. . . AUTHOR’S POV As Adeline stepped inside, a wave of heat, sweat, and alcohol hit her all at once. The room was dimly lit with flashing neon lights, casting a seductive glow over the space. The bass of the music vibrated through the floor, matching the rapid thumping of her heart. Her eyes scanned the scene, immediately taking in the group of women near the bar, clad in nothing but lace lingerie, fishnet stockings, and high heels. Their bodies swayed with the rhythm of the music, some draped over men in tailored suits, while others danced provocatively on sleek countertops. Strippers. Adeline swallowed hard. She had expected this. Leonardo wasn’t the type to throw a normal party—it had to be decadent, depraved. But what unsettled her the most was that the men weren’t much