RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 19
I am a Killer. A Rapist. A Monster.
I know only pain and survival.
That is until the Cappo’s sister walked into my life.
And changed everything.
She’s a light who makes my darkness darker, her smile makes my heart turn to ice, and I can’t escape the fear her seductive looks instill–knowing it’s only a matter of time before I fail–again, and take her for myself.
This is the story of my redemption.
But it’s not pretty…I died, and now I’m alive, but not living, breathing but not surviving. I am Phoenix De Lange, son to a murdered mob boss, estranged brother, horrible friend, monster in the making, newest leader to one of the most powerful families in the Cosa Nostra.
And I will have my vengeance.
Or die trying.
I am Phoenix De Lange.
Death is all I know.
Until she offers me a piece of life–I can’t resist taking.
Origin: Old English, Germanic.
Example: All it takes is a one tiny piece of ember to start a flame, one small
flame to burst forth into a fire. One spark, and a manβs world may implode from
the inside out.
Phoenix
βDo it,β my father spat. βOr I will.β
I looked at the girl at my feet and back at my father. βNo.β
He lifted his hand above my head; I knew what was coming, knew it would hurt like hell but had no way to fight back β heβd already starved me of my food for the past three days for arguing, for trying to save the girl and her cousin.
His fist hit my temple so hard that I fell to the ground with a cry. The click of his boots against the cement gave me the only warning Iβd have as he reared back and kicked me in the ribs; over and over again he kicked. The girl screamed, but I stayed silent. Screaming didnβt help; nothing did.
I waited until he was done β I prayed that he would kill me this time. I prayed so hard that I was convinced God was finally going to hear me and take me away from my hell. Anything was better than living. Anything.
βYou worthlessββ Another kick to the head. ββpiece of shit!β A kick to my gut. βYou will never be boss, not if you cry every time you must do the hard thing!β Finally, blessed darkness enveloped my line of vision.
I woke up from the nightmare screaming, not even realizing that I was safe, in my own bed. With a curse I checked the clock.
Three a.m.
Well, at least Iβd only had one nightmare β that Iβd remembered. Iβd been living with Sergio for the past week; his house was so big that Iβd basically taken the east wing, and heβd taken the West, said heβd hated living alone anyway. I wasnβt stupid; I knew the guy wasnβt exactly a big fan, but it worked. I needed to stay in the States while I figured shit out.
And I wasnβt ready to leave. Not when I needed to learn all I could from Nixon. Not when I had responsibility.
And not when I had those black folders freaking burning a hole in my mind.
Luca hadnβt just left me an empire; heβd left me secrets. I wasnβt sure what was worse, knowing everything there was to know about those I was supposed to be protecting or knowing that at any minute one of them could turn on us.
βHey!β Bee barged into my room.
βDamn it!β I pulled the blankets over my naked body, my heart picking up speed at her tousled hair and bedroom eyes. Texβs sister, Texβs sister. My body wasnβt accepting that β physically it wasnβt accepting any information other than she was beautiful.
And it was dark.
I looked away, scowling.
βI heard screaming.β Bee took a step forward, her perfume floating off her body like an aphrodisiac or drug, making me calm, making me want something I had no business wanting.
βYeah, wellβ¦β I gave her a cold glance. ββ¦clearly Iβm fine, so you should go. Actually, why are you here? You know you live with Tex, right?β
She shrugged and sat on my bed. I clenched my fists around the blankets to keep from reaching out to her. It was getting harder and harder to ignore her warmth β when I lived in a constant state of near-death cold.
βHeβs with Mo, and they need privacy. Iβm not stupid. So I asked Sergio if I could move in for a while.β
βYou did what?β I asked in a deadly tone, one I was sure would probably give her nightmares later.
She grinned. βIβm your new roomie!β Bee bounced on the bed and sent me a shy look from beneath her dark lashes. βAdmit it, you miss our slumber parties.β
Forget the nightmare β I was looking at it.
BANG BANG:
ENFORCE:
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey atΒ www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
Shannon
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