The Villainess's Harem

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I want this engagement dead! Right now!

Archibalds scream vibrates through the mahogany desk, but Im barely listening. Im too busy staring at my thumb. A sharp corner of a glossy photoevidence of my so-called sinshas just sliced my skin. A single bead of bright red blood wells up, perfectly round, trembling against my pale flesh. Its fascinating. Much more fascinating than the man currently turning purple in front of me.

"Are you even listening to me, you toxic liar?" He slams his hand down again, scattering the pictures. Naked skin. Tangled limbs. Indisputable proof of my wild nights. "I am the laughingstock of the entire city because of you! Sleeping with anything that walks while wearing my ring?"

He is gasping for air, looking like hes about to stroke out. I finally look up, my heartbeat steady, my expression bored. He thinks hes delivering a death sentence. He has no idea Im the one holding the executioners axe.

Chapter 1

Archibald stopped breathing.

His face went from red to purple. He looked like his brain was rebooting.

"You you aren't engaged to me?!"

"Then why have you been micromanaging my life?!"

"Anytime a woman gets within five feet of me, you bite her head off like a rabid dog!"

I shrugged, leaning back in my chair. The picture of innocence. "Because I have to watch over you for Seraphina."

"Men who don't respect themselves are like wilted lettuce. Sad."

"You have a contract with my sister. That means you keep your zipper up and your virtue intact."

"If I didn't stop you, you'd be sleeping with half the city by now."

Archibald's jaw practically hit the floor. He looked down at the photos of me with a dozen different men. Then he looked back at my face.

"You have the audacity to lecture me?"

He exploded. He pointed a shaking finger at the photos. "These men barely take their shirts off and you're all over them!"

"A new guy every night! You never repeat a partner!"

"You're even using whips in some of these!"

He slammed the desk again, screaming. "And I'm the one who needs to be lectured about virtue?!"

I wasn't scared. Not even a little. I met his glare head-on. "So?"

"Life is short, Archibald. We have maybe 30,000 days if we're lucky. Why shouldn't they entertain me for two of them?"

"And why don't you look at the bright side? There are billions of men on earth, and I only play with them. That's not promiscuity. That's exclusivity."

"At the end of the day, I just made a mistake that every woman makes."

"Punish me by making me eat dry ramen noodles. I don't care."

Archibald: ""

He hadn't seen shamelessness on this level before. He looked like he was having a cardiac event. But then, his head snapped up.

A cold sneer curled his lip. "Does Seraphina know about this?"

Me: ""

Bullseye.

He found the weak spot.

"The engagement isn't cancelled yet. That means I'm still your future brother-in-law. Your elder. I have a duty to help your sister discipline you."

He stood up, grabbing the stack of photos. "Where is she?"

"I'm taking these to her right now. Let's see if she kills you."

Panic. Actual, legitimate panic.

My face heated up. "You you just said you wanted to cancel the wedding! You cheater! You have no right to see my sister!"

"You're an outsider! You have no right to discipline me!"

Archibald didn't blink. "Fine. I'm a cheater. I'm an outsider."

He held out his hand, palm up. "Then pay me back the fifty grand you borrowed last month."

Me: "Brother-in-law. We're family. Why are you being so transactional?"

I was broke. I couldn't pay him back. So I had to surrender Seraphina's private number.

Archibald finally left, looking satisfied. Before he walked out, he turned back. "These men are trash. If you dare sleep around again, I'll call your sister to come beat you to death."

I swallowed my pride. I nodded. I played the victim.

The second the door clicked shut.

I spun around.

I tackled Maddox, who had just finished walking my dog, onto the couch and ripped his pants off.

No more acting.

Maddox didn't expect me to skip the foreplay. He had just walked a Golden Retriever for five miles. He hadn't even had a glass of water before I pinned him down.

Clothes flew everywhere.

Lust took over. Logic left the building.

Chapter 2

Maddox was arrogant. Entitled. The walking definition of a god complex.

But God, his face card never declines.

Right now, that pretty face was ruined. In the best way possible.

He was gasping for air, his arm banding around me tight enough to bruise. A flush crept up his neck, staining the sharp line of his jaw. His skin radiated a feverish heat.

A single drop of sweat rolled down his throat. It traced the definition of his chest muscle.

I lowered my head. I licked the sweat from his skin.

Maddox made a sound like he was dying. A broken, strangled noise from the back of his throat. He completely shattered.

Delicious.

Maddox was at that perfect age. Ripe.

Youthful passion is like a wildfire in a dry canyon. It doesn't stop. It doesn't burn out. The wind blows, and it consumes the sky.

Normally, I didn't touch guys like this. Maddox was too much work. Too volatile.

I lived near his family estate. I'd heard the screaming matches between him and his father, Harold. They fought until his father, Harold Sterling's, blood pressure hit stroke levels.

Maddox never backed down. He was a wild animal, snarling at the cage. Twenty-something. Angry at the world.

Usually, that kind of edge cuts if you get too close.

But even a wild animal will roll over for the right master.

For Maddox, that master was April.

April. The adopted daughter. The sister in name only.

For her, he parked the motorcycle. For her, he took out the lip ring that made him look like pure sin. He packed away his rage and his rebellion just to be her guardian dog.

But April didn't look at him.

April's heartand her tearswere reserved for Archibald.

The Hero and the Heroine. A match made in romance novel heaven.

Maddox's devotion was destined to rot in the dark. He was miserable. But he couldn't stand seeing April miserable.

So he came to me.

Everyone knew my family had the engagement contract with Archibald.

Maddox showed up at my door. A sacrificial lamb in a designer suit. He wanted me to cancel the wedding. To give Archibald to April.

The price?

Himself. His body. His soul.

It went smoother than either of us expected.

He came prepared. Dressed to kill. Holding a bouquet of red roses that looked like an explosion of velvet. Standing on my porch, he looked like danger wrapped in a bow. The wind messed up his hair, and he looked at me with that signature arrogance.

I looked him up and down. He was selling. I was buying.

Deal.

We ended up in bed before the roses even hit the water.

I expected a rough ride. I expected experience. But who would have guessed? The notorious, rebellious Maddox was a rookie.

Brand new. Unopened packaging.

He was so sensitive it was almost embarrassing. It took zero effort. A touch, a look, and he was vibrating like a tuning fork.

In the afterglow, I traced his lower lip with my thumb. There was a tiny, faint scar. The ghost of his lip ring. He pierced it to piss off Harold. He removed it because April said she didn't like it.

From wolf to puppy. From steel to putty.

It was tragic.

What a waste of good material. Where was the arrogance? Where was the bite?

I hated a soft spine.

"You're actually pretty boring."

I watched his chest heave as he tried to catch his breath. I patted his cheek. A patronizing, stinging little tap. I looked down at him with pure amusement. "Not much fun to play with."

His eyes snapped open.

The insult landed. His gaze turned icy. Defensive.

But he couldn't hold the glare. Not for thirty seconds. The ice melted into something pathetic. A flush rose from his chest to his ears.

Confusion short-circuited his brain. He forgot why he was here. He forgot the deal. He lifted his head, hesitating, leaning in for a kiss.

He wanted to kiss me.

I dodged it.

"I don't like flowers. And I don't like cake."

I grabbed a handful of his hair and shoved his head down. Away from my face. "If you want to please me, you show up every day and walk my dog."

I leaned back, feeling the rush of absolute control. "And when you get back you get on your knees and be the dog."

Chapter 3

Hands down, the best deal I ever made.

I promised not to sabotage the toxic romance between Archibald and April. In return, Maddox had to walk my dog every single day. And then come inside and be my dog.

Youthful energy is a dangerous thing. Once you get a taste, you cant stop.

We were insatiable. Day and night. We literally snapped a bed frame in half.

But the joyride was over.

Archibald finally figured out he wasn't engaged to me. He was engaged to Seraphina. He was definitely going to cancel the wedding. Seraphina would definitely agree.

The truth was out. The curtain was falling.

And I was losing my main supply. No more prime beef. No more free dog walker.

Damn it.

Universe, if you can hear me, please send me ten more hot guys with unresolved daddy issues. Immediately.

Maddox sensed my distraction.

The bathroom door opened. Steam billowed out, carrying the scent of cedar and expensive soap. He walked out wearing nothing but a towel slung dangerously low on his hips. His hair was wet, dark strands falling into his eyes.

Water droplets tracked down the cut of his pecs. Over the ridges of his abs. Disappearing into the white terry cloth.

He walked over, grabbed my waist, and pulled me onto his lap. "What's in that head of yours?"

He leaned in. His voice was a low rasp. Pure, vocalized need. "What are we playing tomorrow?"

I dodged his mouth. "We're done playing."

I stood up and started buttoning my shirt. My voice was calm. Clinical. "Archibald is calling off the engagement any day now. Hell marry April. The deal is fulfilled."

I smoothed my collar. "You don't need to come back."

Maddox froze.

He had been playing the part of the obedient pet for weeks. He got what he wanted. I expected him to celebrate. I expected him to run out the door screaming 'Freedom!'

Instead, he looked at me like Id just spoken Latin.

"If I don't come back," he stammered, "who who walks your dog?"

Me: ?

Buddy. You should be popping champagne that the love of your life is finally getting her man. Why are you emotionally attached to my Golden Retriever?

I waved a hand dismissively. "I'll send the dog to a friend's house."

That was the wrong thing to say.

Maddox snapped.

"Your friends?" He stood up, towering over me. "Your friends are lazy drunks who never leave their beds! Who's going to walk him? Them?"

He grabbed my wrist. His grip was hard. Possessive. His anger was radiating off him in waves. He gritted his teeth, his jaw working.

"You found another dog, didn't you? Someone better?"

The double meaning hung in the air. This arrogant boy was actually losing his mind. He was spiraling.

"Reese, if you dare" His voice cracked. "I'll tell my parents! I'll tell them you used me for weeks and wouldn't even give me a title!"

Me: ?????

Panic hit me like a bucket of ice water.

Wait.

This wasn't in the script.

You're supposed to be happy. You're supposed to be free. Why are you fighting to stay on the leash?

And telling his parents? We were just hooking up! Since when do we bring parents into a friends-with-benefits situation?

Indignation replaced my panic. I glared at him. "What kind of title do you want, huh?"

"You want me to put a ring on it? You want to get engaged?!"

Silence.

The air left the room.

Maddox's rage instantly evaporated. He went rigid. His expression went blank. Then, a violent flush exploded across his face. It traveled from his neck to the tips of his ears, turning them bright crimson.

"You"

His chest heaved. He looked like he couldn't decide whether to pass out or scream. "You'd get engaged to me?"

I blinked. I was stunned. "Wait. You'd actually say yes?"

Hearing my question, the arrogant young master pressed his lips together. He tried to suppress the corners of his mouth, which were twitching upward. He tried to summon his usual haughty, untouchable persona.

But he answered instantly.

"Obviously!"

Me: ""

We were doomed.

This kid liked being a dog way too much. Did he completely forget he only slept with me to save April??

Chapter 4

Maddox, get a grip.

You are supposed to be obsessed with April. My silence was making him spiral further.

"What?" His eyes narrowed, dark and dangerous. "You don't want to?"

The temperature in the room dropped below freezing.

"If you don't want me, who do you want? Archibald? He is obsessed with your sister. He wouldn't look at you twice."

His jaw clenched. A vein pulsed in his neck. "Is it that pretty boy from the club?"

The mere thought of the competition made Maddox explode. He jerked my wrist, pulling me flush against him. His grip was bruising.

"You told me I made you feel good," he snarled, eyes wild. "You said you liked it. Is he better than me?"

Me: ""

We had a deal. Just bodies. Just fun. Now he wouldn't let go, and he wouldn't let me recruit a new pet.

Disaster.

Fate wasn't turning the wheel; it was running me over. I had to improvise.

I softened my face instantly. I let the tension drain from my shoulders. "Of course I still like you."

I forced a sweet, intoxicating smile. Time to stall.

"But you know my parents are gone. It's just Seraphina and me. An engagement is a huge deal. I have to discuss it with her."

I stepped closer, invading his personal space. I let my voice drop to a whisper. "Her office is right next to mine. Floor-to-ceiling windows. We can look down on the whole city at night."

I traced a finger down his chest. Slowly.

"Good puppy."

"Have you ever done it on an executive desk?"

Maddox: ""

Of course he hadn't. The only thing he'd destroyed so far was my mattress.

My smile deepened. I brushed my thumb over his cheekbone, feeling the heat radiate off his skin. "Want to come with me?"

"Good puppy. Go put on that suit I keep in my closet."

I leaned up to his ear. "I'll take it off you later. With my teeth."

Maddox didn't stand a chance.

He turned his head away, hiding his face. But I saw the flush crawl all the way down his neck.

Rule number one of being a good dog: obedience.

"Fine."

He mumbled, voice thick with need. "I'll change then I'm coming with you."

He finally released his death grip on my wrist and stumbled toward the walk-in closet. He was dizzy with the fantasy.

I kept smiling. I stood up naturally.

The second the closet door clicked shut, I bolted.

I sprinted into the kitchen. I threw open the window and vaulted over the sill.

Thank God I bought a ground-floor unit with a garden for the dog.

Office sex? I'm down.

But taking Maddox to meet Seraphina?

Are you kidding me?

His family was a major business partner. Seraphina would hog-tie me and drag me to the altar herself. If I married him, the game was over.

I wasn't the heroine. Why would I hang myself on one tree when I had the whole forest?

Chapter 5

I ran.

I sprinted out of the apartment in nothing but my fuzzy house slippers. No phone. No wallet. Just pure survival instinct.

I flagged down a cab on the main road and took it straight to the family HQ.

"Wait here," I told the driver, praying he wouldn't call the cops on me for fare evasion.

I marched to the security desk and grabbed the landline. "Seraphina."

I summoned my thickest skin. "Can you send your assistant down to pay for my cab?"

"I forgot my wallet."

Seraphina. The matriarch. The shark in a skirt suit. She was the family's golden goose. Ruthless. Efficient. Terrifyingly reliable.

She was also a woman of few words.

Archibald's parents ask for a merger marriage? "Done."

April asks to steal the groom? "Okay."

Archibald complains she talks like a mute monk? "Fine."

Me asking for cab fare?

She laughed. A cold, dry sound that sent shivers down my spine.

"Wait right there. I'm coming down to kill you myself."

Me: ?

Wait.

That was a full sentence.

Something was wrong. The matrix was glitching.

"Seraphina?" I asked cautiously. "Aren't you busy? How do you have time for homicide?"

"For you?" She chuckled darkly. "I'll make time."

Me: ""

"Can I at least know why I'm on death row?"

Seraphina smiled.

"Reese."

She used my full government name. Her voice dropped an octave. Every syllable dripped with murderous intent.

"Silas just proposed. He claims you're carrying his child."

"I didn't know I was making you an aunt to a phantom niece."

Me: ""

It was over.

Checkmate.

Don't ask.

Yes, I played with him.

Seraphina actually took time out of her schedule. She came down, paid the driver, and then personally marched me upstairs like a prisoner walking the Green Mile.

At first, I tried to fight it.

I dug my heels in. I shouted my innocence. "I didn't do it!"

Seraphina didn't argue. She just smiled and smacked the back of my head. Hard.

I folded instantly.

Inside the office.

"I'm sorry."

I stared at my slippers, projecting the image of a remorseful child. "Silas, I didn't mean to bully you. Please forgive me. It won't happen again."

Silas stood by the door.

He was still wearing his lab coat. He must have come straight from the research institute. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing forearms that looked like they were carved from marble.

Silas rarely lost his cool.

He was a certified genius. A prodigy researcher. The untouchable "Ice King."

He usually looked at human emotions like they were bacteria in a petri dishmessy and irrelevant. His eyes were always calm. His voice always clinical.

But facing my apology?

He just stood there. His face was a mask of indifference. But those narrow, dark eyes were churning. Beneath the calm surface, a storm was brewing.

"You apologized."

His voice was flat. His lip curled into a sneer. "And?"

Me: ""

And what?

I played with you for a month. What do you want, a public execution?

The words were on the tip of my tongue. Then I saw Seraphina cracking her knuckles in my peripheral vision.

"Silas, I really know I was wrong!"

I pivoted. Hard.

I dropped the attitude and went for pathetic groveling.

"I just I liked you too much! You're my dream guy. Total obsession. Love at first sight. I couldn't control myself!"

"Please, forgive me for loving you too much!"

Silas didn't answer. He just pulled out his phone. He shoved the screen right in my face.

Chapter 6

The screen was open to his messaging app.

Unlike my chaotic mess of unread messages and spam, his was pristine. Minimalist. Except for a few work groups, it was empty.

Except for the pinned chat at the very top.

Me.

"Love at first sight?"

"Total obsession?"

Silas scoffed. A sound like ice cracking.

He tapped the chat.

The last message in the history was a photo I sent.

Bedroom background. Messy sheets. Two people in bed. Me, half-asleep and blurry. Maddox, grinning at the camera like he just won the lottery. Provocative. Smug.

Below the photo?

A giant red exclamation mark.

"Friendship deleted."

Silas held the phone up, forcing me to look at my own crime scene.

"So why did the love stop, Reese?"

His voice was slow. Deliberate. It had a calm, unhinged quality that made the hair on my arms stand up.

"Is he your new toy?"

"Did you discard me just so you could go roll around in the sheets with him?"

Me