RENEE ‘THIS IS WHAT YOUR VILE, DESPICABLE BOYFRIEND DID! YOU ARE SHARING YOUR HEART WITH A COLD-BLOODED MURDERER WHO GETS HIGH ON THE PUTRID FUMES OF DEATH AND DECAY, AND IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE YOU’RE JUST ANOTHER BODY BURIED IN HIS YARD. HE IS A SOULLESS BASTARD WHO LEAVES A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE. HE SHATTERS LIVES & DESTROYS THINGS. HE DESTROYED HIS FAMILY, AND YOU’RE NEXT ON THE LIST. OR DO YOU THINK YOU’RE SPECIAL? YOU’RE NOT. LOVING HIM WILL DRAG YOU INTO THE ABYSS. IT WILL SUCK YOU DRY. IT WILL LEAVE YOU SCARRED, BROKEN, AND EMPTY. SO, GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. YOU SHOULD RUN BEFORE HE DESTROYS WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR SANITY. RUN BEFORE HIS POISONOUS GRASP ENVELOPES YOU. RUN, RENEE MICHEAL. RUN. OR ELSE YOU WILL PAY IN THE MOST UNIMAGINABLE WAY.’As I said farewell to Nicole and watched her leave the suite with Harry, these words replayed in my mind like an endless echo. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't block or drive it out of my mind because it kept returning
ROBERT I buttoned my collar, straightened the lapel of my suit coat, and faked a grin as I glanced at myself in the mirror. But the image staring back at me was different. Despite wearing a dark blue fitted pinstripe suit and matching shirt, the man I saw was not the same as the joyous soul who’d been in Aspen days before. The same man who'd been fantasizing day and night about a beautiful future with the love of his life. No. This man resembled someone from another era, another world. His countenance was blank, a hint of worry in his eyes. But more than anything, the darkness surrounding him made me feel uneasy. It was so…dark. And cold. Like an empty cavern. I hated myself for putting him through all of this suffering. He shouldn't feel this way. I shouldn’t. But I couldn't help it. The last week had altered me in ways I hadn’t thought possible. The murder case was taking its toll on me. It felt like a massive weight on my shoulders, threatening to drag me down and crush me from
RENEE“Mister Dylan is here to see you, ma'am.”When Harry announced Dylan’s arrival, I wasn't sure who was more surprised—myself or Nicole, who had arrived only a moment before.We almost didn't believe him; I tried to call his bluff for a second. But then, he repeated it, emphasizing that the “Dylan” in question was Dylan Clarke—his boss's son, my ex-boyfriend, the man who had ruined my life many times over.And now he was here. To see me.He stood awkwardly in the living room, his hands buried in the pockets of an oversized grey hoodie. His dark hair was chopped short and brushed out but still unkempt.He wore his customary faded jeans, tattered around the knees, and sneakers without laces. Rough stubble lined his jaw, and shadows were under his eyes.He looked exhausted, but not from lack of sleep. No. Something clearly pulled on his conscience.I could see the tiredness in his body language, in the way his shoulders slumped forward slightly as if he were carrying a great weight.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. ~ William Congreve.AMANDA Arms crossed, I listened to Robert’s press announcement with a smirk playing on my lips.My gaze never wavered from his image on the screen. His face was expressionless as he spoke about the investigation and how his team had apprehended the person responsible for framing him. Then he talked about throwing a party to celebrate his victory. The speech was monotonous and by far the most blatant but idiotic attempt to set a trap I'd ever seen. For someone so clever, it was always so easy to one-up him.I knew he was after me earlier today when I learned he’d obtained the club footage. Then, a hotel employee informed me of a search warrant issued in my name. At the same time, I’d thought briefly of my son, Dylan.Was he worthy of being called my son if he ratted me out to his father? Because that was the only explanation for what was happening. The bastard.Despite my threats, he decided to rebel against me. I'd deal w
ROBERT“You look so beautiful.”The words tumbled out of my mouth unbidden when I walked into Renee’s dressing room and took in her appearance for tonight's party.I’d just finished the security briefing for tonight's event with Cade's team and mine. I had a few minutes to kill before the party began, and what better way to spend them than with my woman?“So, so beautiful,” I mumbled again, my eyes taking in the gorgeous sight. She stood in front of the full-length mirror, wearing a low-cut black gown that hugged her curves and made her look like a goddess.A beautiful sterling silver necklace glistened around her neck, and the matching earrings added to the grandeur of her attire. Her hair was fashioned in a sleek updo and pinned up with a delicate ivory hair comb that complemented her jewelry. At the same time, the makeup artist behind her worked to polish her already gorgeous face.“Thank you for the compliment, Robert.” She smiled sheepishly. “I'm glad you approve.”I didn't utte
RENEEI’d heard “congratulations” a million times tonight, and my ears were still buzzing from it all.Most were from people I barely knew—Robert's acquaintances and business associates—and I was grateful that they at least seemed genuine about it.Their words were kind and, for the most part, calmed my ruffled nerves, but they weren't enough to dispel the lingering fear that’d settled over me like a cloak all evening. There was a nagging voice in my head. A small whisper kept telling me that something bad would happen tonight. That danger was lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Sometimes, I worried that my pregnancy hormones were to blame and whether it was affecting my mental health. But no, it couldn't be. The growing child inside me did not cause my feelings of paranoia and continual dread.Instead, it had everything to do with what this party stood for. I mean, I'd had this feeling ever since Dylan came into the suite to talk, and then Robert had this elabora
O, how the mighty fall! With ruin upon ruin, heap’d, and vengeance answer’d upon vengeance. ~ John Milton, Paradise Lost.~•~AMANDA“I didn't pay you thousands to stop at every fucking checkpoint, Mister.” I seethed, gritting my teeth in anger, as the driver pulled to a stop at another police roadblock, this one much busier than the other two we passed.“I have to fucking stop, missus.” He looked over his shoulder at me, scowling. “Either this or my cab is confiscated, and I'm fined. I damn well can't afford that, even with the scraps you're paying. So do me a favor, stop being a whiny bitch, and shut up.”My mouth flew open in surprise, and for a few seconds, all I could see were spots, my cheeks flaming with rage. What the fuck?Did this good-for-nothing asshole just call me a whiny bitch? And did he call the 2,000 extra dollars scraps? Scraps? The fuck!I almost laughed at the irony of my situation. Almost.Take deep breaths, Amanda. Deep… deep… deep fucking breaths, I told myself
ROBERT“…bad news, Robert. You need to get here. Renee… She was drugged. Or poisoned. I…I'm not sure, but she fainted. She’s in a critical condition, and her life is hanging on by a thread…”Nicole's words swarmed and raced in my mind like angry gnats as I rushed past the hospital's reception, the busy ER nurses and medics, and through the bustling hospital corridors to the VIP room reserved exclusively for the Clarke household.I could hear my heart thumping steadily, but the agony was nothing compared to the million terrifying thoughts flying through my mind. Every thought brought me back to that single word. Drugged. Or was it…Poisoned?Renee had been poisoned. Fuck no!This couldn’t be real. What I’d heard on the phone earlier wasn’t true, neither was this situation. It was a prank. Maybe someone, Nicole or Renee herself, was pulling a cruel joke on me.Yes. That’s it. And by the heavens, my woman was okay. She was at the mansion, and the party was still in full swing. She wasn’t