Lauren Voss is the devil in a designer suit.  
Mercy is a word she carved out of her vocabulary years ago. She kills without blinking. She fucks without feeling. And she never, ever wants anything the way she wants Ryan.

Ryan is still the trembling 18-year-old mess: soft curls, wet lashes, voice that cracks when he begs. He draws fragile little sketches of birds and broken boys to survive the nights his father beats him bloody. A bullied artist who flinches at loud noises and apologizes for breathing. 

She wants to do to him: pin him down, bruise those soft hips, make him sob her name until he forgets his own. 

But when he looks up at her with those huge, terrified eyes and whispers “Please don’t hurt him anymore… I’ll do anything,” her hand freezes on his thigh.
His smile small, watery, grateful hits her like holy water on a demon. For the first time in her life, the devil inside her hesitates.

To the world she remains ice-cold death.  

But behind closed doors, the real Lauren is starving. She wants to devour him.  
She dreams of pinning that soft body down, bruising his hips, making him scream and cry and beg while she ruins every innocent inch of him. The hunger is violent. The hunger is constant.
His softness is the only leash strong enough to hold back her darkness.

>>>>>>>
Through blood, bullets, and broken promises, Lauren will burn the entire city before she lets anyone take Ryan from her.

But the real question is:
Will the devil finally snap and devour the only light she’s ever craved…  
or will that soft, trembling smile keep her chained forever?

This story contains dark, disturbing, and explicit content. Recommended for readers 18+. Reader discretion is strongly advised. Themes include, but are not limited to:


Explicit sexual content: adult scenes, sexual tension, and erotic situations


Psychological manipulation: gaslighting, mind games, emotional abuse, and controlling behavior


Physical violence and gore: fights, injuries, torture, and disturbing depictions of pain


Abuse: sexual, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse


Dark romance / toxic relationships: obsession, manipulation, possessiveness, and morally grey interactions


Trauma and suffering: past abuse, PTSD triggers, grief, and emotional scars


Morally complex characters: selfish, cruel, or morally ambiguous decisions


Disturbing power dynamics: domination, coercion, and extreme control


Mental instability / psychological horror: paranoia, breakdowns, and emotional distress


Non-consensual situations: uncomfortable or coercive interactions (trigger warning)


Addiction and self-destructive behavior: drugs, alcohol, or compulsive tendencies


Gritty, uncomfortable, or taboo situations


Sexual power struggles and dominance/submission themes


Occasional graphic descriptions of physical or emotional suffering


Note: If you are sensitive to sexual content, abuse, psychological torture, or morally grey characters, proceed with caution.


Chapter 1 - Reader Discretion