Insect Breathing

Ryder Sterling had only one wish… to enjoy a single night of freedom without his father’s guards breathing down his neck, especially with his engagement party coming up the next day. What he didn’t plan for was ending up in bed with a stranger… a man. And things get even messier when that same man walks in the next day as the brother of his fiancée.

A caged bird. A puppet. A pawn. Penelope Verdant has spent her entire life living and breathing for her family. Married to the most eligible billionaire bachelor, Charles Halstead, for four years, she has found happiness and love in his arms. Until the day of their fourth anniversary. Her illusions of her marriage are shattered when she catches her loving husband and her twin sister in bed together. Feeling betrayed, used and shattered, she wants a divorce. Except, her husband refuses to let her go. Backed into a corner, Penelope seeks help from a man she should never have met. A man so elusive that no one has seen his face. A man called the Devil of Deals. Desperation turns Penelope into a monster burning for revenge. But the desire for vengeance burning in her blood makes her blind to the dangers of dancing with the Devil. He promises vengeance, but she knows he'll ruin her. It was supposed to be simple. He was to help her divorce her husband. But with the devil, nothing is ever simple. Her path from pawn to queen is lined with tribulations from hell. When obsession runs thicker than blood, when gods are reborn, and when retribution is paid in full, she'll be too deep in the devil's bed to care. (Warning: this story contains mature themes including but not limited to: explicit sexual content, unhealthy obsession, forbidden love, body harm, physical and sexual abuse (not between main characters), violence, taboo family dynamics, and profanity. Viewer discretion is adviced. The characters of this story are all equally damaged, flawed, and morally gray. If this sounds like your vibe, dig in. But be careful, lest you fall into the Devil's bed.)

That night, I got off work early and brought home some late-night snacks. When I opened the door, I saw a pair of high heels carelessly tossed in the entryway and Gregory’s blazer thrown over the couch. His heavy breathing and the woman’s moans could be heard through the gap between the door and its frame. I was all too familiar with this sight. This time, I did not storm out like I used to. Instead, I sat quietly at the dining table and finished my cold pizza.