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Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-04-02 00:52:01
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THE 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD BON-CHAOS
BIANCAI clenched my jaw before turning toward the voice, already knowing who I’d see.Roberto. Fucking. Grimani.He stood there, hands in his pockets, like he hadn’t just made my night infinitely worse. The firelight cast sharp shadows over his face, making him look even more infuriatingly handsome than usual. His dark shirt stretched over broad shoulders, and his sleeves were rolled up just enough to show off his forearms.God, I hated him.“Wow,” I drawled, arms crossing over my chest. “Stalking me now, Grimani? That’s a new low—even for you.”He smirked. “Stalking you? Please. I was invited.”“By who?” I challenged.He lifted a lazy shoulder. “Danny, I think? Or maybe Veronica? Doesn’t really matter, does it?”That son of a—John shifted beside me, clearing his throat. “Uh, Bianca? Friend of yours?”I almost laughed at the absurdity.“Hardly,” I said, not breaking eye contact with Rob. “Rob here just likes to show up where he’s not wanted. It’s a fun little hobby of his.”“Now, th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD STALKER
ROBI should have left.Should have walked away the second I saw her pulling that weak little fucker toward the keg, giggling like she actually wanted to be here.But I didn’t.I stood in the shadows, watching, my hands stuffed in my pockets as Bianca poured shot after shot down her throat like she was trying to drown something.Or someone.Me.She knew exactly what she was doing. She knew I was watching. She knew I wouldn’t fucking let it happen.So when that bastard smiled at her—when he fucking smiled and acted like he had a chance—I did what had to be done.One hit.That was all it took.The guy collapsed like a sack of shit, his glasses flying off his face.And the whole bonfire?Silent.No gasps. No screams. No one running to help him. Just that eerie, heavy silence, like everyone here knew exactly who I was and exactly what I was capable of.Good.I exhaled, flexing my fingers, shaking out the tension in my knuckles.“Are you out of your fucking mind?”I barely had time to reac
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD GOING SOUTH
BIANCAThe office was too bright. Or maybe my mood was too dark.I had exactly three hours of sleep, thanks to Roberto and his never-ending bullshit. My body still thrummed with leftover adrenaline, frustration, and something I refused to name. It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch, sitting under my skin, refusing to fade no matter how much I willed it to.I took a long sip of coffee, sunglasses still on, and prayed I could get through the day without snapping someone’s neck.Then Jason fucking Clarke walked in.“Bianca!” He grinned like an idiot, looking way too cheerful for someone who got knocked out last night.I stared at him, deadpan. No way.“I gotta tell you,” he continued, oblivious. “Last night must’ve been something, huh? I completely blacked out.” He laughed like this was the funniest thing ever. “Guess I had more drinks than I thought. You sure know how to show a guy a good time.”I blinked. Slowly.Was this some kind of joke?Jason leaned on the desk I was signing on, s
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD STILL GOING SOUTH
ROBI swung the ax over my head and brought it down hard. The sharp crack of splitting wood ripped through the crisp night air, echoing off the trees surrounding my cabin. My arms burned, muscles flexing as I grabbed another log, set it on the stump, and swung again. Sweat slicked my skin despite the cool bite of the wind, my shirt long discarded in the dirt. Out here, it was just me, the ax, and the ghosts that never fucking left me alone.I needed the distraction. The rhythmic violence of it—the bite of the blade through solid wood—kept my mind from spiraling where it always went.To her.Bianca.Her name was a curse in my head, a brand under my skin. That damn kiss from weeks ago still lingered, hot and maddening, like a wound that wouldn’t heal. I hated her. Hated how she made me feel—wild, unmoored, like I was one wrong move from losing control. Hated that even now, I wanted to storm inside, fire up my laptop, and check the cameras. See if she was still at her office, still breat
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD VEGA
The tires screeched, the city lights blurring into streaks of white and red as I swerved onto the highway. My fingers clenched the wheel, blood roaring in my ears. My mind was already ten steps ahead, calculating, eliminating possibilities. Where would they take her? What was their angle? Leo’s voice cut through the chaos. “Arya’s tracking her phone.” A pause. “They already ditched it. We need another way.” He was steady, too steady. No rage, no panic. Arya’s doing. She was always his tether, keeping him from tipping into darkness—until it was time. Another way? Like I’d fucking wait. “They won’t kill her,” Arya said, her voice edged with certainty. “Not yet. She’s leverage.” For me. For what I did. I shoved the thought away and forced my brain to work. If I were them, where would I take someone if I wanted to bait me in? And then it hit. “Check the old shipyard,” I said. A beat of silence. Leo hesitated. “Why?” My grip tightened around the wheel. “Because that’s where I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-04THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD DANGEROUS SAVIOR
BIANCA POV I ran. The ground bucked beneath my feet, the cold gnawing through my torn dress. I didn’t stop. The air reeked of blood and fire, the sound of gunshots and men dying swallowed by the rustling trees. Behind me, Rob was close—too close. His presence burned, suffocating, like the heat of the flames at our backs. Arya and Leo had stayed behind, cleaning up the mess. Just the two of them—unstoppable, tearing through trained killers like they were made of paper. I’d never seen two people so in sync, so perfectly aligned. It was deadly and terrifying. But more than that, it was love. Love. It made something twist in my chest, aching. I didn’t want that. I never did. I’d spent years building a life away from all this—away from the Mafia, the blood, the power struggles. But the irony was, every day, I defended criminals like my brother and Rob. It was hypocrisy at its finest. A branch snapped beneath my foot, pulling me back to the present. We were still being hunted. S
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-04THE DEVIL’S CHOKEHOLD LOW. DARK.
ROBERTOI should have left.Should have turned around and walked the fuck away because I had no business being here. No business coming for her. Except the fact that Vegas dragged her into this. But I didn’t move. Neither did she.Bianca’s chest rose and fell, breath sharp, controlled—too controlled. Like she was forcing herself not to show weakness. But I saw it anyway. The slight tremor in her fingers. The way her jaw locked, muscles clenched tight.Not fear. No, Bianca wasn’t the type to be afraid. She was furious. Frustrated. The same way I was.And I fucking hated it.Hated that she looked at me like I was the enemy when I had just killed to get her back. Hated that no matter how much I tried to push her out of my mind, she was always there.Her brother should have been the only reason I came. But he wasn’t.I dragged a hand through my hair, fingers clenching at the roots before I let out a sharp breath. “Say it.”She folded her arms. “Say what?”“That you wish it was someone el
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-04
Bab terbaru
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
