Novels by Queen

★NINA★I was in the middle of scrubbing the kitchen counter when Malachi walked in.Not unusual. He'd been working from home more often lately, appearing in doorways without warning, filling up whatever room he walked into just by existing. I'd gotten used to it, or at least I'd gotten used to pretending I had."Nina."I looked up. He was already dressed for the day, dark slacks and a slate grey shirt with the top button undone. His hair was slightly damp. He was holding his phone loosely in one hand the way he always did when he'd just finished a call."Morning," I said, and turned back to the counter."I need you to come somewhere with me Friday evening."I paused mid-scrub. "Come where?""A charity gala. Downtown. It's a formal event."I turned around slowly, cloth still in hand. "You need me to watch Lila at a gala?""No." He held my gaze. "I need you to come as my date."The cloth dropped into the sink.I stared at him. He stared back, completely calm, like he'd just asked me to

★NINA★ Two days. Forty-eight hours since Malachi's hands were on my skin. Since his lips brushed my ear. Since he whispered that I was driving him insane and then walked out the door like he hadn't just shattered every boundary I'd tried to maintain. Two days of avoiding each other in hallways. Of stilted conversations over breakfast. Of Lila looking between us with curious eyes, sensing something had shifted but not understanding what. Malachi had been working from home. That was new. Usually he couldn't wait to escape to his office, to the sterile high-rise where deals happened and emotions didn't exist. But lately, he was always here. In his home office. Behind closed doors. Close enough to feel but too far to touch. I told myself it was better this way. I didn't believe it. Thursday afternoon, I found myself in the kitchen, staring at the sandwich I'd just made. Turkey and avocado, the way he liked it. Not because I'd memorized his preferences or anything. I just... noticed

★NINA★The house had gone quiet.Lila was down for the night, Malachi was supposedly in his office, and for the first time in hours, I had a moment to myself. I'd just stepped out of the shower, skin still damp and warm, when I remembered I'd left my lotion on the dresser.I padded across the room in nothing but a thin cotton robe, the kind that tied at the waist and didn't hide much. It was fine. Everyone was asleep. The door was slightly ajar—just enough to let the hallway light slice through the darkness—but I didn't think much of it.I squeezed lotion into my palm and started on my arms. The coconut scent filled the small space, sweet and familiar. I worked it into my skin slowly, the way my mother used to—in circles, taking my time. It was the one self-care ritual I'd held onto through years of survival.I didn't hear the footsteps.Didn't know anyone was there until the floorboard outside my door creaked.My head snapped up. Through the gap in the door, I saw him.Malachi.He st

★MALACHI★The morning sun sliced through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, catching the dust motes floating in the air and turning them into gold. I should have been focused on the quarterly reports for the Paris property, but my mind kept drifting back to the living room, to a smear of pink frosting on a soft cheek, to the feel of it under my thumb.I shook my head, forcing my attention back to the screen.The intercom on my desk buzzed, Julian's voice crackling through. "Mr. Kane. You have a visitor. No appointment."I frowned. Julian knew better than to interrupt me with unscheduled guests. "Who is it?"A pause. "Vincent Cole."The name landed in the pit of my stomach like a stone. Vincent Cole. Old money, new schemes. We'd gone to the same prep schools, moved in the same circles, but where I built empires, he collected enemies. His family's wealth came from sources that didn't bear close examination, and Vincent himself had a reputation for playing dirty."Send him in."I

★NINA★The estate looked like a princess exploded in pastel.Balloons bobbed from every tree, every railing, every chair. Pink, purple, gold—tied in clusters so thick you could barely see the lawn underneath. The bounce house rose like a sugary castle in the middle of the grass, pink-and-purple stripes glowing in the afternoon sun. Kids screamed inside it, tumbling over each other, their laughter sharp and wild.Sugar was everywhere. Frosting on tiny hands, on cheeks, on the hem of my dress. Tiara after tiara had slipped sideways. Face paint had turned from cute butterflies into abstract war paint. I was in full nanny mode—refereeing games of musical chairs, reattaching loose bows, wiping sticky fingers with wet wipes I’d stashed in every pocket.And Malachi?He stood near the edge of the patio, arms crossed, in dark jeans and a simple white button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. No tie or jacket. Just him, looking like he’d wandered into the wrong universe.He wasn’t ming

★NINA★It was exactly seven days until Lila turned five, and I was already losing sleep over it.Not because of nightmares this time—those had quieted since the night Malachi held me—but because every time I asked Lila what she wanted for her birthday, her green eyes lit up like Christmas lights.“Bounce house!” she’d squeal. “And a big cake with pink frosting and sprinkles and a princess on top!”She’d said it so many times in the last week I could recite it in my sleep. The problem? Malachi had other plans.I found him in his office that morning, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up, staring at his laptop like it owed him money. I knocked once on the open door.He looked up. “Nina.”I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. “We need to talk about Lila’s birthday.”He leaned back in his chair. “I already booked the venue. The rooftop at the Kane Grand. Private room, string quartet, catered by Henri. A few board members might stop by. It’s low-key.”Low-key?I almost laughed.“That’s a