Chapter 4

The humidity of the indoor water park clung to my skin, a heavy, wet blanket that made my silk slip dress stick to the curve of my hips and the swell of my breasts. We had left the main thoroughfare of the event space, navigating away from the echoing laughter of the remaining stragglers and the distant, rhythmic thrum of the wave pool’s mechanical pumps. The air here, in this secluded nook tucked behind a faux-rock grotto near the edge of the lazy river, was cooler but still thick with the scent of chlorine, expensive perfume, and the residual energy of the party. I stood with my back against the textured, moss-green stone wall, the rough surface pressing into my shoulder blades. My legs were bare, the cool stone contrasting sharply with the heat radiating from my thighs. Above us, the high glass ceiling filtered the ambient lighting of the venue, casting long, distorted shadows that danced across the floor tiles. It was late, past midnight, and the usual crowd had thinned out, leaving us in a bubble of privacy that felt both dangerous and electric. He stood before me, a towering presence in a suit that had seen better