All Chapters of Ruthless Desires: Chapter 1 - Chapter 3

(POV Anna)The bass pounded through my body, a relentless, pulsing beat that made it impossible to think. Club Lux wasn’t just loud; it was deafening. Every thrum of music vibrated through my bones, the sound rattling in my head like it was trying to shake loose my sanity. The strobe lights—blue, gold, and sharp enough to cut—flashed across the glossy black floors, and the whole place reeked of wealth and indulgence. Polished leather booths, a mile-long bar glowing like liquid silver, and patrons draped in designer everything. This wasn’t my world, not even close.But for the right paycheck, I was willing to survive in it.“Table four, Anna! Move your ass!”I bit the inside of my cheek and adjusted the tray of drinks balanced on my arm. Callie’s shrill voice grated like nails on a chalkboard, but I kept my face neutral. No use arguing. I had bigger problems than her. Lily’s medical bills weren’t going to pay themselves.“On it,” I muttered, more to myself than to her.Weaving through

(POV Dominic)The moment Anna Rodriguez walked into Club Lux, the night changed.I felt it in my chest before I even saw her—this shift in the air, like the room itself held its breath. It was impossible to mistake her. Even after five years, she still moved with that same grace, the same fire simmering beneath the surface, though she tried to bury it under a polished smile and tired eyes.I hadn’t expected to see her tonight—or ever again, for that matter. I didn’t believe in fate, but if I did, it would look like this: Anna stumbling back into my orbit as though the last five years hadn’t existed. As though she hadn’t walked out of my life without so much as a goodbye.I leaned back in my seat, my fingers drumming lazily against the leather booth. I let my gaze follow her, cold and deliberate. She looked different. Her long black hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail, though a few stray strands framed her face. She was thinner than I remembered, her cheekbones sharper, her shoulders