Also by Sapphire Knight
A Ground and Pound Novel
Unexpected Forfeit
-Capo Dei Capi- Ruthless Matteo Vendetti
The Vendetti Empire
Dirty Down South
Freight Train
2 Times the Bliss (Coming Soon)
Harvard Academy Elite
Little White Lies
Ugly Dark Truth
Oath Keepers MC
Forsaken Control
Exposed
Relinquish
Friction
Daydream
Cherry
Oath Keepers MC Nomad
Princess
Russkaya Mafiya
Secrets
Corrupted
Unwanted Sacrifices
Standalone
Gangster
Undercover Intentions
Oath Keepers MC (The Collection)
Baby
3 Times The Heat
Chevelle
Tease
The Vendetti Queen
Watch for more at Sapphire Knight’s site.
Table of Contents
Ugly Dark Truth
Acknowledgements
Also By Sapphire
Common Terms Cajun French Slang
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
Keep Up With Sapphire
Ugly Dark Truth
Copyright © 2019 by Sapphire Knight
Cover Design by CT Cover Creations
Editing by Mitzi Carroll
Format by Alyssa Garcia
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
WARNING
This novel includes graphic language and adult situations. It may be offensive to some readers and includes situations that may be hotspots for certain individuals. This book is intended for ages 16 and older due to some steamy spots. This work is fictional. The story is meant to entertain the reader and may not always be completely accurate. Any reproduction of these works without Author Sapphire Knight’s written consent is pirating and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
This book is fiction.
The guys are over-the-top alphas.
My men and women are nuts.
This is not real.
Don’t steal my shit.
Read for enjoyment.
This is not your momma’s cookbook.
Easily offended people should not read this.
Don’t be a dick.
Acknowledgements
My husband – I love you more than words can express. Thank you for the support you’ve shown me. Some days you drive me crazy; other days I just want to kiss your face off. Who knew this would turn out to be our life, but in this journey, I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else. Thanks for falling for my brand of crazy. I love you, I’m thankful for you, I can’t say it enough.
My boys – You are my whole world. I love you both. This never changes, and you better not be reading these books until you’re thirty and tell yourself your momma did not write them! I can never express how grateful I am for your support. You are quick to tell me that my career makes you proud, that I make you proud. As far as mom wins go, that one takes the cake. I love you with every beat of my heart, and I will forever.
My Beta Babes – Lindsey K., Patti W., and Wendi H. this wouldn’t be possible without you. I can’t express my gratitude enough for each of you. Thank you so much!
Editor Mitzi Carroll – Your hard work makes mine stand out, and I’m so grateful! Thank you for pouring tons of hours into my passion and being so wonderful to me. Thank you for your friendship and support.
Cover Designer Clarise Tan – I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful work you’ve done for me. Your support truly means so much. I can’t wait to see our future projects; you always blow me away. You are a creative genius!
Formatting – Thank you so much for making my books always look professional and beautiful. I truly appreciate it and the kindness you’ve shown me. I know I can depend on you even in short notice and it’s so refreshing. You are always quick and efficient, thank you!!!
My Blogger Friends – YOU ARE AMAZING! I LOVE YOU! No, really, I do!!! You take a new chance on me with each book and in return, share my passion with the world. You never truly get enough credit, and I’m forever grateful!
My Readers – I love you. You make my life possible, thank you. I can’t wait to meet many of you this year and in the future!
Hil and Vic – Love you two and thank you for always supporting me!
Also By Sapphire
Oath Keepers MC Series
Secrets
Exposed
Relinquish
Forsaken Control
Friction
Princess
Sweet Surrender – free short story
Love and Obey – free short story
Daydream
Baby
Chevelle
Cherry
Russkaya Mafiya Series
Secrets
Corrupted
Corrupted Counterparts – free short story
Unwanted Sacrifices
Undercover Intentions
Dirty Down South Series
1st Time Love
3 Times the Heat
2 Times the Bliss – coming soon
Complete Standalones
Gangster
Unexpected Forfeit
The Main Event – free short story
Oath Keepers MC Collection
Russian Roulette
Tease – Short Story Collection
Oath Keepers MC Hybrid Collection
The Vendetti Duet
Viking - free newsletter short story
Capo Dei Capi Vendetti Duet
The Vendetti Empire - part 1
The Vendetti Queen - part 2
Harvard Academy Elite Duet
Little White Lies
Ugly Dark Truth
Common Terms Cajun French Slang
mon cher – my dear
podnas – partners/friends/brothers
non – no
belle – beauty
Dedicated to
Everyone who enjoys falling down the rabbit hole,
just as much as I do.
“So you found out our original plan,” Tristan murmurs with a nonchalant bounce of his broad shoulders. He seems so cold and detached, cruel even, as he notices me standing here. How could he just turn his emotions on and off like that? He was holding and kissing on me not even an hour ago in front of everyone.
I’m shaking and sobbing; full of g
rief for the boys I’d hopelessly fallen for and have already lost. Or maybe, just maybe, I never had them in the first place. My heart is nonexistent in the moment. There’s nothing in my chest anymore; the organ is utterly shattered like a thin sheet of glass.
I knew there had to be ulterior motives from the start but was it all fake with him? And his brothers are the same; I was stupid enough to have given up a piece of my now blackened heart to them as well. I can’t understand it, that this entire plot was one big lie for them and nothing more. Or, I should say, it was many little white lies and all at my expense.
I was beginning to fall for them—all four of them. And they’d deceived me.
My bottom lip wobbles; my body quakes as raw emotions swirl through my gut. My mind is trying to catch up, but it’s all so much...the pain...the betrayal.
“Ax-Axel was supposed to be my friend,” I trail off, my tearful gaze landing on the handsome, disheveled boy in question.
He doesn’t look like my Axel anymore—the one I’d been kissing and giggling with earlier. This man is someone I don’t know. In fact, with all that’s come to light, it’s apparent that I never knew him at all.
My gaze stabs at his, wanting Axel to prove me wrong and confess his love for me. “You came up with this bullshit plan? All for your father?” I know they just said it, but I can’t help repeating the cutting words. I want to hear him admit it right here to my face, to own the words.
Axel’s body’s rigid; he’s wound tightly as he just stands there, wordless. His intelligent eyes scan the room before he finally rubs at his temples and nods in resignation. His face remains blank as the tension in the room grows with each passing moment. None of the smiling, friendly boy that I’m used to being around. That person never existed as far as I’m concerned. How am I supposed to know what was an act and what wasn’t?
Brent and Cole cast scowls in my direction as I quietly self-destruct inside. Brent was supposed to be my protector—the moody boy I knew would have my back whenever I needed him. Cole ended up being the thoughtful, troublemaking one, yet he comforted me. His deep Southern drawl fed me compliments and nicknames and allowed me to cry on his shoulder when I needed to. He bought me my car, amongst other things, and made me falsely believe I was special to him. Yet, it was all nothing but lies to get what they wanted. All of the deception was so their cutthroat of a father could make more money off my family’s demise.
The life I was starting to picture, the one I’d begun to plan and prepare for with them, isn’t real. They’re not my future, and they never were. They’re nothing but selfish, deceitful monsters.
It takes every ounce of strength I have in me at the moment to not show them just how broken I am. To not let even the slightest notion slip out that I’m weak and my body physically aches so strongly it wants to bring me to my knees with their admissions. I want to fall to the ground and scream in agony—my chest aching like one big, sliced-open, festering wound.
Curling my fists, I whisper into the silent room. “I hate you.” And then I do the only thing I can...I run.
I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe for them to shout or chase after me. I thought perhaps they’d try to shut me up or even make me feel like I was crazy and say I’d heard it all wrong. None of that happened. There were no pounding footsteps echoing behind as they hunted me down. I wasn’t pulled back into the room and hugged so tightly in their arms that I couldn’t breathe while I sobbed my heartache away. The four of them did the opposite actually...they did absolutely nothing. Brent, Tristan, Axel, and Cole—the guys I’d given my heart to—let me run out on them, and not one of them so much as attempted to stop me.
I find Sam about to step into the woman’s guest bathroom as I’m storming down a never-ending hallway away from the library. “Sam!” I cry brokenly, and she spins in my direction. Her mouth drops open when she takes in my tear-streaked cheeks, ruined makeup, and uncontrollable sobbing.
“Holy shit! What happened, babe? Jesus, you’re a wreck!” She jogs toward me and folds me into her arms as soon as she reaches me.
“G-g-g-get me the fuck out of here. R-right now,” I stammer. I’m so upset I’m nearly choking on my tears. I’m crying hard, my gaze watery to the point I feel like a drunk person trying to walk a straight line. I’ve been hurt by my father numerous times, yet it never once felt like this—like I’m fucking dying inside.
Sam pulls away enough to keep one arm wrapped securely over my shoulders and steers us in another direction. She helps me stumble to a dim, secluded staff entrance with no one around to see me. “Come on, sweetie. I got here early enough they let me park in the staff area away from the valet. My car should be nearby.”
I nod, following her out the door into the starry night. I begin to tremble almost instantly, not only from my wrecked emotions but from being outside in the freezing cold in nothing but a ball gown and heels.
“I can’t believe this. Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Sam curses and unlocks her BMW, flinging the door open. She holds the passenger side door for me and helps stuff my dress into the car before slamming the door shut.
My teeth begin chattering as Sam runs around the front and hops into the driver’s side, closing the door in haste. Our breaths come out in foggy white puffs as she quickly reaches into the back seat to her duffle bag. She digs through it with cold, jerky motions, yanking out her puffer jacket and a sweater.
“Drape the jacket over you, so we don’t get freaking hypothermia! Fuck, it’s cold!” She swears and pulls the sweater over her head. With a flick of her wrist, she fires up the engine, giving the gas a few revs to warm the frozen car. She turns the heat to the hottest setting and takes in my tormented state again. “Wanna talk here?”
Shaking my head, I whisper, “Get us the hell out of here. Just get me away from this damn place!”
She guns the gas while muttering, “I swear when you calm down and give me a name, I’m setting some bitches’hair on fire for this shit. Or I’ll castrate someone; was it a guy?” Sam suddenly probes and pauses for my reply while pulling out of the quads’ massive gated drive.
I can only nod, teeth chattering as the BMW’s heater hasn’t warmed up yet. I’m too cold and far too upset to communicate much right now. I have to process everything that happened for a bit and beat myself up more by thinking about it a bajillion times. My chest already feels like it was stabbed several times, and I’m bleeding out. I can only imagine how I’ll feel tomorrow and the days following when the information from tonight has a chance to really settle in and take root.
“Talk to me, Kres; you’re freaking me out. Was it the grandfather? I’m not going to lie, I thought he was kinda hot for being an older dude. If he was a creep, I’ll turn around and knee his old, saggy nuts.”
“Oh God,” I croak, my voice choppy from the quick onslaught of tears. I wipe my eyes and then my snotty nose on the sweater; I can’t bring myself to care at the moment that it’s not my shirt. I’m a complete mess right now.
“Babe...” Her frown deepens as her brows furrow. She’s totally worried, I can see it. She keeps driving away from the mansion, and I’m beyond grateful for her getting me out of that fucking hellhole so quickly. She really is the best friend to me, no matter what I may be facing.
With a sob, the story eventually works its way up and comes pouring out of me in a choked confession. I tell her everything, beginning from how close I’ve been getting with the quads to what we did tonight and lastly, the conversation I’d overheard that pretty much shattered every piece of me.
“I’m going to kill those lying bastards.” Sam softly murmurs the threat once she’s heard me out. She was quiet while I spoke, her eyes widening in outrage along with shocked gasps leaving her at times. She had to pull the car over once I got to the library part; she was becoming too frazzled to drive and be a decent listener at the same time. “Brandon will kill them for this too. He would’ve done anything for you, and they came in and just took over your life.”
“Y-you can’t tell anyone, Sam. Not even Brandon, please.”
“What?” she cries, jerking back. “Why the heck not? Everyone should hear what scheming bastards they are!”
I shake my head, tears still leaking. “No one can know about this. It needs to stay between you, me, and them.”
“That’s not fair, Kres. Not at all. Just because we’re not as rich as they are, it doesn’t mean they can secretly go around ruining other people’s lives...they don’t get to ruin yours.”
“That’s exactly what it means. You have no idea how powerful their family is. I won’t let them tarnish you and your family as well. There’s only one thing I can do.”
She leans over the console, pulling me into a tight hug. She smells like strawberries and vanilla. I never thought that scent could be so comforting, but right now it’s making me feel at home and safe. Her hair tickles my nose as I confess in a whisper, “I have to tell my dad the truth.”
“Oh, Kres,” she sighs sadly. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you of all people. I can be there with you when you decide to break it to him. I think it’d be smart if we have Brandon with us too. He’d never allow anything to happen.”
Shaking my head, a tremble wracks through me. “No, I have to do this alone.”
I know what this means—how my father will react. He’ll figure out a way to blame me for this somehow. Maybe he’ll say I wasn’t good enough or I messed up one way or another. Regardless, I can’t ever let my friends see my dad when he rages. I would never forgive myself if they were caught in the cross fire. Hell, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself from their pity looks alone. They already have their suspicions as they’ve witnessed bits and pieces. I won’t allow them to discover everything that happens behind closed doors.
“When will you be back at school? Break’s been over for a week now, and I miss having my best friend with me.” Sam’s voice has been my lifeline. Her phone calls alone are enough to push the black cloud of my life away for the brief time we speak.
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