Page 52 of All's Fair In Love & War

That pulled my gaze away from the screen, and I leveled her with a look so cold it could’ve frozen the room. “Watch your mouth, and don’t bring up my ex. You should never feel comfortable talking to me sideways about people who don’t concern you.”

She blinked, clearly caught off guard, but recovered fast. “I’m just saying, you’re acting like you don’t have time for me anymore. I used to mean something to you—”

“So you thought,” I cut her off, my tone sharp enough to draw blood. “It was fun, but what you and I had is done.”

She pouted, stepping closer, her hand reaching for my tie. “I don’t believe that. You’re just in one of your moods. Let me—”

Before she could finish, I caught her wrist and pushed her hand away. “Don’t,” I warned, my voice low and steady. “I’m not doing this with you. I said we’re done.”

Her eyes flashed with anger, but I didn’t care. She straightened, smoothing her dress and giving me a look that was supposed to make me feel guilty. It didn’t.

“You’re gonna regret this,” she said, her tone icy.

“I doubt it. Now see yourself out, and never come back unless you want me to put a bullet in your head,” I replied, already turning back to my screen.

Carla stormed out, slamming the door behind her, and I exhaled deeply as I rubbed the bridge of my nose. She was a problem, but not the kind I cared about fixing.

My focus was on Sophia, and I couldn’t help the grin that crept onto my face. Carla could never distract me from the woman who had my attention.

“You just signed up for something you aren’t ready for, but I’ll get you right. You don’t even know the plans I have for you,” I whispered to her picture, shaking my head.

Fingers drumming against the desk, I pulled up her application again, scanning the details as if I were looking for a weak spot. Not that I expected to find one. Finding nothing, I opened the club’s roster for the weekend, our busiest time. Members had to book their suite preferences well in advance, but I was the one in charge. Rules bent for me.

I blocked off a private space, one of the best, just in case she wanted to visit right away. However, if I knew her, Sophia wouldn’t just waltz in like everyone else. She’d scope the place first and test the waters. That was fine. I had all the time in the world to wait.

Picking up my phone, I made a quick call to my head of security. “Kendrick,” I said when he answered, “I’ve got a new member I want flagged. Her name is Sophia Bulgari, and I want eyes on her at all times, but keep it discreet. Every move she makes, every person she talks to, I want a report. If she so much as breathes funny, I want to know why.”

“Understood, boss. Anything specific I should look out for?”

“Everything.”

“Got it, boss.”

“And Kendrick,” I added, my voice dropping slightly, “Sophia is a very dangerous woman. Don’t get too close, and whatever you do, don’t make contact. If she even suspects you’rewatching her, she won’t hesitate to put you down. That’s not a guess. It’s a guarantee.” I paused. “Follow orders, or you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

“Understood,” he replied, and I hung up, leaning forward to type a quick note into her file.

No one else would see it, of course, but it was more for me, a reminder of who I was dealing with.

Keep your eyes open at all times. Do not let your guard down. She can’t be trusted.

If what I knew about her was correct, she would want to case the place, and I wanted to be prepared for whatever came next.

Eros wasn’t a club. It was my fucking kingdom, and unlike most empires, I built it on secrets, lust, and submission. From the outside, it appeared to be any other exclusive penthouse lounge, situated above a stunning skyline, but once you were past the velvet entrance and through biometric clearance, the real Eros bared its teeth.

The lights were dim and ambient, casting a warm, crimson glow over everything, like blood spread beneath satin sheets. The air was thick with sex, perfume, sweat, and expensive liquor. Every hallway pulsed with possibilities, and every moan was echoed with consent. Whatever happened inside was always wanted and never judged.

The foyer was sleek and marble, lined with gold-trimmed statues of gods and goddesses mid-orgasm, lips parted in agony and ecstasy. Live performers hung from aerial ropes above the lounge, bodies glistening in oil, twisting and writhing as theydanced in slow, sensual rotations. One couple fucked on a mirrored chaise in full view of the main floor, surrounded by voyeurs sipping cocktails like they were watching a Broadway play.

In a different room, a man was on all fours, unclothed, with a leash around his neck, while a woman in latex heels fed him strawberries. Another space revealed a full-service dungeon filled with the sounds of leather meeting flesh and breathy cries. Every fantasy had a place here. Every craving had a home. No kink was too taboo, and no guest was denied unless they broke the only rule. No harm without consent.

I stood on the top floor balcony, overlooking it all, one hand wrapped around a glass of Blue Label while the other adjusted my cufflinks when Kendrick’s voice buzzed in my ear.

“She’s here.”

I finished my drink in one gulp, passed the empty glass to a server, and headed to the front. My steps down the winding staircase were steady and confident. I was calm, yet excitement simmered within me.

When the elevator doors opened, and Sophia stepped through, the world around me paused. The coat she wore was cinched at her tiny waist. Her posture was upright, and her chin lifted like royalty surveying her kingdom. There was something about the way she moved, all calm and unhurried, as if she didn’t need anyone’s permission to exist in this space.

---