Isle of Sin: A Standalone Dark Romance

“Kneel.”

Adalyn and I had already spoken about this requirement prior to today’s conference call, making me acutely aware of what would be expected of her during this meeting.

What I hadn’t anticipated was Taylor’s arrival.

Or the fact that he would be the one to issue that command to my female.

As far as I was concerned, he didn’t possess a single ounce of claim over Adalyn Rose. His engagement to her had terminated the moment she’d set foot on my island.

She’d become mine in a matter of seconds.

Which made his authority over her nonexistent.

I caught her elbow to lead her away from where he stood, forcing her to ignore him entirely.

It seemed my show of possession outside had provoked him into needing to stake his claim. Which he’d weakly done via a command, his demeanor suggesting he’d assumed that would be enough.

Imbecile, I thought as I took my seat at the head of the table. A pillow waited on the floor for Adalyn—something she’d told me earlier wouldn’t be necessary, but I’d insisted anyway.

“Kneel for me, Adalyn,” I murmured, the words for her and not for the rest of the room. But I held Taylor’s gaze as I voiced them, ensuring he understood that she obeyed me, not him.

His jaw clenched in response.

I didn’t acknowledge the reaction. I merely ran my fingers through Adalyn’s hair as she obeyed me. She clasped her hands in her lap and bowed her head, her submission resolute. I brushed my knuckles along her cheek, praising her without words, then steepled my fingers together on the table and observed as everyone took their seats.

Julian sat directly across from me at the foot of the rectangular table.

Albert took the chair beside him with Taylor on Julian’s opposite side.

And Adalyn’s mother knelt on the ground near the door.

I had an extra pillow, but I doubted Adalyn’s father would accept it.

As there were going to be a lot of negotiations today, I opted not to argue this one point. Mrs. Rose also seemed content to be a few feet away from her husband, so I would give her that moment of solitude.

Clive entered the room as Julian pulled a laptop out of a messenger bag. I hadn’t noticed that bag upon his arrival but suspected one of his personnel had given it to Bryant, as they’d been carrying a few bags with them off the plane. Bryant had probably dropped it off here on the way to the villa with Julian’s wife and their security detail.

Julian and Clive set everything up for the conference call, connecting the laptop to the internet and video equipment. Then Clive left with a polite “I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

We’d decided earlier this week to remove him from this scenario as much as possible, mostly to protect him.

But he would be nearby should something go wrong.

Meanwhile, Bryant was handling Julian’s security staff.

And Kane was busy supervising from afar via the comms.

I’d ensured this room was bug-free and surveillance-free, just in case Julian or one of the others decided to scan it. I wanted to keep everything above board and demonstrate good faith.

The fact that Julian didn’t ask about the room’s technology suggested he trusted me. Or perhaps it was a result of him trusting Bryant—which again made me want to know more about their history, as Julian didn’t strike me as the trusting sort.

“Julian Jovanni,” he said as the conference line asked for voice authorization. Then he pressed his thumb to a pad on the computer and waited.

The two projectors in the room came to life, showcasing several men in suits as they sat in their respective offices.

I recognized all of them as powerful individuals throughout the world.

Including Mitchell Brevington.

Having Adalyn focus on the ground actually made this a bit easier because I didn’t have to worry about any of these men triggering her.

Although, she seemed to have found her confidence today. She’d grounded me in a moment of need earlier when I’d nearly lost my shit with Taylor’s arrival. I would have to thank her for that later.

I should have done it in the car when we’d had a few minutes alone.

However, the words Taylor had spoken to her in the airport had blinded me with rage. I couldn’t think beyond my need to claim her.

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

Adalyn’s words played through my mind as I looked at Taylor again. His expression gave nothing away as he studied the screens, but I found myself agreeing with her.

I just couldn’t decide if he had somehow already altered the outcome of this impending conversation or if his confidence was based on his relationship with Albert Rose.

Albert clearly had no desire to leave Adalyn with me. Perhaps the two of them had an agreement that Taylor felt confident in.

But what about the other high-ranking members of Sin Cave?

Julian said we were expecting ten members. It seemed nine of them were here.

Mitchell Brevington, king of a finance empire.

Geoff Kensington, big player in the oil industry.

Lawrence Earls, well-known figure in the entertainment world.

The profiles continued to roll through my mind as I glanced at each man individually, noting their names and business associations.

Quinton Carpenter, auto industry.

Trenton Krain, owner of the world’s leading technology enterprise.

The other four men were all masters in their own rights, their power resolute.

Carver Langston was the final player to join the call, his easy grin marking his arrival as he said, “Sorry. I was tied up.”

Julian smirked. “Again?”

Carver shrugged. “She likes what she likes, Jules.”

Several of the men grunted in response, clearly catching the underlying context of the conversation. Taylor’s nostrils flared, his disgust palpable.

I merely smiled. “You would probably enjoy a visit to my island, Mr. Langston.” The commentary about his playmate liking her role of tying him up suggested consent existed between him and his wife.

Or I assumed he’d meant his wife, anyway. He’d married her about two months ago, stirring quite the media frenzy over the wealthy bachelor finally settling down.

Did he marry her for love, or was she an Elite Bride? I wondered.

Although, those two items might not be alternates. Julian seemed to be proof that loving an Elite Bride was possible. Assuming his display earlier had been real and not faked.

“Ah, Mr. Sinner. I have longed to make your acquaintance and find out how to procure an invite to play there. Perhaps we’ll discuss more after the meeting is over?”

“We can arrange a call and maybe a tour as well,” I told him.

“Brilliant,” he replied, all smiles.

He seemed rather jovial and fun-natured. I’d be willing to get to know him better and test his consensual values.

Of course, it helped that I didn’t recognize his name from the list Clive had made of Adalyn’s previous tutors.

Unfortunately, three of the men on this call were on that list.

Quinton, Geoff, and, of course, Mitchell.

Which made all three of them key players to observe in this discussion.

“Well, now that Carver has handled today’s icebreaker part of the agenda, shall we move into formal introductions?” Julian asked, his tone holding a bit of a taunt for Carver, suggesting they were old friends. “Or does everyone feel comfortable with the players on the call?” His dark gaze went to me with that final question.

“I’m familiar with everyone,” I informed him. “But for those who don’t know me, I’m Asher Sinner. My late father enjoyed BDSM and founded several clubs throughout the world. Sinners Isle was one of those properties, and it’s now mine.”

“I’ve been to one of the Sinner clubs,” Trenton murmured. “The Baltimore location.”

Kane’s club, I thought. “What did you think?”

“It was on par with our Ecstasy circuit, but I’ve heard your location is the best,” he replied. His matter-of-fact tone suggested he wasn’t trying to butter me up or compliment me, just being direct.

I grinned. “Well, my island offers a bit of a unique experience since you stay and play here rather than just visit for an evening of fun.”

“Perhaps you’ll be interested in allowing more of us to visit,” Julian said. “Assuming our negotiations here go well.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “It’s certainly a topic we can discuss.”

“Then I recommend we get to the point,” Julian replied. “Nathan Spencer brought Adalyn Rose to Sinners Isle for the culmination of her training. This was not an authorized visit from my part of the Sin Cave organization, nor was it a situation conducted under Asher Sinner’s approval. As you all know, Mr. Sinner chose to terminate Mr. Spencer for the insult to—”

A beep interrupted him, followed by the addition of an eleventh image.

My gaze narrowed at the arrival. Larry Huntington.

From the corner of my eye, I caught Taylor’s smile, suggesting that this was the moment he’d been waiting for—his father’s arrival.

That’s your trump card? I wanted to ask. Your daddy showing up to save the day?

Jesus. I almost felt bad for Taylor if he thought that would be enough to “fix” this situation.

What did he plan to offer me? A television network?

Or was he going to try to threaten me?

Good luck, I thought, focusing on the newcomer. Do your worst, Mr. Huntington.

He cleared his throat. “Sorry I’m late. It seems my conference call invitation wasn’t in my inbox, so I had to log in via other means.”

“Oh?” Julian glanced at Albert before looking at Larry again. “Happy you could join us, Larry. We were just discussing the justification of Nathan Spencer’s death.”

Larry nodded. “Yes. Good. Then we’re just in time.” He leaned forward to widen his camera angle, allowing us to see who sat beside him in his conference room.

Charles Spencer.

Fuck.

Taylor’s grin widened even more, his gaze meeting mine as he seemed to say, Wishing you would have just let us leave yet?

“Charles,” Julian greeted. “This is a surprise.”

“A surprise that I wanted to be present for a discussion with my son’s murderer? How is that a surprise to you, Julian?” He arched a dark brow. “Perhaps because you failed to invite me to this call?”

Julian relaxed into his chair, the picture of nonchalance. “Apologies, Charles. I assumed you would respect and understand our need for a cordial discussion and wouldn’t want to risk adding emotional commentary to the mix. I see now that it was a mistake of judgment on my part.”

Jesus. This man was a master of word games and barbed commentary. Note to self: Don’t get on his bad side. Because this was a guy I wanted in my corner, not against me.

“Regardless, we were discussing your son’s poor decision to conduct Sin Cave business in an off-site location. He failed to run that request up through the appropriate channels and—”

“He asked me,” Charles interjected.

“And me,” Larry added.

“As well as me,” Albert confirmed.

Julian’s eyebrows rose. “So all three of you were aware of his decision to take an Elite Bride to an off-site facility for training, and none of you thought it wise to suggest against it?”

“He was intending to offer Mr. Sinner an opportunity while there to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Given his proclivities, we expected him to accept,” Larry explained.

I snorted. “Then you’re clearly unfamiliar with my proclivities.” Because I would never indulge in something so crude. “When I claim a woman, I don’t share her, Mr. Huntington.” It was a phrase meant for Larry and his idiot of a son. “I also value open communication, something Mr. Spencer did not provide. Instead, he took advantage of my hospitality and broke one of my island’s rules—consent.”

All three of them grunted in reply to my comment.

As did Quinton.

But everyone else remained silent.

Mitchell even appeared slightly contrite, which was an interesting development. Perhaps he felt bad for his behavior. Or maybe he was recalling how close he came to dying on my island as a result of his behavior.

“So you killed my son because he, what, insulted you?” Charles demanded.

“Yes.” There was no point in elaborating. Nor would I be apologizing for his son’s death.

Adalyn shifted just a little at my side. Fortunately, the table hid her from view. That was one of the reasons I’d placed her there—only the top of her head could be seen, as she’d sat back on her heels after kneeling on the pillow.

“This is fucking ridiculous,” Charles snapped. “He killed my son. Why are we even talking to him? Fucking shoot him.”

Julian arched a brow. “Our organization insulted this man’s integrity by conducting business on his property without authority. That—”

“And why do we care so much about his opinion of us?” Charles demanded. “He’s a BDSM island owner. That hardly gives him any power here.”

“I disagree,” Mitchell replied. “Mr. Sinner has friends in high places throughout the world, many of whom are also members of our organization. That’s why he’s been on the potential membership list, something I’m going to assume you knew when you approved your son’s visit to his island.”

Carver nodded. “That’s why he invited Mr. Sinner to partake in the fun, yes? I mean, Larry said he expected Mr. Sinner to accept that invitation. Perhaps you intended to use it as a form of recruitment, too?”

“I wasn’t recruiting him,” Larry replied. “But yes, I was aware of his candidacy.”

“He’s not a fucking member,” Charles bit out. “Unlike my son, who was in good standing. His death should matter.”

“And it does,” Julian assured him. “But the fact of the matter is Nathan should never have carried out Sin Cave business on this island without appropriate consent.”

“I agree,” Mitchell replied.

“Me, too,” Carver echoed.

“He had consent from the three of us,” Larry argued.

“Yes, which makes the three of you complicit in this situation,” Julian remarked. “Mr. Sinner should have been approached and spoken to prior to the engagement. Doing otherwise was an insult to his business. And therefore, I move that his response to the matter is justified.”

“He’s not a fucking member!” Charles shouted. “How is this even a discussion?”

“And now you see why you were not invited to this meeting, Mr. Spencer,” Julian replied coldly. “I understand you are grieving, so I’m willing to ignore your outburst. But you cannot expect the rest of us to rule based on your emotions.” Julian reached forward to click a button, muting the screen as Charles started to yell. “To the rest of you, I would like your unbiased opinions on the matter.”

“It was an overreaction,” Albert immediately said. “He should have sent Nathan home for us to reprimand.”

I grunted. “Given what I’ve seen so far, I doubt that would have happened.”

“You’re not part of our organization, Mr. Sinner. You don’t know how we operate or how we handle our business. So I recommend that you not comment on things you don’t understand.” Taylor’s tone held a note of formality to it, but the condescending edge underlining his words was clear.

“On the contrary, I’ve shared quite a bit with him over the last two weeks,” Julian countered. “Asher has been on our recruitment list for five years. So I accepted this opportunity as a sign of fate and took advantage of our time together to educate him. Mr. Sinner is quite ready to join our organization.”

He paused for a beat, giving everyone—including me—a moment for that to sink in.

I had never expressed my readiness to join.

But it was known from our initial call that I likely wouldn’t have a choice.

Nathan Spencer brought his business here, thereby forcing me into this organization whether I liked it or not.

“So if the issue is Mr. Sinner not being a permanent member of Sin Cave—thereby marking him as ‘less than equal’ to Nathan Spencer, as Charles has suggested—then perhaps we should start with approving Mr. Sinner’s membership. Then we can move into discussions on appropriate reprimand.” Julian fell silent again, his dark eyes searching the various screens.

“That does seem like a reasonable fix,” Mitchell said after a few seconds of contemplation. “Has he named his terms for membership?”

“He has,” Julian replied.

“And they are?” Carver asked.

“Are we really considering this?” Taylor interrupted. “He killed one of our members, so we’re going to reward him with membership?”

Julian blinked at him. “Mr. Sinner acted in the best interest of his company and protected not only his asset but also his reputation in doing so. But I suppose you wouldn’t understand that sort of sacrifice, would you? Perhaps your older brother would have been better suited for this meeting.”

Taylor balked at that. “How dare—”

“Quiet,” Mitchell snapped from the video. “I’m a busy man with a schedule to keep today, and I want to hear what Mr. Sinner’s demands are so we can make a decision.”

“Likewise,” Trenton agreed flatly.

Several others nodded in agreement, leaving Taylor properly chastised in a corner.

“Right,” Julian said. “His demand is quite simple. He wishes to join our organization by marrying Adalyn Rose.”