I’m a pawn in a twisted game I never agreed to partake in.
Seeds of Malice, an all-new dark, college bully romance, and the first book in the Wilted Kingdom Duet from International bestselling author Maggie Cole is now available!
I’m a pawn in a twisted game I never agreed to partake in.
There’s no getting out.
Dax Carrington decides all the moves.
He’s always two-steps ahead of me.
An animal disguised in warm, privileged, snakeskin, he’ll sink his teeth into every inch of my soul until he owns all of it… all of me.
When I’m at my lowest, he’ll blindside me, pulling me back into his arms, continuing to win the match that I don’t know how to play and just want to escape.
The only problem?
In Dax’s world, the plot ends once he’s the last one standing and there’s nothing left but dust—including me.
Seeds of Malice is book one of the Wilted Kingdom duet. It’s a dark college bully romance between the rich kid and the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Dax and Ivy’s story continues in Book 2 of the Wilted Kingdom duet, Thorns of Malice. See author website for trigger warnings.
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Keep reading for a look inside Seeds of Malice!
Dax Carrington's the most handsome man I've ever met. He's also strong, powerful, and rich. I'm a girl from West Virginia who needs to remember my place. I don't belong here and shouldn't have thought I could fit in with these people.
My father warned me. He told me that rich people are selfish and you have to be careful around them. I didn't want to believe him. I still don't want to believe him. Yet, maybe he was right.
Dax spins and saunters across the yard. My father watches him go, then turns and makes his way toward our cottage.
My insides quiver harder. I don't want to get into it with Dad, but I know it's coming.
I move from the window and go into my room to try and escape my fate.
It's pointless.
My father's footsteps pound on the wooden floor, and he looms in my doorway, seething. "Ivy."
I close my eyes for a brief moment and then open them. "Don't start, Dad."
"You can't see him again," he directs.
"I don't want to see him again," I lie.
"No?" he questions, arching his eyebrows like he knows me better than I know myself.
I shake my head, adding, "No. There's no reason to see him. Why were you fighting with him?"
"Don't worry about it."
I put my hand on my hip. "Don't tell me not to worry."
Dad's anger bubbles. His scowl intensifies. He warns, "I could lose my job, so stay away from him, Ivy."
Every fear I have, rises within me, but then I remember Dax telling me that he would never put my dad's job in jeopardy.
But that was when I was starting to trust him. "I'm sorry. I would never jeopardize your job on purpose, you know that, right?"
My dad holds his hand in front of him and releases a stressful breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, Ivy. This isn't your fault. Don't worry. Everything's fine. But I want you to stay away from Dax Carrington. Do you hear me?"
I decide it's best to agree. Besides, I don't want any part of Dax. If he's going to play me and that other girl, I don't need to be around him again. "Okay."
My father stares at me for a moment with a mix of pity and anxiety in his expression.
"Please don't look at me like that," I beg.
His voice softens. "Ivy, we have to remember who we are and who they are."
After everything that happened today, I should agree with my father, but I still don't understand why we have to be so different. I admit, "I don't know why it has to be like that. It's just money."
My father scrubs his hands over his face, sighing. "Ivy, it's hard to explain. You'll understand when you're older, but this is how the world works. We aren't their kind, and they're not ours. Don't let that boy fool you," he warns, his gaze drilling into mine.
My cheeks heat. I swallow hard. I hate how my dad knows that I was starting to fall for Dax. He doesn't even have to say anything else.
I lift my chin and announce, "I won't see him again."
My father takes a deep breath and crosses his arms. "What happened between you two?" Embarrassment fills me. The last thing I want to do is talk to Dad about it. I mutter, "Nothing."
"If he comes near you, I want to know."
"Why, so you can lose your job?"
Tense silence fills the air. My father grinds his molars.
I panic. "Dad, I don't want you to lose your job." Memories of how bad it was in West Virginia when he didn't have one and how we were struggling, plague me. Plus, my father was so excited to get hired by Dax's dad. He claimed this position was his dream job.
Dad shakes his head. "That's for me to worry about, but I'm not going to get fired."
"How do you know?" I question, then wish I could get Dax's voice out of my head, promising me that he would never jeopardize my dad's job. But now, I don't know what to believe. If he can kiss me after having sexual encounters with that girl the day before, how can I ever trust him again?
And what did he and Cindy do with others involved?
The thought makes me feel ill.
Dad responds, "Because I'm not, and that's not for you to worry about. Now, are you hungry?"
I shake my head. "No, I just ate a cheeseburger. Do you want me to make you something?"
"No, I can make dinner. Why don't you unpack your room?" He points to the boxes.
I glance at them, not wanting to unpack, already tired of the moving process. Part of me wants to run back to West Virginia. Yet, I don't want to lose my opportunity to go to Clifton University, which has one of the best botany programs in the country.
Dad adds, "They won't unpack themselves."
"On it," I claim.
My father leaves the room and I choose a box. I open it, and for the rest of the evening, I slowly make my way through every piece of cardboard until nothing is left to unpack.
I break down the boxes and take them out to the front room. A pile of broken-down cardboard is near the front door. Guilt fills me. I blurt out, "Dad, I was going to unpack your room."
He shrugs. "I don't have that much."
"Yeah, but you've been working all day."
His lips curve. "I'm not decrepit, you know. I can work and come home and unpack."
I tilt my head. "Haha, very funny. Are you sure you're not decrepit?"
He grins. "Not yet. Don't need to go get those diapers yet."
I laugh. We have a running joke about my dad with adult diapers. One time, I filled out a form where they sent samples. He couldn't figure out who did it and why he was getting them. One day, he caught me filling out a form to get a sample from another brand. Since then, it's been an inside joke between us.
He glances at his watch. "It's getting late. Let's hit the hay."
I'm not tired, but there's nothing else to do, so I don't argue. I hug him and kiss him on the cheek, and he tightens his hold around me. He lingers for a minute, then finally releases me.
I brush my teeth and wash my face, then shut the door to my bedroom. I put on a nightgown and slide under the covers.
I don't know what to do about Dax. I try not to think about him, but I can't get him out of my head. I toss and turn most of the night. I finally fall asleep until I feel hands over my mouth and the weight of a body over me.
My heart beats faster than ever before, and I try to move, but the large frame on top of mine is too heavy to push away. Then I realize the smell of Dax fills the air.
"Quiet, Ivy," he orders.
My eyes widen. Excitement fills me. It's not fear, except for a small part. It's mostly excitement.
Dammit, why do I still like him?
I get over my confusion and try to fight him again.
"Ivy, stop it. I don't want to wake your dad up," he scolds.
I freeze. My dad will kill Dax if he finds him here—there's no doubt about it—and then he'll definitely lose his job. So I stare into Dax's clear eyes that are only inches from mine.
He keeps his hand over my mouth and states, "Come with me.”
For more information about Maggie Cole and her books, visit her website:
My Review
5 Stars
Seeds of Malice by Maggie Cole is the First book in the Wilted Kingdom Duet. This starts the story of Ivy Ford and Dax Carrington. Dax is a 21 year old senior at Clinton University in Greenwich, CT. Along with that he is a manipulator, doesn't do feelings and gets board easily. When he spots Ivy he thinks he has found his new toy to manipulate. Ivy is 18 years old who just graduated High School and has moved to from West Virginia to Connecticut to attend Clinton University. Ivy's family is not well off and she only go into the University because her father is a Botanist for the Carrington Gardens. This just starts their story and we are left with a cliffhanger. Also please read the author's warring on this book because there are some triggering incidents.
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