The Caged Bird and the Executioner

When Sloane Vale steps between her sister Mira and Luca Marchetti’s knife, she saves one life and takes another. Found over the dead heir of the Marchetti casino empire, Sloane should be executed on the spot. Instead, she bargains with Roman Marchetti using a hidden serpent chip that suggests Luca was selling access to the family’s enemies. Roman clears the sisters’ debt but locks them inside his world, keeping Mira as leverage and forcing Sloane to use her dangerous gift for reading lies. As Sloane hunts traitors in Roman’s house, every clue pulls her closer to the truth behind her father’s suspicious death—and to the ruthless man who may know more than he admits. Survival means serving Roman’s war while hiding the secrets that could destroy them both.