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CHESSBOARD
Last Updated:
2025-05-06 17:06:40
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THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD BIANCA
“Yes, Mr. Brown. I’ll have it on your desk first thing in the morning,” I said into the phone before dropping it with a loud bang. God, I hate today. I’ve been working late all week, and the stress was catching up to me. I desperately needed a break before I crashed out. I grabbed my Birkin and my keys, rushing out of the office toward the parking lot. But first, I had to endure pretending to be nice to my coworkers in the elevator. Fuck, give me a break! I forced a smile as I stepped inside. Thankfully, it was late, and there were only four of us in the elevator: Mr. Thomas, the office’s self-proclaimed playboy who was always trying to get into the pants of every new staff member, and two interns. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll bring you some fresh homemade pastries tomorrow,” Mrs. Bayerns said sweetly. She was the senior partner of the firm—affectionate, chubby, and always trying to smother everyone in kindness. “Thank you, Mrs. Bayerns,” I replied with a polite smile, but befor
Last Updated : 2025-02-12THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD ROB
I got off the phone with Leonardo—my best friend, my boss, my Don—and sank into a chair, exhaling deeply. I had come to Italy from Spain to handle some urgent business, and finally, it was done. Like the understanding man he was, Leo had given me a few days off, and I couldn’t be more grateful. And yet, even with time to breathe, she still found a way into my mind. I sighed, resigned. There was no winning when it came to her. Not that I’d ever admit defeat. I was strong. She was strong. I didn’t need to spend my time off worrying about her reckless ass. And yet… My fingers moved before I could stop them, checking for any news on her. The moment I realized what I was doing, I dropped the phone as if it burned me. Disgusted—not with the device, but with myself. I grabbed the joint from the table and lit it up, inhaling deeply, waiting for the familiar release. But it wasn’t enough. Before I could overthink it, I picked up my phone again and dialed Jenny’s number, relieved when
Last Updated : 2025-02-14THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD BIANA 2
BIANCA’S POV No need to add him to my enemies list—he was already at the top. But something about the way he was acting didn’t sit right. He didn’t look like his usual self. He looked like shit, even worse than usual. “What the hell were you doing at a bar like that?” he asked, his tone low and edged with frustration. “Didn’t you see my text warning you not to go in?” I turned to face him, rolling my eyes. “Calm down, you idiot. I’m fine, as you can see. And no, I didn’t see your text. You’re blocked!” I snapped, walking into my living room and ignoring him. He followed me. “There was a notorious criminal gang at that bar, Bianca,” he said, his thick Italian accent making every syllable of my name feel like a slow burn. Suddenly, I felt the weirdest pull. Italian accents? Really? What the hell is wrong with me? I needed to get laid—ASAP. I gave him a pointed look. “And here I am, safe and sound. Wait… have you been spying on me?” My anger flared up, my heart pounding in
Last Updated : 2025-02-16THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD ROB 2
Rob’s POV I silently cursed under my breath when the doorbell rang. What the fuck was I doing? I stormed past Bianca’s friend at the door, not giving a shit about whatever drama I was about to leave behind. She was safe now. My job was done. I had no reason to be here anymore. I yanked my car door open, ready to drive off and forget this whole night ever happened, but something stopped me. A glint—subtle, barely noticeable, but there. My gut twisted. Sniper scope. My gaze darted up to the window across the street. There it was again—a slight movement, the unmistakable outline of a rifle. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. The security guard stiffened, eyes wide with realization. But I didn’t give a damn about him. I turned on my heel and ran back into the house. The second I burst through the door, my brain barely registered what I was seeing. Bianca—standing there, tangled up with her friend. Kissing. What the fuck? It was a split-second thought, one I didn’t have
Last Updated : 2025-02-16THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD MOVING ON…?
I arrived at the office early, like I always did. No amount of chaos, no freak accident, and certainly no stray bullets from last night’s ordeal could keep me from my work. Whatever happened then didn’t actually happen. It was a fever dream, a twisted nightmare. I was awake now. Life moved on. But as soon as I stepped out of the elevator, something felt wrong. A thick, stifling silence hung in the air, interrupted only by hushed whispers and quiet sniffles. The cleaners stood with mops they hadn’t used, their backs rigid. Some of my colleagues gathered in tight clusters, heads bowed, their faces drawn and pale. A few were crying. I didn’t stop. I didn’t ask. Office gossip was the lowest of my priorities. Whatever tragedy had befallen some poor soul today was not my business—until it was. A man I didn’t recognize stepped in front of me, his face unreadable. “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you can’t go in.” I blinked, registering the yellow tape stretched across the hallway. “Excuse me?”
Last Updated : 2025-02-16THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD BODYGUARD
I watched as he put some distance between himself and Bianca before pulling out his phone. “Hold it off. She’s… interesting. I’ll handle this differently,” he said, his gaze lingering on her, dark with something I could only describe as hunger. I cursed under my breath. Bianca was the devil, but somehow, this man—someone dangerous, someone who either was a killer or knew too much—was intrigued by her. My gut screamed that he murdered his father and the woman next in line for the firm. If he saw Bianca as a threat, he wouldn’t hesitate. He’d kill her without a second thought. And I couldn’t let that happen. I owed it to my best friend to protect his infuriating, insufferable, tempting sister. Could he be the one who sent the shipper? “Yeah,” he said into the phone, his smirk sharpening. “I think I’ll take her out. A date or two. Get close.” Then he ended the call. I exhaled sharply, rubbing my hands over my face. Fuck! Here I was, monitoring her every move through the h
Last Updated : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD OPENING ACT
BIANCA’S POV I almost texted Jason to cancel. I had half a mind to just stay home, pour a glass of wine, and let the night disappear into my ceiling. But I had to see this through. Besides, he wasn’t exactly unpleasant to look at — tall, dark, sharp features, and that annoyingly smug smile that belonged to men who fucked and dumped without a second thought. Perfect. Exactly what I needed. I couldn’t be caught dead planning a future with anyone — man or woman. My mind flickered, just for a second, to Eve. The memory tasted like copper on my tongue, so I shoved it back into the vault and locked it. Jason and I had already established that tonight wasn’t a date. It was a professional courtesy — dinner between colleagues. But if it ended with me getting laid, even better. I needed the release. It was like finally getting a deep tissue massage after living with body aches for years. So I dressed with purpose. Fitted brown suit pants that hugged my curves, paired with a white bl
Last Updated : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD BON FIRE
BIANCAI drove through the gates and tossed my keys to my security, not bothering to wait for a response. A woman I barely knew had invited me to a bonfire event, something her colleagues from the hospital had put together. Apparently, she’d heard about my single status and was determined to “fix” it with some of her top recommendations.Like I needed a damn matchmaker.“Bianca! I didn’t think you’d make it,” Veronica said, pulling me into a warm hug.After the stunt Roberto pulled at my date? Like hell, I wouldn’t show up.“I think I underestimated how much I needed this,” I replied smoothly, keeping the real bitterness out of my tone.A small, nagging part of me questioned why I was even bothering. Why go fishing for suitors when a mad psychopath out there was convinced every man breathing near me was a threat? Paranoid narcissist. Just because my brother and his best friend thought no one was good enough for me didn’t mean I was going to die single.“Tell me about it. Work is stres
Last Updated : 2025-04-02
Latest chapter
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD CHESSBOARD
I hadn’t slept. The courtroom victory waiting at dawn didn’t matter. All night I’d been buried in obscure archives, jumping from encrypted forums to abandoned blogs, chasing a name no one spoke aloud.The Broker.Nothing concrete. Just scattered warnings. Cryptic symbols. A thread in a Venice, based crime blog caught my eye, an article buried behind a paywall, translated poorly. A photograph showed the corner of a masked man’s coat… In Venice.But now it was morning, and I had a job to do. ***“Your honor, I think we have to pay attention to every detail I have pointed out to the court,” I said, voice calm as glass as I took my seat.Mr. Smith, the prosecutor, clenched his jaw so tight his temple pulsed. I met his glare with indifference. He hated being outplayed and I’d just buried his case.The judge’s voice cut through the courtroom. “Judgment is in favor of the defense.”I rose with my client and walked out before the final echoes of the
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD PURPOSE
You don’t walk away from a man like Jason Clarke. You bury him. But she’s holding back. And if she won’t do it, I will.I know what everyone around Bianca is up to. Their habits, their routines, their little secrets. Their favorite lies. That’s what makes them predictable. Easy prey.Jason was the easiest.I’d been watching him for weeks, letting him run his mouth and paw at women like the world owed him something. But when he touched her, when he cornered Bianca and made her flinch… that was his death sentence. She let it go, but I didn’t. Couldn’t.I waited across the street, hidden between dumpsters behind a strip of boutique buildings. The luxury club he loved so much was glowing like a brothel muted gold lights, sleek black glass, security at the front but blind as fuck to the back alley. Leonardo and I had been here too many times for business trips in New York. I knew the layout by memory. Every blind spot. Every shortcut. Every exit.Jason walked out just after midnight, talk
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD THE BROKER 1
Everything that happened didn’t happen. No. He says Leo sent him but the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not watching tells a different story. He’s not just following orders. I don’t know if he’s here to protect his number one enemy—me—or control me. Maybe both. I drowned myself in work. Buried myself in it. Anything to avoid acknowledging the tension that wrapped itself around the air whenever he was near. He didn’t ask to hitch a ride with me to the firm today, thank God. But somehow, that made it worse. I still caught sight of him in the rearview mirror, his motorcycle trailing behind my car like a shadow I couldn’t shake. But I made it to work. I was safe. At peace - at least as much peace as one can afford when you suspect everyone around you might be plotting your murder. Even Jason was on his best behavior, thankfully ignoring Roberto like I told him to. The intercom buzzed, slicing through the quiet. I answered absently. “Yes?” “Nice to hear your voic
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD TWISTED
My mind jumped from the amputated tongue I had to get rid of earlier. I could feel him before I saw him. The air shifted, grew heavier, charged with a kind of tension I hated. The sound of his footsteps was familiar, unmistakable, and as much as I tried to ignore it, my pulse quickened.I kept my eyes on the book in my hands, pretending I didn’t know he was there. But I did. I always did. Rob had a way of making his presence known, like a storm on the horizon silent, but you could feel the thunder before it ever struck.“Bianca.”His voice was low, rough, and unmistakably him. I didn’t even bother to look up.“Why are you here?” I spat, the words coming out sharper than I meant. I was glad he was out. I had the house to myself to panic over the PI’s death. “Leo sent me. He told me to look after you because he trust me. Because I can keep you safe,” he replied, his voice slightly slurred, but the control was still there, just barely.I finally glanced up at him, my eyes narrowing ins
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD CHESS PIECE
ROBERTO Bianca had been in her room for ten minutes now. Her coffee and toast sat untouched on the kitchen counter, completely cold. Ping. I glanced at my phone. A confirmation text. My team was in place. Trusted men positioned around her house, hidden in plain sight—some disguised as lawnmowers, gardeners, even handymen. All of them watching from the shadows. They wouldn’t interfere unless something went wrong. But they were ready. I had to meet Vanessa before she did something even more unpredictable. I could’ve ignored her. Should’ve. But when someone like Vanessa is off her meds and circling your orbit again, silence is the dumbest move you can make. The only thing more dangerous than a woman like her… is a woman like her who thinks you’ve stopped caring. And right now? I cared. Because whatever she was planning—it wasn’t random. She’d already made a move on Bianca. That made it personal. ⸻ I arrived at the café ten minutes early and spotted her before she saw me. She
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD SCREWED
I padded across the hardwood floor, the faint squeak of my damp feet echoing in the quiet apartment as I headed for the kitchen. Rob sprawled on the couch like he owned the damn place—one leg stretched out, laptop balanced on his thighs, brows furrowed in focus. The glow of the screen lit his face in the dim afternoon light filtering through the blinds. I slowed my steps, catching the faint scent of his coffee lingering in the air as I passed him in my loungewear, hair still dripping from the shower.“You work a lot for someone who isn’t employed here,” I muttered, reaching for a glass from the cupboard. The cool edge pressed into my palm, grounding me as I flicked a glance his way.His eyes flicked up, the corner of his lips twitching into that infuriatingly smug smirk. “Why? Jealous I’m being productive while you’re wandering around in nightwear at noon?”“It’s a sexy lounge set, you creep,” I corrected, brushing a wet strand of hair off my shoulder. The fabric clung lightly to my s
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD NOT GOOD ENOUGH
ROBJason turned fully toward me. Smug little smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth like he was glad I showed up.“Perfect,” he said, like this was an invitation he’d been waiting on.I took two steps in, slow and deliberate. “You were saying something about it being on sight?”He chuckled and rubbed his jaw like he was weighing whether to swing first or wait. “Yeah, I was. You thought you could lay your hands on me and that would be the end of it?”“I thought I was being generous.”My fists curled at my sides. I saw the way his jaw tensed. He wasn’t joking anymore. His eyes flicked to Bianca, like she was his audience. Like he was showing off.Bad idea.“She’s not yours, Rob,” he said, voice louder now. “You don’t get to guard her like some wild fucking dog and pretend you own her.”Bianca stood up sharply. “Jason, shut your mouth—”“No,” he snapped. “Let him hear it. I don’t care if you don’t like it, Rob. I’m not scared of you. You think just because you’ve been around longer, t
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD FIRE AND ACID
ROBI didn’t smell smoke until it was too late.By the time I got to the lobby, chaos had already broken out. Security barking into their radios, staff scrambling around like ants, the stench of burning plastic hanging low and heavy.I grabbed the nearest firm guard by the collar. “What caused it?”He looked nervous. “We don’t know yet. Someone tampered with the electrical box at the end of the hall, or someone left—”“It was Vanessa.”The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. My blood ran cold. My stomach turned.If it was her—if Vanessa really set off that fire alarm—then she was off her meds again. No question about it.She had been prescribed anti-psychotics. Strong ones. It wasn’t a secret, not between us. Not after everything that happened. Our relationship didn’t implode because I was a heartless bastard. It fell apart because she was unstable in ways I couldn’t help or fix.She was obsessive. Possessive. And not in a sexy, jealous-girlfriend way. No. Vanessa’s k
THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD VANESSA
BIANCAThe fire alarm screams through the halls like a banshee, red lights spinning over the polished floors. I don’t flinch. I don’t move. I just sit behind my desk, fingers lightly grazing the keys of my laptop.Mr. Thomas must be at it again. Probably burned some old files while sneaking a smoke in the storage room. Third time this month. Another habit I’ll fix soon now that I’m in charge of more than my own caseload.But the woman sitting across from me? She doesn’t blink either. Doesn’t look confused, doesn’t even glance at the flashing lights or the emergency signs. Her gaze is fixed. Too fixed. There’s something too still about her.Vanessa.Her clothes scream money, and her posture screams entitlement. But underneath the expensive perfume and neatly pressed blouse is an edge that’s hard to miss. I don’t trust her. And I don’t like that she’s in my office uninvited during a fire alarm.“Sharon,” I say, cool and steady, “get your journal and take our client’s information.”Sharo
