Devious Deals

Copyright © 2023 by Sarah Bale All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Cover design by: Sly Fox Cover Design Edited by: Katrina Harris Cover image by: Michelle Lancaster Cover Model: Reeff First Printing: June 2023 Devious Deals / Sarah Bale -- 1st ed To Samantha Jo-Jean, who used to watch The Little Mermaid over and over until I was sure the VHS was going to break. CONTENTS Playlist Let’s Connect! Content Warning: Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Epilogue Acknowledgments Also by Sarah Bale: About the Author He’s Devious Kieran Van der Zee. The one man I shouldn’t trust. He runs the city, dealing in sex, secrets, and pain. Whatever it takes to get what he wants. He’s my only hope. So I make a deal with the devil. It seems simple. Just say yes and sign away my life. But my heart is on the line and I’m not sure I can win this game. She’s Desperate Ari Triton can get me what I want. She’s willing to do anything to escape her fiancé. She gets on her knees, begging for help. And I agree. But I’m a dangerous man. She doesn’t know how far I’ll go for revenge. She didn’t want to fall in love with me. Too bad I don’t care. Scan to Listen Eat Your Young -Hozier Aerials – System of a Down Hypnotize – System of a Down High Water – Bishop Briggs When Worlds Collide – Powerman 5000 Breathe – Anna Nalick Better Off This Way – Bad Wolves Partition – Beyoncé My Immortal - Evanescence Remember Everything – Five Finger Death Punch Lollipop – Framing Hanley I Hate U, I Love U – Gnash feat Olivia O’Brien Foolish Games – Jewel feat Kelly Clarkson Bad Romance – Lady Gaga Stay – Lisa Loeb The Dope Show – Marilyn Manson Sugar – Maroon 5 Closer - NIN Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift Milkshake – Kelis LET’S CONNECT! Become a VIP and join my Newsletter! You’ll get a FREE book in thanks. You’ll also receive exclusive info about upcoming books, teasers, and covers reveals. Join HERE You can also join my Reader’s Group on Facebook. Sarah’s Sinners Dear Reader, Your safety and well-being are important to me. Please be aware that there are themes that may be triggering to some people. These themes include: physical abuse, suicide ideation, other woman drama, forced pregnancy, and mention of big game hunting. Kinks in this book include: Lactation, Breeding, Hucow, and Objectification. PROLOGUE Kieran It’s a dark and stormy night. The perfect weather, if you ask me, especially when the storm brings me something I’ve waited years to get. I smile into my glass as Ariel Triton enters the foyer of my building, her long red hair dripping water onto the marbled floor. I’ve been expecting her. As soon as I heard what her fool of a father had done, I knew it was only a matter of time before she came to me. They always come to me. Sebastian, my second in command, says, “Shall I fetch her?” “Let her wait.” “That lobby is always freezing.” His eyebrow lifts. “Oh. I suppose that’s the point, right? Make her as uncomfortable as possible.” “Don’t act like you don’t know how this is going to play out. You were once in her shoes.” “This is different, and you know it.” When I shoot him a look, he holds up his hands in defense. “Sorry.” “No you’re not. Say whatever’s on your mind, Seb.” “We both know you’ve been waiting for her to show up. Just don’t get lost in the past, my friend. It never ends well.” It’s amusing how someone who’s never lost the one person who meant the entire world to them can say something so cavalier. “Bring her up.” He leaves before I have to tell him twice. Smart man. My foot taps impatiently on the wooden floor and I immediately still, taking in a deep breath. Never let them see you sweat, my boy. I snort softly. I haven’t thought about my mentor in a while, but it’s fitting to think of her now. She was the one who saved me after my life was destroyed at the hand of Alex Triton, and now things are about to come full circle when I destroy his daughter’s life. An eye for an eye. A knock on the door makes me sit a bit taller. “Enter.” The door swings open and Seb leads Ariel into the office. As she gets closer, I notice two things. One, she looks just like her mother. Red hair. Blue eyes. And curves that go on for days. Seeing her feels like a punch to my gut and it physically hurts when I take in a deep breath. The second thing I notice is the wild look in her eyes. A look I love to see when someone comes to me for help. It means they’re desperate and likely not thinking clearly. “Please sit, Ms. Triton.” Her eyes widen, but she slides into the leather seat across from my desk. I nod at Seb, who leaves, quietly closing the