NERO: Alliance Series Book One

NERO ALLIANCE BOOK ONE S. J. TILLY NERO Alliance Series Book One Copyright © S.J. Tilly LLC 2023 All rights reserved. First published in 2023 No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. All characters in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Cover: Lori Jackson Design Model Image: Wander Aguiar Photography Editor: Brittni Van, Overbooked Author Services & My Brother’s Editor Created with Vellum To all my ladies who see those walking Red Flags as a pretty shade of pink… repeat after me, only when the men are fictional. Contents Dear Reader 1. Payton 2. Payton 3. Nero 4. Payton 5. Payton 6. Nero 7. Payton 8. Payton 9. Nero 10. Payton 11. Nero 12. Payton 13. Nero 14. Payton 15. Nero 16. Payton 17. Nero 18. Payton 19. Nero 20. Payton 21. Nero 22. Payton 23. Nero 24. Payton 25. Nero 26. Nero 27. Nero 28. Nero 29. Payton 30. Nero 31. Payton 32. Nero 33. Payton 34. Nero 35. Payton 36. Nero 37. Payton 38. Payton 39. Nero 40. Payton 41. Nero 42. Payton 43. Nero 44. Payton 45. Nero 46. Payton 47. Nero 48. Payton 49. Nero 50. Payton 51. Payton 52. King 53. Payton 54. Nero 55. Payton 56. Nero 57. Payton 58. Nero 59. Payton 60. Nero 61. Payton 62. Nero 63. Payton 64. Nero 65. Nero 66. Payton 67. Nero 68. Payton 69. Nero 70. Payton 71. Nero 72. Payton 73. Nero 74. Payton 75. Nero 76. Payton 77. Nero 78. Payton 79. Nero 80. Payton 81. Nero 82. Payton 83. Nero 84. Payton 85. Nero Epilogue One Epilogue Two The End Untitled About the Author Acknowledgments Also by S. J. Tilly Books By This Author Dear Reader This is an adult dark mafia romance. There is graphic on page violence, death, and kidnapping. There is on page past emotional trauma and physical abuse. There are instances of dubious consent and extreme stalker tendencies. As well as a man who is basically a walking red flag. Please proceed well-informed and with caution. CHAPTER 1 Payton A red and gold leaf floats across the room, seemingly weightless, before settling onto the carpet between my spot on the couch and the TV. I glance at my open patio door where another gust of wind brings the scent of promised rain, but instead of getting up, I tuck my legs underneath me and pull my fleece blanket up to my chin, careful not to tip the bowl of popcorn resting on the cushion next to me. A storm is coming. You spoiled brat, I’m gonna teach you… I snuggle further into the corner of my couch. That was so long ago, I remind myself, inhaling deeply through my nose, willing new memories to replace the old. This is my home. I’m safe here. The low rumble of distant thunder calms me further. No matter how much they tried to beat CHAPTER 2 Payton A scream catches in my throat, too strangled to be heard. I’m dreaming. My eyes squeeze shut, and I force myself to breathe. I must be dreaming. But when I open them again, the man is still there. And coming closer. The man crosses half of my apartment in two long strides, putting him only feet away. Adrenaline courses through my body, yet I don’t move. To my own humiliation, I don’t do anything. There’s a man in my home. Aside from the television, the lamp in the corner is the only light on. And it does little to illuminate the man in front of me. He’s tall. I’m sitting but I can tell he’s tall. And… he’s wearing a suit. Why is he wearing a suit? Does that make this worse? “Evening.” His voice is deep. But gentle. Soft