He calls me a puppet, but I’m the one pulling the strings. I am a Hawthorne. He is an Iazetti. Oil and water, we were never meant to mix. We did, once upon a time, When it was forbidden and dangerous. That time has passed, And the stakes are even higher, But anger and rejection still fester deep in my soul. Xander Iazetti used to be my everything, And then he yanked it all away like the monster he is. Thanks to my controlling father, my life is no longer my own. I’m now a pawn in a very deadly game, A game everyone except me knows how to play. I’ve lost so much, shed my last tear. Now it’s my turn to win. Author note: This is Book One in The Ridgeview Prep Series, A Dark High School Bully Romance Duet that will leave you on the edge of your seat and gasping for air. Tread lightly. These books are not for the faint of heart and are not meant for readers under the age of 17. You have been warned.