Isle of Sin: A Standalone Dark Romance

Mmm. Something smells good.

I stretched, my limbs more relaxed than they’d been in a long time. Everything felt warm and refreshed, like I’d just spent a year in bed.

Maybe I had.

No, I thought, peeking at the sun streaming through my windows. Still daylight.

I yawned and stretched again, rolling toward my other side to find the scent of deliciousness that had woken me up.

And froze when I found Asher sitting beside me with a tray on his lap.

“You missed dinner and breakfast, so I brought you lunch,” he said conversationally. “Sit up and eat with me, and I’ll reward you.”

I blinked at him. “Dinner and…?” I trailed off, my throat reminding me of a cotton ball.

He lifted a drink off his tray and pressed the straw to my lips. “Suck.”

That single word went straight to my heart, causing it to skip several beats as I obeyed. My thighs clenched, the sensuality in that term matching the look in his eyes while he watched me swallow.

“Good girl,” he murmured, smiling. “I squeezed those oranges this morning for you, since you seemed to favor that drink yesterday. But then you never came down to eat. So I chilled the glass to go with lunch.”

My eyebrows rose as I took another pull from the straw, the liquid heaven along my tongue. But I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to savor it. So I stopped drinking and shuffled to sit next to him against the headboard.

He studied me as I studied him, the events from the pool playing through my mind.

The pleasure.

His hands.

His mouth.

That kiss.

I’d been so tired afterward that I’d fallen asleep without pleasuring him in return. But he hadn’t demanded it. He hadn’t woken me up or shoved his cock into me.

He’d just let me sleep.

For nearly a day, apparently.

“How do you feel?” he asked softly, setting the glass back on his tray.

“Well rested,” I admitted, still staring at him. “Why…?”

He arched a brow. “Why what, darling?”

“I…” I wasn’t sure how to phrase my question.

But then something he’d said yesterday swam through my thoughts. “You want to see what kind of man I am? I’ll show you.”

He’d whispered something about that before leaving, too.

Something I’d barely heard, the words chasing me into my dreamless state.

“This is who I am, sweetheart.”

I sat there and marveled at him, at a loss for words.

His brow inched up higher, clearly expecting me to say something.

But I had nothing to say.

I’d tried to provoke him in the pool by blatantly rejecting his command and essentially disrespecting his authority.

And he’d responded by giving me the best orgasm of my life.

Perhaps because it was the first one that hadn’t felt forced.

He’d pleasured me for me, not for himself. And it had created a sensation unlike any I’d ever experienced.

I’d felt safe. Warm. Well cared for. Adored.

So much so that I’d fallen into a deep sleep for hours, something I couldn’t recall happening in several years.

“I think I like it here, Mr. Sinner,” I admitted softly. The words tasted foreign on my tongue, almost as though each one had been underlined by hope.

Such a forbidden concept in my world.

But this man didn’t appear to be from my world at all.

He was the white knight I’d refused to fantasize about every night.

The hero I swore didn’t exist.

He could still be lying. This could all be some elaborate ruse to hurt me worse than anyone ever had.

However, a naïve part of me chose to consider the reality of this situation. Chose to believe, just a little bit, that Asher Sinner might just be a dream come true.

His dark eyes held mine for a beat, his lips curling a little at the sides. “I like it here, too,” he replied, his voice just as quiet as mine. A tender exchange of words that resembled a secret that existed only between us.

A secret of trust.

He cleared his throat, his focus returning to his tray. “I made grilled cheese and heated up some soup from Caylin.”

“You made grilled cheese?”

“And the juice,” he reminded me, arching a brow. “You look surprised.”

“I am.”

“Because I made a sandwich and squeezed some oranges?”

“Yes,” I admitted.

He smiled. “Then I’ll have to give Caylin the night off so I can properly impress you in the kitchen.”

I stared at him. “You’ve already impressed me, Asher.” Apparently, I woke up today and decided to be truthful. But given everything that had occurred between us, it felt needed.

“Have I?” His lips curled into a slightly arrogant grin, his gaze darkening with a hint of satisfaction. “Well, then I’ll endeavor to impress you more.”

He picked up the plate and handed it to me.

“We’ll start with this. It’s my own special creation.”

I gave him a look. “A grilled cheese.”

“Just try it,” he murmured.

I shrugged. Why not? I was hungry again, my stomach having finally finished processing the monstrous breakfast from yesterday.

The sandwich was fortunately not very bready.

But it was greasy.

And cheesy.

So, so cheesy.

“Oh God,” I said after a few bites. “How?”

He grinned. “It’s my own special blend of cheese. All French and very melty.”

“And rich.” It was so decadent, to the point of almost being overpowering. Except a hint of something calmed the potent flavor. “Cranberries?”

“A cranberry jam.” His eyes captured mine. “Impressed?”

I wanted to say no, just to knock that growing expression of arrogance from his features. But I couldn’t lie. “Yes.”

His resulting smile was one I would forever remember. All masculine pride set in a face destined to grace the covers of high-fashion magazines.

With his physique, he could easily start a new career in modeling.

I reached for the juice, needing something to wash down the grease.

Then I finished my sandwich.

Asher gestured to the soup, but I shook my head. “I really want to freshen up first. I also ate way too much yesterday.”

His gaze ran over my breasts and down to my stomach, reminding me that I was very much naked. I hadn’t even really noticed, so used to being without clothes that I hadn’t even considered my nude state.

But I noticed now.

Especially when I caught the hint of smoldering heat in his irises as he met my gaze again. “Your figure is no worse for wear, Adalyn. I think you’re allowed a few more cheat days.”

I scoffed at that. “It’s not about my figure but how all that food made me feel.”

He gave me a knowing look. “Maybe next time you can focus on what you want rather than try to test my reactions, hmm?”

I so badly wanted to deny that or come up with a retort. But I couldn’t. Because he was right—I’d wanted to see what he would do.

Just like in the pool yesterday.

I kept testing him. Waiting for him to show me his evil side.

But he didn’t seem to have one.

I leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I’ll be good at dinner tonight, Sir,” I promised him. “I’m going to shower now.”

Then afterward, maybe we would talk.

Because I wanted to better understand him and his intentions regarding Sin Cave.

Learn more about how he intended to take credit for Nate’s murder.

And ask him bluntly what he truly wanted from me. He might be a good man. But taking on this challenge far surpassed typical decency.

He’d want something in return.

After my shower, I’d find out what that something was, and we’d go from there.