The sea roared like a wild beast.
Waves slammed against the wooden wreckage, splintering the last remains of the private yacht as if punishing it for daring to cross this cursed corner of the ocean. Kade Ryker clung to a broken plank, his muscles screaming and lungs burning as salt water stung his eyes.
He didn't know how long he'd been drifting. Hours? Days?
The last thing he remembered was laughter, a party, and then—chaos. A sudden storm, a loud boom, screaming passengers... then nothing but cold blackness.
Now, he floated in silence, the world reduced to sea and sky—until he saw it.
Land.
A dark green blur on the horizon, surrounded by mist and sunlight. An island.
With the last of his strength, Kade kicked, letting the tide drag him closer until the jagged rocks gave way to a smooth, sandy shore. His body collapsed on warm golden sand, coughing up seawater, barely breathing. But he was alive.
He had no idea where he was. Or that his life was about to change forever.
---
Kade awoke hours later to birdsong, a gentle breeze, and the distant sound of flowing water.
He sat up slowly, shirt torn, jeans soaked, skin bruised from the wreck. His dark hair stuck to his forehead as he blinked against the sun.
"Where the hell am I?" he muttered, standing on unsteady legs.
The island was lush, wild, and hauntingly beautiful. Palm trees swayed. Strange purple flowers bloomed nearby. The air smelled like vanilla and spice.
He stumbled inland, hoping for shelter—or someone who could explain how he survived.
Then he heard laughter.
Feminine. Melodic. Sinful.
He turned.
Three women stood at the edge of the trees, watching him with predatory curiosity. They were stunning—absurdly so. Skin like honey and milk, curves barely hidden beneath sheer, shimmering robes. One had fiery red hair that tumbled over her shoulders; another had mocha skin and fierce golden eyes; the last was pale and silver-haired, her lips curled in a knowing smirk.
"Looks like the ocean gave us a gift," the redhead said, walking barefoot across the sand toward him.
Kade stepped back instinctively. "Uh… hi? I—I'm shipwrecked. I didn't mean to… intrude."
The silver-haired one giggled. "Intrude? Sweetheart, men like you don't wash up here by accident."
The third woman tilted her head. "You're a pretty thing. Strong too. What's your name?"
"Kade."
He swallowed hard. He couldn't tell if they were friendly or dangerous—or both.
"Kade…" the redhead whispered, circling him. "Welcome to Pleasure Island."
That name didn't sound like a resort. It sounded like a trap.
"What is this place?"
The women exchanged glances. The silver-haired one stepped closer, reaching out to trail her fingers down his chest. "It's where all your desires come true. And where your old life fades away."
Kade caught her wrist gently, unsure whether he was being seduced… or studied.
"I just need help," he said. "A phone, a way to contact—"
"There is no phone," the mocha-skinned woman said, her voice like velvet. "No signal. No way off. You belong to the island now."
That word again. Belong.
Kade's instincts screamed at him to run. But his body… responded differently.
Everything about the island seemed charged—electric. His skin tingled, his heartbeat quickened, and he couldn't help but notice the way the redhead licked her lips while looking him over like a meal.
"I think we should bring him to the High Priestess," the redhead said, turning away with a grin. "Let her decide what to do with him."
The other two nodded.
And before Kade could object, he found himself flanked, guided into the jungle with soft hands on his back.
---
The heart of the island was like a dream.
Marble statues of naked gods and goddesses lined the path. Exotic fruits hung from trees, their scent intoxicating. He passed pools of steaming water where women bathed, laughing, eyes following him as if he were some rare delicacy.
And then—he saw her.
Sitting on a throne carved of obsidian and gold, surrounded by veiled attendants, was a woman unlike any he'd ever seen.
She wore deep crimson silk that clung to her figure, exposing flawless skin and long legs crossed elegantly. Her eyes were violet—almost glowing—and her black hair fell like a waterfall down her back.
She didn't smile when she saw him. She studied him.
"So," she purred. "You're the one the sea chose."
Kade's mouth was dry. He could barely breathe.
"Who are you?"
"I am Lyra," she said. "High Priestess of Pleasure Island."
He laughed nervously. "Is this a prank show? Some sort of exotic cult retreat?"
Lyra rose. Her presence was overwhelming.
"No, Kade. This is a sanctuary… and a crucible. Every man who arrives here is tested. Some fail. Some… ascend."
"Ascend to what?"
She stepped close. Her fingers brushed his cheek.
"To kingship. To divinity. To pleasure beyond imagination."
He shivered—not from fear, but something deeper.
"Why me?" he asked.
Lyra smiled. "Because this island hungers. And you, Kade… you smell like denial, restraint, hidden desire. The kind that turns dangerous when finally unleashed."
She leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear.
"I want to see what happens when you stop running from yourself."
---
That night, he was taken to a luxurious chamber lit by candlelight and filled with silken sheets and incense. A feast awaited him. Fruits. Meats. Wine that tasted like nectar.
But he wasn't alone.
The redhead was there—her name, he'd learned, was Selene.
She entered the chamber with a tray, dressed in a robe that did little to hide her curves.
"Priestess Lyra said you should be made… comfortable," she purred, setting the tray down. "I volunteered."
Kade swallowed hard. "What happens now?"
She stepped closer, undoing the tie of her robe.
"That depends on how much you're willing to surrender."
Her body was a masterpiece, and her gaze was fire.
Kade's breath caught. Every part of him screamed that this was wrong—that he should resist.
But the island whispered louder.