Chapter 1
Title: Ashes \u0026 Lace
Source: Inkitt (https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1536503)
Author: NanoRead
Category: Inkitt · Romantica & Steamy
Synopsis/Opening: Maya Brooks never belonged at that party. A borrowed collar, a borrowed card, and one reckless choice dropped her into the circle of Miami’s most dangerous men. She expected to serve drinks. She didn’t expect to catch the eye of Leonid Vilkof. Leonid is more than a billionaire. More than the ruthless mind behind V Corporation. He’s a predator with a business drenched in secrets, a man the sharks of Miami fear—and Maya’s defiance makes her irresis
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### Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Maya Brooks never belonged at that party. A borrowed collar, a borrowed card, and one reckless choice dropped her into the circle of Miami’s most dangerous men. She expected to serve drinks. She didn’t expect to catch the eye of Leonid Vilkof.
Leonid is more than a billionaire. More than the ruthless mind behind V Corporation. He’s a predator with a business drenched in secrets, a man the sharks of Miami fear—and Maya’s defiance makes her irresistible to him. What begins as punishment turns into obsession. He takes her harder than she’s ever known, over and over, but no matter how deep he claims her body, he can’t shake the truth: Maya might be his greatest weakness.
Drawn into his world of power, deals, and blood-stained loyalty, Maya is torn between fear and desire. Samuel, her sweet colleague, offers safety—but his jealousy may be the betrayal that destroys her. Because in Leonid’s world, love is dangerous, and trust can kill.
Between brutal passion and tender vulnerability, between the neon heat of Miami nights and the cold glare of power, Maya and Leonid find themselves spiraling into something neither of them can control.
And once you step into the circle, there’s no way out.
🔥 Dark. Romantic. Addictive.
Perfect for fans of Scarface meets 365 Days—a dangerous love story that blurs the line between punishment and obsession, lust and surrender.
Complete Chapters 43
Rating 4.9 ( 113 reviews ) Age Rating 18+
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Chapter 1
Maya Brooks adjusted the stack of fresh flyers on her desk, the smell of ink still sharp. Sleek designs, bold lines. Her work.
At twenty-eight, and though her calm exterior suggested stability, her past was heavy with scars.
Two years ago she had been caught in a scandal that shook one of the biggest marketing firms in the city. It left her reputation in pieces, her confidence cracked. But Orion Distribution offered her a lifeline — a place where she could rebuild quietly. Since joining them, she had lived in peace, far away from the whispers and betrayals of her old world.
She was stunning — a woman who made heads turn the moment she entered a room. Half Peruvian, half Italian, she carried a rare mix of elegance and natural sensuality. Her golden skin seemed to glow under any light, her dark hair tumbled in waves down her back, and her hazel eyes were deep and arresting. With a body to die for, she was impossible to overlook, a presence that lingered in the mind long after she was gone.
Yet Maya considered her beauty a curse.
It had brought her more trouble than joy, trapping her in shallow relationships with men who never cared for her feelings. She feared falling for another man who would only use her, and her lack of self‑confidence showed in the way she tried to blend into the background, eager to disappear as soon as she could.
That was exactly why Orion Distribution felt perfect — a place where no one expected glamour.
Specializing in car parts distribution, the company was far removed from the glossy world of her past. She had landed the job through her stepfather, a devoted mechanic who vouched for her, and it had given her the anonymity and stability she craved. Even though she had graduated at the top of her promotion in marketing strategy and sales, her achievements felt distant now, tucked away behind the quiet anonymity she had chosen.
Jack’s heavy steps announced him before his voice. He leaned against her doorway, silver hair slicked back, tired eyes that had seen too many late nights in the car parts business. He wasn’t a bad boss — more fatherly than most.
“You saved us again,” he said, nodding at the designs. “This campaign? It’ll keep us afloat.”
She blushed a little, brushing it off. “It’s just marketing, Jack.”
“No,” he said softly, shaking his head. “It’s more than that.” His voice dropped, weary, almost confessional.
“I never had kids. And now I’m thinking about retiring, but… hell, Maya, your work makes me look forward to the future of this company. I don’t know if I’m ready to let go.”
She looked at him then, really looked. Vulnerability in a man who always tried to seem indestructible. A pang hit her chest. Was he already selling? The thought unsettled her, but she kept her face calm. “Whatever you choose, you’ll figure it out. You always do.”
Jack sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Whatever happens, Maya, the value of this company has increased exponentially since you joined two years ago. I’m grateful.”
She flushed, shy but also curious, and asked softly, “Have you… found a buyer?”
“Maybe,” he admitted, leaving it there. The words hung in the air, heavy. They both went silent — Maya reflecting on what would come next if Jack left the company. The idea of someone else taking over sent a chill through her; it would be horrible for her, shattering the fragile peace she had finally built.
Before the silence got too heavy, Samuel appeared. Tall, clean-cut, boyish smile. Papers in hand.
“Jack, need your signature on these bills.” His eyes lingered a moment too long on Maya. Not enough to be crude, just enough to make her aware.
Maya caught it, smiled faintly. Safe. Predictable. He had asked her for drinks before.
Maybe… maybe she should say yes one day.
Still, she knew Samuel was different from the others — respectful, patient, never pushing when she wasn’t willing. She could sense his genuine interest, but also his willingness to wait, to let her set the pace. That earned her trust, even if she wasn’t ready to give more.
Relationships still seemed far away, and she knew she wasn’t over the scandal that everyone at Orion had heard about. Jack had shielded her from the worst of the gossip, but behind closed doors she was certain people still whispered. She wasn’t sure what Samuel thought of it, but at least here she felt safe, cocooned from the brutal judgments of her past world.
Work ended with the fluorescent hum still in her ears.
By the time she stepped into the apartment, the air shifted. Music pulsed low from Kelly’s room, perfume hung in the hallway, and a pair of gold heels were already discarded by the sofa.
Their place was lived-in, messy but vibrant. Kelly’s cat, Sir Pounce, was sprawled across the couch like a king, tail flicking lazily.
Sienna breezed past in a black wrap dress, phone wedged between shoulder and ear, muttering about a client’s extensions. Her salon was just downstairs, her empire in progress. “Later,” she called, snatching her bag.
Kelly, all curves and glittery eyeliner, was perched on the counter with a glass of wine, eyes bright. “Later we’re going to a big party.” She grinned, feral and excited. “I’ll make more in one night than you do all year. Filthy rich, Maya. Filthy.”
Maya dropped her bag, amused but curious. “What even goes on at these things?”
Kelly winked. “Sex, money, and men who think they own the world. I get to choose. Half the time they’re young, beautiful, and stupid rich. Why not enjoy it?”
Maya laughed, but inside, she envied Kelly’s openness. Her ease with sex. Her lack of fear.
Her last time had been two years ago. She remembered the sharp ache in her chest more than the act itself — the way her old firm had chewed her up, the harassment that left scars, the boyfriend who hadn’t believed her. Who had told her not to talk. Then everything collapsed.
She stared into her tea, the hum of Kelly’s voice fading. If it wasn’t for Kelly pulling her out of that place, she would still be suffocating in silence.
When the scandal broke, Maya’s life collapsed almost overnight. Doors that had once been open slammed in her face, colleagues whispered behind her back, and her boyfriend — the man she thought would stand by her — kicked her out without hesitation. No one wanted the weight of her shame.
Kelly was the only one who stayed. She had known Maya since high school, growing up in the same neighborhood, walking the same cracked sidewalks, sharing the same bus rides. By the time Maya’s world fell apart, Kelly had already drifted into escort work after a couple of years in community college. She had seen enough of the underbelly of power to recognize the truth in Maya’s story. She didn’t need proof; she already knew the man Maya accused was capable of exactly the kind of abuse no one else wanted to believe.
Kelly introduced Maya to Sienna, the woman who had become her best friend. Sienna ran her own salon with fierce ambition, sharp nails, and a sharper tongue. She had dreams of climbing higher, finding her way into elite circles. Kelly and Sienna fit together naturally, partners in secrets and schemes, fire feeding fire.
When Maya had nowhere to go, it was Kelly who opened her door, and Sienna who carved out space for her in their lives. Their apartment was cramped, chaotic, sometimes empty for nights at a time, but for Maya it became a sanctuary. What she found there wasn’t just a roof over her head but a rare kind of loyalty — the kind she had never been given by blood or by lovers.
Her mind drifted to Samuel’s soft smile, the way his hand brushed hers when he passed her papers. Maybe dating again wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe safe was what she needed.
But deep down, she knew safe never set her on fire.
Sienna suddenly came back, moving quickly past Maya and Kelly. She went straight to the bathroom, the sound of the door slamming shut followed by harsh retching. She was sick, clearly unwell, throwing up. The vibrant energy of the apartment dimmed as concern replaced the easy chatter.
The girls pushed into the bathroom, the air thick with predigested smell. Sienna lay tangled on the toilet seat, her skin flushed, damp hair plastered to her temples. She coughed, weak and shaking. Panic snapped through the room.
“No, no, not tonight,” Kelly whispered hoarsely. “You can’t miss this. If you do… You’ll lose your spot. They’ll never invite you again.”
Sienna’s voice broke — fear not for herself, but for her place in that world. For her salon. For the connections she needed and the ones she built.
“I’m doomed,” Sienna muttered between shallow breaths, clutching the toilet.
Maya crouched down beside her, trying to help her stand, steadying her trembling body. “Sienna, you’re sick,” she whispered. “Why would that change your status at these parties?”
Kelly’s face was pale, worry twisting her expression. “You don’t understand, Maya. To get into this, it’s a long process — connections, tests, paperwork. These people don’t joke about who enters their space. If they even suspect betrayal, they can kill her.”
Maya’s heart thudded. “Who’s ‘they’?” she asked, voice low, dread creeping in.
Sienna tried to hold herself together, sweat dripping down her temples. “These people are something else. You don’t see them on Forbes lists, but they own everything.”
“Then why?” Maya pressed. “Why did you entangle yourself in this?”
Sienna gave a crooked, uneasy smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “Money, Maya. Connections and power. And now I’m going to lose everything — my salon, maybe even my life.”
“Don’t say that,” Maya urged, gripping her hand. “I’m sure there’ll be a solution. Can’t someone replace you?”
Kelly’s eyes burned, calculating. Then her gaze slid to Maya. “You’ll go.”
“What?” Maya’s voice pitched high. “Absolutely not. Are you insane?”
“Maya listen, this could be it. This time the theme is a masquerade. So you’re always masked,” Kelly said, her tone sharp, coaxing. “They’ll never know. You don’t have to touch anyone. Just serve drinks. That’s it.”
Maya shook her head, heart racing. “This is crazy. I don’t belong there.”
Sienna, pale and sweating, grabbed her wrist. “Please, Maya. Please. This is my business. If they blacklist me…” Her eyes shimmered, desperate. “You’re the only one who can help.”
Maya’s throat tightened. Fear clawed inside her — but guilt was stronger. She couldn’t let Sienna lose everything.
Kelly leaned in, her voice urgent, trying to convince Maya. “It’s the best way and the only way.”
Maya swallowed hard. “Why do I sense I’m getting into something dangerous?”
Sienna lifted her head, eyes bloodshot but voice steady. “Because it is dangerous. But you’re smart, Maya. You’ll get through it perfectly.”
Maya’s gaze flickered between the two of them, a strange current buzzing in her chest. Something was off, but also… exciting. Her life had been so bland, so monotone. Maybe a little danger could shake it. “I’ll go,” she said at last, her voice trembling.
Kelly smirked in triumph. “Who knows, maybe it’ll get you to embrace your sexuality again.”
Maya’s worry returned full force. “No one will force me, right?”
Kelly and Sienna exchanged a long look before Kelly spoke. “Listen carefully, Maya. This is a very private party. There will be around thirty‑five men and women — the richest on earth. Some are politicians, some businessmen, some… outlaws. Some are dangerous. Very dangerous.”
Maya’s breath caught; her stomach flipped. She was far from that world, and yet it suddenly loomed close.
Sienna, still weak but insistent, added, “It’s at a private estate. A car will come for us, a private commute. They’ll pick us up from a spot, but the windows are shaded. You won’t see the way. Once we’re there, you follow Kelly. Don’t leave her side.”
“All you have to do is wear a white collar. White means you’re a waitress for the night. You can refuse anyone who asks you for sexual favors. If you accept, they pay very well — but they can’t force you.”
Sienna’s tone dropped, warning heavy. “The only exception is the Circle. Five men at the center. They’re always served, always catered to. The girls around them are preselected. Stay away from them. If they want something from you… you’re obliged to obey.”
Maya’s breath hitched at the gravity of it, fear curling sharp inside her.
Kelly squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be around, shielding you. I’ve never seen them look down. Things just flow to them without asking.”
Maya’s chest tightened. She was scared now, every warning ringing inside her head — but she was willing to do it, if it meant saving her friend. She remembered her college years working tables, balancing trays and weaving through crowds. She could handle being a waitress again. Besides, the mask would help her. She had learned how to stay invisible in crowded places.
“Ok,” she said finally, her voice low but firm. “You owe me, Sienna.”
The girls brightened, relief flooding their faces. Sienna managed a grateful smile before bending back over the toilet, still retching.
“Disgusting,” Kelly muttered, wrinkling her nose.
The uniform lay across Sienna’s bed like a dare. Black lace underwear with a thin red ribbon at the front, stockings with garters that clung to thighs, a strapless black dress that revealed more than it hid.
Maya touched the white collar laid out on the bed.
White meant waitress. Safe — at least safer.
Maya slipped into it piece by piece, trembling.
Kelly painted her lips crimson, dragged a sharp black line across her eyelids, then fastened the lace mask over her eyes. Her reflection in the mirror startled her. Seductive. Dangerous. Not Maya Brooks, marketing girl. Someone else entirely.
“You’re perfect,” Kelly whispered.
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Maya sat pressed against the blackened window, her knees locked tight, the tray of nerves in her stomach sloshing like spilled champagne.
Kelly sat beside her, calm, almost bored, adjusting the lace of her mask. Her nails, painted crimson, tapped lightly against her thigh to the rhythm of the jazz leaking faintly from the driver’s radio.
The other girls in the bus—all masked, some laughing nervously, some already lounging like they’d done this a hundred times—didn’t even glance her way. She felt like she was glowing “imposter” in neon letters across her forehead.
I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here.
Kelly nudged her knee lightly. “Relax. You’ll be fine.”
Easy for her to say. Kelly wore danger like perfume. Maya wore her fear like a second skin.
The drive wound upward into shadow, trees swallowing the road until it opened into a clearing.
The estate loomed like something carved out of black marble — sprawling, lit by pools of golden light. Music throbbed faintly from within, the hum of bass mixing with the ocean breeze.
The bus stopped at a massive wrought-iron gate. The girls filed out, heels clicking on the cobblestone driveway.
Maya’s legs wobbled, but she forced herself forward, clutching her coat tight around her skimpy dress. She felt the air shift — like she was stepping into another universe where rules didn’t exist.
Two guards in black suits stepped up, rifles slung casually at their shoulders, their eyes sharp.
One boarded, holding a scanner.
One by one, the girls held out their laminated passes. Beep. Green light. Beep. Green light.
Maya’s fingers were slick with sweat when Kelly slipped her Sienna’s card.
“Hold it steady,” Kelly whispered.
Maya inhaled, lifted it. The scanner beeped. A pause. Her heart stopped—then a green light flashed.
She exhaled so hard it made her dizzy. The guard barely looked at her as he moved on.
Inside, a line of lockers waited. A staff instructed each group.
“Coat, bag, everything off. Only the dress, mask, and collar stay.”
Maya hesitated, but Kelly had already slipped her coat off and stuffed it inside. Maya copied her, folding her green coat neatly, trying to hide her trembling hands.
Another staff handed her a pinning number to fix on her dress. Maya’s fingers shook as the tag bit her skin.
The guard separated the girls with a white collar around their neck from the ones with the red ones.
Then Kelly smiled wickedly as she put her collar around her neck. Red.
“You—you didn’t tell me…” she whispered, staring at the bright slash of red against Kelly’s throat. “You’re not just waitressing?”
Kelly shrugged, casual. “It pays better.” She smirked, fixing her lipstick in the locker-room mirror.
Maya’s mouth went dry. She suddenly felt smaller in her skin.
Kelly touched her arm. “Don’t panic. Whatever happens, I’ll be watching.”
Maya swallowed hard and stepped forward.
They walked toward the double doors. Music pulsed louder, heat spilling from inside. Maya’s heart drummed so hard she swore the guards could hear it.
Kelly adjusted her mask, already wearing that sly smile like she owned the night. She glanced at Maya, whispered:
“Remember—head down, tray steady, eyes forward. Don’t say yes unless it’s one of them. ” Then she added smirking, “Or you want to.”
Maya’s hand went to her collar, fingers brushing the lace mask that itched against her cheeks. She wanted to rip both off and run.
But the doors swung open, spilling golden light and smoke and laughter.
Kelly stepped inside with ease, her red collar gleaming.
Her knees trembled. She couldn’t breathe.
You don’t belong here. You’ll be eaten alive.
The party space opened like a dream and a nightmare stitched together. Red carpets, golden lights, smoke curling above jazz chords.
The room was vast, tiered like an amphitheater, its velvet-red carpet soft under her boots. Jazz hummed from a live band on the stage — slow, sultry notes that curled into the air like a lover’s sigh.
The music throbbed low, a velvet hum under the crack of laughter and the clink of glasses. The room was dim, lit by red sconces that made every body gleam like lacquered bronze.
But it wasn’t the music that stopped her breath.
It was the bodies. Like entangled threads.
Women in lace masks and almost nothing else slithered between men in sharp suits, glasses of champagne balanced in their hands, lipstick staining their cigars. Girls laughed, moaned, danced in metal cages suspended from the ceiling. Some cages held one, some two — writhing against each other as bills rained down.
A woman was already sprawled across one table, skirt hiked up, a man thrusting into her while his friends drank around them, unfazed.
Nearby, a group had bent a girl over a table, her skirt pushed up, her body pinned as they took turns between her thighs, mouths pressed against her pussy one after another while the others laughed and urged each other on.
The sound was obscene: moans, laughter, the wet slap of skin against skin, all smothered beneath the velvet blanket of music.
Men in suits lounged with glasses of champagne, their laughter thick. Girls draped across laps, on tables, in cages that hung like gilded prisons, dancing bare and painted in sweat.
Maya froze. Her pulse beat low in her body.
She had never seen this much wealth, this much flesh, this much power in one room. It turned her stomach. It made her skin prickle. And disturbingly, somewhere deep, it aroused her.
One of the older staff — a woman with steel eyes and a clipboard — shoved a tray into her hands. “Flutes to the tables where it’s empty. Keep moving. No chatting unless asked.”
Maya nodded too quickly, clutching the tray like a shield.
Flutes of champagne glittered under the lights. Her old waitressing instincts took over, muscle memory moving her body through the crowd.
She wove between the tables, the hem of her short black dress brushing her thighs, the lace stockings biting into her skin. Her collar felt too tight, branding her, reminding her she wasn’t here by choice.
Stay low. Keep quiet. Just survive this night.
Maya clutched the tray of champagne flutes tighter, the glass stems rattling as she walked between the tables. But it was everywhere.
A girl straddled a man in a velvet armchair, his hand buried in her hair, her breasts bouncing freely as he thrust into her with abandon. Her moans were swallowed by the jazz band’s trumpet, but Maya could hear them anyway, raw and desperate.
To her left, two women kissed on the floor, lace masks slipping, hands roaming each other’s thighs as a group of men in tailored suits smoked cigars and watched, laughing, trading bills. One leaned forward, slipped a hundred into the waistband of one of the girls’ panties, and she didn’t even pause before crawling back to her lover’s mouth.
At another table, a woman knelt under the tablecloth, her head moving in steady rhythm as the man above her tipped back his whiskey. He caught Maya’s eyes when she passed, smirked, and didn’t break stride as he groaned, the girl swallowing every inch of him unseen except for the bulge pressing the fabric.
Her cheeks burned. She told herself not to look, to keep her eyes on the tray, but her gaze betrayed her. Every moan, every gasp, every laugh curled into her skin like smoke.
And she was adjusting to the ambiance, swallowing back bad memories as the atmosphere closed around her. She felt surrounded by sex, by bodies colliding, by laughter that sounded like hunger. Behind her trauma, though, something felt different. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it, embracing it without shame. And once again, Maya felt out of place — her brain recoiling even as her body betrayed her with contradictory reactions. A hand grazed her ass. Another stroked her arm as she passed and another hand brushed her thigh, then another tugged at a strand of her hair. She wanted to recoil, yet she forced a smile, masked, playing the part.
Kelly was already swallowed by it, her red collar gleaming like a scarlet flag. Maya caught a glimpse of her leaning close to a man twice her age, laughing at something he whispered, his hand bold against her thigh. Kelly winked at Maya from across the room before her dress slipped off her shoulder, revealing more than Maya ever thought she’d see in public.
Maya’s heart hammered. She wanted to run. But she couldn’t.
Kelly’s dress sliding down as a the man stuffed bills into her lingerie. Their eyes met again. Kelly mouthed: You’re doing great.
Maya forced a breath, moving through the tables. The deeper into the night, the louder the moans, the sloppier the laughter. Flesh tangled everywhere she looked. She should have felt disgust. But the room pulsed like a living thing, and some dark part of her let the current carry her.
The smell was thick—sweat, sex, perfume, smoke, and champagne.
Maya shifted, the collar tight against her throat, sweat prickling beneath her dress. She had never seen anything like it—not in films, not in fantasies. It was obscene, overwhelming… and yet her thighs pressed together beneath her skirt, the heat she couldn’t explain building low in her belly.
She told herself it was disgust. Fear. Shock.
But when a woman cried out in ecstasy just a few feet away, Maya felt her breath hitch, her pulse pounding harder.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself forward, tray balanced. Her hazel eyes flicked toward Kelly across the room. Kelly, now naked, was laughing, the man with her sucking on her breasts one at a time while Kelly arched against him, pulling up her own hair, clearly enjoying it. She caught Maya’s stare, smiled, and mouthed: You’re fine.
But Maya wasn’t fine. Every scene seared into her. Every groan, every thrust, every cry of pleasure or pain branded her nerves until she couldn’t tell where revulsion ended and something darker—something dangerous—began.
A raised dais, five red velvet chairs trimmed in gold. Five men — in tailored suits, cigars glowing.
Around them, two girls in red collars teased and writhed. Their laughter was sharper, crueler, than the rest of the room. Power sat thick in their posture.
One man fingered one of the girls lazily while still talking business, his rings gleaming as she writhed against him. Another bent his courtesan over the arm of his chair and took her in front of everyone, cigar clenched between his teeth, eyes locked on his fellow man as if daring him to flinch.
She knew the rules. She had to stay away. She promised herself she would.
And then her breath caught when she saw him.
On the dais, one man hadn’t joined the chaos. He sat back, smoking slow, his eyes sharp, detached. Watching. Assessing. The only man not distracted by the flesh offered to him.
In Maya’s eyes, he was unlike the others. He sat with a kind of stillness, his posture unshakably composed, as if the orgy around him was little more than background noise.
Something about him pulled at her — a magnetism she couldn’t name, curiosity tugging at her insides. While every other man gorged himself on flesh and spectacle, he remained unphased, smoking slow, gaze sharp, radiating a power that didn’t need to shout. It made her breath falter, as though the chaos bent around him rather than touched him.
And when his gaze finally landed on her, Maya’s whole body went cold.
He straightened slowly in his chair, setting the cigar aside with a precision that made the gesture feel like a ritual. His shoulders rolled back, the crisp lines of his white shirt shifting over his chest as though he were unfolding into his full size.
His white shirt was open at the collar, sleeves rolled back, showing strong forearms veined and tense, as though carved in marble. Broad shoulders filled the chair with quiet dominance, his frame all lean muscle under dark tailored trousers that rested low on his hips. His jaw was sharp, dusted with the shadow of stubble, and his mouth — firm, unsmiling — looked like it had been shaped for command.
Handsome wasn’t enough for him. He was dangerous, magnetic — the kind of beauty that burned when you looked too long, and she hated herself for not looking away.
But it was his eyes that pinned her, steel-gray and merciless, cutting through the haze of bodies and music. They stripped her without touching, cold and consuming, as if he already knew every inch of her.
His gaze locked into hers, unblinking — the kind of eyes that didn’t search, they seized. The room’s chaos blurred; all she saw was him, assessing her like prey that had wandered into his den. There was no mistaking it — he wasn’t just looking at her, he was claiming her in front of everyone, and it sent a pulse of heat down her spine she couldn’t control.
Fear jolted through her veins. She wanted to disappear, to melt back into the shadows. Forcing her breath steady, she dropped her eyes and hurried back to her duties, serving flutes, collecting empties. She tried hard to hide, to blend again into the crowd. But inside she knew it was already too late.
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Books that perform well based on their reader engagement are published on our Galatea app.
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