Page 8 of Forbidden Fruit

It was a dance of power, control, and surrender, each of us giving as much as we took, neither willing to back down. I could feel the tension building, the heat rising, until it was almost too much to bear. And then, in a rush of sensation, we both shattered, the world dissolving around us in a haze of pleasure.

We stayed like that for a moment, our breathing heavy, our bodies still entwined, the water gently rocking us. It was a moment of vulnerability, something I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in a long time. But with Raya, it felt...right. As if she was meant to be here, in this moment, with me.

Slowly, we untangled ourselves, the coolness of the water a stark contrast to the heat that still lingered between us. We moved to the edge of the pool, pulling ourselves out, the night air cool against my damp skin.

I reached for a towel, wrapping it around her shoulders, my fingers brushing against her skin. She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine, as if trying to understand what had just happened, what it meant.

“I’ll have my driver take you home,” I said quietly, my voice still rough from the intensity of what we’d just shared. “But I’ll see you again at Sweet Cocktails on Wednesday. After business is done, I’ll bring you back here. You’ll stay with me.”

Her eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across her face, but she nodded. “I’d like that.”

I watched her as she dressed, her movements slow, almost hesitant, as if she was still processing everything that had happened. But there was something else in her eyes now—a curiosity, a spark that told me she was intrigued, just as I was.

As she slid into the back seat of the Escalade, I watched her go, a small smile playing on my lips. This woman intrigued me, challenged me in ways I hadn’t expected. But there was also a part of me that was wary, that recognized the danger she might pose. She was a snake, lying in wait, or a curious cat poking around where she didn’t belong. Either way, she was in my world now, and I intended to keep a close eye on her.

***

Later, I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, toweling off the last remnants of pool water from my skin. The night had taken an unexpected turn, one that left me both satisfied and uneasy. I couldn’t stop thinking about Raya, the way she had fit against me, the fire in her eyes that mirrored the intensity of our connection. She was different, special in a way I hadn’t encountered before. But that difference also made her dangerous. I’d kept up my part of the bargain with the ones who had helped me. But that didn’t mean I no longer had a target on my back. Was I willing to risk everything now for a woman?

Sighing, I slipped into a pair of silk boxers and reached for a glass of bourbon, letting the liquid burn its way down my throat. It was late, and I should have been getting ready for bed, but there was a restlessness in me that wouldn’t let go. Maybe it was Raya, or maybe it was the way she had stepped into my world with such ease, as if she belonged there. Or maybe it was something more, a nagging feeling that a game was afoot that was quickly getting beyond my control.

I was just about to turn in for the night when a knock came at the door. It was firm, urgent, not the kind of knock that could wait until morning. I frowned, setting my glass down on the nightstand. There were few people who would dare disturb me at this hour, and fewer still who had a reason to.

I opened the door to find Alejandro standing there, his expression serious, the lines of worry etched into his dark face. Alejandro was not a man who scared easily, but tonight, there was something in his eyes that gave me pause.

“Security alerted me to a problem,” he said without preamble. “You need to see the footage.”

A cold knot formed in the pit of my stomach. Nodding, I pulled on a robe and followed him down the hall to the state-of-the-art security center I had installed on the property. The estate was equipped with the latest technology, and nothing happened here without my knowing about it.

The security attendant was waiting for us, his face a mask of professionalism, though I could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. Alejandro looked at me, a question in his eyes, but I simply nodded, my mind already racing with possibilities.

“Play it,” I said, my voice calm but firm.

The attendant pressed a few buttons, and the screen in front of us flickered to life. I leaned forward, steepling my fingers as I watched the footage roll. It showed the inside of the house, specifically the hallway that led to my private office—a place that was supposed to be off-limits to everyone but a select few.

And then, there she was. Raya. Her slim figure moved cautiously, her head turning from side to side as if she was checking to make sure she wasn’t being watched. She paused at the door to my office, her hand hovering over the handle. My heart thudded in my chest as I watched her push the door open and slip inside.

“Well, well, well,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. “Look what we have here. A curious kitten.”

The footage continued, showing Raya as she moved around my office, her hands skimming over papers, books, anything she could get her hands on. She was thorough, methodical, but there was also a sense of urgency in her movements. She knew she was running out of time.

I leaned back in my chair, my mind whirring with possibilities. What was she looking for? Information, obviously, but about what? And more importantly, who had sent her? My eyes narrowed as I watched her return everything to its original place, her movements careful, almost reverent, as if she was afraid of being caught. She was good, but not good enough.

Alejandro turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Do you want me to take care of her, boss?”

I considered his offer for a moment, the words hanging in the air between us. It would have been easy, too easy, to simply eliminate the problem. Raya was a threat, that much was clear, and I had dealt with threats before in far less pleasant ways. But something stopped me, a feeling in the back of my mind that told me this wasn’t the right move.

“No,” I said finally, my voice cold and calculating. “I’ll handle it.”

Alejandro gave a short nod, his face impassive. He knew better than to question me when I made a decision, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. He didn’t like this, and neither did I, but there was something about Raya that made me hesitate.

As I watched the last of the footage, the screen going black as Raya slipped out of my office, I couldn’t help but wonder what her next move would be. She had to know that what she had already done could very well cost her life. But she had taken the risk anyway, and that made her all the more intriguing.

I left the security center and returned to my bedroom. As I lay in bed, the events of the night replayed in my mind. The way Raya’s body had responded to mine, the look in her eyes as we moved together in the pool, the way she had snuck into my office, thinking she was unseen. She didn’t realize just how deep the waters she was treading in were, but I would make sure she did soon enough. Yes, I would handle Raya in my own way, make her purr, and keep her close. For now, I would let her think she was in control, but the truth was, I was the one holding all the cards. And when the time came, I would make sure she knew just how dangerous it was to play with fire.

Chapter Five

RAYA

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