Isle of Sin: A Standalone Dark Romance

Asher blew out a breath and shook his head, then he reached over for his laptop.

He said nothing as he opened the lid and started typing, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he worked.

I slid backward a little to lean against the headboard, causing his gaze to flick upward and his hands to still.

I froze.

When he didn’t chastise me, I slowly continued until my back met the cushioned surface.

He moved to join me, his long legs bending as he made an angled table for his laptop. It gave me a view of his screen, which I noticed was an email inbox.

“This is the notice I sent to guests and clients Nathan Spencer invited to your graduation ceremony this week,” Asher informed me, his voice darkening as he said “graduation ceremony.”

An email appeared on the screen, the words short and to the point.

Nathan Spencer has been removed from my island. Your invitation to join him at Sinners Isle has been revoked. If you have any questions, please follow up with me directly.

Best,

Asher Sinner

He started showing me some of the replies asking for clarification, or an updated location for the “party,” all of which he’d responded to in the same way.

The “celebration” has been canceled. And your presence here is not welcome.

Best,

Asher Sinner

There were a few follow-up questions that essentially read, Do you have any idea who I am? He started replying to them while I watched.

Yes. I am aware of who you are, Mr. Strider. However, these antics have proven that your network is unaware of who I am. And I do not tolerate disrespect of this nature on my island.

Best,

Asher Sinner

He copied that language for two other emails, only changing out the name of whom he addressed in the reply, and hit Send.

He then pulled up an email from Julian Jovanni and hit Reply, causing my stomach to churn.

Julian Jovanni.

Heir to the Jovanni family empire.

His family owned the Elite Bride program. Yet Asher claimed not to have anything to do with Sin Cave. This proved that everything he’d said was a lie.

Except that the subject was entitled Meeting Request.

Good morning, Julian,

Your meeting terms are acceptable.

However, I need twelve days.

My sister and her family are on my island right now. I cannot entertain your organization while she is here, and I can’t send her home without raising unwanted questions.

Please inform Mr. Rose and Mr. Huntington that Adalyn is under my care. I’m denying their shipment request. This is my island. I will handle things as I see fit.

Including the removal of Nathan Spencer from my island.

Best,

Asher Sinner

He hit Send without batting an eye, then looked at me. “Bryant has spoken to Julian three times already regarding the Nathan Spencer incident. He’s confirmed with Julian that I killed him for his disrespectful behavior on my island.”

Asher scrolled up to show me Julian’s original message requesting a meeting to discuss recent events. And a note regarding shipping the cargo back to the mainland.

Apparently, I was that cargo.

Or that was what I gathered from Asher’s response.

“This organization underestimated how seriously I take my business. Now they know I won’t tolerate having my resources taken advantage of, or being lied to about the purpose of a visit.” He skimmed a few more emails while I watched, then slowly closed his laptop. “I’m showing you these so you can see that I’m not lying to you—I’m not part of the network. Nor do I wish to join the network. But it seems Nathan has forced my hand in the matter.”

He set his laptop on the nightstand before shifting his gaze to me.

“I don’t agree with what has been done to you, Adalyn,” he said softly. “I’m not here to punish you. But I do need our stories to match one another. They cannot know the truth about how Nathan died. I’ve already taken the blame. His body has been disposed of. The villa you were in is nearly clean. And all the video evidence has been erased.”

“But why?” I whispered. “Why are you covering up what I did?”

“To protect you,” he replied, shrugging. “To make a statement. I’m not really sure. But my instincts say it’s the right move, so it’s what I’ve chosen to do. I’m also going to demand that you be allowed to remain here. Indefinitely.”

I gaped at him. “Wait, what? My parents are never going to allow that.”

He shrugged as though unbothered by the statement. “I don’t intend to give them a choice.”

I shook my head. “You don’t understand. They have an agreement with the Huntingtons. They won’t go against it.”

“As I said, I won’t be giving them a choice.” His intense expression told me he meant that. But he didn’t know these people like I did.

Especially if he wasn’t even a Sin Cave member.

“You don’t know how this game is played,” I whispered. Assuming he’s telling me the truth.

But on the off chance he meant it…

On the off chance this was truly real…

Then he needed to understand… “There are no rules in this world. They’ll kill you for getting in their way.”

“They may try,” he agreed. “But this is my island. And I’ll remind them that there’s a reason they have me on their recruitment list. Perhaps I’ll agree to join if they give me you.”

I wanted to argue that I wasn’t a possession to be given to anyone.

But I knew that wasn’t true.

I’d been born as a possession. A woman without value beyond my name and status. Hence the need for all my training and the marriage arranged for me while just a child.

My college degree meant nothing.

I hadn’t even taken it all that seriously because even if I were able to escape, I wouldn’t be able to use it, as I’d have to change my name and identity.

I also had no work experience.

Which meant my only skills were centered around how to properly please men with dark fetishes.

And how to endure pain.

“I’m not like them,” Asher continued softly. “I meant what I said about consent, Adalyn. It’s the primary rule of my isle, something all my clients are aware of. It’s something Nathan Spencer attempted to take for granted, and his death will prove to everyone how serious I am about my rules.”

“They’ll kill you,” I repeated in a whisper, needing him to understand that. “You realize that, right?”

“I realize that they may want to kill me, but I don’t think they will. Nathan was here without their approval, thereby acting within his own realm of incompetence. His death is warranted by their standards. And I’m within my rights to demand recompense. As I have no use for money, I’ll demand something of higher worth. I’ll demand that they give me you.”

I narrowed my gaze. “For someone who claims not to be part of the Elite network, you certainly seem pretty confident in your expectations.” And he’d very clearly decided on keeping me as a prize. His very own mostly trained Elite Bride.

He relaxed beside me on the bed, his long legs stretching out to cross at the ankles. “I’m not naïve, Adalyn. I know this world is dark and dangerous, that I can’t save many from their fates within it. But for whatever reason, I’ve been provided with an opportunity to save you. So I will.”

“But why?”

“Because I can,” he replied with a soft smile. “I have twelve days to convince you to play along. Twelve days to prove my intentions. Consider this day one.” He placed his palm on my thigh over the blankets and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Rest. Shower. Explore the house. But be careful. Dr. Zansky says you have a concussion.”

He removed his touch to grab my wrist, flipping my hand over to reveal the stitches on my palm.

“Be careful with these, too. No strenuous exercise. No overexerting yourself.” His dark eyes captured mine. “Perhaps go easy on the knives for a few days as well, hmm?” He almost seemed amused. “My room is next to yours. If you need anything, knock. Otherwise, I’m going to go have a much-needed nap. And tomorrow, I’ll give you a proper tour of the island.”

He released my wrist and slid out of the bed.

“This agreement is rather simple,” he added as he picked up his laptop. “You help me succeed; I’ll help you live again.”

My brow furrowed. “Help you live again.” And that meant what, exactly? I wondered.

“I have no use for a slave,” he went on. “Nor do I want a woman in my bed who doesn’t desire being there. I’ll never force you. But I do need you to work with me, at least for the next twelve days. After that, I’ll do whatever I can to give you freedom. Even if it’s just on this island. Unless you want to marry Taylor Huntington, in which case…” He trailed off, his eyebrow rising.

I swallowed, unable to speak. Because I wasn’t sure what to say.

No, I did not want to marry Taylor Huntington.

But everything else… it felt… too unreal to consider. Freedom? Live on this island? Paradise? Not as a slave, but as a… a what, exactly?

“Take the day. Think about it. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to breakfast. You can ask me anything while we eat. Until then, Caylin, my personal chef, will bring up some food for you. And Bryant will drop off clothes after he’s done acquiring them.” He used his laptop to point to the wall opposite the windows. “As I said, I’ll be in my room. Just knock if you need something.”

He didn’t wait for me to reply.

He merely left.

Almost silently, too. Because he wasn’t wearing shoes. And all he had on were those dress pants that hugged his ass.

Not that I noticed.

Just like I didn’t notice the way his back muscles flexed as he moved.

Well, there could be worse men to be enslaved to. That much was clear, anyway.

Unless this all turned out to be an emotional mindfuck, in which case he’d just become the most dangerous Master of all.

Because part of me believed him.

Part of me hoped he meant every word.

Part of me had secretly wished for a man like him to save me.

Which made me hate him more than anyone I’d ever met. Because he was either a dream that would soon become my worst nightmare. Or a dream that had taken far too long to appear in my life.

So what are you, Mr. Sinner? A hero? Or the most immoral villain of them all?