Page 31 of Tempted By Eden

Cora.

Dameon’s in his usual easygoing mood, chatting with Zac as we make our way through the club. I listen to their banter and can’t help but feel lucky to have Dameon watching my back. Given our families’ business partnership, our friendship was practically written in the stars, but when we discovered our shared taste for submissive women, it cemented our bond even further. Finding Eden a couple of years ago was like stumbling across paradise.

We met Zac at university. Back then he was dreaming of becoming a leading surgeon; these days he’s buried under hospital admin and rotations most of the time. We rarely see him anymore. His life is chaos, much like Carter’s, who’s off on some endless world tour again. Fame has its perks, but I’ll never understand the appeal of not being able to move freely. There’s something to be said about anonymity, about being able to slip in and out of places unnoticed. Being based in Australia the past few years has meant that, for once, I’ve flown under the radar a little more. Fewer eyes tracking my every move, fewer paparazzi following me around. Out here, I’m just another face, able to go about my life without the constant glare of the New York press and the expectation that I’m always one misstep away from scandal.

But even as they talk, my mind is somewhere else. It’s been there all week, in fact, ever since Monday morning when I saw her in the auditorium. I’ve been watching her—studying her movements, analyzing her every shift in expression. At first I tried to convince myself I was being cautious, ensuring she wouldn’t fuck me over. But deep down, I know that’s bullshit.

Dameon glances at me. “You’re wound up tight,” he comments. “Eden’s supposed to be where youunwind, remember?”

I grunt in response, barely acknowledging him. My eyes are still scanning the room, searching for her. And then I see her.

Cora.

She’s standing at the bar, her back turned to me, fingers lightly drumming on the counter as she waits for her drinks. The black satin gown she’s wearing clings to her body, accentuating the soft slope of her waist, the line of her spine. The way her hair cascades down her back makes my fists itch with the need to grip it—to wrap it around my hand and pull. Fire surges through me, tightening every muscle in my body, my cock thickening in my trousers.

Beside me Dameon chuckles, noticing the direction of my stare. “Ah, there she is.”

She commands my focus, every movement drawing me in deeper, like she’s the only thing in the room that matters.

Then, as if sensing my attention, her body stiffens. Her fingers freeze mid-drum, and she slowly turns around, scanning the room. The moment our eyes lock, it’s like I’ve physically grabbed hold of her. Her chest rises, lips part, and a delicious flush colors her throat. She’s caught in my gaze, and she knows it.

“She’s stunning when she blushes like that,” Dameon murmurs. His eyes appraise her longer than I’d like. I shoot him a warning glance, but he just laughs under his breath. He’s pushing me, testing the waters. But Cora isn’t just another toy to be shared—not this time.

Without a word, I stride toward the bar, my pulse quickening with every step. I catch the bartender’s eye as I approach, leaning in to whisper my request into her ear. She nods, casting a glance at Cora before moving to prepare our drinks. Dameon and Zac take their seats at the bar, but my attention stays solely on her.

I can sense her eyes on me as I make my way toward one of the couches at the back of the club. Taking a seat, I let my eyes drift over the room, casually scanning the crowd, but my attention keeps returning to her. She’s been instructed to serve me, and the air between us tightens, like a cord pulled taut, vibrating with unspoken tension—dark, electric, and inevitable. At last, she moves, her hips swaying deliberately as she walks toward me. She’s putting on a show, and I can’t help but admire her boldness. She knows exactly what she’s doing, and it’s working.

Kneeling before me, she sets the whiskey down on the low table beside the couch. The sight of her on her knees triggers a deep, primal need within me.Control. Power.This is where she belongs—kneeling before me, waiting for my command. But there’s also a trace of need beyond dominance. It’s not just about control anymore. It’s her. And that’s dangerous.

“Can I get you anything else, sir?” she asks softly. Her voice is demure but her eyes flash with a hint of defiance maybe, or curiosity. Either way, I’m hooked.

I let the question hang in the air, savoring the way her posture tenses ever so slightly. Silence is often more powerful than words.

Slowly, deliberately, I bring the glass to my lips, letting the burn of the whiskey settle in my gut before I lower the glass. I lick my lips and lean forward.

“Nothing.” My tone is cold and controlled, and the word drops between us like a stone, sinking into the silence.

Her eyelashes flutter, momentarily stunned. Clearly she was expecting a response—something, anything—but I gave her nothing.

Good. Let the frustration sink in.

Minutes tick by, and Cora begins to unravel. Her composure starts to slip, and when her eyes flick up to meet mine, I can see the fire in them.

“What the hell is your problem?” she hisses. Her voice is low, but the heat behind it burns hotter than her blush.

I chuckle, running my thumb over my bottom lip as I settle deeper into the couch. “That didn’t take long,” I murmur. “Breaking the rules already, are we?”

Her eyes are defiant, but she holds her tongue, waiting for my next move.

“You look perfect on your knees for me. That’s where you belong, my sweet slut.”

A sharp breath escapes her, her lips parting on instinct. Her body betrays her, drawn toward the authority of my voice like a moth to a flame. I can tell she hates how much my words affect her, and that’s what makes it all the more satisfying.

I spread my legs, extending one toward her until the tip of my shoe touches her knee.

Let’s see how far she’ll go.

“Lift your gown,” I command. “Kneel directly on the floor, knees spread apart.”

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