Isle of Sin: A Standalone Dark Romance

My heart skipped a beat, my father’s words replaying through my mind as I tried to process what they meant.

Taylor is here.

To take me home.

To an engagement party.

Because this exercise is complete.

Everything’s a lie.

But what part? My father’s words or Asher’s promises?

Asher’s arm tightened around my waist as Taylor descended the stairs. “You’ve clearly misunderstood the situation, Mr. Rose. Adalyn won’t be going anywhere. And I won’t be accepting a display of gratitude as a form of recompense. Especially after the insult of bringing an unwanted guest to my island after everything else that has already happened.”

“Mr. Sinner,” Julian interjected. “If you’ll allow me to facilitate the call with our organization’s Elite, I am confident this slight will be rectified immediately.”

“Immediately would be having him walk back up those stairs and leaving right fucking now.”

Taylor’s eyebrows lifted in response as he walked toward us, Asher’s stern words loud enough for him to hear. “Wow. That’s certainly not the warm introduction I anticipated from the man who’s been playing games with my fiancée for the last two weeks.”

I frowned. Playing games?

“Unless this is all part of your training?” Taylor pressed, making my blood run cold. “Nathan’s methods were quite conventional. Perhaps yours are less so?”

Asher ignored him, his focus on Julian as he said, “This is yet another insult against me and my island, Mr. Jovanni. If your organization isn’t interested in taking me seriously, then that’s their mistake.”

“I assure you, we take you very seriously, Mr. Sinner.”

“By directly disobeying my clear directions?” Asher countered.

“That is an issue for our discussion, which is why I strongly suggest that we meet with the Elite as planned. I believe that will solve several of our issues here.” Julian’s voice held a note of unadulterated dominance in it, the lethality and authority underlining his words making me dizzy.

This was the kind of man who walked into a club, picked a sub, and dominated her on the spot.

A dictator.

The biggest predator in the room.

And he was conveying that with just a few sternly worded sentences.

This is the Red Prince, I thought, shivering. His infamous reputation for violence painted him as an imposing figure who wasn’t afraid to draw a little blood. But he tried to choose diplomacy first.

Or that was my understanding of the current situation, anyway.

He was warning them not to test him. And something told me he wouldn’t be repeating that warning.

Which meant that my father’s words were a lie.

This wasn’t a game at all. Asher meant every word he’d said to me.

He wants me to be his.

Now we just needed the Sin Cave Elite to agree to it.

If I was understanding and reading Julian correctly, then he intended to help us. But only if we played by his rules.

My father had broken the agreement by bringing Taylor here.

In theory, that should result in Asher having the upper hand.

But only if he attended the meeting Julian had organized.

We need to play the game. I leaned into Asher’s side. It was subtle, but just enough to remind him of where I stood. He glanced down at me, temporarily taking his eyes away from Julian.

Because he wanted to ensure that I was all right.

This was a good Dom. He cared about me. He read my cues, he ensured my pleasure, and he put my comfort first. Even in a situation brimming with violence, he still focused entirely on me and ignored the others, just because of my leaning into his side.

I want to be yours, I told him with my eyes. But we need to play this game.

I wasn’t sure he would understand. But I hoped he could see my faith in him, in us, and would make the right decision.

He studied me for a long moment before glancing back at Julian. “Yes. We’ll proceed to the meeting.”

“Good decision,” Julian replied.

My father sighed. “Fine. I was merely trying to expedite the inevitable.”

“Is that what you were doing?” Julian asked. “Fascinating.”

Asher drew a circle against my side with his thumb, the gesture one of reassurance. Or perhaps because he felt like subtly staking his claim. Regardless, it made me feel safe. At least until I caught Taylor’s predatory gaze.

Soon, his blue eyes said as he traced over every inch of my exposed form.

I was used to walking around in less clothing than this, and it usually didn’t faze me. But something about the way he looked at me made me wonder if we’d been wrong about everything.

I’d known from the beginning that Sin Cave was dangerous. I’d grown up in that world. Asher had not. He thought he knew what he was up against, but what if he didn’t? What if our planning wasn’t good enough? What if they hurt him?

He’d only allowed a few people on his island, including a handful of Julian’s men. However, it only took one of them to take him down.

And then what?

Would I be the cause of his death?

My stomach churned with the thought. I couldn’t allow that to happen. But what could I do to stop it?

If only Nathan hadn’t brought me here.

However, then I wouldn’t have met Asher.

And I… I couldn’t regret that. He’d changed everything for me. He’d taught me what life could be. I just hoped it wouldn’t be at the expense of his own life.

His brother is here. Kane won’t let anything happen to Asher.

But another look from Taylor had my blood going cold. He knows something. He’s too confident.

Which meant we’d underestimated the situation.

What are they up to? How can I warn Asher?

“Where are we meeting?” Taylor asked, his tone cordial.

“In a conference villa.” Asher sounded perfectly at ease, yet his arm felt tense around me. Does he sense that something is wrong? Does he know they’re up to something?

“Lead the way, Mr. Sinner,” Julian said, the command in his tone unmistakable.

Asher didn’t argue. He merely turned toward the building, his arm pulling me with him. Clive walked behind us, putting all three of us at the front of the party.

It left our backsides exposed, something that stirred unease inside me.

Now would be a good time for Julian or one of the others to act.

Something Asher’s men must have realized because two of them opened the door before we reached it, their eyes on the men at our backs.

I breathed a small sigh of relief as we entered the airport building.

At least until Taylor fell into step beside me. “You look lovely, Adalyn,” he said, leaning closer to me. “A perfect little tease.” His breath touched my shoulder, his proximity unnerving.

Taylor Huntington wasn’t a bad-looking man. Actually, he was quite handsome.

But thanks to Nathan, I knew all about Taylor’s proclivities. He was a dark man with even darker tastes. He liked power. And he achieved that goal by belittling those he considered to be beneath him.

Probably to compensate for the fact that he was a spare heir. He wanted to feel important somewhere, so he asserted his authority in any situation where he could.

“I can’t wait to remove—”

“Finish that sentence and we’re going to have a problem,” Asher interjected, coming to a stop and pulling me even closer to his side.

“Excuse me?” Taylor’s light eyebrows hit his hairline. “She’s my future wife. I can speak to her however I want to.”

Asher’s hand fell to my hip, his grip possessive. “That might have been true three weeks ago. But you made an egregious error in allowing Nathan Spencer to bring her to my island. Because he left behind a jewel, one I intend to keep.”

Taylor released a shocked laugh. “You can’t be serious.”

“Deadly,” Asher returned.

“Gentlemen, I believe we’re getting ahead of ourselves,” Julian said, stepping between Taylor and Asher. “I know she’s a beautiful woman, but we have a schedule to keep and important negotiations to tend to.”

Asher gave him a tight nod, then shared a meaningful look with Clive. After a beat, Asher used his hand on my hip to guide me forward again. This time Clive flanked my opposite side, walking along with us all the way to the row of parked cars outside.

Clive opened the passenger-side door of what I now knew was Asher’s car, as he’d driven us here in the little two-seater.

“Oscar will take the Roses and their guest to our meeting venue,” Asher announced. “Clive will escort Julian. Adalyn is with me.”

Taylor appeared ready to protest, so I took away his argument by sliding into the bucket seat. I shivered as the cool leather touched my skin.

Clive shut the door, muting everyone and everything outside the car. Then he remained standing there beside me until Asher finally joined me.

The engine roared to life, and Asher floored it out of the parking lot, making me grab the armrest in response.

Asher shifted gears, the car smoothing out into a reasonable speed as soon as the airport disappeared behind us. I swallowed, his ire hot against my skin.

I wasn’t sure if I needed to apologize or remain quiet. I opted for the latter, as I suspected the former would set him off.

This was my fault. But it also wasn’t. I was the cause without being the instigator.

“Adalyn.” Asher’s palm went to my thigh, his gentle touch at odds with the anger rolling off of him. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” I was currently in his car and with him, which made me feel safe.

“Taylor shouldn’t be here.”

I considered that for a moment. “Perhaps. But I understand why he’s here.”

My father had brought him here as a playing card, one he’d likely hoped would trump the game. Because he’d underestimated Asher. He’d assumed having Taylor here to rub some elbows would work magic into fixing this “issue.”

Or maybe he’d thought it would come off as intimidating.

But Asher hadn’t caved at all.

And now we were going to enter a new phase of the game.

I voiced a more concise summary of those thoughts out loud to Asher, causing him to fall quiet for a long moment.

“I’m worried he knows something or has some sort of plan,” I added at the end. “He’s too confident.”

Asher still didn’t reply, but his palm remained on my thigh.

He eventually gave my leg a squeeze before shifting again and pulling into another parking area near a villa that rivaled the size of his home. He’d pointed this one out to me the other day, telling me this was where he intended to host negotiations with Julian and my parents.

We were the first to arrive since he’d navigated the streets like a race car driver.

And he slipped out without saying a word.

I frowned and unbuckled my seat belt to follow. He met me at my side to pull me from the bucket seat, then pushed me up against his car after shutting the door.

“What’s your safeword, Adalyn?”

I swallowed. “Dreams.”

“Good girl.” He ran his fingers through my hair and gathered the strands at the back of my head in a fist. “Now let’s see if we can penetrate that confident shield of your former fiancé’s, hmm?”

“Wh—”

Asher’s mouth captured mine in a mind-bending kiss, his tongue dominating mine before I even had a chance to catch up to him.

This wasn’t a gentle embrace.

This was a claiming.

His lips were possessive and commanding, leaving me with only one choice—submit.

And submit I did.

I gave in to him, allowing him to enchant me for this one small moment. I forgot everyone and everything and solely focused on him. My Sir. My Asher. My… my new existence.

Until the clearing of a throat interrupted the fantasy and yanked me back to reality.

But Asher didn’t stop kissing me, his tongue whispering benedictions against mine that I hoped would come true.

I want this life. I want him.

At some point, I’d wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my breasts into his chest. It was wanton and needy, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to exist in this bubble of sensuality with Asher and never talk to anyone else again.

Alas, this wasn’t a dream but real life.

As a result, our embrace had to come to an end.

But Asher didn’t just yank himself away from me; he kissed me tenderly first and pressed his forehead to mine for a beat. Then he slowly moved back, his gaze on mine. His intense orbs brimmed with warning, and I knew things were about to change.

“Treat this like a scene,” he’d told me earlier. “Your safeword still applies.”

I’d wanted to argue that it didn’t, as safewords didn’t exist within Sin Cave. However, I trusted Asher to ensure it would work here on his island. He didn’t play by their rules.

But they also didn’t respect his rules.

Leaving me conflicted about what would happen next.

All I had was my faith in Asher and my desire to make it through this unscathed.

Which was a lot more than what I’d possessed when I’d first arrived—which had merely been a will to survive. Now I had an ally. Someone to… to love. Someone to believe in. Someone who understood me and respected me. Someone to face this world with as a partner.

That had to be enough.

Because if it wasn’t, then I suspected Asher would burn this island to the ground before allowing Taylor to take me.

I could see it in his expression now as he met the other man’s furious gaze. Mine, Asher’s eyes said. She’s fucking mine.

We’ll see, appeared to be Taylor’s reply, making my stomach churn.

That sense of dread, that something wasn’t quite what it seemed, continued to prick at my nerves. Perhaps I was overthinking it. Or maybe I was a natural pessimist.

But Taylor still exuded too much confidence.

And it was a confidence that left me uneasy as we all entered the building.

Asher was relying on all this to come to a vote. What if that was exactly what Taylor wanted to happen? What if he’d already influenced the outcome somehow?

Unlike Asher, Taylor was on the inside. That put Asher at an obvious disadvantage. Which he already knew.

But what if he’d put too much faith in Julian to make this work?

What if Julian was playing both sides?

What if… what if Julian didn’t plan to bring this to a vote at all?

I glanced at him now and noted his expressionless face and regal cheekbones. He was considered a king at Sin Cave because of his family’s partial ownership of the illicit enterprise. There were four primary families at the head of the table, and he was one of those four.

He didn’t have to help Asher at all.

Yet he’d come here to personally handle this.

The question became: Was he really here to assist Asher? Or was he here for his own nefarious purposes?

As we entered the conference room, all I could think was, Well, we’re about to find out…