A Dance with Temptation
1123 Words
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A Billionaire Royal Romance
Chapter Five:
I should have walked away.
That’s what any rational girl would have done.
But I wasn’t rational—not when it came to him.
Liam Sinclair stood before me, a man carved out of stone and control, his sharp blue eyes cutting through the darkness like a warning. The night air hummed between us, thick with an unspoken challenge.
“You don’t understand what you’re playing with,” he had said.
But he was wrong.
I knew exactly what I was playing with—fire.
And I wanted to burn.
A Game of Control
I stepped closer, the silk of my dress whispering against the marble floor. The cool night breeze swept over my exposed shoulders, but it did nothing to ease the heat simmering in my chest.
Liam’s gaze didn’t waver. He was perfectly still, like a predator watching, waiting.
“Maybe I do understand,” I murmured. “Maybe I know exactly what I’m doing.”
His jaw tensed. “Isla.”
The way he said my name—it wasn’t just a warning. It was something else.
Something dangerous.
A thrill shot through me.
I was pushing him, testing the limits of his restraint.
And I wasn’t sure if I wanted him to resist or break.
“I don’t think you do,” he said, his voice low. “This isn’t a game.”
I tilted my head, my pulse racing. “Isn’t it?”
A muscle flickered in his jaw.
I could see the war in his eyes, the push and pull of right and wrong.
He was my father’s best friend. A billionaire. A man who built empires and destroyed anyone who stood in his way.
But here, in the dim glow of the city lights, I saw something else—
A crack in his armor.
A flicker of something he didn’t want to admit.
And it made me bold.
The Forbidden Dance
Music drifted from the ballroom inside, a slow, haunting melody that sent shivers down my spine.
I took another step toward him.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t stop me.
“If this isn’t a game,” I said softly, “then dance with me.”
His eyes darkened. “Isla—”
“Just one dance,” I interrupted. “No rules. No consequences.”
A beat of silence.
Then, to my shock, he exhaled slowly and held out his hand.
I placed mine in his, my fingers trembling against his warmth.
His grip was firm, controlled—but there was something underneath it. A quiet restraint, like he was holding back something dangerous.
He pulled me closer, our bodies nearly touching.
The world around us faded.
He led me through the slow rhythm, his movements precise and deliberate. My heart pounded against my ribs, every step sending fire through my veins.
This was wrong.
But it felt so right.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.
“And yet, here I am,” I whispered back.
His fingers tightened slightly around mine.
The air between us crackled with tension.
For the briefest moment, I let myself imagine what it would feel like if he let go of his control. If he gave in.
If he kissed me.
But just as quickly as the thought came, he stiffened.
And then—he let go.
Stepped back.
The moment shattered.
“I can’t,” he said, his voice hoarse.
A chill ran through me.
Not won’t.
Can’t.
The Unspoken Battle
He turned away, his hands clenched at his sides.
“This is dangerous, Isla,” he said, not looking at me. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”
And just like that, he walked away.
Leaving me breathless.
And even more obsessed.
But I wasn’t done.
Not even close.
I stood there for what felt like an eternity, staring at the place where he had just been. My heart pounded in my ears, my skin still tingling where his hands had touched me.
I should have felt rejected.
I should have walked back into the party, pretending nothing had happened.
But all I could think about was the way he had held me. The way he had looked at me like I was something he wasn’t supposed to want.
And for the first time, I realized—
Liam Sinclair wasn’t as unshakable as he pretended to be.
He was fighting something.
And I was going to make sure he lost.
The Descent Into Madness
After that night, something changed.
I should have felt ashamed.
I should have stopped.
But instead, my obsession grew.
I started watching him more closely. Tracking his movements. Listening to every conversation my father had about him.
I scrolled through every article about Sinclair Enterprises, memorizing details about his life.
Who he did business with.
Who he trusted.
Who he didn’t.
I learned his schedule, the places he visited, the events he attended.
And with each passing day, my hunger for him only intensified.
Because now, I had seen it.
The moment he almost gave in.
The moment he almost lost control.
And if there was one thing I was certain of—
I was going to make him break.
No matter what it took.
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A New Opportunity
A week passed.
I thought I wouldn’t see him again so soon. That he’d put distance between us after what happened.
But fate had other plans.
One evening, my father called me into his study. He was seated behind his grand oak desk, a cigar resting in the ashtray beside him.
“You remember Liam,” he said, as if I could ever forget.
I nodded, my pulse quickening.
“He’s leaving for his estate in France next week. He needs someone to handle some business matters while he’s away, and I suggested you.”
I froze.
I wasn’t sure if I had heard him correctly.
“You want me to work for Liam?” I asked carefully.
My father nodded, completely oblivious to the fire he had just ignited inside me.
“I told him you were sharp and needed experience before taking over the family business. He agreed.”
My heart pounded wildly in my chest.
Liam agreed?
Did he know what he was doing? Did he know what I was capable of?
Because now…
Now, I had him exactly where I wanted him.
Alone.
Under his roof.
Where there would be no escape.
I swallowed the thrill rising in my throat, forcing myself to nod calmly.
“I won’t let you down, Dad.”
I wouldn’t.
Because this time…
Liam Sinclair wouldn’t just walk away.
Not when I was the one coming for him.
- Writer
