Chapter 5 Eyes That Burned Gold

~Anna pov~

“I’m taking five minutes before my feet officially file for divorce,” I groaned, setting my tray down behind the bar.

Mara laughed while polishing glasses. “Your feet aren’t the problem, your problem is six foot four of billionaire energy upstairs.”

I rolled my eyes hard enough to hurt. “Please stop talking.”

The other waitresses knowing snickers followed me down the hallway, but the laughter died the moment I stepped into the quiet corridor. The bass from the club throbbed like a distant heartbeat through the walls, but here it felt too still and isolated, a cold shiver raced down my spine, I glanced back it was empty, still, the hairs on my arms stood on end as I pushed open the restroom door. Bright lights stung my eyes. I gripped the sink, staring at my flushed reflection.

“You need to calm the hell down,” I whispered.

But the memory of Cassian’s dark gaze tracking me all night refused to leave. The way his voice dropped when he said my name. The raw, terrifying certainty in every word, I splashed cold water on my face, took a shaky breath, and turned toward the door, a tall shadow waited just outside my heart slammed against my ribs.

“Hello?” I called, voice thinner than I wanted.

Silence, the shadow didn’t move, every instinct screamed danger, I reached for the handle slowly, a large hand slammed against the door, forcing it shut with a heavy thud, I gasped.

Cassian Sinclair filled the doorway like a storm barely contained in human skin. His massive frame blocked every escape, shoulders tense, jaw clenched. The dim golden lights carved sharp shadows across his face, but it was his eyes that stole the air from my lungs, they glowed faint, molten gold flickering beneath black pupils like living fire.

“What are you doing?” I breathed.

He said nothing at first, just stared with that unnerving, predatory focus, heat rolled off his body in waves, thick and heavy, making the small room feel like a furnace, I stepped back until my hips hit the sink, Cassian’s eyes tracked the movement like a hunter.

“You’re afraid,” he said, low and rough, the disappointment in his voice twisted something deep in my stomach.

“I should be,” I whispered. “Your eyes… what’s wrong with your eyes?”

The glow intensified, a low rumbling sound vibrated from his chest, almost a growl.

“My dragon wants you.”

The words hit like a spark on dry tinder. I laughed, a nervous, broken sound. “You’re joking, tell me you’re joking.”

He didn’t, he stepped closer instead, the temperature spiked. My skin prickled as invisible heat licked over me, curling low in my belly like liquid fire. My nipples tightened painfully against my uniform.

“Cassian—”

He moved faster than should’ve been possible. One second he stood across the small room, the next his body caged mine against the sink. His huge hands gripped the counter on either side of me, trapping me without touching yet.

“You feel it,” he growled against my ear, breath scorching. “Every time I look at you. Every time I get close. Your body answers mine.”

A violent shiver ripped through me. I pressed my thighs together, but that only made the growing ache worse.

“I don’t—”

His nose brushed along my jaw, inhaling deeply. A rough, hungry sound tore from his throat. “Liar, I can smell how wet you already are.”

My knees nearly buckled, before I could respond, his mouth crashed down on mine it wasn’t gentle, It was claiming, his lips were burning hot, tongue demanding entrance as he devoured me. I whimpered into his mouth and he swallowed the sound, deepening the kiss until my head spun. One of his hands finally left the counter to grip my hip, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise as he pulled me flush against his massive body.

God, he was hard, the thick length of him pressed against my stomach like a brand, I moaned, Cassian tore his mouth from mine only to drag his lips down my throat, teeth scraping over my racing pulse. He sucked hard on the sensitive spot beneath my ear, and my back arched involuntarily, pushing my breasts against his chest.

“Fuck,” he rasped, voice distorted with something inhuman. “You taste like you were made for me.”

His free hand slid up my side, palming my breast through my top and squeezing. His thumb circled my stiff nipple roughly, sending sharp bolts of pleasure straight to my core. I gasped, fingers fisting in his expensive shirt, another wave of that strange, overwhelming heat crashed over me, It felt like his fire was sinking under my skin, licking through my veins, making every nerve ending scream for more.

“Cassian—oh God—”

He ground his hips against me in slow, filthy circles, letting me feel exactly how much he wanted me, the pressure against my clit through our clothes was maddening, not enough, never enough, his glowing eyes locked on mine as he slipped his hand under my skirt, fingers tracing the edge of my soaked panties.

“So fucking wet for a monster,” he murmured darkly, voice laced with dark satisfaction. He pressed two thick fingers against my aching center, rubbing slow, teasing strokes over the fabric. “Your body knows what I am. It’s begging for me.”

I whimpered, hips jerking against his hand, chasing the pleasure he kept just out of reach, he leaned in, lips brushing mine. “Tell me to stop, Anna. Tell me you don’t want my dragon to ruin you.”

I couldn’t, the words wouldn’t come and for the dragon claim it was funny that he was comparing himself with a dragon, Instead I kissed him again, desperate, messy and hungry, Cassian growled into my mouth, the sound vibrating through my entire body as his fingers finally pushed beneath my panties and stroked my slick folds.

A loud knock suddenly echoed down the hallway.

“Boss? We have a problem upstairs.”

Cassian cursed viciously against my lips, forehead pressed to mine, his fingers stilled, but he didn’t pull them away, the golden fire in his eyes raged brighter.

“You need to stay away from me,” he said, voice raw.

I rocked against his hand once, shameless, before I could stop myself.

His jaw flexed. “Can you do that?”

The hunger in his eyes was terrifying, and I knew my answer before I even whispered it.

“No."

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Chapters

1. Chapter 1 Betrayal

2. Chapter 2 Stepping Into The Unknown

3. Chapter 3 I Met A god

4. Chapter 4 Hungry Eyes and Filthy Promises

5. Chapter 5 Eyes That Burned Gold

6. Chapter 6 The moment I stepped back behind the bar, Mara’s eyes widened dramatically. “Well?” she demanded instantly. “Why do you look like you just witnessed the gates of hell open?” I grabbed the counter for support, still trying to steady my breathing. “I…” My voice came out weak. “I think there’s something seriously wrong with Cassian Sinclair.” Lila raised an eyebrow while arranging bottles. “Sweetheart, everyone already knows that.” “No,” I whispered, shaking my head slowly. “You don’t understand.” Because how exactly was I supposed to explain what had just happened in that restroom hallway, how could I tell them his eyes had glowed like molten gold in the dark, that heat had wrapped around my body every time he stepped closer, that he had looked at me like something inside him wanted to consume me whole? My stomach tightened violently at the memory, Mara frowned now, immediately noticing the fear on my face. “Anna,” she said softer this time. “What happened?” Before I could answer, my eyes instinctively lifted toward the private VIP floor upstairs, toward the dark balcony where Cassian had been sitting earlier, it was empty, my heartbeat stumbled strangely, gone, I wasn’t sure why disappointment hit me so quickly after everything that had happened downstairs, maybe because some reckless part of me still wanted to see him again tonight despite how terrified he had made me feel, Lila noticed immediately and smirked knowingly. “You just missed them.” I blinked. “What?” “Sinclair and his people left like a minute ago,” she explained while wiping the counter. “Apparently the woman with them got drunk and started causing chaos upstairs.” Mara snorted loudly. “Not chaos.” “Oh, absolutely chaos,” Lila laughed. “Screaming at security, throwing a champagne glass, threatening somebody in Italian, honestly it was impressive.” I frowned slightly, I had forgotten about the woman, something uncomfortable twisted unexpectedly inside my chest. “That woman was with Cassian?” I asked before I could stop myself. Mara immediately gasped dramatically. “Oh my God,” she whispered loudly. “Was that jealousy I just heard?” “It was not jealousy.” Lila gave me a look that said she absolutely did not believe me, the strange tightness in my chest worsened, which was ridiculous, Cassian Sinclair was nothing to me just a mysterious billionaire with glowing eyes and a possible mental illness involving dragons, that should have been enough to erase any attraction immediately, Instead, my stupid brain kept replaying the way he had looked at me in the hallway. My dragon wants you, God, even remembering the words made heat creep across my skin again. “You’re pale,” Mara said suddenly. “I’m fine.” “You look like you’re about to pass out.” Before I could answer, Lila suddenly reached beneath the counter and dropped something thick in front of me, my eyes widened instantly, Cash, stacks of it, I stared at the money in complete shock. “What is this?” Mara burst out laughing immediately. “Oh my God.” Lila leaned casually against the bar. “Your billionaire left it.” I looked at her sharply. “Don’t call him that.” “Why? Is mysterious hot billionaire with glowing eyes too long?” My heart nearly stopped. “You saw his eyes?” “What?” Lila frowned. Relief hit me instantly. “No— nothing.” God, I needed sleep or therapy or both. Lila pushed the money closer toward me. “Sinclair told us it was for you.” I stared at the thick stacks nervously. “There’s no way I can take this.” “Anna,” Mara deadpanned, “that pile probably costs less than one of that man’s watches.” “That’s not the point.” “Then what is the point?” Lila asked. “Because if some hot billionaire wanted to throw money at me, I’d already be halfway to the bank.” I ignored her, still staring uneasily at the cash, it was too much, far too much and somehow that scared me, because nothing about Cassian Sinclair felt simple, not his attention, not his words not even the way he looked at me like he already knew something I didn’t. “You should keep it,” Mara said gently this time. I looked at her. “You told me your mom's landlord’s have been threatening your mom again.” Pain twisted quietly in my chest, right, home, the tiny house back in Maplewood, the overdue rent notices, My mother pretending everything was okay even when I caught her crying at night, Lily trying to smile through everything despite being only thirteen, guilt hit me immediately, because while I had been here obsessing over a dangerous man, my family was still struggling back home, I slowly looked back down at the money, this amount could help them breathe again at least temporarily. “We don’t even know why he gave me this,” I whispered uneasily. Mara folded her arms. “Trust me, rich men don’t drop stacks of cash unless they’re interested.” “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” “Honestly? No.” Lila laughed loudly, I exhaled shakily before carefully picking up the money, my hands trembled slightly not from excitement but from fear, because accepting this somehow felt bigger than money, it was like stepping unknowingly into something dangerous, something that would change my life whether I wanted it to or not, and deep down I already knew it had started the moment Cassian Sinclair looked at me. “You should send some home tomorrow,” Mara said quietly now. I nodded immediately. “Yes.” Emotion tightened my throat unexpectedly. “My mom’s been struggling to pay for Lily’s school supplies,” I admitted softly. “And rent is already late.” Mara’s expression softened. “Then stop feeling guilty.” I swallowed hard, blinking away sudden emotion, for the first time in weeks, maybe I could actually help them, maybe my mother wouldn’t have to pretend everything was fine anymore, maybe Lily could finally have something good happen after losing Dad, the thought alone made my chest ache painfully. “I’ll transfer most of it in the morning,” I whispered. Lila whistled softly while eyeing the cash again. “Sweetheart, with the amount he left, you might accidentally buy your entire hometown.” I almost laughed but something still unsettled me deeply, because men like Cassian Sinclair did not do things without reason and somehow… I had the terrifying feeling this wasn’t generosity. It was the beginning of something. Something dark. Something consuming. Something I was already falling too deeply into to escape. Far upstairs in the empty shadows of Inferno Club, I could still feel his presence lingering around me like invisible fire. And no matter how hard I tried pretending otherwise… A part of me was already waiting for him to come back.

7. Chapter 7 The Woman Who Wanted a King

8. Chapter 8 Monsters at the Door

9. Chapter 9 The Dragon King’s Wrath