The reapers secrets, p.1
The Reaper's Secrets, page 1
The
Reaper’s
Secrets
Shadow Syndicate Series
Book One
A Dark Contemporary Romance
Vivvi Maddox
Copyright © 2024 by Vivvi Maddox.
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 as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact vivvimaddox@outlook.com.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
ISBN 979-8-87768-242-9
Book Cover by Vivvi Maddox.
First edition 2024.
To all the readers out there who crave a morally grey man, or men, who aren’t afraid to tell you exactly how they feel. I’ve got you covered.
Trigger Warnings.
Rape.
Sexual assault.
Mentions of molestation, sex trafficking/flesh trade.
Violence.
Torture.
Kidnapping.
Death.
Murder.
Vulgar language.
Degradation.
Name calling.
Mature scenes.
Mental health issues.
The many dark themes in this story are not suitable for readers under the age of 18 years of age.
Your mental health is important!
Please consider these trigger warnings, there are detailed scenes throughout the entire series that can be extremely intense and hard to digest.
Table of Contents
Prologue.
Lilith. 5 years ago.
1. Truth hurts.
Lilith. Present day.
2. Blackmail.
Marcus.
3. The Boss.
Lilith.
4. Sweet Psycho.
Declan.
5. Auction.
Lilith.
6. Horny Teenager.
Zayne.
7. Flashback.
Lilith.
8. Elevator Show.
Lilith.
9. Sex Drive.
Marcus.
10. Taken.
Lilith.
11. Monsters.
Lilith.
12. Bad Karma.
Zayne.
13. Feeling Better.
Lilith. One Month Later.
14. Biggest Secret.
Lilith.
15. Bitch Move.
Marcus.
16. Stay Mine.
Ezekiel.
17. Blackout.
Lilith.
18. Ugly Truth.
Lilith.
19. Came for Her.
Ezekiel.
20. She’s home.
Lilith.
21. New Routine.
Lilith.
22. Horndog.
Zayne.
23. Demonitsa.
Lilith.
24. Fairy Date.
Marcus.
25. Clown.
Declan.
26. Kitty Kat.
Lilith.
27. Feel me.
Ezekiel.
28. She Needs Me.
Zayne.
Acknowledgements.
Prologue.
Lilith. 5 years ago.
There's a knot twisting in my guts at the moment, my hands are slightly shaky while I look between my beautiful men's faces.
I came home excited to tell them about my day, and about how I've decided I want to do the vows ceremony like they've been wanting to do.
It wasn't like I was against the idea of being tied to the three of them in a sacred way like that, it was more of my nerves over the backlash it might cause since they're mafia men, being in a relationship such as ours isn't the norm and I never want to be the reason they have issues within their families and the organization. Not to mention there’s something I need to tell them beforehand that could change how they want to move forward with me.
But right now, they look angry with me, none of them kissed me or loved on me how they normally would when I walk through the door.
The tension in the room is thick, so I sat my ass in the chair across from them while the sense of dread creeped through my veins. Because it's not just my men that are staring at me like I did something wrong, the royal bitch of lies is sitting on the arm of the couch acting as if this is her home and her men.
Fuck.
"What's wrong?" I finally ask, my eyes flicker between Declan, Zayne, and Marcus. Avoiding Adria like the plague.
The bitch herself sighs loudly, "We know you've been going into Sapphires to hang out with other men, Lilith."
My mouth drops open while I shake my head, once I've torn my eyes away from my angry boyfriends to look at the snake of a woman next to them, my jaw clenches for a moment. When I lash out, sometimes they take her side, which is something I hate but there isn't much I can do to prove to them that their childhood best friend is a slimy bitch who is in love with them and wants me out of the picture. When all they see is the sweet little angel she supposedly used to be before I came along and 'stole' them from her.
She had a damn boyfriend when they took interest in me, it's not like I showed up and broke them up or something, like shit she's still with that boyfriend, though we all can see how unhappy they are.
"I have a legitimate reason why I was going there." My voice wavers because it looks like no one believes me. "All of you know that's where my sister was working before she went missing, I only go by there to see if anyone's seen or heard from her yet."
"It's been a year, Lilith, she's not going to just show back up there." Declan mutters, he doesn't look up from the lighter he's fiddling with when I glance at him. "She probably got into trouble, maybe owed someone money for drugs and took off."
"No." I harshly wipe my stupid tears away, hating showing any kind of emotion when Adria is around, "Something happened and she’s just laying low. I’m hoping one day she will end up at Sapphires again because she loved it there, they were good to her and she has reasons to go back there."
"That isn't the point right now, she followed you, Princess." Zayne flings his arm to point at Adria, not noticing me flinch from the movement. "She saw you sitting on some dudes lap in the VIP section, sounds like you've been getting real fucking comfortable going there."
"She's lying," I plead with my eyes for them to finally see my side, "like she always does--"
"Stop." Marcus’s voice booms, making my mouth clamp shut. "Your shit is already packed, we have enough evidence on you being a cheating whore, so just leave and stay the fuck out of our territory or we'll have to..."
I don't need him to finish his sentence, though he already knows that. I've seen the things my men can do to people they see as a threat or who've crossed them.
And apparently, I'm now enemy number one.
My heart thuds while I get to my feet and slowly head out of the room, stopping to look back one more time, "One day you'll see Adria for what she is and what she's done to tear us apart. All so that she can have you for herself. Don't expect me to take you back when you do figure it out and realize what you lost."
Declan looks away with a pained expression, breaking my heart since he’s my sweet psycho. But Zayne and Marcus let out a laugh at the same time Adria does, showing me how done they are without even caring about my side of this. There’s no evidence against me, I know it’s a lie since I’ve never cheated before.
This hurts so fucking bad, everything in me wants to fight for them but this shit won't ever end if I don't walk away and let them see how it feels to lose me. They need to see for themselves that Adria does want them to be more than friends with her.
I think the only reason she hasn't made a move yet while they're with me is because she knows they are against cheating. But if I'm out of the picture she probably thinks they will all fall to their knees when she says she wants them.
Most of our arguments have centered around Adria, they swear up and down that she is like a sister to them and would never make a move on them or want them like that, but I can see right through her.
A small part of me has always wondered if they would end up with her if they had the chance, since she's always been in their life and is drop dead gorgeous with her long legs, jet-black hair, and amber brown doe eyes.
Besides our issues around her, those three men were my everything. They worshipped me like I was their goddess, and now I'm worthless to them.
When I round the corner to leave, my eyes land on my bags right inside the dining room off the foyer. Two duffel bags, that's all I get to leave with. I guess Adria will go through the rest of my shit and take what she wants, though most of my clothes are probably too small since she's so much taller and leaner.
What hurts the most is seeing Ghost sitting next to my stuff like he's guarding it with his life. He probably is, he's such a loyal dog, always by my side since they day I came into his life.
I pat the top of his head, letting my fingers gently dig into his silky short hair. "I have to go, Ghost, be a good boy, okay?" Tears brim my eyes when he lets out a low whine and nudges his body against my leg. "Think they'd chase us if I stole you?" There's mischief in those dark eyes of his, making me c huckle. "Let’s go then."
Ghost sticks to my side while I quickly gather my stuff and slip into the elevator. The guys don't seem to give a shit about me now and didn't care to walk me out so they can get over me taking the dog.
I'm not the one in the wrong anyways, they're the assholes that deserve to be alone at this point. Because for two solid years they have shut down my concerns over how Adria acts towards me, this is my last straw with being put second to her.
I feel like my heart is shattering into millions of pieces with every floor we go down, leading me away from the loves of my life. I have no idea how I'm going to move on from them. Time, I guess, and the comfort of their furry friend, whom I won't ever give back.
As soon as the doors slide open, Ghost and I hurry through the parking garage, heading for the exit. I'm not dumb enough to think I can leave in my car, since they bought it.
Once we get out on the sidewalk, I take in the sounds of the city around me. Back on the streets of New York, just like old times.
Peering up at the penthouse windows one last time, I swear I see a silhouette in the window of Declan's room. I bet he's conflicted on me leaving, he didn't seem to fully agree with Zayne and Marcus decision to kick me out.
Too bad he will always side with his best friends, even though he was always the one to at least try to see my side over Adria's, it doesn't matter now. I'm kicked out and alone while they all have each other.
Ghost growls at a man walking unsteadily away from the doors of the club on the bottom floor of the tall building, drawing my eyes to the black door.
La Porta Nera.
I won't ever go into my favorite club again since my mafioso men own it. They own this part of the city too, which means I need to high tail it out of here before I end up dead, per Marcus's threat. He can be so brutal when he wants to be, it's a blessing and a curse. With his lifestyle, it keeps him and his people alive, but one day he will realize that he pushed away the one woman who truly understood him and loved him.
Every step away from my home is draining. My bags are heavy, my mind is running a mile a minute and my chest feels empty.
"Well, Ghosty boy." I look down at the Doberman at my side, who's eyeing every stranger we pass with a challenge to even dare touch me, "I'm thinking we should go underground. I think it's time I lived up to my family legacy and turned into the woman those boys never knew I could become. And they won’t ever get to know what I needed to tell them, that’s their loss though."
He gives me a deep growl, as if agreeing with my plan, making a sad smile turn my lips up. He has always been on my side, looks like it was for good reason since my men aren’t as loyal as they think they were.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket so I step into the opening of a dark alleyway. After fishing the device out, my eyes land on a text that makes my heart stop. I thought this night couldn't get any fucking worse, but it did with only two words and photo proof.
She's dead.
And now so am I.
1. Truth hurts.
Lilith. Present day.
My shin connects with my attacker’s muscled torso, making him grunt before he grabs my arm and spins me around. Instinctively my body twists to break the hold his arms have around me, but he’s faster and sweeps my feet out from under me.
My body drops to the ground with a thud, then he's on top of me, his breath is on my ear while his thighs trap me from either side of my hips.
"You know we need their cooperation if we want to move forward with our plans."
"I'm aware." I try to squirm under my boyfriend’s heavy weight, which seems to only worsen my position now that I can feel every single inch of his dick against my ass. "You're such a caveman, Ez."
He chuckles, subtly grinding into me, "You love when I'm a caveman baby, it makes you soak those pretty panties of yours."
“Whatever.” I groan, though it sounds more like a moan from how out of breath I am from today's training session, "I'm too sore, Ez, now let me up."
His body disappears from behind me, seconds later I'm being hauled up into his arms. "I know you're worried about seeing your ex's tonight, but the things we're trying to do are too important to keep avoiding this part of the plan. But you won't be alone for the meeting, I'll be there as a buffer if they try to be assholes."
"They might try to kill me." A quiet sigh escapes me, avoiding the quick glances of the other trainers throughout our gym when we pass them. They know Ezekiel and I are their bosses, just not that we’re actually the owners, founders, CEOs, all of the above plus more. "This will be the first time I've gone into their territory, that they know of, since I left five years ago. They aren't going to be happy about it, especially if Adria is with them. Maybe we should do it here.”
"I really don't like that cunt." Ezekiel tightens his grip on me, walking us to the exit. "I'll protect you, Siren. Though I have a feeling killing you won’t even cross their minds. But if doing it here makes you feel better, then I’ll reach out and make arrangements for that.”
I’m quiet the entire walk home, taking in the beauty of the compound we built from the ground up. There’s one giant main building with black metal siding to look inconspicuous and large windows to let all the natural lighting in, then we have multiple medium size buildings behind it that serve different purposes, both personal and for work.
It’s perfect. And also, a fortress.
The main building has our offices, medical clinic, parking garage and then our penthouse at the top. Aka the flat. Saying the word penthouse makes me think of the three mafioso men who broke my heart.
As soon as Ezekiel walks us out of the elevator into our foyer, my guard goes down, ready to pick up our conversation again without prying ears. "I know we need them on our side, and I don't doubt they would agree with helping us if they knew everything, but we don't know how tied in they are with some of our marks.”
Ezekiel frowns, my fingers run through his dark beard, soothing myself, “We’ve done our digging, siren. I don’t think they have anything to do with the guys we’re after.”
“I know, I don’t either but still. Going into this, I have to hold back a lot of information for now. They don't trust me as is and now I'm asking them to blindly agree to an alliance after learning I'm the head of our organization. There's so many factors and things that can go wrong by involving them, it worries me."
He sits me on the couch, plopping down next to me, "That's why we're bringing along a gift for them. Make them happy, then get down to business."
My eyebrows rise, "A gift?"
"Yeah, siren. I heard they've been looking for someone and that someone is currently chained up in our basement."
“Babe.” Shaking my head, letting out a laugh of disbelief while my thoughts wander to who this someone could be, "So after we have some fun getting our own answers out of this guy, we hand him over to them as an act of good faith?"
"Yup, and we can turn down the payout for it since they have a bounty on the dude."
"I guess I should go get changed." My smile stays on my face, heading to the bedroom with him trailing after me. "Who is this someone?"
"He goes by Rex. I think he's one of their guys that went behind their backs with information about them or something." Ezekiel raises his voice so I can hear him from his closet. "Did you know him?"
"Yeah." My heart aches when I start to think about my past with the three men that now run the Italian Mafia, called the Los Cosa Nostra, here in New York. "Rex was one of their inner circle guys, looks like someone on the outside got to him. Maybe money or blackmail, because he used to be super loyal."
“Huh.” Ezekiel goes quiet after that, focusing on picking out clothes while I stare at his gorgeous muscles and tanned skin that’s covered in tattoos.
He’s a work of art.
After we're done changing, we both quietly head down to the basement where our 'playground' is. Really, it’s just a private place where we can get information from people before killing them.
The worst of the worst type of people end up in these cells and in my torture bays. Men and women who have no morals and have done horrendous things get dragged down here to suffer like their victims did, though it never feels like it's enough.
Ezekiel slips his hand into mine after the elevator doors open, tugging me with him when he starts off towards the man dangling by chains wrapped around his wrists. He’s in the large middle bay, his bruises and the blood across his exposed skin stand out against his dirty clothes.
