Most recent update: August 1, 2026 — first public demo, Chapters 1–4.
You thought you knew your husband.
Then his will introduces you to the Court of Pleasures.
At the reading, you learn Michel was a member of a clandestine society hidden inside the Palace of Versailles — and that the fortune promised to your charity for former foster youth went to the Court instead. No apology. No explanation.
Your only route back to the money runs through the Court itself, and the only way in is to take Michel’s place among its elite. Alliances, seduction, manipulation — whatever gets you close enough to learn what really happened the night he collapsed in that rotunda.
Five potential lovers complicate all of it. Your husband’s coldly brilliant attorney. The arrogant chef who runs House Stiletto. A golden retriever rich boy who might have hidden depths. Your co-director at Fresh Start. Your sister-in-law.
When you put yourself on the auction block at your own charity gala, which one do you hope wins?
Genres: Contemporary erotic romance, light mystery, secret society
Heat level: 5/5 peppers.
Current length: 28k words without code, Chapters 1–4
Series: Silk & Secrets, fully playable as a standalone Rites of Pleasure readers will recognize some faces.
Content warnings: Grief and the death of a spouse. Cheating discovered and discussed at length. A difficult childhood, foster care, and the loss of parental figures. A mention of infertility. A suspicious death investigated in detail. Strong language.
Explicit content: So much I’ve lost count. Voyeurism, sharing, praise, props, power dynamics, semi-public sex. Individual liaisons are always your choice, but the Court itself isn’t — once you’re inside the rotunda there’s sex happening around you whether you join in or not. This list will grow as I write, and I’ll update it here.
Features
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Play as a woman who trusted exactly one person in her life, and takes his seat in the society that got everything instead.
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Pursue all five ROs (three men, two women) at once until the gala, then commit.
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Auction an evening with yourself at your own charity gala and watch your love interests bid against each other in front of your donors.
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Compete in the Court’s erotic cooking initiation as Critic, Sous Chef, or Apprentice. Beat the Countess of Cravings in her own kitchen and take a piece of her standing with you.
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Seduce, intimidate, or out-think the Court. Allure, Power, Insight, Daring and Dexterity all get you where you’re going by very different routes.
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Investigate Michel’s death — or decide that you no longer care how he died.
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Fund Fresh Start through inheritance, lawsuit, embezzlement, or your lover’s checkbook. Or close the doors, walk out clean, and start over in the fashion industry.
Play the demo here.Currently playable: Chapters 1–4, about 28k words. Thirteen chapters planned and I’m aiming for 120k minimum. Everything public is complete and playable, but it’s all draft — scenes, stat tests and dialogue are all subject to change, and the cover art is a placeholder.
On the spice
There’s explicit content in the demo. Luc’s scene is available in Chapter 1 if you want it and skippable if you don’t, there’s more of him in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 has Evan, and Chapter 4 is the Court initiation, which is where the game stops being coy. Every scene is opt-in — you can play the whole demo as a slow burn.
Fade-to-black is not a thing I do. Five peppers is the honest rating.
Feedback I’d especially love
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Anywhere the pacing drags or flies too fast, or a scene that overstays its welcome.
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Stat tests that feel unfair or unclear.
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Moments where you wanted to say something and the option wasn’t there.
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Whether the five ROs read as distinct people or as five variations on “hot and horny for you”. (I mean, they ARE, but they should also be people.)
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Bugs and continuity issues. I will love you for these.
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Your favorite scene, and who you’re going for. Tell me who won and I’ll write more of them.
Romance Options (mild spoilers):
Summary
All five are romanceable at once. You lock in at the gala in Chapter 6.
Luc (Lucien) Vauclair — the Chancellor Male, Michel’s attorney and executor Likes: control, a good suit, being underestimated Dislikes: sentiment, questions about his childhood, losing Tropes: forbidden, best friend’s widow, he fell first, ice king
He went from nothing to a corner office and buried the boy he used to be under silk ties and billable hours. He was Michel’s closest friend, which makes you the one thing he isn’t allowed to want. He’ll tell you his interest in you is professional. He’s told himself that for years. When the truth about Michel’s death surfaces, it takes him apart as thoroughly as it takes you. Is his loyalty to Michel, to the Court, or to you?
Adrienne St. Clair — the Countess of Cravings Female, celebrated chef, head of House Stiletto, your sponsor inside the Court Likes: winning, her own knives, an audience Dislikes: rivals, being handled, the word “no” Tropes: rivals to lovers, powerful woman, secret to lose
She leads your initiation and enjoys it more than she should. By day she runs one of the best kitchens in France and answers to no one. She says she doesn’t fear exposure. Every empire has a crack in the foundation, and hers is wider than she thinks. She also cooked the last meal your husband ever ate. How much does she know about the night he died — and can you want her anyway?
Nico Delacroix — the Baron of Bad Choices Male, Court favorite, sculptor, professionally unbothered Likes: you, immediately and openly Dislikes: conflict, his family’s expectations, waiting Tropes: golden retriever, sunshine, hidden depths, unconditional love
He is the most eager man in the Court and makes no attempt to disguise it. Under the cocky grin there’s an artist who’s spent his childhood being molded, and a warmth that will take you by surprise the first time you need it. He has everything. He just doesn’t have you. Would you know what to do with someone who wants you without conditions?
Evan Hale Male, your second at Fresh Start, former hacker, currently on parole Likes: you, the work, an elegant solution Dislikes: watching you take risks, prison Tropes: he fell first, friends to lovers, devoted, reformed bad boy
He thinks you walk on water and you hate how much you need him to keep thinking it. He crossed a lot of lines before he found Fresh Start, and one more charge puts him back inside. If he follows you into the Court, those old skills become the most useful thing you have. Will his devotion be his redemption or the thing that ruins him — and can you live with yourself either way?
Margot Armand Female, your sister-in-law, and currently your roommate Likes: loyalty, being needed, a good white wine Dislikes: the Armand family, her own money, feeling like a guest Tropes: forbidden, sister-in-law, two outsiders, slow burn, soft love
Adopted into the Armand family and never once allowed to forget it, she admired you from a careful distance for the entire length of your marriage. Michel’s betrayal frees her from feeling guilty about it. It doesn’t free her from his shadow. She’ll ask you, eventually, whether choosing her is choosing him a second time — and whether you’d want her if her name weren’t on a trust fund. Can either of you get out from under a dead man?
Hookups Not arcs. Available, and mostly delighted to be.
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The Marchioness of Venery — knows everyone worth knowing, including one very useful investor. Available in Chapter 4.
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The Marquis of Masks — chatty, indiscreet, and willing to trade what he knows for almost anything. Coming in Chapter 5.
Returning from Rites of Pleasure:
Summary
You don’t need Rites of Pleasure (volume 1) to play this. But if you read it, a few NPCs resurface in the Court:
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The Princess of Pleasure — the Court’s center of gravity since long before you arrived, and she was with Michel the night he died. Not romanceable. Very much a problem.
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The Earl of Endurance — says nothing, notices everything.
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The Marchioness of Venery — back, and considerably better connected than she lets on.
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A masked Consort — whose identity you already know.
Your MC is new, the Court is not, and the callbacks pay off if you catch them and cost you nothing if you don’t.
Update Log:
Summary
August 1, 2026 — first public demo
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Chapter 1: The Will Reading
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Chapter 2: Court Agreement
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Chapter 3: Fresh Start
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Chapter 4: The Initiation (“Yes, Chef”)
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Five romance routes open, stats tracking, no endings yet
Up next
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Chapter 5: The Rotunda, Evan’s and Margot’s initiations, and the halls you’re not supposed to be in
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Chapter 6: The Gala, the auction, and the point where you pick someone
FAQ
Can I play as male or non-binary? No — the PC is a woman, and the ROs have fixed genders. That’s how the series is built and it isn’t changing for this title.
Do I need to play Rites of Pleasure first? No. New MC, new plot, standalone story. Book 1 readers get some NPC faves returning.
Who can I romance? Luc, Adrienne, Nico, Evan, or Margot: three men, two women, all fixed-gender. Plus liaisons with several Court members along the way.
Where’s the spice? Chapter 1 onward. See the section above.
Is there a Patreon? No. Everything I share will be free and it’ll be here.
When’s the next update? I’m not going to promise a date I might miss. When a chapter goes up I’ll edit the title and post in the thread. Small fixes I’ll patch quietly. Chapters 1-4 are with my fabulous editor(s), so may shift substantially based on their feedback.
How long will the finished game be? Thirteen chapters and 120k words is what I’m going for. That’s a goal set by a person who has been wrong about this before!
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Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to break me this.