The Deadline. KiKi Swinson

      

      ALSO BY KIKI SWINSON

      The Playing Dirty Series: Playing Dirty and Notorious

      The Candy Shop

      A Sticky Situation

      The Wifey Series: Wifey, I’m Still Wifey, Life After Wifey,

      Still Wifey Material

      Wife Extraordinaire Series: Wife Extraordinaire and

      Wife Extraordinaire Returns

      Cheaper to Keep Her Series: Books 1–5

      The Score Series: The Score and The Mark

      Dead on Arrival

      The Black Market Series: The Black Market, The Safe

      House, Property of the State

      ANTHOLOGIES

      Sleeping with the Enemy (with Wahida Clark)

      Heist and Heist 2 (with De’nesha Diamond)

      Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless (with Noire)

      A Gangster and a Gentleman (with De’nesha Diamond)

      Most Wanted (with Nikki Turner)

      Still Candy Shopping (with Amaleka McCall)

      Fistful of Benjamins (with De’nesha Diamond)

      Schemes and Dirty Tricks (with Saundra)

      Bad Behavior (with Noire)

      Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.

      the DEADLINE

      KIKI SWINSON

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      www.kensingtonbooks.com

      All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

      Table of Contents

      Also by Title Page Copyright Page PROLOGUE 1 - AMBITIONS 2 - STREET TIES 3 - DOWN AND DIRTY 4 - THE AFTERMATH 5 - MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES 6 - CUTTHROAT GAMES 7 - REVELATIONS 8 - DANGEROUS LIAISONS 9 - ON A MISSION 10 - CASUALTIES 11 - EVIDENCE COLLECTION 12 - BREAKING NEWS 13 - PLAYING THE WAITING GAME 14 - ON TO THE NEXT 15 - BACK TO HAUNT ME 16 - THE FAÇADE OF HAPPINESS 17 - THE RECKONING 18 - THE VERDICT

      To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

      This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

      DAFINA BOOKS are published by

      Kensington Publishing Corp.

      119 West 40th St.

      New York, NY 10018

      Copyright © 2020 by Kiki Swinson

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

      Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 2020935629

      Dafina and the Dafina logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

      ISBN: 978-1-4967-2972-9

      First Kensington Hardcover Edition: September 2020

      ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-2975-0 (ebook)

      ISBN-10: 1-4967-2975-7 (ebook)

      PROLOGUE

      “And the nominees for Outstanding Coverage of a Breaking News Story are . . .”

      I clenched my butt cheeks together and balled up my toes in my shoes so hard that they throbbed.

      Kyle reached over and grabbed my hand and held it tightly.

      I closed my eyes and waited to hear the results. My ears were ringing so loudly from my nerves that I didn’t hear anything until cheers erupted from the crowd.

      “You won, twin! They just called your name! You won,” Kyle blurted loudly. He beamed with pride. It took me a few minutes to register what he was saying. He let go of my hand and helped me to my feet. My mouth hung open in a perfectly round O, and my legs were shaking so badly that my knees knocked together. I could barely catch my breath, and that instinctive right hand over my heart told the whole story.

      “You have to go up there,” Kyle said, urging me into the aisle so I could walk onstage and get my award.

      Kyle held on to me to make sure I could balance on my heels; I guess he could feel how hard I was trembling. He walked me up onto the stage. I stood frozen for a few seconds as I turned toward the spectators. Cheers arose. My cheeks flushed and the bones in my face ached from grinning. I deserved this Emmy Award. At least that was what the loud crowd was saying with their warm cheers.

      I looked over at my brother and he wore a cool grin as I slowly unfolded the paper containing my speech. I wish I could’ve been as cool as he was in that moment. My hands shook, but I stuck out my chest and delivered the perfect speech to accept my award. The crowd clapped and cheered again as Kyle and I walked toward the stage exit.

      “Wait right there . . . hold that pose!” a photographer called out. “Smile, you’re the winner,” he instructed, hoisting his camera to eye level to ensure he captured the exact moment. I was blushing and sure that my face would look like a cherry in every snapshot he took.

      Kyle and I posed and turned to each other on cue. We capitalized on the opportunity to take this free twin-sister-and-brother photo shoot. The photographer’s flash exploded.

      The bright lights sparkled in my eyes. It was truly the perfect day in my life.

      “Walk slowly forward now,” the photographer instructed. When Kyle and I finally made it to the end of the picture area, I was bombarded with more photographers eager to snap photos with professional and personal cameras. Noticing the paparazzi, even Kyle waved like a star. I also flashed my best debutante smile.

      “Well, well, well. If it isn’t