Page 1 of Cruel Deception
Chapter 1
CHARLOTTE
Tuesday night, and I’m running for my life.
My boots slam against the cracked pavement, each step a desperate bid for freedom. The narrow alley reeks of damp trash and something metallic, maybe blood, but I don’t have time to dwell on it.
Behind me, the two mafia goons are gaining ground, their heavy footsteps echoing like war drums in the dark. I leap over a pile of splintered crates, my heart hammering so hard I swear it’s about to crack my ribs.
A rusted pipe juts out from a crumbling wall, and I vault over it, barely clearing the jagged edge. No room for mistakes. Not tonight.
They were close. I could feel them. Two Tall, suited Mafia men. They’re relentless. I can hear their curses, their boots pounding closer, and my pulse spikes. I can’t let them get this file. I won’t.
My fingers clutched the file to my chest, the edges digging into my skin like the truth trying to bleed out.
Mom.
Ten years. Ten fucking years since she disappeared. One second she was kissing my forehead goodbye, the next she was a ghost. Every lead—cold. Every investigator—useless. Every promise of help—another dead end. Until tonight.
I found this file hidden in one of their safehouses. It had her name. A date, a photo and a location.
If they caught me and took it back, that hope would vanish. Just like she did.
My heart slammed against my ribs. My body ached, my legs screamed. I turned a corner and almost slammed into the glowing white exterior of a building that looked like it belonged in a billionaire’s dream.
CLUB VERTIGO.
Exclusive. Elite. The kind of place where your last name had to end in a currency. No way in through the front—security at the gates looked like they could kill someone with their pinky fingers.
But I’d worked in enough shady clubs since I turned eighteen to know: there’s always a back door.
I bolted toward the alley that curved around the side, past loading crates, trash bins, and a staff-only entry guarded by two distracted bouncers. One looked up.
“Hey—”
Too late. I slid between them, ducked beneath a stack of crates, and shoved the emergency door open just wide enough to slip inside.
Boom. Music hit me like a wave. Bass heavy and primal. The lights were crimson and gold, flashing across glass floors and velvet booths. Champagne glittered. Women glittered. Rich people moved like gods and devils.
I’m in. Safe. Or so I think.
My stomach drops as I catch a glimpse through the crowd—those two mafia bastards are inside. How the hell? They must have connections, some slimy in with the club’s management.
My fingers tighten around the file, sweat soaking through my shirt. If they catch me here, it’s not just the file they’ll take. They’ll make sure I’m not breathing to talk about it.
My breath caught. I darted behind a column, glancing back. They were scanning the crowd, splitting up.
Panic clawed its way up my throat—I scan the room, frantic, searching for a way out, until my eyes land on him, a man leaning casually against a sleek black bar, a cigarette dangling from his fingers, smoke curling around him like a lazy ghost.
He’s gorgeous, stupidly so, with sharp cheekbones and eyes that could cut glass. Unlike the other guys here, he’s alone, no women draped over him, no entourage. Just him, exuding a quiet danger that makes my skin prickle.
The kind of man who looked like he could break bones just by thinking about it.
The goons are closer now, their heads swiveling as they push through the crowd. I don’t have time to think. I bolt toward the man, my boots skidding on the polished floor.
I’m a mess—sweaty, disheveled, probably reeking of alley and desperation. He’ll probably shove me away, but I’m out of options. I slide in close, too close, and lean up to his ear, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Hey, Mr. Hot, how about you pretend to be my boyfriend for a minute?”
His eyes flick to mine, blue and unreadable, and for a second, I think he’s going to laugh or tell me to get lost. The mafia guys are steps away, their gazes slicing through the crowd. I can’t wait for him to decide. Heart pounding, I grab his shirt and pull him into a kiss, bracing for him to shove me off.
