Briar Rose, the beautiful daughter of a powerful mobster, is cursed by a jealous witch to stop her father from making a critical alliance that will determine the fate of their family empire.
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In the wake of political downfall, the city of Forev...
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Vita Hex controlled the west end of Forevermore. Filled with brothels and casinos, Vita lured desperate minds into her den, a temptress feeding on a person's carnal desire. She resided at a nightclub, The Forbidden Taste, her hunting ground, located along the coast.
Richard sat at the bar on a stool with a glass of wine. He wore a tight black suit, a cigarette smoking from his lips. The room was dimly lit, the air reeking of sweat and tobacco.
The stool next to Richard shifted. He had company. Vita placed her elbows on the counter, crossing her legs underneath a black gown. She assessed him, then smiled.
"Thank you for seeing me," Richard said.
"You're a brave little man, Mr. Jinx. Perhaps even stupid."
The bartender presented Vita with a glass of wine, and she took it willingly.
"Now, now, let's not be cruel," Richard grinned.
"Your a dog on a leash, forever doing Tobias Rose's bidding. Haven't you ever desired freedom, Richard? I could give you that chance."
"I am here with a request."
Vita sipped her wine. "A request?" She laughed, "forget stupid. You're mad."
"Renounce the curse on Briar Rose, and I shall let you walk out of here alive," said Richard.
Vita puckered her red lips. "Are you threatening me? Why would any of that matter? Briar Rose is dead."
"Precisely," Richard said. "Her family wants to bury her, free of your corrupt memory. But, as long as you live, the weight of the curse exists."
"How touching of the Rose family to think of me in such a delicate situation." Vita gulped down the remainder of the wine. She appraised the empty glass in silence. "Why not just kill me?"
"The Rose family is mourning. We do not want a war."
"And the Spades?"
"The union is finished. They're yours."
Vita smirked, taking out a fresh cigarette from her cleavage. She lit it with a dancing orange flame flickering from her fingertip, then sucked on the back of the stick. "Fine," Vita said, blowing smoke out of her nostrils. "I revoke the curse. Tobias Rose is finished. My work is done. Sure you don't want a job, Rich? I could use someone like you."
Richard smiled. "I'll pass. Besides, the west end belongs to the Spades now."
Vita's face darkened. "I beg your pardon?"
The glass suddenly dropped from her hand and shattered on the floor. Vita gripped her chest, the cigarette falling to the ground.
"Something wrong?" Richard asked.
"What the hell have you done to me?"
"You should be careful, Vita. In these parts, anyone could so easily slip something into your drink."
Vita's eyes grew. She looked at the bartender, finding the disgruntled face of Julian Spade. He pulled out a shotgun from beneath the counter.
"Dammit."
Julian pulled the trigger, blasting a hole through the bar. Vita's body convulsed, blood splattering against the right side of Richard's face as she hit the ground.
