Chapter One

I’ve always believed in fairy tales like Prince Charmings and Mr Rights until the strange, drop-dead gorgeous loner I loved all my life turned me down without a backward glance…

Ten years ago

Janelle’s POV

I watch through the blinding tears pouring down my eyes, my heart slamming against my chest as my father’s coffin is lowered into the ground and slowly covered with sand. 

The faint scent of coming rain and the strong smell of freshly dug soil fill the air and make me nauseous. My elder sister and the only surviving family member squeeze my arm reassuringly.

My eyes hurt so bad from crying and my throat is patched and in pain from screaming. The cold evening wind blows strongly and I shiver despite my long, thick black coat.

“It’s going to be fine, Janelle,” Bella, my seventeen-year-old older sister, says, squeezing my hands. I nod in agreement, though I hardly believe her comforting words.

Father was gone and mother, ten years before him. What was going to happen to us? Two teenage girls with no family or guardian?

“Come”, my sister says, leading me away from the crowd of sympathisers.

“Where are we going?” I ask, scared to death. The crowd of sympathisers are made of strange faces dressed in expensive-looking black suits. I never knew my father had this many friends. He was mostly always alone or with one man, Theodore King, his best friend.

“You’ll see”.

“Bella I….” The words of protest that had been about to escape my fifteen-year-old lips freeze as I stare at the dark, menacing, powerful figure in front of us. 

Speaking of the angel.

“Janelle, Bella, I’m sorry about your loss. I came as soon as I heard. How have your little ones been?” Theodore King’s deep baritone floats around me, reminding me of him. 

Him?

I look past Theodore, hoping to see the breathtaking face of his twenty-year-old son, but he’s nowhere to be found. 

“Thank you for coming,” Bella replies.

Theodore smiles. Your father was like a brother to me and I consider you both as my children from now on. You’ll be staying with me.”

Staying with him? Does that mean I’ll get to see him every day?

Shame on you Janelle, Father just died and you’re…

“You’re too kind, Sir.” Bella’s polite voice interrupted my thoughts. 

As you’ve probably guessed, my sister is the perfect child while I’m, well let’s say the wild one.

The long-expected rain starts with a drizzle at first, then it begins to pour in torrents.

Theodore motions to his black Chevrolet Suburban which is surrounded by a convoy. “Get in. My men will take care of the remaining procedures. You both need to rest.”

I want to argue about not wanting to leave my father yet, but Bella clasps her hand firmly around mine and pulls me to the car.

Just as one of the bodyguards is about to shut the door, I see him looking as immaculately breathtaking and statue-like as ever in a well-tailored black suit. An angel without wings, or should I say a demon without powers? Truce King, my first and only love.

***

Two weeks later

“You’re going to marry Janelle”.

I stand behind the heavy wooden study door, peering into the dimly lit combat room in Theodore King’s huge mansion, and listening to Truce and his father’s heated argument. They’ve never been known to get along.

They were fighting with swords and shields, like real warriors, stripped to the waist, sweat and blood dripping down their well-built beautiful bodies.

I’m so scared of this entire huge, new house, and the fact that I might get caught eavesdropping, but that hardly stops me. I’ve always been the adventurous one. 

I take a deep breath to relax my racing heart and continue to listen.

“I’m never going to marry her”. Truce's voice is deep and husky, filled with hatred and anger. He moves against the sand effortlessly, like his father is prey he is stalking. A low animal-like growl escaped his chest as he stroked his sword against his father’s shield.

Marry me? What are they talking about? Besides who did sword fights in 2015? Plus, what’s that sound coming from Truce?

I gulp in fear. I may be head-over-heels for Truce, the popular, deadly handsome and sexy loner, but I’m not ready to get married yet. I mean I’m just fifteen and I have a whole lot in front of me.

“Why no? She’s very beautiful and smart. I don’t see what you’re losing”.

“You heard me the first time, Father”.

Theodore King moves closer to his son, it seems like he’s trying to control his temper. 

“Let's not argue about this, Truce. It was what Ronan wanted and I'm sure you'd want to honor his wish. Marry Janelle and become the GodFather of the Inner Circle.” 

Their sword clash against each other with a deafening bang, that sends my heart racing faster. Beads of sweat form on my forehead.

Ronan? My deceased father. Why would my father want me to marry Truce and what exactly is the Inner Circle? 

“First she’s just fifteen and I’m only twenty”. Truce's voice is raised, slightly showing that he is already angry. His damn back-length auburn hair clung to the side of his very manly, perfect face, reminding me of a demon from my favourite horror novel.

Gosh, he’s breathtakingly handsome up close.

“The marriage won’t take effect until she’s twenty and you’re twenty-five”.

Truce tackles his father to the floor and wraps his arm around the older man’s neck, proceeding to choke him.

“I have no desire to be the GodFather of the Inner circle. I considered Ronan as a father I never had, but I’d have to defy his wish on this one, if you’d excuse me, I’d like to retire to my room”. 

He let go of Theodore who already looked out of breath, threw his sword and walked towards the door. The words had meant to hurt his father and they did just that.

A father he never had.

I see a look of hurt and regret in Theodore’s eyes as he watches his retreating son still coughing from the aftermath of being choked. 

I turn and run towards my allocated room. Just as I reach my door, a strong, warm hand grabs me and spins me around roughly, making me land on something hard and solid… Oops, someone’s chest. Him!

I’m about to scream, but another firm hand clasps my mouth. I try to struggle, but the grip is far too tight for someone as little as me.

“Calm down if you don’t want to get caught”, Truce's low, deep voice warns. His breath fans my neck and I feel goosebumps rise on my skin. If my heart was racing before, now it’s running a marathon. This is the closest I’ve ever been to Truce.

His sweet scent of mist, musk, and darkness filled my senses. I suddenly realised how warm his body was—a bit too warm. He let go of my hands almost immediately as if he had read my thoughts.

When I look at his glowing green eyes in the darkness, I see an image I don’t understand and I shrink back in fear. 

Truce takes a step closer, his deep voice emphasizing every word. “I have no idea why you’re lurking around and eavesdropping on me and my father’s conversation, but since you’re here, I’ll make something very clear to you. I’ll never marry you”.

I feel a sharp pain in my chest as his words leave their mark on a heart that had secretly loved him for more than a decade.

I take a deep breath. “Why? Am I that ugly?” My voice is shaky and I’m about to cry.

Truce chuckles. If the dark sound erupting from his heaving chest could be called laughter, though. 

“Aside from being ugly. You’re not good enough for me, Janelle. You’d never be! So do your best to stay out of my sight forever.”

He turns and walks away silently, blending into the darkness. I feel tears drop down my cheeks. I quickly wipe away the tears and when I look, Truce is gone. It was like he had not been in front of me just a few seconds ago in the first place.

A cold feeling of new fear creeps within me as I stare at where he has been standing. Isn’t it fascinating how well he had blended with the darkness?

But then again, Truce king has never been known to be ordinary.