Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦.
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳.
𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭…
His breath hit my neck, lips brushing skin.
"𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘵?”
All it took was one phrase—“𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦?”—and I was already losing.
To the enemy.
To a Tinder date gone violently wrong.
To the Syndicate’s most dangerous heir.
It was supposed to be my last middle finger to the establishment before they sacrificed me on the family altar of arranged marriage. So I took control. I made the rules. I chose the husband.
Louis De Lange.
The twin who should’ve died.
The traitor.
The man who lost my sister—his so-called true love.
He said he had nothing left. So I made him my weapon.
But the problem with controlling a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
You never see the fangs until they’re already at your throat.
The plan was simple. The timeline set. Sixty days to infiltrate, manipulate, and survive.
But I wasn’t banking on Louis being more than broken—I wasn’t ready for how dangerous he could be when he finally decides he’s done bleeding for everyone else but himself.
I was playing to win.
He was playing to lose.
And we were both about to learn…
The sweeter the poison the more bitter the fight.
To the end. Love. Hell. Or destruction. Let the games begin
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PROLOGUE
BOSS UNKNOWN
TEN YEARS AGO
“Everybody makes mistakes. This was mine. I can honestly say that when I look back at my life there are few things I regret—that day was one of them, that evening is one that will burn in my soul for an eternity. I imagine, just like everyone else involved, I’ll one day have to own up to what I did.”
“That day…” He took a seat across from me. “…may come sooner than you realize.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“Would it be easier if I did?” he asked from his spot in the shadowy corner. “Just know, the truth will eventually come to light. Hug your daughters a little tighter, smile a bit more, get a damn haircut, and stop blaming yourself for something that’s already happened.”
I would always blame myself.
It didn’t matter if someone gave me permission not to, as if they had the power to even be the one to allow the mark to get buried. One bad choice doesn’t just affect your future, it affects multiple futures, multiple lives. It may not make a difference in the moment, but the grim reaper is patient like that.
No need to take my soul then.
He’d wait for the perfect time to strike.
And enjoy the anxiety that filled every part of me until that day came.
A nightmare? Yes.
My fault? Absolutely. I called the shots. I was a boss, after all.
A powerful one who knew better.
I stared into the glass of whiskey and swirled the amber-hued liquid. “Does anyone else know?”
“No.” He clipped out the answer without further explanation.
“Good.” I tossed back the rest of the drink. “Then we never mention my impending death again, agreed?”
“Fine.” He sighed. “But a boss dying will be a big deal.”
“A boss living this long is just as big of a deal,” I countered. “Let’s go grab some food.”
“Sure.” He stood and led me out of my office.
The sound of laughter filled the house.
I think… I think I’ll miss that the most.
Them.
I saw him then, a complete and total older version of the life I stole, and I knew… the sand had already started to sift.
Tick. Tock.
SWEET POISON
LOUIS
Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies. — Nelson Mandela
"Tempest.” My voice cracked. “You can leave if you want.”
There was nothing for her here anymore.
Nothing I could offer except pieces of the ghost that were left and the guilt I would now carry over what I had to do.
Do you want to play a game? I should have said no.
I should have asked for more terms.
I should have thought it through. Then again, would the ending have changed? Would it have been any different? Any less tragic? If not me pulling the trigger, would she prefer it be a stranger?
“Tempest.” I held up my hands; they were shaking. God, I couldn’t stop the tremors wracking my body. I still had his blood staining my clothes. I didn’t tell her it was from a hug.
Let her think me the monster I was, better that than she know the truth.
Let him die a hero.
Let me live a tyrant.
It was better this way—for her, for everyone. She could move on—God knows she’d have no choice now that I’d already finished what I started.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You said you had no choice.”
“I didn’t.”
Muffled sobs escaped her lips as she covered her mouth with her hands looking between the body and me and back again. “They’ll hunt you for this. Torture everyone you hold close—maybe even me, did you for one second think about what this would do to me? To us?”
“There is no us.” It was harsh. I meant for it to come out softer, but I was having a hard enough time holding it together, I was barely able to breathe let alone get words out. I needed her to hate me.
I needed her to cling to her family, her sister, her friends. For once, I fucking needed Tempest to actually do what she was asked.
One time.
Please God, let it be now.
She choked on a sob. “Was any of this real? I mean, was it all a game from the start or did you actually care… did you—” Her voice cracked. “Did you fall even a little bit for me?”
Her eyes were so bright, so vulnerable. I’d earned too much of her trust, I didn’t deserve any of it.
Shit!
I bit down on my lower lip to keep from screaming. We were running out of time—she was running out of time. She needed to get to safety, she needed to be guiltless in all of this.
She kept talking. “Were your eyes wide open from the very first drop?”
I said nothing.
“God!” She screamed. “Did you do this willingly and smile at me while doing it? All to infiltrate my family? Break me in order to break them? Use the last shred of love I have against me?”