Novels by Buddy

Killian's POVThe morning sun broke through the bulletproof glass of my master bedroom, casting golden light across the rumpled silk sheets.I opened my eyes, my brain still foggy from the long, wild night. My hand automatically reached out to grab the soft waist of the woman who should have been sleeping right beside me.My palm hit cold, empty bedsheets.My eyes snapped open. I sat up so fast the silk duvet slid off my bare chest."Renese?" I called out, my voice rough from sleep.The master bedroom was completely silent. The bathroom door was wide open, the lights off, the marble shower dry. Her clothes from last night were gone. Her scent of sweet vanilla and subtle trouble was the only thing left lingering in the air.I glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand.8:00 AM.The wedding was scheduled for ten o'clock. In two hours, I was supposed to stand at an altar in front of half the cartel bosses in Europe and pretend to pledge my life to Camilla Thaddeus."Renese!" I shoute

Renese's POVThe good news? Killian didn't kill Julian and bury him in the bay.The bad news? The wedding is finally here. Well... not exactly the wedding yet, but the rehearsal night, which felt just as terrifying.Downstairs, the grand floor of the Augustus Manor was buzzing with reporters, heavily armed security, and dangerous cartel bosses from all five families. Money, champagne, and fake smiles filled the air.Upstairs on the third floor, it was as silent as a grave.The security cameras had a three-second blind spot whenever the power rerouted through the east wing.And I wasn't downstairs playing the dutiful stepdaughter. I had skipped the rehearsal dinner entirely.Instead, I stood in the center of a room I wasn't ever supposed to see—Killian’s private library in the restricted wing of the manor.The room smelled like old paper, mahogany, leather, and him. It was dark, lit only by the silver moonlight filtering through the high arched windows.In the corner sat a steel safe,

Renese's POVAnd that, ladies and gentlemen, has been my life ever since.Under total surveillance.I remember one time I got so sick of the red lights flashing in the corners of my bedroom that I screamed right at the lens, asking Killian why he didn't just put a camera in the bathroom too. At least then he’d get a private show.He didn't answer, but the next morning, Lane handed me a box of silk pajamas with a note from Killian: Wear longer pants.Unbelievable.Now, I sat at the center of the grand banquet table, staring across the crystal chandeliers at the woman sitting next to Killian.Camilla Thaddeus.She was wearing a sleek silk dress in my exact favorite shade of emerald green. When the waiter brought out the dessert, she laughed—a soft, melodic sound that matched my exact rhythm. And when the sommelier approached her, she ordered the exact French wine I drank every single night.It was sickening. Killian hadn't just picked a fiancée to secure money for the empire. He had cho

Renese's POVThe first time I saw Killian kill a man, he didn't even blink.Six years ago, I thought the world was simple. I was sixteen, living in a cage, but I had Killian. Back then, he didn't look at me like a cold stranger. He sneaked pastries to my room late at night. He let me steal his leather jacket when the house got too cold and he smiled only for me.Until the Castel family tried to start a war.They dragged me into a cold warehouse by the docks. My hands were tied to a rusty metal chair with thick rope. My lip was bleeding, and three men stood around me, laughing and drinking cheap vodka while waiting for their boss.The steel doors of the warehouse suddenly tore off their hinges with a deafening screech.A heavy silence followed. Then came the footsteps.Killian walked through the smoke alone, soaked in rain, holding a long hunting knife in one hand and a silenced pistol in the other. He didn't say a word nor did he demand my release."Shoot him!" one of the captors scr

Renese's povThe bright red dot of a sniper laser rested right over my heart.I didn't flinch. Instead, I leaned over the stone railing of the third-story balcony and tossed a piece of fresh salmon down to a black stray cat hiding in the bushes.A second laser dot appeared on my forehead. A third settled on the back of my neck.All three snipers were stationed on the towers of the Augustus Manor. All three were connected to private comms. And all three reported directly to one man: Killian."You're going to get cold out here, Miss Renese," a smooth voice called out from behind me.I turned around to see Lane standing by the balcony doors, clad in his usual pristine black suit. Nestor stood right beside him, arms crossed, looking as grim as a thunderstorm. Killian’s top two hitmen—men who could clear a room of enemies in under five seconds—were currently stuck on babysitting duty."Lane," I said, giving him my sweetest, most innocent smile. "Did you bring the salmon from the kitchen li