Falling Into Ruin.

Falling Into Ruin.

last updateLast Updated : 2025-02-09
By:  Eliza SelmerOngoing
Language: English
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Briar is a smart, determined, driven woman who only has one goal in life, finding the ones responsible for taking her brother away from her. This leads her to become a detective who finds herself slowly becoming acquainted with the underworld, a place filled with crime, drugs, sex, and Ciaran O'Reilly, a cold-blooded monster who kills for fun. After their first meeting he warns her to never appear in front of him again, otherwise, he would claim her, after all, she is his mate, the one destined to him, made for him, and the one that he can never hope to have. But fate has other plans for the star-crossed lovers. Plans that continue to bring them together and eventually intertwine them in order to stay alive. Will Briar and Ciaran be able to ignore the bond that they share, or will they risk it all for the thrill of their lust? Read Falling Into Ruin to find out!

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Chapter 1

An Alluring Gaze

[Briar's POV]

A smoky room with the lingering scent of cigarettes and alcohol. A single spotlight fixed on me, casting my silhouette across the audience. The smooth, sexy beat begins to play. And a single pole that will become my lover as I put on a show.

This place is my home and my place for digging. A small club called Claire Delune, fixed in the heart of the city, is the prime spot for gang lords, criminals, and dark characters alike.

It is because of the clientele that I work here. They are the ones who can give me the intel I need to solve the biggest unsolved mystery in my life.

Who or what killed my brother.

My name is Briar Atwood, and I'm twenty-one years old. I'm an orphan who lost her parents at the precious age of two due to a car accident. After that, my brother, who was thirteen years older than me, became my caregiver and my only family despite only being in high school.

He did everything he could to make sure that I lived a good life, even going as far as joining the underworld and becoming their dog who did all the dirty work.

At the time, I had no idea that was what my brother was doing instead of going to an actual job. It was only when he turned up dead and his identity as a hit man was revealed that I truly understood just how big of a burden I was.

Of course the police and news made my brother's death out to be gang-related, but I saw his body and the injuries he sustained. They weren't made by normal weapons. Honestly, they looked like they were made by some type of animal, but when I pointed that out to the detectives who were working my brother's case, they laughed me off.

After that day, I swore that I would find out what truly happened to my brother since the system wouldn't, and that was why I was here in this place shaking my ass and tits for all to see just so I could get information on the workings of the underworld. After all, it wasn't too hard to get these dudes speaking once they drank a few of my famous concoctions.

However, up until this point no one had uttered a fucking word of what I wanted to hear, and because of that I continued to endure.

“That's it, Stacy!” A man, a regular named Troy, yells from the audience. “Show me those tits.”

Smiling, I reach around my back while my hips swivel to the beat and pull at the string to my top. Once it is loose, I let it fall to the stage while all the disgusting bastards in the audience cheer. All except for one anyway.

He sits at the back of the room, his face obscured by smoke, but even then I can tell that his glowing golden eyes are watching me like a predator watches its prey.

Immediately, I know that he is dangerous, and yet, I want to get closer to him. Everything in me screams to get closer to him, and I can't help but wonder if maybe tonight is my lucky night. Maybe, just maybe, this dangerous man will help lead me to hell, where the answers I so desperately want are waiting.

“You,” I whisper, pointing at him and beaming so he knows I've noticed him staring. “Tonight, you're mine.”

Keeping my gaze locked on his, I continue to grind against the stage, putting on the most seductive show of my life until he gets up and starts moving.

No! I hiss inwardly, watching him disappear through the building's exit. Not yet! Don’t leave.

Cursing the fact that my show time was the longest of all the women here, I feel like I’m losing a great opportunity. And by the time I’m finally free, I’m ready to scream.

“Stacy!” Dave, our manager, calls before I can even take a seat in front of my vanity. “You’ve been requested.”

“Oh?” I ask, eyeing him and raising a brow. “Are they going to make it worth my time?”

“He,” Dave responds, his voice slightly pinched. “Is one of the most powerful men in the city.”

Eyes widening, I take in his words while trying to determine why someone like that would request me in particular when he could have all the women surrounding him this evening.

“Why don’t you send Emily or Talia?” I sigh, taking a seat and examining my reflection. “I already told you that I need to leave early today because…”

“He wants you.” Dave says, cutting me off before I can even speak. “And if you don’t go, you’re going to cause a lot of trouble for me.”

“Oh no,” I huff, my annoyance growing. “We wouldn’t want that.”

I didn’t give a shit if trouble came to this place, especially when it was where the trouble gathered for a relaxing evening. If Dave thought I was going to fall for that shit, then he…”

“If you don’t go, don’t bother coming in tomorrow.”

“Are you threatening me?” I hiss, swiveling around and eyeing him. “Really?”

“You heard me, beautiful.” He smirks. “Either do your fucking job and show that rich, young master a good time, or you’ll be out on the street, capiche?”

Opening my mouth, I prepare to tell him then he could kiss my beautiful ass goodbye before remembering that I needed this place to solve my brother's murder.

Fuck. He had me.

“Fine,” I growl, getting up and flicking my hair over my shoulder. “I’ll do it this once, but after today, I won’t be putting on private shows. I made it clear from the day you hired me that I wasn’t here for that kind of thing.”

“That’s what they all say, babe." Dave chuckles. “But in the end, they come to realize that they enjoy doing such things.”

They. He was referring to the whores that worked here. The ones who were all for fucking whoever offered them the most money in order to buy their next fix or live lavishly.

I wasn’t one of those. I had plenty of money from an inheritance since my brother’s death, and I was living comfortably. I didn’t even have to work for the rest of my life if I didn’t want to, and once I got the answers I was seeking, I would be out of this place and following my heart to my dream career as a PI in the city. Of course, I was already qualified to do such things, but I didn’t want to be associated with the police if someone caught onto what I was doing. That was why I held off on doing what I wanted.

“Get going.” Dave announces, snapping me out of my head. “You’ve made him wait long enough.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.” I sigh, beginning to move. "Just remember you owe me."

"Of course."

Rolling my eyes, I don't bother looking to see what type of expression Dave is making; hell, it didn't matter to me at all anyway. Instead, I head out of the dressing room and toward the private wing of the club where all the raunchy shit happened, from hookups to orgies to drug parties.

I hated this portion of the club and avoided it as best I could, but here I was finally making my way there until I reach the room that is meant for VIPs.

"You've got this, Briar." I whisper, ignoring everything in me that screams to turn around and leave. "You're going to be alright. You're just going to serve him some drinks, keep him company, and then go home."

Settling on this, I plaster a smile on my face and knock, then wait until I hear a rumble that I can only assume means come in.

Not wasting any more time, I push open the door in front of me and feel my eyes widen in shock as I stare at the one waiting for me.

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22 Chapters
An Alluring Gaze
[Briar's POV]A smoky room with the lingering scent of cigarettes and alcohol. A single spotlight fixed on me, casting my silhouette across the audience. The smooth, sexy beat begins to play. And a single pole that will become my lover as I put on a show.This place is my home and my place for digging. A small club called Claire Delune, fixed in the heart of the city, is the prime spot for gang lords, criminals, and dark characters alike.It is because of the clientele that I work here. They are the ones who can give me the intel I need to solve the biggest unsolved mystery in my life.Who or what killed my brother.My name is Briar Atwood, and I'm twenty-one years old. I'm an orphan who lost her parents at the precious age of two due to a car accident. After that, my brother, who was thirteen years older than me, became my caregiver and my only family despite only being in high school.He did everything he could to make sure that I lived a good life, even going as far as joining the
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
Read more
Why Is It You
[Briar’s POV]“Why is it you?”The words are leaving my lips before I can stop them, but honestly, I don’t care if he gets offended.“I thought you would be happy to see me.” Jeffrey cooes, leaning back on the black leather sofa that he lounges on. “Especially since we haven’t seen each other in months.”“For good reason,” I point out, crossing my arms. “When I broke up with you, I told you to not come find me.”Frowning, I examine the man in front of me, noting that his wavy brown hair is styled in a new way and he has grown a goatee that I can only assume he thinks makes him look sexier. I mean, it does, but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that. Not when we were no longer together.“Come on, baby,” he sighs, standing to his full six-foot-five height and walking toward me. “I told you that I had a momentary lapse in judgment and that it would never happen again.”Grimacing, I remain in place, watching as he continues to close the distance between us, and when he
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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Beg Me
[Briar’s POV]My heart begins to hammer in my chest as the man I thought that I knew starts to shift from man into beast right before my eyes.“Je-jeffrey,” I stammer, trying not to show my fear. “What’s going…”“Aw,” he murmurs, his voice guttural and garbled from the sharp teeth that are starting to fill his mouth. “Are you afraid, baby?”Was I? Of course I was! How could I not be when a human was shifting into something else entirely right in front of me, but would I admit it to him? Hell no!I needed to keep a clear head and think rationally, because I was certain if I made any rash moves, it would end up getting me killed, but what could I do to get him to let me leave?“I’m sorry,” I whisper, hating myself for it, but wanting to appease him. “I’m sorry that I acted stubbornly.”As I speak, I reach out and gently brush my hands along Jeffrey’s cheek, which has begun to sprout hair. It pricks at my skin and makes me want to recoil, but I continue to move in hopes this will calm th
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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Temporary Amusement
[Ciaran’s POV]I stare at the woman leaning against the wall, clutching her ribs while her whole body shakes. She’s clearly weak and useless, but even now in this place with two monsters so close to her, she’s staring fiercely like a lioness ready to attack at any second.Smirking, I continue to watch her while the delicious scent I smelt earlier on wraps around me.So it was you. I think inwardly, understanding what this meant and hating that such a weak fucking human was the one the goddess intended for me.“Please,” she repeats now, taking my silence as disagreement. “I’ve promised to give you what you want, so please…”“Shut up!” Jeffrey growls, lashing out at the woman again only to be stopped by me. “What the hell are you doing?” He roars, turning on me. “You dare touch me when you’re…”“I’m what?” I ask, testing his arm until I can feel the bones beginning to break. “What am I?”Of course, I already knew what he was going to say. I was his lackey. I was hired to help him deal w
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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Bring Home
[Briar’s POV]My eyes grow wide as I stare into the golden depths of the large man that I’m pressed against. What on earth was he saying right now? Was he actually capable of doing such a thing? And why on earth wasn’t I scared out of my fucking mind over what he just did? Was I crazy? Did I lose my sanity because of what I just experienced?“Does your silence mean you want me to fuck you here?” The man rumbles, snapping me out of my daze. “It looks like you’re more kinky than I thought.”“No!” I gasp, not wanting to do such a thing here. “That isn’t…”Shit. He was being serious; what on earth was I getting myself into? All I wanted to do was escape and never see this man again. Of course, I already knew that meant that after tonight I couldn’t possibly come back to this place, not after what happened. RIP those beautiful tips.“Then let’s get going.”I don’t get the chance to respond before the man is tugging me, pulling me out of the room where Jeffrey’s body remains waiting for who
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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His Instruction
[Briar’s POV]I remain in place, staring around, taking in the space that looks almost unlived in while my savior, or possibly my downfall, heads toward the kitchen and grabs a beer.“Want one?” He asks, peeking at me over my shoulder. “Or do you intend to just stand there looking like a statue?”“I…” I begin, wondering if that was a rhetorical question. “I’ll have one.”“Atta girl,” the man chuckles, moving toward me and passing me a bottle of some cheap beer that probably tastes like the toilet water at a frat house. “Sorry it isn’t fancy, but this is all I got.”“It’ll do,” I say, moving toward a chair and taking a seat. “Alcohol is alcohol, right?”As I speak, I try to keep my voice even, doing my absolute best to keep my nerves from being noticed, but from the way those golden eyes burned into me, I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job.“Hey,” the man says, taking a seat across from me. “Tell me something.”“What?” I ask, taking a sip of my beer and wincing from the taste. “What i
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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A Visitor
[Briar’s POV]I stare in disbelief at the psycho bastard who watches me until the doors to the elevator I stand silently in closes, making a decisive line between us both. Only when I can’t see him anymore do I collapse against the wall while my heart begins to hammer in my chest.“Fuck,” I hiss, reaching up and pressing my hand against it. “What the fuck is wrong with him?”This single question repeats itself again and again in my mind as the events that unfolded this evening flash in my mind, making me realize that I really dodged a bullet, but that wasn’t even the thing that mattered the most. Now that I could think straight, I was realizing that all along Jeffrey could have had the answers that I was seeking in regards to my brother.“Fuck!” I growl, punching the elevator wall as I try to come to terms with the fact I let a golden opportunity get away from me. “I almost achieved my mission!”My voice reverberates around me like they belong to others who mock me for not realizing t
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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No One Worth Remembering
[Ciaran’s POV]Later, I lounge on the couch, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other, as the scent of my little mate continues to linger around me, taunting me and making me want to rip the fucking city apart to find her and claim her as my own.Fuck. Who knew that a mate bond could be so suffocating and so fucking frustrating? If I had known, I would have turned and left the minute her delicious scent started enticing me. If I had just left, I wouldn’t have gotten to lose myself in it, to feel her warmth against me, or to even learn the cute expressions that she was capable of making.“Dammit,” I growl, bringing the whiskey to my lips and chugging the rest of the burning liquid. “Get your shit together, Ciaran.”I wasn’t a man who was allowed to let himself indulge in such things. I didn’t live in a world where I could keep someone so weak and yet so strong beside me. I already knew that the best thing for us was for our paths to never cross again, and to make su
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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The Mystery Behind His Death
[Briar’s POV]A shiver races down my spine as I turn my key in the lock to my apartment, causing me to freeze while I wonder if someone is cursing me. Deciding that I was probably overthinking things and being a little too paranoid given the events that just happened, I quickly scurry inside, where I find my roommate, Crystal, lounging on the couch with a drink in one hand and the TV remote in another.She’s dressed in nothing but a long t-shirt and underwear with her long, dark, curly hair tied in a bun atop her head, and by the look on her face and the questioning gleam in her dark eyes, I know that she has been waiting for me to get home.“Hey,” I announce, strolling forward while keeping my expression blank. “Whatcha watching?”“Oh, you know,” she responds, her gaze narrowing. “A show about a girl whose best friend randomly disappeared from her night gig and was unable to be reached.”“Wow,” I smile, knowing that I was in trouble from the annoyance in her voice. “That sounds like
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-12
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Old Friends
[Briar’s POV]The next morning, I stand in front of the precinct, my adrenaline pumping and my determination rising. This was it; this was the step I worked so hard to take, and now that I was here, I wasn't going to let anything stop me.Appear in front of me again and I'll fuck you.That dangerous man's voice pops into my head unbidden as I realize that once I’ve stepped foot through those doors, the possibility of us meeting was highly likely.“Oh well,” I mutter, pushing that handsome bastard’s face and voice aside. “You’re the one that appeared in front of me to begin with.”Settling on this, I begin to move, heading inside and up to the reception desk where a young man with slicked-back brown hair sits.“Yes, ma’am,” he says, eyeing me, his gaze slowly trailing up and down my body. “How can I help you?”“I’m here to meet with Detective Miles.” I respond, giving a smile. “I’ve got an appointment with him at nine.”Nodding, the man checks his computer, and when I’m certain he find
last updateLast Updated : 2025-01-16
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