Craving The Forbidden Touch
img img Craving The Forbidden Touch img Chapter 5 Five
5
Chapter 11 Eleven img
Chapter 12 Twelve img
Chapter 13 Thirteen img
Chapter 14 Fourteen img
Chapter 15 Fifteen img
Chapter 16 Sixteen img
Chapter 17 Seventeen img
Chapter 18 Eighteen img
Chapter 19 Nineteen img
Chapter 20 Twenty img
Chapter 21 Twenty one img
Chapter 22 Twenty two img
Chapter 23 Twenty three img
Chapter 24 Twenty four img
Chapter 25 Twenty five img
Chapter 26 Twenty six img
Chapter 27 Twenty seven img
Chapter 28 Twenty eight img
Chapter 29 Twenty nine img
Chapter 30 Thirty img
Chapter 31 Thirty one img
Chapter 32 Thirty two img
Chapter 33 Thirty three img
Chapter 34 Thirty four img
Chapter 35 Thirty five img
Chapter 36 Thirty six img
Chapter 37 Thirty seven img
Chapter 38 Thirty eight img
Chapter 39 Thirty nine img
Chapter 40 Forty img
Chapter 41 Forty one img
Chapter 42 Forty two img
Chapter 43 Forty three img
Chapter 44 Forty four img
Chapter 45 Forty five img
Chapter 46 Forty six img
Chapter 47 Forty seven img
Chapter 48 Forty eight img
Chapter 49 Forty nine img
Chapter 50 Fifty img
Chapter 51 Fifty one img
Chapter 52 Fifty two img
Chapter 53 Fifty three img
Chapter 54 Fifty four img
Chapter 55 Fifty five img
Chapter 56 Fifty six img
Chapter 57 Fifty seven img
Chapter 58 Fifty eight img
Chapter 59 Fifty nine img
Chapter 60 Sixty img
Chapter 61 Sixty one img
Chapter 62 Sixty two img
Chapter 63 Sixty three img
Chapter 64 Sixty four img
Chapter 65 Sixty five img
Chapter 66 Author Ending Note img
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Chapter 5 Five

Damian Sinclair didn't chase women.

They came to him-drawn in by his wealth, his power, the dangerous edge that made him irresistible. He had never had to work for attention, never had to wait.

But Isla?

She wasn't like the others.

And that both infuriated and intrigued him.

Since that first night on the balcony, she had occupied too much of his mind. He hated it. Hated that no matter how much he tried to focus on business, on the high-stakes deals that built his empire, his thoughts kept drifting back to her. The way she had challenged him, pushed back against his words instead of falling for his usual charm.

Most people wanted something from him-money, power, connections.

But Isla had walked away that night, leaving him with nothing but a lingering curiosity that refused to fade.

Damian wasn't used to being ignored.

Which was why, two weeks later, he found himself at an exclusive gala, scanning the crowd for her.

The event was hosted by one of his business associates, an evening of luxury and excess meant to showcase new partnerships and investments. But Damian wasn't here for business. Not tonight.

He was here for her.

And then he saw her.

Isla stood near the edge of the ballroom, wearing a deep emerald dress that clung to her in all the right ways. The dim lighting cast a warm glow over her skin, making her look almost untouchable. Almost.

Damian wasn't a man who hesitated, but something about Isla made him want to take his time.

He watched as she engaged in conversation with a man he didn't recognize-tall, dark-haired, too close. Damian clenched his jaw, the unfamiliar bite of jealousy curling in his chest. He had no right to feel possessive over her. She wasn't his.

Yet.

Without thinking, he crossed the room, his presence commanding enough that people instinctively stepped aside.

When he reached her, he placed a hand on her lower back, leaning in just enough to make his presence known. "Isla."

She stiffened for a fraction of a second before turning to face him. Her expression was unreadable, but he didn't miss the flicker of something in her eyes.

Surprise. Awareness.

"Damian," she said smoothly, her voice giving nothing away.

The man she had been speaking to looked between them before excusing himself, clearly sensing the shift in energy. Damian didn't acknowledge him-his focus was solely on her.

"You've been avoiding me," he murmured.

Isla raised a brow. "And what makes you think that?"

He smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Because I haven't seen you in two weeks."

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "I wasn't aware we had plans."

Damian chuckled, enjoying the way she never gave in easily. "No, but we should have."

She studied him for a moment, as if debating whether to entertain this conversation. "What do you want, Damian?"

He reached for a champagne flute from a passing waiter, handing it to her before taking one for himself. "A dance."

She hesitated. "I don't dance."

"Liar."

A challenge sparked in her eyes, but before she could refuse, he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.

The music was slow, seductive. He pulled her close, his hand resting at the small of her back, guiding her effortlessly. She moved with him, matching his steps, her body fitting against his in a way that felt almost natural.

Too natural.

"This isn't fair," she murmured, her voice softer now.

"What isn't?"

She exhaled slowly, as if trying to steady herself. "You."

A dark satisfaction curled inside him. "Because you want me?"

Her fingers tightened slightly against his shoulder, but she didn't pull away. "Because you know I do."

Damian's grip on her waist tightened. "Then why fight it?"

She looked up at him then, her eyes filled with something unreadable. "Because you ruin everything you touch."

He should have been offended. Should have been angry.

But all he felt was want.

Because Isla wasn't wrong.

And yet, he couldn't let her go.

Not now. Not ever.

---

The moment the dance ended, Isla stepped back, putting space between them as if she needed it to breathe.

Damian let her go-for now.

"You didn't answer my question," he said smoothly, watching the way her fingers tightened around the stem of her champagne flute.

She took a slow sip, her eyes never leaving his. "Which one?"

"Why fight this?"

She exhaled, looking away for a moment. "Because we want different things, Damian."

"Do we?"

"Yes." Her voice was steady, but there was something in her expression that told him she wasn't as certain as she pretended to be. "You're used to getting what you want, and I refuse to be another one of your conquests."

His lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk. "Who says you would be?"

She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "We both know how this ends. You don't do relationships. And I don't do casual."

Damian studied her, intrigued by the way she always seemed to keep him on his toes. "Maybe you're wrong about me."

Isla arched a brow. "Am I?"

He stepped closer again, closing the space she had just created. "Yes." His fingers brushed against her wrist, the same way they had that night on the balcony. "Because if this was just about casual desire, I wouldn't still be thinking about you two weeks later."

That made her pause. He saw the flicker of hesitation in her eyes, the way her breath hitched just slightly.

Good.

He wasn't the only one affected.

But before he could push further, someone interrupted.

"Damian."

He turned, his expression cooling as he faced the source of the voice. Katherine Vale

His rival

Katherine was as sharp as she was beautiful, her dark eyes scanning the scene with quiet interest. She wasn't just here for socializing-she was here for information. And right now, Isla was the subject of her curiosity.

"I see you've been keeping interesting company," Katherine mused, her gaze flickering to Isla.

Isla, to her credit, didn't look intimidated. She met Katherine's stare evenly before glancing back at Damian. "I should go."

He caught her wrist before she could leave. "Don't."

Isla hesitated, but something in her expression shifted. As if she realized that if she stayed, she would be crossing a line she wasn't sure she was ready for.

She gently pulled her hand away. "Goodnight, Damian."

And just like that, she was gone.

Damian exhaled sharply, watching as she disappeared into the crowd.

Katherine tilted her head. "You're in trouble."

He smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Probably."

But for the first time in a long time, he didn't care.

Because Isla wasn't just another passing distraction.

She was a challenge.

And Damian Sinclair never walked away from a challenge.

            
            

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