The Unraveling of Control
738 Words
A Billionaire Royal Romance
Chapter three
Liam Sinclair had no idea what he had done to me.
Or maybe he did.
Because after that night, something changed.
I told myself it was nothing—that the way he smirked when he caught me watching was just amusement. That he didn’t think of me beyond being Henry Carter’s daughter. But the more I watched him, the more I began to wonder.
There was something about him—an untouchable presence, a command over the room that no one dared to challenge. Every time he walked through the door, the air around me felt heavier, charged with something unspoken.
And I wanted it.
I wanted him.
It was reckless, inappropriate, but the thrill of the forbidden made it impossible to stop.
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A Dangerous Invitation
One Friday evening, my father hosted a gathering at our estate. It was a formal event, filled with men in tailored suits and women in glittering gowns, sipping champagne as they discussed business and power.
I wasn’t supposed to be there.
But I was.
Dressed in an elegant navy-blue dress that hugged my figure, I moved through the crowd, searching for only one man.
And then I saw him.
Liam stood near the grand fireplace, talking to a group of powerful men. His presence was effortless, his navy suit perfectly tailored to his strong, lean frame. A crystal glass of bourbon rested in his hand, his fingers wrapped around it with quiet authority.
But it was his expression that undid me.
He was unreadable. Calm. In control.
Like nothing in this world could shake him.
And then, as if sensing my presence, he turned.
Our eyes met.
The air between us tightened, the sound of laughter and conversation fading into the background.
He didn’t smile.
He didn’t look away.
He just… watched me.
And in that moment, I knew—he saw me. Not as Henry Carter’s daughter. Not as some foolish teenage girl.
But as a woman.
A slow, deliberate heat spread through me.
I lifted my chin, daring to hold his gaze longer than I should have.
Then, without thinking, I stepped closer.
---
Playing With Fire
I should have walked away.
But I didn’t.
I moved through the crowd, my heart pounding, my pulse quickening as I approached him.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Just stood there, watching, waiting.
“Enjoying the party?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.
A ghost of a smirk crossed his lips. “I don’t attend these for enjoyment.”
“Then why come?”
His gaze flickered to my father across the room. “Loyalty.”
Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine.
He was a man of control. Discipline. But beneath that… there was something else. Something untamed.
And for the first time, I wanted to be the one to unravel it.
“Loyalty is important,” I murmured, tilting my head. “But so is pleasure.”
A flicker of something dark passed through his eyes.
A warning.
I should have heeded it.
But I didn’t.
Because for the first time in my life, I had his full attention.
And I wasn’t going to let it go.
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A Moment Stolen in the Dark
The night deepened, and the guests began to drift into the garden, leaving the main hall quieter. I wandered through the dimly lit corridors of our estate, knowing exactly who I wanted to find.
And I did.
Liam was standing on the balcony, his back to me, looking out over the city lights.
For a moment, I just watched him.
Watched the way his shoulders tensed as if carrying the weight of an empire. Watched the way the night breeze ruffled his dark hair.
Then, as if he had sensed me, he spoke.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it.
I stepped closer. “Why not?”
He turned, his gaze locking onto mine. “Because you don’t understand what you’re playing with.”
My heart pounded.
Oh, but I did.
And I wasn’t afraid.
Not of him.
Not of the consequences.
Because for the first time in my life, I was exactly where I wanted to be.
With him.
And nothing—not my father, not society, not the rules of the world—was going to stop me.
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- Writer
