Kyrell Knight believes life is a game to be played and thoroughly enjoyed. He rarely takes anything seriously, lives in the moment, and indulges in as much pleasure with women as possible. But the sarcasm, money, and women are an attempt to erase the memories of his past as he tries to forget what he came from. It works until his past wants to be a part of his present.
Kyrell reconnects with Quinn Halifax at their mutual best friend’s engagement party. They spark up a friendship that quickly turns to flames when it becomes a superficial, no strings attached relationship.
Kyrell is struggling with his past while Quinn is trying to secure her future. Neither is looking for more, but fate has other plans. What happens when two people collide with fate?
Content Advisory: child abuse, death, mentions of suicide
“Hm…is this right?” I mutter to myself while I check the GPS. “Damn, this is right. I thought my apartment was nice.” I mumble aloud.
When I left the city and started heading for the hills I thought he had a given me the wrong address. I even called him to double check and he assured me it was right and to just follow my GPS. Now I’m staring at a stunning mansion with black stone exterior. I park next to his Jeep and notice his garage is full of cars. No wonder he seemed so unbothered by me possibly fucking up his car the other night. It looks like he could afford to buy several if he wanted to.
As I walk towards his door it occurs to me that I really don’t know much about Kyrell. I know the basics–he’s the same age as me, owns a dispensary, invested money into a nightclub, but did he acquire all this on his own? He’s never given me the arrogant rich boy vibes you typically get with men who think they’ve made it because they own a pair of exclusive sneakers and lease a foreign car. In fact, Kyrell has never flaunted his money.
I fluff up my curls one last time as I knock on the front door. When it opens, I’m greeted by a shirtless Kyrell. He has nothing on but a towel loosely slung around his hips and beads of water are trailing down his abs. He has a few tattoos scattered across his chest and legs.
I’ve never wanted to be water so bad in my life.
“Hey, c’mon in.” He says as his eyes drink me in. “I just need to get dressed.” He waits for me to stop ogling him and walk through the door. I step inside and look around. “Or we can hang out here. Either way, I need clothes.” He says as I follow him through his house.
Does he really need clothes? I lick my lips out of fear I’m drooling. “Uh… nice house. I didn’t realize you lived in the hills.”
“You never asked.” He says with a smirk. “I bought it a few months after I moved out here.”
“How? If you were only twenty-one at that time?”
“With money, as does everyone else.” He answers vaguely.
“Did you sell your soul?” I ask half joking, half serious.
He turns around to face me but doesn’t stop walking. “Damn near.” He says with a wink.
A.E. Valdez discovered her passion for writing when she was given a journal by her 5th grade teacher and has been creating poetry, works of fiction, and gaming narratives ever since. As a child, she wanted to read more stories with people that looked like her.
She loves all things romance, from heartbreak to happily ever afters. She pours her own heart and soul into the stories she brings to life. Causing readers to fall in, and sometimes out, of love alongside her characters.
Amanda currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two sons. Most days you can find her sipping on an iced latte while she writes or enjoying time with her family.
“I never believed in fairy tales…that was until I met a dark knight.”
Ryder grew up envious of the Antoni Mafia Family. Watching from the outside, he always dreamed that one day he could earn his ranks and approval in one of Savannah’s most notorious crime families. Finding himself in the Army as a sniper, he returns back to Savannah with plans to prove himself and finally become a made man in the Antoni Mafia Family.
Abbigal grew up as a Las Vegas princess. As the daughter of a wealthy casino owner, she has spent her entire life under the glamour and bright lights of big cities like Vegas and Savannah. After the death of her father, Abbigail inherits a casino in Savannah. Knowing the industry, she is prepared for this new role. However, the Savannah Mafia families want a piece of the casino and won’t go down without a fight. Abbigail is up for the fight of her life and now a cocky, suave, man has gained her attention. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Ryder finds himself intrigued by the one woman who isn’t interested in him. Trying to navigate a way into the casino and the Antoni Mafia Family, Ryder never thought he would also being finding a way into Abbigails heart, too. Find out what happens when Ryder, has to earn his way into the Antoni Mafia Family and the heart of a Las Vegas Princess.
“Are you stalking me? Let me remind you again, Ryder, that I am your boss. You should act professionally around me,” I spoke clearly.
Ryder chuckled as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “You keep reminding me that you are my boss. That you are in charge,” he said, closing the space between us. He now stood in front of me again, towering over me. “I think you get off on being in charge. You love the power; it turns you on,” he said slowly.
I drank in his words. Too shocked to speak, my mouth fell open as I glared back at this man.
“Are you carrying any weapons, ma’am?” the rather burly security guard asked, crossing his beefy arms over his chest as if he was prepared for me to lie.
I raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the guard—courtesy of Sarina—and gave The Rock Part Deux a conspiratorial smile as I twirled a finger. “Would you walk into a place like this unarmed, sir?”
Rock Two blinked at me before surveying the crowd of high-powered arcaners and letting out a little huff. “No, ma’am, I can’t say I would. Though, I’m still going to have to ask that you disarm yourself and submit to a pat down.”
Sarina warned me this might happen, so I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I wasn’t happy about it either. Given the giant TSA-style metal detectors stationed at every entrance, there was no way I was getting through them without alarms going off.
Still… “Any chance of a freebie pass for being the Warden—”
Rock’s glare was glacial. “I was specifically told that everyone was to be searched regardless of status and no weapons of any kind could enter.”
“And saying the beeping was due to a zipper—”
“Would be the tenth such excuse I’ve heard tonight.” The guard sighed like this was the worst job in the world, and he’d really enjoy being anywhere else.
Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she’ll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life… interesting.
