Luna, an innocent young woman full of dreams, begins her first day of work in a sumptuous hotel in Las Vegas. She has no idea of the whirlwind of events that awaits her. As soon as she arrives, she meets the piercing gaze of Aurelius Voss, the mysterious alpha who reigns supreme over this glittering city. Suspecting Luna of being a spy sent by his rivals, he fixes her with a disturbing intensity that makes her shudder. The situation takes a dramatic turn when a former boyfriend of her cousin tries to rape her. In a heroic burst, Aurelius intervenes with brutal force and takes her into his tumultuous world, where the lights shine but the shadows hide unspeakable secrets. He swears to protect her at all costs, promising that no harm will befall her as long as he is there to watch over her. Now trapped in this dark and seductive world, Luna finds herself torn between fascination and fear. Aurelius is both her savior and her jailer. With every tender gesture and attention he gives her, he plays a dangerous game: he constantly reminds her to stay away from his heart, threatening to keep her captive in a labyrinth of obsessive love if she is not careful. As the days go by, Luna sinks deeper and deeper into this world where luxury rubs shoulders with danger. The feelings she develops for Aurelius become a burning fire that consumes her soul. But as their relationship becomes an explosive mix of passion and power, Aurelius also begins to feel emotions he thought were inaccessible. In this perilous power game where loyalty and betrayal intertwine, Luna must navigate between her all-consuming desires and the ever-present threats that weigh on them. Could their love save or destroy them both? The stakes have never been higher in this dance between passion and domination.
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
Luna pulled her suitcase behind her as she walked through the vast hotel lobby, intimidated by the grandeur of the place. She had never imagined working in such a sumptuous place. Every detail, from the glittering chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the thick carpets muffling her footsteps, exuded an almost unreal luxury. She felt tiny in this world. Yet she had decided that this would be a new beginning. After all, if she had left Chicago, it was not to continue looking back.
The receptionist smiled politely at him, handing him the magnetic key to his room. "Welcome to the Saphir Palace. Your room is on the 27th floor. Please feel free to call if you need anything."
Luna nodded her thanks, clutching the key in her sweaty hand. She wanted to rejoice at the opportunity, but her heart was beating too fast for anything but apprehension. This job was all she had. She had to succeed, to prove to herself that she could be more than what others had seen in her: a fragile young woman, scarred by family failures.
As she walked toward the elevator, a movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. It was fleeting, almost imperceptible, but enough to make her slow her pace. A man was walking through the lobby, his magnetic presence seeming to bend the space around him. He wasn't walking, he was moving, as if the floor were obeying him.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, he exuded an authority that required no words. Yet it wasn't his appearance that troubled her, but his gaze. When he met hers, a spark of intensity froze her in place. His eyes, a deep gray, seemed to peer directly into her soul.
" Excuse me. "
His voice snapped her out of her daze. She realized she had been standing there in the middle of the hall, her suitcase wedged between her legs. The man gave her a slight smile, more of a formality than a real expression. She blushed.
"Sorry," she whispered, moving aside to let him pass.
He nodded without another word and continued on his way. Still, Luna stood rooted to the spot, watching the way his gait imposed silence around him. The staff seemed to recognize him, lowering their heads slightly when he passed them. He had an aura of mystery and danger.
She finally came to her senses, quickly slipping into the elevator to escape her embarrassment. Once inside, she pressed the button for the 27th floor and let out a sigh. This was not the time to be distracted by strangers, no matter how fascinating they were.
In her room, Luna set her suitcase down by the bed and flopped down on the soft mattress. She closed her eyes, hoping the calm would last. But, as always, the memories she was trying to escape came back to haunt her. Her parents' constant arguments, their indifference when she tried to reunite them, and finally, their devastating divorce. Each memory was a cruel reminder of what she was trying to escape.
Shaking her head, she straightened up. This was no time to sink. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of something new. She had to focus on her work and leave no room for regrets.
The next morning, Luna put on her uniform with almost ritualistic precision. She wanted to make a good impression. Her hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail, her makeup discreet but present. As she descended to the staff floor, she felt a surge of anxiety. Everything was so vast, so different from what she had known before.
She was given a list of tasks, mostly in customer service. Greeting guests, answering their questions, solving small problems. Nothing too complicated in theory, but the size of the place added a pressure she hadn't anticipated.
As she was sorting out a minor issue regarding a reservation, a deep voice interrupted her.
"Is everything okay here?"
She looked up and felt her stomach tighten. It was him. The man from the lobby. His presence was even more imposing up close.
"Yes, sir," she answered quickly, trying to hide her confusion.
He looked at her for a moment, as if assessing something in her. She didn't understand why, but his gaze seemed to pierce beyond his mask of professionalism.
"Fine," he said simply before turning to the customer she was helping.
Luna felt her hands tremble slightly. Why did this man get on her nerves so much? It wasn't just his looks, although they were impressive. It was the aura he gave off, an intensity that seemed capable of sweeping away everything in its path.
Later that day, while she was putting away some documents at the reception desk, a colleague approached.
"I see you met *the* boss," she said with an amused smile.
"The boss?" Luna repeated, confused.
"Aurelius Voss. He owns this hotel, as well as a few others on the Strip. He's an... impressive man, to say the least."
The name echoed in Luna's mind. Aurelius. It fit perfectly with the image he gave off: rare, powerful, almost timeless.
"He seems... demanding," she said cautiously.
His colleague laughed softly. "Oh, you have no idea. But he is also extremely loyal to those who earn his trust. You'll see, here, everything revolves around him."
Luna nodded, though she wasn't sure how she felt about the man. There was something unsettling about his demeanor, a duality between protective and threatening.
As the day drew to a close, Luna finally allowed herself to let go of some of the tension. Her first day had been exhausting, but she had held on. As she left the hotel to head to her small studio on the outskirts, she couldn't help but think of Aurelius.
She told herself that she probably wouldn't run into him often anymore, that their meeting in the hall and their few interactions were just a coincidence. Yet a small voice inside her whispered that this was just the beginning of something. An intuition that she tried to ignore, without much success.
Yet he was not a man who could easily be forgotten.
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