Chapter 8

• Chapter 8: Irresistibly Alluring
• Luca prides himself on control. In his treacherous world, control is not merely a virtue—it is power, and power is survival. Years of discipline have shaped him into a man whose emotions remain carefully contained behind an impenetrable facade. Yet, as Lena's delicate fingers trail against his chest, featherlight and teasing, he feels that meticulously maintained control slipping through his grasp like fine sand through desperate fingers.
• He clenches his jaw until a dull ache spreads through his temples, his body taut with tension as she continues her slow, deliberate assault on his patience. The silk of his designer shirt does little to mute the electric sensation of her touch—if anything, the barrier only heightens his awareness of each point of contact. Her eyes gleam with unmistakable amusement, the corner of her full lips curling into a knowing smirk as she watches the effect she has on him. The subtle changes in his breathing, the tightening of his jaw, the darkening of his eyes—nothing escapes her notice. She is enjoying this— relishing the way she is getting under his skin, peeling back layers he keeps fortified against the world.