"This is Asher Adams" her father said. "He's going to be your bodyguard from now on. Kimberly's eyes widened in disbelief. The water she had just swallowed went down the wrong pipe and she began to choke. She started to cough and it took some seconds to finally calm her down. Great. Just great. She thought. Just when she thought she had the annoying man out of her life for good. She turned her attention to her father. "I'm sorry dad, what did you just say?" ------------------ Kimberly Blake, daughter and only child of billionaire, Hillary Blake, loves her freedom and independence. She hates being told what to do more than anything. But all that freedom becomes a thing of the past when she gets kidnapped and her father hires private investigator and bodyguard, Asher Adams to rescue her. Now, not only is she stuck with a big hunk of a man following her around and watching her every move... But one she finds so damn attractive.... --------------------
In the past four weeks, Kimberly Blake had known someone was following her. She could sense it so clearly, that prickly sensation down the center of her spine, hair standing up at the back of her neck, goose bumps marching an eager path down her arms. Someone was there. When she went shopping for groceries, when she got the mail, when she dressed for bed at night. Someone was watching.
She hadn't communicated her fears to anyone, because she feared they wouldn't believe her and think that she was crazy. Hell, she was actually beginning to think that she was a little bit crazy. Because no matter how weird she felt, she never saw anything to prove that she was being followed.
But she felt it. She just knew. Somehow she did.
Who would want to harm her? She often wondered. Fine, maybe she got into a little quarrel and disagreements with people... Everyone did. She was sure it wasn't enough for someone to want to hurt her....Or was it? People could do really weird things sometimes. For really little things.
Though you couldn't be too sure. Her family was wealthy and they had a lot of family friends. Her father and his friend Christopher Keane sometimes held parties at the house. Parties Kimberly usually found boring. She knew most of people who attended just came to show off their designer clothes and brag about their latest achievements. The women regarded food as an enemy and the men were so damn arrogant for her liking... People who thought they could get anything they wanted because they had wealth. Sometimes she couldn't understand why her father hung out with such people.
She was an only child. Her mother, Clara Blake, had died when she was still a baby. So she had no memories of her. But she had seen pictures of her and most times she wondered what it would have been like growing up with her mother. It wasn't so easy when she was a teenager and wanted to talk about things she didn't feel like talking about with her father. Things she felt her mother would have understood better. And most times she envied her friends when she saw them with their moms.
Her father, Hillary Blake had loved his wife so much and he had been so broken when she died. He never remarried. So he raised Kimberly as a single father. He was filthy rich. He owned his own company. And so Kimberly never lacked anything... At least, not any material item.
Hillary loved his only daughter and only child so dearly. He would do anything for her and everyone who knew them knew that. Kimberly was the apple of her father's eyes and he would do anything to protect her.
Kimberly knew this too. She was Twenty five years old and she headed one of her father's branches. She would soon inherit her father's company and she knew Hillary would do anything to protect his lovely daughter and heir to his fortune. Which was why she didn't tell him about her recent suspicions about being followed.
She knew that if she did, he would immediately order her to do something crazy like move back into his mansion. And that was the last thing Kimberly wanted.
Kimberly loved being independent. She loved having control over her life and she hated being told what to do more than anything. That was another reason why she hadn't told her father how she had been feeling lately. She wanted her freedom and she knew she wouldn't have that if she continued to live in her father's big house. She also preferred being known as her own person. Not daughter of billionaire, Hillary Blake.
She didn't want people waking on egg shells around her and so she hardly told people who she was... Though some people did. Mostly those at work.
Kimberly loved simple things... And beautiful things too. She had an apartment not too far away from her office and not too far away from her dad too. She didn't want to be too far away from him. He was all she had and vice versa. And besides, he wouldn't even let her go too far away from him even if she wanted to. Good thing she didn't.
She loved her father dearly. Which was another reason why she didn't tell him about her worries was because she didn't want to bother him. She hated to see him worry. And she wasn't going to bother him about something she wasn't entirely sure about. She she kept it to herself.
The only person she told about it was her best friend, Phoebe Martin. Phoebe and Kimberly were childhood friends, and they had a very strong bond. They thought of themselves as sisters and told each other everything. They had sworn from childhood to protect and respect each others' confidences.
Kimberly needed one person in her life to whom she could say anything. Phoebe was that person. And Kimberly told her everything. And so Phoebe knew about the weird feelings Kimberly had been having lately.
But even if Phoebe had tried her best to convince Kimberly that she was just being paranoid, her reaction at first was to laugh long and hard. Which was another reason why Kimberly wasn't sure telling her dad was such a good idea.
"You know when I tell you stuff like this, I expect you to be a good friend and try to make me feel better" Kimberly had said to Phoebe. "I don't expect you to laugh. Quit being an asshole".
But Phoebe had laughed some more before she said. "Ohhh... Maybe it's a vampire. Stalking you... Who knows maybe you are his 'mate' and he's you know.... Protecting and watching over you." She said, placing emphasis on the word "Mate".
"You know what? I'm done with you. You are an idiot. Just forget it" Kimberly had said, smiling.
"Relax, Kim" Phoebe said, finally getting serious. "I'm sure it's nothing, and you are just stressed. You said it yourself that nothing has been out of the ordinary. It's just a feeling. I'm sure it will pass. Besides you have me. I will watch over you"
Kimberly smiled. Maybe Phoebe was right and she was worried for nothing. If someone wanted to hurt her. The person would have done it by now. Why lurk around in the shadows? She was imagining things. This was one of the effects of watching too many horror movies.
She wanted to believe Phoebe. But the weird feeling stayed with her. And no matter how much she tried not to think about it. She did, because she couldn't help it.
Caroline broke off as Nicholas took another step forward, until they were now once again standing so close they were almost touching. She gave a determined shake of her head. "Mr Connelly," "Nick," he corrected, "Nicholas" "Nick," he repeated, Caroline was a bit frustrated, "Nick," she bit out, "if you're trying to intimidate me then I think I should warn you-" "Warn me of what...?" Nicholas murmured throatily, even as he raised one of his hands to cup the warmth of her cheek, before moving the soft pad of his thumb over the softness of her lips, feeling the warmth of her breath against his fingers as he parted those lips in preparation for his kiss. His own arousal intensified at the feel of that sensual warmth against his skin. His shaft was hard and pulsing, demanding. Caroline's eyes were wide, deep amber pools as she stared up at him. "I should warn you-" "Yes...?" Nicholas prompted softly, holding that wide and startled gaze with his own as his head began to lower towards hers. She breathed softly. "I really should warn you-" "Warn me later, hmm?" he dismissed gruffly, before finally claiming those full and pouting lips with his own.
Elena stifled a smile, but he already saw her mouth start to curve upwards and he grinned at her. She ignored him. "I'm serious, Chandler." His smile was instantaneous. "Noted." She licked her lips. Her eyes were wide and nervous, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "And you can't kiss me." Chandler tilted his head to the side and studied her. Pushing away from the car, he took a step closer to her. She held her ground, lifting her chin at his approach. "What if you ask me to kiss you?" he said quietly. "Then can I?" Elena exhaled shakily. "I won't do that." "No?" Carefully, he touched his thumb to the curve of her chin. She shook her head, and his hand fell away. "Maybe you won't," he told her. "But hear me right now, love, I'd love it if you asked me for a kiss."
"We'd like you to come with us to the station immediately," Vanessa's heart began to beat faster, "I don't understand," she said, "What for?" "Mrs Spencer, you're wanted as a prime suspect in the murder of your husband, Mr Christopher Wesley. You need to come with us to the station for questioning. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. I suggest you don't try to resist. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?" Vanessa's jaw dropped. Christopher was dead! It was impossible to believe. She'd just spoken to him that afternoon. It had to be a mistake. She nodded, "I.... I.... I need to call my lawyer," she said, when she finally found her tongue," "Ma'am, you can do that at the station. Turn around, please," ------------ Politician and governorship candidate, Christopher Wesley is dead ; shot in the head right in his own house. The killer is unknown, but the police have a suspect -his estranged wife, Vanessa Spencer Detective Alaric Harper and his partner are placed in charge of this case and at first Alaric is certain that Vanessa had killed her husband. Her motive? He's not sure of. Could it be spite? Maybe the money? Or maybe she just got tired of him delaying their divorce? He's determined to find out and he's sure that he will, but one thing he never expected - falling for her.....
"Why did you leave the party in such a hurry earlier?" Ignoring her sarcasm, Kaleb changed the subject. He just had to ask! The audacity he had! Sasha smirked. "Did you want to enjoy seeing the girl you just kissed a few minutes ago making a friendly chat with your girlfriend?" she snapped, her wound reopened. "Oh, so you left because of Claire?" Again, Kaleb's voice was mocking. "No, I left because of me," Sasha recoiled, and it was her stupidity sending him a text. "And what about you and Samson? I see the way he looked at you at the party. He seems to really like you and the both of you seem really familiar with each other. What do I make out of that?" Kaleb sounded different, odd even. —---------- When Kaleb Luthor decides to move back to the town he grew up in, Sasha Sullivan is bombarded with a lot of emotions. This is a guy she has had a crush on for as long as she can remember, and this is her chance to make him see her more than just his sister's best friend. But as she gets closer to Kaleb, Sasha realizes that he's a totally different guy from the one she has built up in her head, but she still can't let him go. A one night stand was all she needed… But she isn't prepared for the consequences that one night could bring…. And what an affair with Kaleb Luthor would do to her friendship with her best friend, Tilly Luthor.
The last thing Scott McCall expected to see in his hotel room one night is a beautiful waitress. A woman so desperate for a job at his company that she would do anything to get his attention…like sneak into his hotel room to talk to him. Despite his growing attraction for this woman, Scott McCall throws logic out the door and hires her anyway. Vivian Sanchez is excited. She got a job at a successful company, despite all the mistakes and bad decisions she made… and she couldn't believe it. Everything was falling into place and It was all happening like a fairytale. She vows to give this new job her best, but there's just one problem. …. Her boss Being crazily attracted to Scott McCall was a situation Vivian didn't quite anticipate when she asked for this job, and she doesn't quite know how to handle it. The long awkward gazes, subtle flirting and tension between them is enough to make anyone crazy. An affair with the boss could ruin her, but what is life without risks?....
Nina felt Julian's grip on her hand tighten and the cool metal slide over her finger, Nina regretted having agreed to come. She tried to look down, wondering what Julian had done to her finger, but he kept his hand over hers. Awkward didn’t begin to cover it. She felt as if she’d just entered a minefield. “Mom. Dad. I would like you to meet—” His entire body tensed and he gripped her hand almost painfully. It was like he was sending her a silent message. “I’d like you to meet my fiancée, Nina Taylor.” Nina froze. There was a horrible buzz in her ears, and she stared in horror at Julian. She hadn’t heard him right. What kind of idiotic thing had he just done? She wasn’t sure who was more stunned. Her or his family. Abby looked shocked. Loveth looked as if she just swallowed a lemon. Sam looked annoyed, while Julian's father simply frowned. ---------------------- Nina Taylor relocates to New York and reunites with Abby Martin, her best friend from high school, despite the fact that her father disagrees with her decision. But Nina is tired of letting her father dictate every aspect of her life, especially now that he has arranged for her to marry Christopher Anderson, so she is convinced that she has made the right decision by leaving. Soon Nina finds herself in the same situation with Julian Martin.... Will she walk away this time? She only has to pretend to be Julian's fiance for a while though.... She could do that. What could possibly go wrong?
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Veronica is an eighteen-year-old omega who falls into an emotional breakdown when her Mate, who was soon to be the Alpha of the Sun crest pack, turns against her, hurls hurtful words at her, and rejects her on the night of the full moon festival because he and everyone in the pack, including her, thinks she is an omega. As if the pain of rejection, helplessness, and worthlessness wasn't enough, she lost her best and only friend to the cold hands of death when rogue wolves attacked their pack. Right in the presence of her mate, she was tagged as someone who always attracted problems and calamities anywhere she went and he turned a blind eye and watched as she was banished from the pack. With hatred for her life, she runs deep into the woods that were off-limits and jumps off to end her life, but in a turn of events, something else happens. What would her mate do when he finds out that Veronica is not who he thinks she is? Will she be able to forgive him? What fate lies ahead for them?