Novels by Kesi King

Serena’s POVThe tension in the room was so thick it felt like it had become another person sitting at the table with us.If a pen had fallen, the sound would have cut through the silence like a gunshot.Every woman at the table was watching Liz, waiting to see how she would recover from my comment. Her lips parted, clearly preparing a response, when Vivian—committed to maintaining her image as a gracious, composed leader—lifted her pen and tapped it lightly against the table."Now, now, let’s keep our focus where it belongs,” she said smoothly. “Elena is an expert in these matters, and we all want this gala to be flawless. People have already pledged a lot towards the evening, which means there is a great deal riding on this event.”For the next forty minutes, the meeting proceeded in a state of polite warfare. Liz and her tight circle of friends took every opportunity to throw small, passive-aggressive barbs my way which I returned, keeping my tone as unfazed as possible. Through i

Serena’s POV“If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were seeing someone else,” Chloe’s voice came through the car speakers, loud enough to fill the quiet space around me. “And frankly, as your official best friend, I feel like a neglected partner. Except this is worse, because at least a cheating lover gives you an excuse to throw a glass of wine in their face.”I tightened my grip around the steering wheel, watching the morning traffic crawl ahead of me while her words settled in.“It’s just work, Chlo,” I said, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. “Mostly work. The transition with some accounts have been a nightmare, and Dominic is…”“Dominic is a workaholic, which makes you a double workaholic by association,” she interrupted immediately. I could practically hear the eye roll in her voice. “You have cancelled on me every single night for the last two weeks, Elena. Every time I text you, it’s either ‘just finishing a report’ or ‘stuck somewhere downtown.’ I’m starting to for

Serena’s POV“Can Annika have a half-day?” I asked the nurse, desperate to leave before my own thoughts became impossible to control.“Of course, Mrs. Reyes,” she replied kindly. “Just sign the release at the front.”Ten minutes later, we were back inside Killian’s SUV. Annika was safely buckled into the back seat, her small backpack resting beside her, looking completely content. Meanwhile, I was desperately trying to figure out how to get away from this situation before I started making the worst possible mistake.Because somewhere along the line, I was seeing the man I hated become someone I couldn’t easily hate anymore, and my revenge plans were starting to waver.And I couldn’t let that happen. Killian started the engine, and within seconds, a soft children’s melody filled the car through the speakers.I turned toward him, my brows furrowing in confusion. “How do you even have this on your playlist, Killian?”He glanced at me, a small, almost embarrassed smile touching his lips

Serena’s POVThe drive to the Upper East Side felt endless.Traffic on Lexington Avenue barely moved, and I sat in the passenger seat of Killian’s SUV, my fingers twisting the strap of my bag repeatedly as I tried to force the memory of what almost happened in his office out of my mind.An almost kiss.Because that was what it was. I shook my head, immediately focusing on the important matter at hand. Every part of this new life I was living was a risk, but Annika was the one thing that could truly break me. If anything happened to her because I was too distracted, I knew I would never forgive myself.Killian drove in silence, his attention fixed on the road ahead, occasionally checking the mirrors out of habit. After several minutes, he reached toward the center console, pulled out a small metallic tin, and opened it.Without looking away from the road, he extended it toward me.Inside were mints.I stared at the tin, then at his profile, my brows furrowing in confusion."“What is

Serena’s POVI knocked once on the door of Killian's office before pushing it open.He was standing behind his massive desk, his suit jacket discarded over the back of his chair, the sleeves of his crisp white shirt rolled up to his forearms. The surface of the desk was covered with different layers of paper and he was leaning forward, one hand resting against the papers as his eyes moved over every detail.Hearing the door, he didn’t look up immediately.“Come in,” he muttered, his voice rough from exhaustion.Then his eyes lifted, and his expression changed when he saw me. “Elena. Welcome. Could you please come here for a second? I need your insight on what you think about the changes they’re suggesting for the side of this property.”I paused at the edge of the room, my purse clutched against my side. Looking at him now, with the informant's message still burning a hole in my pocket, the air felt thick. The message hadn’t mentioned if he knew about the crane accident being intent

Serena’s POVThe message arrived the moment I pulled the car into park in the underground garage of Rhodes Incorporated. I turned off the ignition, and for a few seconds, the only sound was the murmur of people some distance away in the garage.Then my phone screen lit up on the console.Unknown Number: The waterfront accident was not an accident. I heard a conversation. Someone wanted it to happen. That is all I know.My fingers froze around the steering wheel.For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.My mind did not go to the company, the investigation, or what this could mean for Rhodes. It went straight back to that day.The sound of metal tearing through the air.The panic that had ripped through my body as the beam came loose above us.The dust. The chaos. The terrifying certainty that everything was about to end.Until Killian’s arms had wrapped around me.Until he pulled me against him and shielded me almost immediately.I remembered standing there afterward, still shaking ben