Rouge

Rouge A TATTERED CURTAIN NOVEL GREER RIVERS Copyright © 2023 by Greer Rivers All rights reserved. Blue Ghost Publishing, LLC BGP Dark World No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. For more information, contact [email protected]. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, shows, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Cover Design: TRC Designs Editing and Proofreading: My Brother’s Editor ASIN: B09WSVTHP4 Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9861242-2-3 Hardback ISBN: 979-8-9861242-3-0 Contents A Note From The Author Prologue Act 1 Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Act 2 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Scene 11 Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 Scene 15 Scene 16 Scene 17 Act 3 Scene 18 Scene 19 Scene 20 Scene 21 Scene 22 Scene 23 Scene 24 Scene 25 Scene 26 Scene 27 Scene 28 Scene 29 Scene 30 Scene 31 Act 4 Scene 32 Scene 33 Scene 34 Scene 35 Scene 36 Scene 37 Scene 38 Scene 39 Scene 40 Scene 41 Epilogue Also by Greer Rivers Phantom Catching Lightning Escaping Conviction (Conviction Series Book One) Be a Dear and Stalk Greer Here Acknowledgments All About Greer Rouge The Garde values four ideals: The Truth we twist. The Beauty we flaunt. The Freedom we grant. The Power we take. I believed their lies until Lacey O’Shea. She’s the only daughter of the Garde's leading family, and she was meant to be mine. But her father stole her from me to sell to another. So I stole her back. But there’s more to the conspiracy that kept us apart, and we have to keep our relationship secret from her former fiancé, the Baron, to find the truth. He wants to lock her away, but she’s a bird desperate to flee her gilded cage. I’ll fight the Baron, the Garde, and the whole damn world to free her. Playlist “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Roses & Revolutions “Play with Fire” by Sam Tinnesz, Yacht Money “Where Are You?” by Elvis Drew and Avivian “Cravin’” by Stileto, Kendyle Paige “Colors” by Elvis Drew “Revolution” by Bishop Briggs “PLEASE” by Omido, Ex Habit “Elastic Heart” by Sia “Figure You Out” by VOILÀ “Love into a Weapon” by Madalen Duke “Hold Your Breath” by Astyria “Take Me to Church” by MILCK “Twin Flame” by EMM “Dancing in a Daydream” by Roses & Revolutions, Weathers “Fire on Fire” by Sam Smith “Way Down We Go” by KALEO “Angel By The Wings” by Sia “Kryptonite (Reloaded) by Jeris Johnson “Bird Set Free” by Sia “you should see me in a crown” by Billie Eilish Get the full playlist here! A Note From The Author In writing this book, I was lucky enough to get to work with someone from Ireland who helped me bring these characters to life. As Irish Americans, these characters’ colloquialisms and mannerisms are a “wee bit” different than their Irish cousins, and certain Irish words and phrases are used metaphorically. That being said, I hope you fucking love every fecking thing about Kian! The Tattered Curtain Series consists of complete standalones inspired by classic stories and stage productions with tragic endings. This is not a retelling. Rouge is a dark, modern-day, spicy reimagining that transforms classic tragedies, such as Romeo and Juliet, Camille, and Orpheus and Eurydice, into dark and twisty HEAs. TRIGGER/ CONTENT/ TROPE WARNING Rouge is a dark romance. It should only be read by mature readers (18+). Full list of triggers/content warnings and tropes can be found here. Protect your heart, friends. Reader discretion is advised. To Mr. Rivers. I choose you every day. “If men knew what they can have for a tear, they would be better loved and we should be less ruinous to them.” Alexandre Dumas fils La Dame aux Camélias Prologue Kian The love of my life is dying… and it’s my fault. Act 1 Scene 1 THE RED CAMELLIA Three weeks ago Kian Thrusting deep inside her ignites an all-consuming fire underneath my skin and I have to dig my fingers into her thighs to resist collapsing from pleasure. Her loose, strawberry-blonde curls spill over my pillow as she gazes up at me through sky-blue eyes. I’ve only ever seen them on a screen, but they sparkle in person. This isn’t real. It feels too good to be real. Her moans fuel me to shove reality away. She’s rightfully mine and knowing I’ve finally captured her has blood, adrenaline, and ecstasy surging through my veins, pumping into my cock. One more thrust and I’ll secure a McKennon heir— A gentle buzz vibrates next to my head, wrecking the happy ending I’ll likely never get from the woman of my dreams. The soft noise blares in my ears thanks to my splitting headache. Last night I got lost in my frustration and stayed out way too late with my two best friends. Merek dipped out early, naturally. He treats his job as head of McKennon security seriously, which means the lad works twenty-four seven. But Tolie thrives in the nightlife. He knows the Vegas underworld almost better than I do thanks to the many jobs he’s secured through O’Shea Entertainment, Las Vegas’s largest employer, and going out with him is always a fecking adventure. He and his castmates partied all night as a “pregame” for Halloween this weekend. After I made sure Tolie wasn’t going to try to fuck one of the Greek statues again, I dragged him back with the rest of his friends to Rouge, the Las Vegas burlesque and male revue club where they dance. I crashed in his dressing room while they kept the debauchery going. Thank feck Tolie has a rule against sleeping with castmates in his