own against men twice my age and twice my experience, but it was him who had anchored me through the night. He stood before me, a towering silhouette against the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering city skyline. The city lights blurred into bokeh stars, framing him like a king in his castle. He hadn’t said a word since he pulled me away from the table, his large hand firm on my elbow, guiding me with a possessive strength that made my knees weak. He released my arm only to slide his hand down to the nape of my neck, his fingers tangling in my hair,