The Devil's Bargain

---

Ava
I’m in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

I never meant for it to happen, but my ex is dead—and I’m the one who pulled the trigger. Whether he deserved it or not… whether anyone will even miss that jerk… it doesn’t matter. Joey is dead, and I have to figure out what to do before I get caught with a corpse on my hand.

Enter Lincoln Crewes.

After the way we ended, I swore I would never turn to him again. But we were kids then, and in the fifteen years since I’ve seen him, he’s gone from a scrappy fighter to one of the most powerful men in Springfield’s seedy underbelly.

If there’s anyone who can help me right now, it’s Link. With his power, his money, and his connections, I could put this all behind me.

And all he wants in exchange is my soul… and my hand.

Link
Ava, Ava, Ava…

She’s the one who got away. The reason I’ve built my entire empire, and the only person I’d burn the whole entire world down for.

I’ve done things I’m not proud of. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and that’s my life story right there. I wanted to show her that I could be the man she wants—the man she deserves—and, by doing so, I became the worst thing for her.

I became the Devil.

So I kept my distance, though I always kept my eye on her. If I can’t have her, I could at least keep her safe, right?

Wrong. She nearly died, and it’s all my fault.

When she comes to me, she has no idea that I’m responsible. I’m not about to tell her, either. This is my second chance. My do-over.

Ava is mine again, and no matter what I have to do to keep her, I will. Even if I have to force her to marry me in exchange for my protection.

But who will protect her from me?

• forced marriage
• murder on page
• drugging/kidnapping
• somnophilia
• dubcon
• CNC
• religious imagery
• public sex acts
• prior stalking
• threats of rape/attempted SA (not by the hero)