Cruel Pawn, a Dark Mafia Stalker Romance

by Phoebe Ash

I tried to kill him, now he’s stalking me….

Arden McFayden is my exact opposite. A golden retriever with pretty eyes and defined abs who calls his cat baby. Little more than a rich entrepreneur on the surface. But someone wants him dead. And they paid me to do the job.

Letting him close is a necessary evil, but he isn’t supposed to see beyond the sweet persona I crafted. Now Arden has glimpsed the real me—guarded and unloved and sarcastic—and he likes it.

While I’m planning his murder, he’s falling hard and fast. Obsessed. Unhinged. Beneath his smiles and adoration, Arden has a dark, psychotic core, and my attempted murder only feeds the void.

He shouldn’t survive.

Or come back for me.

But now he has me at his mercy, with no one around to hear me scream…

He’s going to make me pay for my lies.

He’s going to make me his.

Cruel Pawn is book one in a dark captive romance duet, with an intense British mafia stalker and the woman who he'll go to any (and I mean ANY) lengths to keep as his. No cheating or OW drama, and the duet will complete with a HEA.



KidnappingHe falls firstHitwoman FMCStalker MMCMorally grey charactersForced ProximityEnemies to LoversHe’s desperate for loveObsessed MMCPraise

Genres: Dark Romance

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2025

Reviews

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

*MF
*Contemporary
*Dual-PoV
*Mafia
*Assassin FMC
*MMC as target
*Stalker romance
*Enemies to lovers
*Forced Proximity
*MidBurn
*1/2
Obsession or passion? 😅
Oooo ok so this draws you in right from the beginning! Priya has an obsessive mind and her next puzzle is her target, she can’t figure him out and it’s drawing her in 🙈 where’s Arden is on the surface you’re all round nice guy and the obsessiveness over each other is amusing to watch! However it appears Arden also has a darkness underneath his surface; he has an allure to him that Priya can’t get away from. Priya is a great FMC she’s intelligent, capable, a total baddie and a little bit psycho 🤣she’s suffering after the death of the her family and is seeking out revenge on those who wronged them…if she can actually find them 😖 there’s a lot going on in this first half of the duet, including some string spicy scenes 🔥 it was an interesting cliffie to ride us over till the next one!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe Ash's Cruel Pawn was a delightfully dark romance. All the crazies came out in this one. Priya is not a people person, which makes being a hitwoman the perfect job for her. Priya was pretty badass. She's intelligent, capable, and a little bit broken after the death of her family. She's determined to find out who killed her parents and is using the jobs to save up for her, and I quote, "revenge fund." She does have one person, her best friend and fellow miscreant, Silvio. I liked their friendship; I just wish there was more of it.


In the beginning, Arden's outside persona seems like your average nice guy. However, right away, his inner monologue gave him away. He was waving all kinds of red flags, lasers, and strobe lights. It was only after Priya made her move that his inner psycho came out to play. Woza! Arden is a murder puppy, and I love it! I love a good psycho. I liked Arden from the start. Some of my favorite moments were his group chats with his cousins. I was cracking up. This was not a good book to read in public for a lot of reasons.


This book was all about obsession. Arden was obsessed with Priya from the start, but it turns out that it's a two-way street. Priya matches Arden's kind of crazy, and he is not letting her go, and she's in denial about her feelings. Arden is hypnotic, and Priya can't help but fall under his spell. They could be good together, and if that’s not a terrifying thought, I don't know what is.


This book was all steamy passion and obsession. I got so wrapped up in the romance I forgot about the rest. There's a hit on Arden, and Priya wants information about her parents' death. There were a couple of reveals, nothing too shocking. Cruel Pawn was a good read; I especially enjoyed the ending. Dark romance readers, this one is for you.

[Addy Anders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was sweet, dangerous, and a little deranged but sooo much fun! Was there a lot of suspension of disbelief? Sure, but did I care with how much I enjoyed the story? Not one bit.
Priya, an assassin that likes to get close and personal with her targets before she murders them, has been hired to kill Arden. While Arden has close ties to the mafia, he doesn't quite fit the bill. Curious as to why anyone wants him dead, she decides to force a meet-cute that ends up having unexpected consequences.
I'm not usually into the whole insta-love trope, but it fit Arden's psychotic puppy-dog personality. The juxtaposition in his character's personality between the first half's lovey-doveyness and the second half's crazed obsession just made this story shine.
Honestly I loved this. I just wish book 2 in this duet wasn't a year out.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priya and Arden had an unorthodox start to their relationship. One where Priya has been hired to un-alive Arden. Only what started out that way led to all manner of stalker scenarios by Arden who was funny, nutty as hell but completely devoted (in his own way) to Priya. I couldn't help but kind of like him though. He was a mixture of endearing even if he did some questionable things like kidnapping...etc. This book definitely kept me on my toes and that cliff-hanger ending was naughty but I'm dying to see what will happen next? A brilliant read.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this sucked me right in and just didn’t let go, in fact I read this in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down.
I don’t know what to say without giving away the plot, but I will say that Priya and Arden are a fantastic couple, and Arden is total and utter book boyfriend material. His devotion knows no bounds. Absolutely none and for a touch starved, praise kink girl like Priya, refusal isn’t an option!
Loved it and I can’t wait for the second half!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Joy Whiteside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a read. This book is going to suck you in and keep you prisoner until you are finished the last page. There was no putting this book down and I ended up reading it in one sitting. It moves along at a speed perfect for the story, has interesting characters that you will love no matter what and the story will not disappoint. This book needs to be on your TBR list, there is no doubt about it.

[Rachel Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book! It was a quick and captivating read!
There was a bit of suspense, humor, lots of spice and more!!
I loved both main characters. Arden was probably my favorite though. He was exactly my type of obsessive and crazy book boyfriend.
Priya was strong and resilient. I liked how she slowly showed parts of her true self to Arden.
I loved it!! I cant wait for book 2!!

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5

My first book by this author and I liked it a lot.
The OTT insta everything!! The funny banter. The family dinnamic.



Ps. If the blurb wasn't so "spoilly" I would like it even more with the twists.

[Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

crazy and crazier

This was such a great read. Very spicy. I flew through this. I really enjoyed these characters crazy FMC meets crazier MMC. They Just click and I am so excited for the next book.

[Dawn Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my lanta this is good its a well paced and fabulously written start and i devoured this! im in love with out main characters and eager to see them work through the hurdles! and can not wait for their epic Happy Ever After!

[Bolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful. skim read it just to finish it

[Marce IH · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF