Chapter Six: Elysium

The bass throbbed through the walls of Elysium like a living pulse, heavy and seductive, vibrating in Ayan’s chest as he stepped inside. The club was bathed in deep violet light, shadows flickering across mirrored walls, bodies swaying in time to music that seemed designed to erode inhibitions. Every corner glimmered with wealth and secrecy—crystal glasses, champagne, diamond cuffs on manicured wrists.

But none of it mattered. His eyes were searching for her.

And then he found her.

Saba emerged from the crowd like a vision sculpted for sin. Her dress was a liquid shimmer of midnight silk, clinging to every curve as though poured over her body. A thigh-high slit revealed smooth, endless legs, the kind that could ruin a man’s resolve with a single step. Her neckline plunged daringly, drawing attention to the swell of her breasts, the fabric daring him to imagine what lay beneath.

For a moment, Ayan forgot to breathe. Heat coiled low in his stomach as his eyes traced the slow sway of her hips. She saw him, of course she did, and her lips curved into a sly, devastating smile that told him she’d planned every detail of this entrance.

When she reached him, he leaned down, close enough to catch the jasmine-and-musk heat of her perfume. “Saba,” he murmured, his voice roughened by desire. “Do you always dress like this when you plan to kill a man?”

Her smile deepened, her gaze locking onto his as though she were testing how much fire he could withstand. “Only the ones who deserve it.”

Ayan chuckled low, stepping closer until the line of her thigh brushed his. “If this is punishment,” he whispered, his lips hovering by her ear, “I can’t wait to see your rewards.”

She tilted her head slightly, her breath grazing his jaw, and the contact was enough to make his pulse race. Then she pulled back, eyes glittering with mischief, and slipped past him onto the dance floor.

Ayan followed, weaving through the crowd until he caught her by the waist. The silk of her dress slid under his palm, warm from her body. He pulled her close, the beat of the music pressing them together.

Her back arched against his chest, her hips rolling with the rhythm. He groaned softly, feeling the slow grind of her body against his. Leaning down, his lips brushed the shell of her ear as he whispered, “Careful, Saba. If you keep moving like that, I might embarrass us both right here.”

She laughed, low and throaty, deliberately grinding harder against him. “Then you’ll just have to learn control, won’t you?”

His hand slid lower, resting at the curve of her hip, fingers teasing dangerously near the slit of her dress. “You’re cruel,” he muttered, pressing a little closer. “Do you know how badly I want to tear this fabric off and discover if you’re wearing anything underneath?”

Her reply was a whispered purr, timed perfectly with the sway of her body. “Maybe you should earn the right to find out.”

The tease only sharpened his hunger. He spun her gently to face him, his hands bracketing her waist. Their eyes locked, and for a heartbeat the world vanished—the crowd, the music, the lights—leaving only the electric pull between them. Her lips hovered a breath away from his, glossy and parted.

Ayan leaned in, his voice a husky growl. “You’re playing with fire, Saba. I want to taste you so badly it hurts.”

Her nails grazed lightly down his chest, through the thin fabric of his shirt, stopping just above his belt. “Then hurt a little longer,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming. “It makes the fire burn hotter.”

The words sent a shiver racing down his spine. She was too close—close enough that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips, close enough that one slip would collapse the distance. But she held him there, suspended, feeding the hunger without giving him release.

He laughed softly, the sound dark, hungry. “You’re going to ruin me tonight.”

Her smile was wicked. “That’s the idea.”

And with that, she turned in his arms, pressing her backside firmly against him, rolling her hips in time with the pounding bass. His grip tightened reflexively on her waist, his body responding shamelessly, his breath hot against her neck.

The kiss would come. They both knew it. But not yet.

Not while the tease was still this delicious.