Chapter 2

The champagne flute was sweating in my hand, a cold, slick cylinder that did little to cool the heat blooming in my belly. We had migrated from the main thoroughfare of the rooftop, where the bass of the DJ thumped against the ribs like a second heartbeat, to a secluded alcove near the edge of the pool. Here, the light was dimmer, cast by the amber glow of the string lights woven through the artificial palm fronds and the distant, glittering sprawl of the city skyline below. It was a world suspended above the street, a private kingdom for the elite, and tonight, it belonged entirely to us. I was still wearing the emerald silk slip dress I’d chosen specifically for him, though the way it clung to my skin felt different now—less like armor, more like a second layer of flesh. The straps were thin, barely holding the weight of my breasts, and the fabric pooled around my hips in liquid waves. I had kicked off my heels moments ago, leaving my bare feet tucked beneath me on the plush, cream-colored lounge chair. The marble was cool against my calves, a sharp contrast to the furnace rising up my