Illicit Love

Everything I thought I knew about myself was nothing more than a fabrication. I had it all—the perfect life, the loving family, the best friend, the rock n roll boyfriend—until I didn't. The fairytales I grew up with were lies. Like my ex-best friend once said, fairytales are not real, and there is no prince on a white horse coming to save you. She was right. I was naive to think I deserved a happily ever after—until him.

The life I knew was ripped from under my feet, and I was given a six-foot-seven bodyguard named Titus. Five steps behind. Always. Until he wasn't. Titus King swore to protect me at all costs. Even in death, he promised to protect me because that was his job. But falling in love with me? That wasn't part of his job description. I was his twilight. He was my forever. But we weren't promised our happily ever after.

I had everything. A bright future, a dad who loved me, and his three best friends who would do anything for me. One more than the others. Then I lost it all. Everyone who loved me left me. Med student turned stripper. Betrayed by the ones I loved the most. All it took was one evening, one moment, and my life was spun on its axis. My dad's best friend found out my darkest secret, but instead of running to my dad, he protected me. Promising that he wouldn't leave my side. A forbidden affair burned like a match to gasoline. Until it didn't.

I needed his help, and in turn he needed mine. Before he agreed to take down my ex's company, he stipulated one clause—marriage. He never told me why. He never wanted payment. He just wanted me to agree. And I did. I agreed to play the part, until it was no longer playing. On both our parts. But it turns out he needed me for an ulterior motive. His secrets harboured deep inside of him, and as time went on, I was getting more tangled in his web. I knew I shouldn't stay. I couldn't keep away. And worst of all, I found out it was all for revenge. But that didn't keep me from loving Nate Spencer.