Jessiah is a make-up artist aspiring to break into the modeling and beauty industry. She moves to LA when she lands a job at one of the biggest production companies in Hollywood. On her first week on the job, she meets Jenson Ross, a big-deal actor and director with a dark secret only a privileged few know about. × Genres: Contemporary Romance, Werewolf, Crime, Drama × Rating: PG-15 EXCERPT: EXCERPT from BOOK I _ _ _ "Dollface," he murmured with a little smirk. Now his hand gripped her forearm. He snickered when she only kept staring, then pulled her closer to hug her. "You're like an antidepressant, in human form." The utter surprise paused her breathing. She couldn't pull away. Her heartbeat sped up when he hugged her tighter. His warm face pressed onto the side of her neck, his hand lightly squeezing her hip. His beard scraped her skin, his thighs touched hers, and she felt like he was kissing her neck. Shit. He was no longer thinking straight. Perhaps unaware of the consequences of his actions. It was moments like this that worsened her intense attraction to him. The flirty jokes, the easy conversations, the small smiles, his furtive glances, and his unusually sweet gestures lately just convinced her she was definitely in deep trouble. Amid her loud thoughts, he pulled her closer whenever she pulled away. Her breathing grew shallow while she stared into his eyes. "Dammit," he sighed while he gripped her arms. Then his thumb traced the curve of her neck and shoulder, his touch both gentle and eager. "Why are you always so f-cking beautiful?" "Joss-" "What?" he muttered while stroking her cheek. He wasn't acting drunk or just playing with her. Otherwise he wouldn't let it get this far. "You want me to stop?" _
Copyright © 2020 by MXian
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.
Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this story or plagiarism of any kind is prohibited by the law.
Scenes, characters, dialogues and events in this story are all invented. This story contains mature themes, profanity, some violence and drug use, and sexual content not intended for young readers.
P.S.
Not your typical werewolf romance story. Let's un-cliché the cliché. Enjoy ❤
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EXCERPT FROM BOOK I [PREVIEW ONLY]
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Chapter 1 - EXCERPT
× 2:42AM ×
Jenson shifted on the bed to take a look at the woman beside him. She was so quiet. It struck him as odd that she stayed in bed with him all night. While his thoughts raced, he patiently waited.
She seemed relaxed now. Her lean shoulders had stopped trembling.
Was she done crying? Probably. The thought momentarily relieved him of some guilt. He moved closer and looped his arm around her small waist.
She flinched, but then she pulled the covers over them. Her porcelain-smooth skin felt a bit warm, but he sensed she was still feeling cold, so he drew her nearer.
He had to dare himself to talk to her again, considering the hot mess that just happened. Desperate to hear her voice again, he lightly kissed her shoulder to try to wheedle her into a conversation.
She ignored him. For a minute or two, he just watched her stare at something on the wall. She must be trying to forget or rationalize what just happened.
The disappointment turned into immediate regret. Jenson sighed to himself. Although intoxicated, he was fully aware of what he just did to her.
If someone had filmed it the whole time, he would know exactly when one part led to the other, and how he had drunkenly but deliberately coaxed her into it. To begin with, he wasn't even that drunk last night to use it as an excuse. Even now he could easily narrate how everything happened.
He didn't expect it to go this far. Neither did she expect any of it-at least that much he knew.
The complete silence in the room dragged on for another minute. Her back was to him, while her damp hair remained slightly tousled. Jessi kept so still he thought she had dozed off. In the dark, her skin looked as flawless and soft as the pillows, and he almost cussed out loud for wanting to make love to her again.
He would probably kill himself in the morning. If he woke up from this mess, that is.
Problem was: he didn't feel like this was a mess. Not at all. Not one bit.
Maybe it was the decade-old whiskey, and then the best ice cold beer he'd had afterwards. Alcohol. Yep. Sure. Pretty good excuse.
However, at the moment, with Jessi just inches away from him and with the way her hair smelled, the painful memories lingered in his mind. He couldn't help but recall the many times she avoided him in the past weeks. He hadn't hung out with her in a while, and it felt like torture. Pure, harsh, mental and emotional torture.
But now that he'd finally had the chance to spend time with her again, he could only think of how natural it felt to be in this bed with her.
It was so wrong-but right now, everything just seemed...dreamlike. It just felt right.
To him, at least. He felt like this had to happen. Or else they wouldn't have known they could break the wall. The fucking wall. The barrier that seemed to be too stiff. Always kept him at a safe, neutral distance for as long as he could remember.
Her gentle touch brought him back to the present almost immediately.
Jenson sat up quickly, realizing she had removed his arm around her. He watched as Jessi moved closer to the edge of the bed. Then he heard her heave a sigh.
Still nude, Jenson scowled and got off of the bed to find something thick to cover both of them up.
Bathroom. Right. Towel. Robe.
He inspected the cabinet beside the sink. In seconds, he grabbed two robes, both clean and thick. He was about to step back inside the bedroom when he felt like he needed a splash of freezing cold water to snap himself out of it. He couldn't show her he was having a hard time dealing with it all. He had to keep up the cool and calm façade.
He washed his face, uttered a quick prayer under his breath, and then stared at himself in the mirror. He stayed rooted there for a moment.
Why couldn't he come up with a good reason? If she asked, he wouldn't be able to explain why he still didn't want to leave and end the night with a sorry speech. Jenson splashed cold water all over his face again. It wasn't a while before he ended up staring at the ring on his finger.
He pursed his lips and straightened. Jenson swore to himself, failing to justify why he wanted to get that drunk in the first place. He never drank that much. Never a heavy drinker. Maybe he was just that worn out. Stressed beyond words.
That last fight he had with Charmaine had been replaying in his mind all month long. He was never the one who started arguments. Lately, he felt like she was blaming his job for everything. That it was the reason they couldn't completely settle down, buy a nice, bigger house, start a family and all that. She didn't want to have kids anytime soon; but maybe he could change her mind one of these days.
Except, now he felt it was entirely his fault they'd kept butting heads. If not arguing, they'd be ignoring each other for days. Their last breakup was when she went away for three months on vacation with her sister in London, while he worked his ass off all around Canada, traveling from city to city and just feeling done in every single day.
Who helped him feel better and stick it out during those times?
Of course, not her. It was his cronies at work, his assistants slash caretakers slash occasional shrinks. Especially the nice, caring, unbelievably beautiful human being in the next room, perfect and hardworking, naked and most likely regretful.
Jessiah had been nothing but comfort to him in times of need. She had been the most dependable assistant he could ever ask for.
Jenson took a deep breath. The robe warmed him up while the other hung over his shoulder. He stepped outside and was surprised to see her up and awake, slipping into a shirt too big for her petite but fairly curvy figure. Her hair covered most of her face. It only made him stare at her pale, smooth legs and dainty feet.
He didn't want to leave yet, although he had a feeling she just wanted to shove him out the door. It was almost dawn. He studied the almost blank expression on her angelic face, and all he could see was uncertainty and regret he knew he'd hate to bear in mind.
The next minute, Jessi was already standing next to her closet, busy looking for something. He took a few steps closer to the bed. Then she finally spoke to him. "You can dry your clothes in the laundry. Backdoor in the kitchen."
Before he could say anything in response, she was already approaching him with a folded black shirt that near covered her entire forearm.
"It's big enough," she mumbled without sparing him a glance.
While he toned down his wary stare, he took the clean shirt from her clasp. Then he just watched Jessi hurry into the bathroom.
Dammit. She was avoiding him again. Why shouldn't she? He put her in deep trouble. It was completely his fault this happened. Huge problem, huge consequences.
The restlessness just worsened the tension in his muscles. Jenson followed her hasty steps towards the bathroom. He needed to talk it out. If she wanted him to leave now, he needed to talk to her first.
Well, they could save the lengthy discussion for another day...some other time wherein alcohol wasn't an issue. But they should at least try to acknowledge what happened. At least try to act like adults about the whole thing.
Holy shit. He'd completely ruined his life. And hers.
He's going to burn in the fiery depths of hell. For real. The devil was waiting for his rotten soul.
Jessi, to his surprise, didn't shut or lock the bathroom door. It was half-open, so he stepped in. He caught her slouching by the sink, her stare almost glassy as she gazed at her own reflection. Before he could come near her again, she ignored his attentive eyes and started brushing her teeth.
Silence. A long, tense silence. He put up with it, no matter how much he wanted to break it off and settle everything with her. Jenson stayed put beside the door and could only watch. He couldn't stop imagining how awkwardly noiseless the room would've been if the faucet wasn't running right now.
For minutes, he stood still behind her. They played the quiet game again. She kept ignoring his presence and quietly ran a bath. She probably felt like she had to scrub herself clean of him.
"Want me to go?"
Jessiah turned to face him. "You wanna go?" she muttered with a frown, then turned her back to him again. "Storm's here."
"Just, if you want me to."
She didn't reply.
Great. Now she definitely wanted him gone. Maybe dead, too-which was understandable, considering what he just did to her after everything she did for him.
"Get some sleep. There's Advil by the bed." Jessi pointed to the nightstand before he could open his mouth.
Shit. Maybe she didn't want him to leave just yet. At the possibility, some part of him rejoiced and hung onto a flicker of hope. But the sensible part promptly reasoned that it was probably just the storm forcing her to put up with him, keeping her from kicking him out the door.
Typical. Why was he even surprised?
It was Jessi.
Jessi-the makeup girl. Sometimes, everyone's makeup girl.
Jessi-his assistant. Jessi, his coffee-maker. Jessi, his clothes-shopper.
Jessi-his errand runner, sometimes driver, and stress reliever...
Jessi-his everything.
×
"He's the love of my life. My white knight. My savior. Until he wasn't anymore." • "I still want her. I can't keep living in this cruel, ruthless world if I can't have her. I'll do anything to get her back." • • • Erian Božic is a successful businessman and underboss wrestling with the demons of his past and living a double life since losing his wife. After spiraling into depression, he meets Dayn, a compassionate young woman who sees him at his worst. Unable to forget Dayn, Erian tracks her down years later, convinced that she's his only chance at a real future. But Dayn knows Erian is a menacing, broken man with ties to violence. When family problems force her to seek help from him, Dayn agrees to give Erian the future he's always wanted. A passionate night together sparks something new, and Dayn agrees to be his wife. But their marriage isn't smooth-sailing at all. A recovering addict, Erian has been busy making money all year, completely oblivious to her plans. He's always ignored their issues. Until one fateful night when Dayn musters up the courage to tell him she wants a divorce. She walks out on him, leaving him shocked to his core. They're better off without each other. They're just not meant to be. She will be safer if she stayed away from him and his wealthy, influential family. Before she could welcome in a new day without him, something forces her back to Erian's house, where Dayn finds him drowning to death in their pool. Is it suicide? Or murder? [ TW: This book includes descriptions of coercion, domestic abuse & violence, and other NSFW content not intended for young readers. ]
He is the son of a mafia boss. She is someone he never expected to meet and fall for, but she complicates his life when her existence becomes a threat to his family's empire. . . . 24-year-old receptionist and college dropout Seraphine "Sephie" Azur meets Dominico Tomassini on her boss' superyacht. Dominico is her secret crush, the heir of an Italian banker and real estate mogul. During a party thrown by the Tomassinis, a violent incident thrusts Seraphine into his family's web of secrets. When Dominico is forced to take Seraphine to Florence to keep an eye on her, he ensures her safety and lends her money while they live together as part of a clandestine agreement. After long, painful months of pining for his love, Seraphine abandons her end of the deal, desperate to find freedom and true love. Will she escape the Tomassini heir's tenacious grip and get her own life back? Or will her stubborn feelings for Dominico keep her trapped in his messy, dangerous life? [Crime / Romance]
• This story is Book III of The Heir's Secrets [Mafia Games 1] • Ready to take on the world of medicine, Mykaela is forced to confront the secrets of her past while fearing the possibility of losing her best friend Miles, the heir to a wealthy and secretive Italian vampire clan. To keep Mykaela safe, Miles Falco must choose his future and risk it all with the Falcos or find a one-way ticket out of the perilous mafia life he's always hated. Lorenzio Tomassini is a shrewd, wealthy businessman with ties to the Italian mafia. After a death in their clan, he pursues a quiet life in America as his brother faces prison time for orchestrating heinous crimes in Italy. When a public health crisis hits major cities, Mykaela and Lorenzio struggle with the demands of their careers as the wrath of the Italian and Russian mob lurks in the shadows. Will their families' ongoing turf war tear them apart? Or will their love turn into nothing but a marriage of convenience? × GENRES: Contemporary Romance / Mafia / Vampire × MATURE readers only! ◆ cover design: mxian [DISCLAIMER: The original images on the cover are not mine.]
• BILLIONAIRE / ROMANCE / MAFIA • 18+ ONLY • They say "Home is where the heart is". Eilyn Han, heiress to a billionaire's empire, would beg to differ. Her artistic, free-spirited nature wouldn't let her fall prey to the allure of corporate greed. But she is still a Han. And no matter what, family comes first. Unfortunate news about her brother forces Eilyn back to Manila. When Axell—her mysterious new escort—decides to take over, his choices thrust her into a perilous web of vengeful mobsters and clan secrets. • A bodyguard by profession, Axell seeks new opportunities as he rebuilds his life in Manila after a messy past. To support his family, he cuts a deal with Mr. Han, a billionaire—a deal that threatens Axell's life and could endanger his family in Britain. When Axell meets the billionaire's daughter for the first time, fate tests their strengths and entwines their paths with a group of thugs out for blood. Will Axell keep her safe? Or will his dark secrets lead to their doom?
After moving back to New York to pursue her medical degree, Mykaela navigates her way through a dangerous web of lies and family secrets while contemplating a long-distance relationship with Miles, her best friend. Maximiliano “Miles” Falco, an artist turned corporate drone, wants a quiet life away from his family of big-time criminals planning to reign all of Italy. He wants the best for Mykaela—but that means pushing her away so he can deal with his own demons and envious mobsters awaiting his family's downfall. Enzo Tomassini is a businessman whose family of billionaires has teamed up with the Falcos to dominate organized crime in Europe. On the verge of death, he meets Mykaela who changes his perspective on where his life is headed, burdening him with a moral dilemma that leaves him questioning his family's choices. Will their chosen paths grant the desires of their hearts? • Genres: Contemporary Romance, Billionaire, Crime, LGBTQIA+ • Rating: 18+ • This story is the sequel to The Heir's Secrets [Mafia Games XI] •
After moving to Italy, Mykaela pursues a modeling career with Miles Falco's help and a newfound sense of normalcy. All seems well and routine until unforeseen circumstances ruin the illusion and force her back to New York. Miles Falco, an artist enjoying the Italian countryside, must choose between the simple life he loves and being successor to a clan of influential businessmen contending for power in all of Europe. Can he escape his predetermined fate? A life of deceit, chaos, and deadly encounters with the mafia? ◆ PG-15 ◆ Genres: Mafia, Romance, Crime, Mystery ◆ cover design: mxian
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.
During her three years of marriage with Brendan, Adeline had become as humble as dust itself. However, what she got in return wasn't love and affection, but endless indifference and disdain. Worse yet, when the woman in Brendan's heart suddenly showed up, he further distanced himself from her. Finally, Adeline couldn't stand it anymore and asked for a divorce. After all, why should she stay with such a cold, distant man? The next one would surely be better. Brendan watched as his ex-wife left with her luggage in tow. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him and he made a bet with his friends. "She'll definitely regret leaving and will come crawling back to me in no time." After hearing about this bet, Adeline sneered. "Dream on!" A few days later, Brendan ran into his ex-wife in a bar. It turned out she was celebrating her divorce. Not long after, he noticed that the damned woman seemed to have a new suitor. Brendan was starting to panic. The woman who had clung to him for three years suddenly didn't seem to give a damn about him. What was he going to do?
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Despite being an illegitimate daughter, Lena bore a striking resemblance to the young lady of the Evans family. Faced with their threats, she was forced to take her half-sister’s place and marry Dylan. As an act of defiance, Lena seduced Dylan night after night, until she had him completely wrapped around her finger. Using his affections to her advantage, she set out to undermine the Evans family. Over time, Dylan began to notice something odd about his beloved wife...