Deny Thy Name

Deny Thy Name A Dark Star Cross'd Lovers Tale Kate Bonham Midnight Dreary Publishing Copyright Copyright © 2023 Midnight Dreary Publishing All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real placed are used factiously. Other names, characters, places and incidents are products of the Author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this book only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the Author. All songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders. Authored by Kate Bonham Book Cover Design by Temptation Creations Edited by Ravenna Poe Edits ISBN: 978-0-6456537-4-8 Contents Dedication Playlist 1. Chapter One 2. Chapter Two 3. Chapter Three 4. Chapter Four 5. Chapter Five 6. Chapter Six 7. Chapter Seven 8. Chapter Eight 9. Chapter Nine 10. Chapter Ten 11. Chapter Eleven 12. Epilogue A Note from the Author Other Books About The Author Dedication This is for my husband. Without him, I'd never know the meaning of true love. For him, I would risk it all. Playlist Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis Take Me to Church – Hozier Young and Beautiful – Lana Del Rey Bloody Mary – Lady Gaga Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish I Ain't Worried – One Republic Only Love Can Hurt Like This – Paloma Faith Die For You – The Weeknd, Ariana Grande Chapter One RomanNo one fucking said no to me. I was Roman fucking Moreno. The son of the city’s richest fucking criminal. This bitch was playing a dangerous game. I looked back down at the stream of flirty texts she’d sent me all night while I was at the club and then the last text of her fucking some other guy. One thing was for sure. I’d have her in my bed tonight and I’d make her pay for her teasing. She was my slut, and she knew it. The fact she thought she could get one over on me was cute, but it also made my blood boil. I grabbed at my shirt and pulled it on before I headed down to the garage of my apartment building. The elevator door opened and a startled couple moved back, not sure they wanted to join the son of one of the largest criminals of Verona. I smirked as the doors closed, and headed down to the garage alone. I certainly did love the reaction I got from people. My father had never had that kind of fear in his heyday, and still didn’t today. That was my reputation, the fear I had earned by being someone you didn’t mess with. I got to the bottom level and walked to my car. Getting in, I started the ignition and headed out into the streets of my city. The large empire my father had built when he took over from my grandfather stood high in the skyline, the large M on the building alerting everyone to the fact he had money and this was his side of the city he had split with his sworn enemy Edward Caldwell. I still didn’t know what the fuck their fight was all about but it went back to their school days. When my grandfather ran things, he had some contention with his competition and they both did the same thing - developed this city to what it was. A large line ran down the city to show you when you were on the Moreno side or the Caldwell side. It was a city split, and when I ran my father’s business, it would never be split again. That was for damn sure. I didn’t share. As I sped down the streets, I headed for the bar by the wharf that my boys and I frequented. The back booth was always available to me to conduct business. As I pulled into the carpark, I saw the cars of my cousin Vince and my friend Bram. Both would do anything for me and I knew that. The car I hadn’t expected to be here yet was that of Gunnar. He had been my oldest friend and the one I confided in. He never rose before noon so this couldn’t be good. I looked at the TV as I walked into the bar, the news was on and my cousin Vince and friend Bram were locked in a gun battle with the Caldwell’s. Shit. The sheriff was going to have a field day with this. He’d been warning our families for over a year to knock off the gun battles in the middle of his city. No more blood was what he had wanted.“Roman,” I heard Gunnar announce as I looked from the TV to the booth where Vince and Bram were bandaged from obvious wounds. “What happened?” I moved from the doorway to the booth and sat down. Vince and Bram moved to sit opposite me and Gunnar slid in beside me. The look of guilt on their faces told me enough. They had started the argument. “I told you two to cool it,” Gunnar said. “You know my father isn’t kidding when he sets a warning. I will do what I can, but I can’t promise he isn’t going to lock you guys up for a day or two.” “Better that than the alternative,” I said. Gunnar was not only my oldest friend but also the sheriff’s only son. He had some pull but he wasn’t a magician. This was the last thing I needed. “Get cleaned up.”They both slid out of the booth and headed out to their cars. Gunnar slid in opposite me and sighed. “I best