Novels by Mirah Praise

"You're a nobody, Valentina!" Alessia shrieked, her voice echoing off the high book-lined walls of the dark library. "A cheap bartering chip! My family built this city! You think you can just walk in here and take my life? Take my man? Take my future?""I didn't take anything from you, Alessia!" I shouted back, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the heavy iron fireplace poker. The weight of it was substantial in my hands, a cold, solid reassurance against the sheer terror thudding in my chest. "Your brother set this entire thing up! He manufactured my father's debt to force Damiano's hand! Can't you see that? You're just a pawn to him!""Liar!" she screamed. Her eyes were completely bloodshot, wild, and unfocused. The polished, elegant high-society princess was entirely gone, replaced by a desperate, trembling wreck. "You're lying to save your own pathetic skin! Damiano loved me! We were going to run this empire together!""He never loved you," I said, taking a slow, deliberate st

My heart was beating so hard it felt like it would break my ribs. The guard's heavy boots were still pressed against the metal panel right above my skull. The static of his radio was a buzzing death sentence in the tight space."I've got to do this," I whispered to myself, my fingers freezing around the scalpel. "I have to cut it now."I didn't let myself hesitate for another second. I pressed the sharp, tiny surgical blade down onto the thin blue fiber loop and sliced hard.A bright, blinding blue electrical arc exploded right in the dark of the vent, stinging my cheeks and forehead with hot sparks. I squeezed my eyes shut, gasping as the smell of burnt plastic and copper filled my nose. Instantly, the hum of the ventilation system died. The small green indicator lights on the circuit board blinked out.The entire fortress went dead silent.Down the long, dark corridor outside the duct, a massive, synchronized sound echoed through the walls. Every single electronic door lock in the

The blinding white light had barely pinned us to the wet gravel before the world went completely sideways."Hey! Intruders at Sector 4!"The guard's shout was cut off instantly. The split second the flashlight beam hit us, Matteo moved with terrifying, silent speed. He didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward like a striking snake, his massive 6'5" frame blurring through the downpour. Before the echo of the shout could even leave the trees, Matteo’s heavy combat knife flashed in the dark. There was a wet, muffled choke, the heavy thud of a body hitting the mud, and the flashlight rolled into a puddle, its bright beam pointing uselessly at the sky."Now!" Damiano roared.He didn't wait. He grabbed the rusted handle of the iron basement hatch and yanked. The ancient hinges screamed as he ripped the cover open, revealing a dark, narrow concrete shaft yawning below us."Get down there!" Damiano ordered, his hands grabbing my shoulders and shoving me toward the opening."It's too small!" I gaspe

The freezing water hit my face like a slap the second we pushed open the heavy iron grate at the end of the drainage tunnel. The rain was blinding, a absolute downpour that turned the ground beneath my feet into slippery, thick mud. I gasped for air, cold wind filling my lungs as I struggled to pull myself up onto the wet grass of the forest surrounding the Moretti estate.Beside me, Damiano climbed out without a sound. The heavy rain washed the fresh, dark blood from his bare chest, diluting it into pale red streaks that ran down his heavily scarred ribs and disappeared into his waistband. He didn't even blink. He stood there in the dark, the cold rain bouncing off his wide shoulders, his eyes scanning the pitch-black woods.Suddenly, a massive shape materialized right out of the darkness behind a thick oak tree.I jumped, my heart leaping into my throat, my hand flying to the front of Damiano's oversized tactical jacket. I almost let out a scream, but a large, rough hand clamped dow

The blackness of the dead terminal screen seemed to suck the remaining warmth right out of the room. The static went silent. The feed was completely dead.I stood there, frozen against the metal console, my heart hammering so hard against my ribs I thought it would crack them."Damiano," I whispered, my voice shaking. "He has them. He actually has them."Damiano didn't rage. He didn't smash his fist against the computer. He didn't throw the chair. His entire demeanor shifted into something far worse. His movements became chillingly quiet, fluid, and mechanical, like a weapon being assembled in a dark room. He stepped back from me, his bare chest glistening in the weak amber light of the emergency bulb, his eyes completely empty of warmth."Get up," he said. His voice was low, flat, and completely devoid of human emotion.He walked over to a heavy iron wall locker in the corner of the bunker, pulled the latch, and yanked the door open. He reached inside, grabbed a thick, dark green tac

The glowing green terminal screen illuminated my face in the pitch-black corner of the bunker. My hands were shaking so hard I could barely control them. On the monitor, the three unmarked white vans were already disappearing past the fortress tree line."No, no, no," I breathed.My fingers scrambled across the ancient plastic keyboard, trying to terminate the connection, trying to cancel the download before it triggered a system-wide alert. Panic surged through my chest, hot and blinding. I reached out to yank the silver flash drive out of the USB port.My elbow jerked backward. It struck the heavy glass water pitcher resting right on the edge of the rusted metal desk. The sound of thick glass shattering against the solid concrete floor exploded through the tiny room like a gunshot. Shards of sharp glass and cold water sprayed across my bare feet and ankles.In a fraction of a second, the mattress groaned. Damiano was off the cot instantly, his movements a blur of pure, lethal insti

"Leo, let go of my wrist," I breathed, my voice barely a whisper against the loud, thumping of the rain on the metal roof of the car. "We can't do this. We can't keep finding ourselves in dark lots.""I told you, Ivy, I can't just switch it off," Leo said.Before I could reply, his large hands shifted from my wrist to my waist. He reached all the way across the center console, his grip firm, solid, and completely unyielding. With one smooth, heavy pull, he lifted me entirely out of the passenger seat and pulled me straight onto his lap in the dark car."Leo!" I gasped, my hands automatically flying up to catch his broad shoulders for balance.The interior of the SUV was completely dark, the dashboard dead, and the windows were totally blurred by the sheets of water cascading down the glass. The intimacy tonight didn't feel like the explosive, angry collision in the biology lab. It was slower, heavier, filled with an intense, quiet desperation that seemed to draw all the air out of the

I asked you a question, Ivy," Liya said, her voice dropping into a flat, worried tone as her fingers remained hovering just an inch from my collarbone. "What on earth is that dark spot? It looks completely purple.""It's nothing!" I blurted out, my voice coming out way too high, way too fast. I violently flinched backward on my mattress, ripping my neck away from her hand. My heart was slamming against my ribs so hard I thought she could actually see my chest shaking through the fabric. I forced my hands to grab the collar of the black shirt, pulling it tightly up to my chin. "I just... I scratched myself earlier.""Scratched yourself?" Liya squinted, her eyes tracking my movements with deep suspicion. "Ivy, a scratch doesn't turn that deep purple color. It looks like a massive bruise. Are you sure Maria didn't touch you when she cornered you in the bathroom? Tell me right now if she put her hands on you.""No! No, I swear it wasn't Maria!" I lied flat out, the word screaming in my mi

When I got to my dorm, I went straight to my bed to lay down.thoughts ran through my mind.“How did I let this happen?”Yeah ….I just had sex with my best friend's brother.And I know she's not gonna take this lightly with me. She had warned me never to get involved with her brother. She always says she loses friendships over him. That anyone who gets in his way ends up out of her life...And I don't want to lose her. I can’t because she's been the very best girl I've ever had …the real one, actually I've never really had friends cause I've always been the new girl… My dad was a surgeon before he died, and his job moved us around constantly. Different countries. Different cities. Different schools. Just when I started getting comfortable somewhere, we packed up againAfter his death, my mom and I moved one last time.She promised this would be the final move….and it's been two years now That's when i met Liya Wilson From the first day, we connected and became inseparable like soul

The brass door handle violently twisted back and forth from the outside hallway.I froze instantly on the hard black lab table. My heart leaped directly into my throat, beating so hard it felt like it would burst through my skin. My hand shot up automatically, my fingers clamping tightly over my own mouth to stop a breathless gasp from escaping.Leo did not move an inch. He stayed perfectly still inside my personal space, his massive frame pinning me down against the flat surface. His lower body was still locked tightly between my thighs, keeping us completely fused together in the dark gap between the counters. His broad chest was heaving hard, pressing heavily against my breasts with every ragged, uneven breath he took. His face was just inches from mine, his dark eyes wide and completely pitch-black as they bored straight into my pupils, commanding absolute, total silence."Arthur?" the loud, gruff voice barked again through the thick wood of the door. "Are you in there? I know I h

The clock on the wall of the basement biology lab hummed quietly, the hands slowly ticking past 5:30 PM. The rest of the class had left over an hour ago, leaving me completely alone in the cold, sterile room. The air smelled sharply of rubbing alcohol and old chemical cleaners. I kept my head down, staring into the bright lens of the microscope, trying with everything I had to focus on drawing the plant cell structures into my spiral notebook. My mind was still spinning from Jax's warnings in the hallway earlier, making my hands shake every time I tried to line up the pencil.The sudden, heavy sound of wood sliding against metal cut through the silence of the room.My head snapped up instantly, my eyes darting toward the main entrance. The heavy wooden door had just closed, and the brass thumb-turn lock was twisted completely horizontal from the inside."Who's there?" I called out, my voice tight and thin as I stood up from my high metal stool. "The lab is closed to the public right n

"Thanks again, Mason," I said quickly, my fingers tightening over the heavy stack of textbooks as I shuffled backward toward the glass entrance of the science hall. My heart was pounding against my ribs like an escaped prisoner, my mind still totally stuck on the sight of Leo crushing that soda can at the top of the stairs. "I can take them from here. Really. You should get to practice."Mason let his hand drop from my elbow, though his left-cheek dimple showed as he offered a warm smile. "Are you sure, Ivy? I can carry them right up to your classroom door. It's no trouble at all.""No, no, I'm totally fine," I insisted, my voice sounding a little too breathless, a little too frantic. I gave him a quick, tight nod, desperately trying to look natural. "You've already done way too much. I'll see you around, Mason.""Alright. Just remember what I said about Maria," Mason called out, taking a step back toward the quad. "If she steps out of line again, you tell me immediately. Don't handle

(MALDIE POV)The morning air felt like lead. Ten years. Ten years since the bridge, the water, and the silence that followed. I sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the locket—the empty, bugged locket—and stared at the wall. My father’s birthday. The anniversary of his death. To the world, it was a tragedy. To me, it was the day the lights went out.I expected silence. I expected a day of mourning. Instead, I found a circus.When I walked downstairs, the mansion was buzzing. Caterers were scurrying through the halls with silver trays. Huge floral arrangements—lilies, his favorite, but arranged in a way that looked corporate and cold—lined the foyer."What is all this?" I asked, my voice sounding small against the clinking of crystal.Richard appeared, looking sharp in a bespoke suit. He smiled, that practiced, fatherly beam that now made my skin crawl. "Maldie! You’re finally up. It’s a big day. A celebration of life for your father. I’ve invited the board, the press, and the local e

(MALDIE POV)The archive basement felt like a tomb. The air was thick with the scent of decaying paper and the cold, metallic tang of the ventilation system. My heart was a frantic bird trapped in my ribs, drumming against my chest as I scrambled deeper into the stacks. "Maldie, slow down," I whispered to myself, my breath hitching. I ignored the shadows dancing between the shelves. I had to find it. Row 42 was a blur of gray metal and cardboard boxes until I saw the label: ACCIDENT REPORTS – 2016.I yanked a heavy, dust-caked folder from the shelf. My hands shook so violently the papers nearly spilled onto the floor. "Come on, come on," I hissed, flipping through the pages.Case File: 774-B. Deceased: Elias Sams. Location: Forestwood Bridge.I found the initial report. My eyes skimmed the familiar details—the weather conditions, the time of impact, the description of my father’s car. But then I turned the page to the section labeled Involved Vehicles/Third Party Evidence.My blood

(MALDIE POV)***********************************The fluorescent lights of the Forestwood Academy cafeteria hummed with a predatory energy. I sat at a corner table, my fingers tracing the scarred wood, trying to keep my breathing steady. After the morning I’d had with Richard, the school was supposed to be a reprieve. It wasn't."Oh, look, the charity case is hungry," a voice drawled.I didn't have to look up to know it was Olive. She stood over me, flanked by her usual entourage of girls who smelled like expensive perfume and elitism. Olive reached down and snatched my brown paper bag—the meager lunch I’d packed myself because I didn't trust the staff at the mansion."Give it back, Olive," I said, my voice tight."This?" She held the bag up between two manicured fingers as if it were a biohazard. "Maldie, honey, you live in that massive hand-me-down mansion now. Surely Richard provides better than... What is this? A peanut butter sandwich?""It’s none of your business. Give it to me.

(MALDIE POV)***********************************I didn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that tiny, unblinking glass lens hidden in the vent. My skin felt like it was crawling with invisible ants. When the sun finally started bleeding through the curtains of the estate, I dragged myself out of bed, my head throbbing. I had to look normal. If Richard was watching….and I knew now that he was………I couldn't let him see the terror.I walked into the dining room, my footsteps echoing on the marble. Richard was already there, sitting at the head of the table, reading the morning paper. He looked up, and for a second, I flinched, but he just beamed at me."Good morning, Maldie. You look a bit pale, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?""I'm fine, Richard," I lied, my voice cracking. "Just a headache."He stood up, but not to pull out my chair. He gestured to the spread of food. "Sit, eat. You need your strength. Actually, I have something that might make you feel better."He reached into

(MALDIE POV)*************************************I barely managed to slip through the side entrance of the estate, my lungs burning from the sprint through the fog………… The silver key was still biting into the palm of my hand, a cold reminder of the vault and the nightmare I’d just escaped……. I just needed to get to my room…….I needed to lock the door and breathe.But the house wasn't empty.A hand, thick and calloused, shot out from the darkness of the West Wing corridor. It clamped around my throat…………not squeezing, but firm enough to kill my scream before it could leave my lips…... "Going somewhere, Maldie?"David. He didn't wait for an answer….. He hauled me backward, his fingers digging into the silk of my sleeves as he dragged me deeper into the shadows, far from the light of the main foyer. He moved with a predatory silence that made my skin crawl and tingle all at once. "David, let go! You’re hurting me!" I hissed, clawing at his forearm………... It was like trying to scratch

(MALDIE POV)***************************The fog was a thick, wet blanket over the pier……I could barely see my own feet as I hurried toward the old boathouse. My heart was thumping against my ribs like a trapped bird. The note had promised the truth about my father, and I wasn't going to miss it for anything.I reached the heavy wooden door and pushed……. It creaked loudly."You're late, Maldie….."The voice didn't come from a stranger……. It was deep, smooth, and instantly recognizable. I stepped inside and squinted through the gloom……. He was there, sitting in a plush leather chair that looked far too expensive for this rotting shack………"Julian?" I gasped, slamming the door behind me to keep out the chill. "You sent the note? Why the mystery?""Because mystery gets your attention," he said. He didn't get up………He just sat there, the light from a single lantern carving out the sharp lines of his jaw. "And right now, I want all of it.""I thought this was about my father's files," I said