King of Heartbreak

KING OF HEARTBREAK V. F. MASON Copyright © 2023 by V. F. Mason All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. 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. Edited by Jenny Sims Proofread: Rumi Khan Cover Design: Hang Le Photographer: Wander Aguiar Cover Model: Andrew Biernat To the power of love. CONTENTS Author’s Note 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 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Epilogue Beauty and the Villain Excerpt Also by V. F. Mason Acknowledgments Contact AUTHOR’S NOTE King of Heartbreak is a dark romantic suspense. It mentions abuse, rape, and graphic violence. PROLOGUE King of Heartbreak… He’s ruthless, cunning, and merciless. Don’t trust his word. As his heart is rotten. Because goodness no longer resides in it. King of Heartbreak… He’s famous, handsome, and charming. Don’t ever explore your attraction. As his soul is soaked in darkness. Because a girl broke him. King of Heartbreak… He’s aloof, smart, and power hungry. Don’t lose your guard around him. As weakness is his favorite target. Because nothing brings him greater pleasure than the pain of those he deems unworthy of his talent. King of Heartbreak… He’s mysterious, rich, and successful. Don’t get fooled by his wealth. As it’s nothing but a weapon in his hands. Because greed is the most beloved vice of the people around him. No matter what happens…don’t fall in love with the King of Heartbreak… CHAPTER ONE “Some mistakes have consequences we never see coming. And in this, they ruin our lives forever.” Emmaline New York, New York Emmaline “Would you like another cup of tea?” the server asks me while the wind whooshes over my form, billowing my dark hair backward as coldness sinks into my body. Although at this point, coldness is probably permanently attached to me. No matter what people claim, hell is not hot. It’s frigid because it numbs your soul. “Miss? Would you like to order something?” I finally tear my eyes away from the tablecloth’s design, tracing my finger over the neatly painted rose with so many layers and lift my gaze to the server, her tight smile contrasting with the worry etched on her features. Maybe because I’d been frozen in this position for almost an hour now and refused to order anything but a hot beverage in a place famous for its pancakes and muffins. Hunger. Another thing I think is nonexistent in this hell. We eat to sustain ourselves, and what’s the point of sustaining one’s body if it’s going to be used as a pawn in a dangerous game of revenge and agony? All the years of growing up in high society where politeness is valued above anything else, along with hiding your emotions from the world because it doesn’t really give a damn about you, push me to force a grin. “Yes. The usual, please.” I nod at the server, who quickly picks up my empty cup and dashes inside the coffee shop with several people already calling her name, asking for a refill. I lean back on my chair and study the environment around me. Located right in the center of New York, the coffee shop beams with life and joy as thousands of people pass it in a hurry to their jobs or whatever next adventure they have planned on their calendar. The twenty tables are spread all over their territory with pink tablecloths and white porcelain from France. The owner is a French chef with a successful chain of restaurants worldwide. Servers wearing pink pants and white shirts effortlessly navigate around the tables, periodically disappearing inside to pick up the orders, only to return to the terrace holding heavy trays of food and drink to their excited customers. Despite having some space inside the coffee shop, no one ever sits there since the weather and location are always perfect for outside dining. There’s a reason it’s one of the most popular places in town. “Here you go.” Placing the cup with steaming jasmine tea in front of me, the server swipes her gaze over me, dropping her voice to a whisper. “Rough day?” I resist the hollow laughter threatening to erupt from my throat. Rough day. If only she knew. But then again, even if she knew…would she consider it a rough day? Judging by the popular magazines and social media, women in my position would be lucky to get something they’d dreamed of for years but had never found a way to accomplish their goal. The bile rises, a bitter taste filling my mouth, and I swallow hard despite the tightness in my throat. Quickly lifting the cup, I take a tentative sip and welcome the burning, painful sensations. At least they make me feel something besides the despair traveling through me in waves and soaking every cell in me with fear and agony so profound it’s hard to breathe. “Something like that,” I reply, my voice raspy, and smile once again, hoping she’d get the hint and leave. I can only keep the mask of deceit on my face for so long before spilling all my guts to a stranger. Especially since I can’t do it to the people I love as it will have irrevocable consequences, and as I’ve learned these consequences have the tendency to bite you