Chapter 16: The Consequences of Temptation

The moment Alessandro led her off the dance floor, Isla knew she had pushed him too far.

His grip on her waist was firm, his movements precise, controlled—but barely.

He was angry.

And Alessandro Romano angry was dangerous.

They moved through the grand hall, past the watchful eyes of the elite, until they reached the terrace doors. Without a word, Alessandro pushed them open, guiding her outside into the cool night air.

The heavy doors shut behind them, muffling the music, leaving them in tense silence under the moonlight.

Only then did Alessandro release her.

Only to turn on her with a look that sent a shiver down her spine.

"What the hell was that?" His voice was low, controlled, but there was a razor-sharp edge to it.

Isla lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated. "I was proving a point."

Alessandro stepped closer, his dark eyes flashing. "And what point was that?"

"That I don't belong to you."

The words hung between them, daring, defiant.

But instead of reacting with anger, Alessandro smirked. Slow. Dangerous.

"Is that so?"

Before she could respond, he closed the space between them in one deliberate step.

His presence was overwhelming, his scent—dark, masculine, intoxicating—making her pulse jump.

"You think dancing with another man proves something?" he murmured, his voice pure sin. "That it gives you control?"

Isla swallowed hard, refusing to break eye contact. "I think it got under your skin."

Alessandro let out a soft, dark chuckle. "Cara mia, you're playing with fire."

His fingers brushed against her wrist, trailing up the bare skin of her arm, slow, deliberate.

A warning.

A threat.

A temptation.

Isla's breath hitched, but she forced herself to stand her ground. "Maybe I like the burn."

His smirk faded. His hand slid to her jaw, tilting her face up toward his.

"You're testing me," he murmured. "And I'm warning you now—you won't like the consequences."

Her heart pounded against her ribs.

She should push him away. She should stop this before it went too far.

But she didn't.

Instead, she held his gaze, lips parting slightly as heat coiled low in her stomach.

"What if I do?"

Alessandro inhaled sharply. For the first time, his control wavered—just for a second.

Then, with a quiet curse, he closed the distance between them, his lips crashing against hers.

The kiss wasn't soft. It wasn't careful.

It was a punishment.

A battle for dominance, for control, for something deeper neither of them dared to name.

His hands gripped her waist, pulling her flush against him, and she felt every inch of his power, his possession, his claim.

Isla gasped against his mouth, her fingers twisting into the lapels of his jacket. She should stop this. She should—

A sharp click sounded from behind them.

The terrace doors.

They weren't alone.

Alessandro tore his lips from hers, spinning toward the sound, his body shifting instinctively in front of hers.

Isla's head was spinning, her breathing uneven as she tried to collect herself.

But when she saw who stood in the doorway, her stomach dropped.

Valeria.

And the look on her face was pure amusement.

"Well," Valeria purred, crossing her arms. "That was quite the performance."

Isla's heart pounded.

Alessandro's expression hardened, his jaw tightening. "What do you want, Valeria?"

She smirked, tilting her head slightly. "Oh, don't stop on my account. I just came to tell you that our gracious host would like a word."

Alessandro exhaled through his nose, his grip on Isla's wrist tightening for half a second before he released her completely.

"I'll be there in a moment."

Valeria's gaze flicked between them, her lips curling in something close to victory.

With one last lingering glance at Isla, she turned and disappeared back inside.

The moment she was gone, Alessandro turned back to Isla, his dark eyes unreadable.

"This isn't over," he murmured.

Isla's pulse jumped.

But before she could respond, before she could process what had just happened, Alessandro was gone.

Leaving her standing in the moonlight—lips swollen, breath uneven, and a terrifying realization settling in her chest.

She had played with fire.

And now she was burning.