"Tell me, Eleanor, do you like seeing me like this? Do you like seeing me angry with you?" he yells, banging the spot above my head. I keep my mouth shut so I don't say the wrong thing and make him angrier. "Fucking answer me," he says, roughly shaking my body. "N-N-N-o-o," I stammer. Two-letter words have never felt more challenging in my life. "If you don't, then why don't you ever listen to me? The spanking wasn't enough? Do you need me to unleash my beast on you before you listen to me?" he asks, and I shake my head this time to tell him no. I wonder what it'd be like if he released his inner beast. I would probably die because without it, I'm suffering already. "Then give me a reason why I shouldn't take you across my legs right now and give you twenty lashes on each ass cheek for laughing at something Evan said," he says, and I pause for a minute. He's furious with me because I laughed at what Evan said. I know he told me not to smile at other men except him, but this is too much, even for him. He's angry because I laughed. I can't believe this. Does he expect me not to laugh when someone says something funny? If he does, then Mr. Crawford needs to get himself checked into a psych hospital because he's crazy. "You shouldn't spank me because it's my right to laugh or not at what Evan said." "You see, Eleanor, that's where you're wrong. Only I can tell you if you can laugh or not." "Excuse me?" I ask, looking at him confused and wondering if he's on something. "I own your laughter, Eleanor." "No, you don't." "I do. And not just your laughter. I own all of you." "No, you don't," I repeat. Is something wrong with Mr. Crawford? Why in God's name would he think he owns me? "Yes, I do. I own all of you," he says, whispering into my ear --------------------------------- Eleanor Brown is a lovely lady trying to make ends meets. She lands a job after an unfortunate event happens to her. She is excited and can't wait to start a new chapter in her life. Unknowing to Eleanor, this new chapter of her life will be filled with a lot of troubles. Her boss, Jason Crawford, believes Eleanor wants to work for him for other reasons, and since he can't fire Eleanor, he decides to make things difficult for her. Will Eleanor survive working with a boss who hates her, or will she quit and back off the deal even though she needs money?
I can't believe it. This is really happening. I look down on my body adorned with a brown pencil skirt, a white blouse, and black stiletto heels instead of the usual jeans and T-shirt I used to wear working at the coffee shop. I'm so excited and nervous to start my new job today.
I walk inside the building to the receptionist at the front desk for directions to my supervisor's office. I can't believe I am going to be working here. Somebody, please pinch me! I need to make sure this isn't a dream.
"Ouch," I say, feeling a sting on my right arm. "Why did you do that?" I ask the pretty lady at the front desk. She's a beautiful brunette with gray eyes, an oval face, and a lovely smile.
"You asked someone to pinch you, so I did," she says, still with that beautiful smile.
"I said that out loud?" I exclaim, my eyes are wide.
"You did, honey. Welcome to the Crawford Wine Company. My name is Nora, how can I help you?"
My new job is at a family-owned wine company founded in 1970. I only know this because the person who helped me get the job told me. I don't know much about wine. But, I don't think I need to know too much to be a secretary.
"My name is Eleanor, I'm the newly appointed secretary to Mr. Crawford. How do I get to his office?"
"I didn't know Mr. Crawford needed a new secretary. Can you wait a minute? I need to call and confirm."
"Sure, no problem." Oh, my God. Why does she need to confirm? Could this mean I didn't get the job? Why would the older Mr. Crawford tell me I got the job if I didn't? I'm hoping this is a minor mix-up. I come back from my runaway thought train when Nora speaks.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting; take the elevator to the twentieth floor. Once you get there, you'll meet someone who can help you the rest of the way."
"No problem, thank you," I say, releasing a deep breath of relief. Thank God. For a minute, I was scared I didn't get the job. The older Mr. Crawford told me he really had to convince his grandson, Jason, to give me the job. I'm so happy he did. This job will be the beginning of great new things in my life.
Following Nora's instructions, I arrive at the twentieth floor. I'm greeted by another beautiful woman waiting by the elevator. She has the same dirty blonde hair color as me, but hers is styled in a short bob while mine is in a ponytail. She looks older than me, maybe in her early thirties. I'm guessing she should be around the ages of 32 or 33. I'm 23 years old, so that would make her older than me by ten years. If she started here at the same age as I am now. She'll probably have a lot of experience.
"Good morning. My name is Vivienne. I'm Mr. Crawford's secretary. I'll be helping you settle in," she says with a stern face.
"Morning. I don't understand. You're Mr. Crawford's secretary? I thought I was hired to be his secretary?" I ask, confused. This is the second time someone's said he doesn't need a secretary.
"No, you're not. I'm Mr. Crawford's secretary. You're anything we decide you're going to be."
"Excuse me. I don't understand what you're telling me. That isn't what Carson Mr. Crawford told me when we spoke on the phone."
"Yes, of course, that's not what he told you, but that's what's happening," she says, confusing me further.
"Can you please explain what's going on?"
"As much as I'd love to, I have a meeting. Once it's over, the CEO will answer all your questions."
"Alright, thank you. How long will I have to wait?"
"I don't know. An hour or two."
"An hour or two? That's a long time. Do you have someone else who can help me?" I shouldn't have to wait that long to know what's happening.
"I'm sorry, we don't have anyone. So it's either you wait or say goodbye to your job," she says sternly.
"Wow. Okay, I'll wait."
I don't understand why she's being so terse with me. Carson told me he got me a job at his grandson's office and that I'd be his grandson's new secretary, so I don't understand the confusion since I arrived. I'll just have to wait until the meeting is over.
After two hours, I realize she wasn't kidding. I'm finally able to meet the CEO, and I'm a little nervous. This is the first time I'm going to see him in person. I've seen tons of pictures Carson showed me, but pictures are never the same as real life. I knock on the door of his office and wait.
"Come in," a deep voice says from inside. I say a little prayer, then turn the doorknob and step inside.
Inside, I find him behind his desk, patiently waiting for me to approach. As I walk closer, I take in his features. His hair is black with some gray mixed. If I didn't already know his age, I'd think he was a man in his 50s who got a bad dye job but still looks young. Carson told me his grandson is 37, so I know he's not as old as his hair implies. Once I'm in front of his desk, I can see his face. His eyebrows are full, black, and shaped perfectly. His eyes are hazel brown and look like a pool of caramel. He has beautiful eyes. His nose is straight and a little pointed, but not too much. His lips are peach-colored and not too big, but not too small.
"Miss Brown, please take your seat," the younger Mr. Crawford says, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk.
I was so busy admiring him I didn't get a look at the beautiful interior of his office. The walls are painted white except for a brown accent behind his desk. It's a nice mixture of colors.
"Thank you, sir," I say, taking a seat on one of the white chairs in front of his desk.
"I'll try my best to make this quick and not waste our time," he says, placing a document in front of me. "This is a contract stating you'll leave my grandfather and me alone. I'll pay you enough to make sure you don't break the contract."
I sit in shock at his words. What in God's name is happening today? I was so excited to start working, but everyone's telling me I don't have a job since I stepped into this building. Now I'm being offered money not to work?
"Why would you think I'd sign such a contract?" I ask, insulted. I don't bother picking up the document to read it because no matter the dollar amount, I'll never take it.
"Because it's money you want. And I'm giving it to you."
"Yes, I want money. But I want to work for it."
"You can quit the act. I'm not my grandfather. I don't believe you'd prefer a job to sitting around collecting settlement money."
"Yes, you're clearly not your grandfather. He knows I'd never betray our friendship for a few dollars."
"A few dollars," he says, chuckling. "You insult me, Miss Brown. Why don't you check the contract then tell me if that amount is a few dollars."
"I don't need to because no matter how much you're offering, I won't take it," I say, pointing to the document.
"I insist you look before you say anything else."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Crawford, but I don't want to know how much money you think is enough for me to stop being friends with your grandfather."
"So, you're telling me one million dollars isn't enough to make you leave my grandfather alone?" he asks, smirking.
"What?" I ask, wondering if I heard him correctly. Who pays someone a million dollars because they're friends with an old man?
"You heard me right, Miss Brown. I'll pay you one million dollars if you sign this contract stating you'll never speak or see my grandfather again."
Is he serious right now? Why doesn't he want me to be friends with his grandfather? The man is so lonely in his old age. Why is he doing this?
As much as the money would change my life, I can't accept it. The condition that I stop seeing my friend is insulting to me as a person. I won't lie; I want the money. But I'd feel cheap if I take it. I may not have everything I want in life, but I'm not so bad I'll stoop to bribery.
"So, what do you say, Miss Brown?" he asks, eager to hear my answer.
"Mr. Crawford, I'm sorry, but I still won't accept your offer. I prefer to work for my own money."
"So, you're sticking with your act. Just tell me how much more you want, and I'll have my lawyers draft a new contract immediately."
"Mr. Crawford, I don't want your money."
"Then what do you want?" he asks, angry with me.
"I want a job. That's what I want," I say, truthfully.
"That's a lie; I don't believe you."
"Maybe you don't believe me because of how I became friends with your grandfather, but I'm not lying. I'm not friends with him for his money. I didn't even know he had money until he got me a job. I'd like to work at the company he helped build and earn my own money," I say, praying he'll drop the subject and let me work here in peace.
"I don't believe a single word out of your mouth. But, since grandpa wants you working here, I have to since I don't technically have a reason not to."
"Thank you so much," I say, smiling. I was starting to get scared he wasn't going to give me the job.
"Don't thank me. I'm not the one who got you the job."
"I know, but still, thank you. I have to ask though...your grandfather told me I was going to be your secretary, but I met a lady earlier who said she already is your secretary."
"That's correct."
"If you already have a secretary, what am I hired for then?"
"You're my personal assistant."
"I thought a personal assistant did the same work as a secretary?"
"Yes, they do, but not in your case."
"So what am I going to be doing?"
"You'll run errands for me at the office," he says, casually waving his hands.
"Alright." Thank God my job's something I know how to do. I was worried he might assign me something outside my field of expertise. Not that running errands has anything to do with my area of expertise. Anyone can run errands. My degree is in business management.
"That's all for now; you can leave. Vivienne will work you through the rest."
"Thank you, for allowing me to work here," I say, standing up to leave.
"Don't thank me yet. You won't be here long," he says with an evil smirk.
"What?" I ask, confused.
"Nothing, Miss Brown."
I walk out of his office, my head swimming. I can't believe this is how my first day started. Even though Mr. Crawford allowed me to stay, I get the feeling things won't go as well for me as I hoped.
"I, Amelia Anderson, reject Nickolas Adams II as my mate." I've had enough. I don't know why I didn't reject him the moment I arrived here. What the heck was I stalling for? Nickolas and I don't have a single chance in heaven of being together. It's better to feel immense pain now than keep enduring little bits every time we run into each other. The muscles in his back tighten, but he doesn't turn back and says, "Accepting your rejection would be doing you a favor, and that's the last thing I would ever do for you." He walks away after that. ***** Nickolas, the Lycan king, had lost hope of ever finding his mate, resigned to the belief that he was destined to spend the rest of his days on Earth without her. However, fate takes an unexpected turn when he embarks on a journey to the werewolf kingdom. In a twist of destiny, Nickolas discovers his mate-a werewolf, and not just any werewolf, but the princess and daughter of his father's murderer, Amelia Anderson. Despite her royal status, Amelia's life is far from the fairy tale one might expect. A unique aspect of her identity brings difficulty, and being the sole individual among her peers without a mate intensifies her sense of isolation. The trajectory of her seemingly mundane life takes an unforeseen turn the day she encounters her mate. Suddenly, she is thrust into a reality she never imagined, and Amelia finds herself paying a steep price for a lifetime of sins she didn't commit.
Haisley Jefferson, daughter of the Alpha of The Ashen Crescent Pack, finds her life far from fulfilling. She yearns to meet her mate so she can finally escape the hellhole she once called home. Instead of meeting her mate and escaping, fate takes an unexpected turn on her 21st birthday. Rather than a mate, she's given a husband – Hades Stone, the future Alpha of The DuskBane Pack, and a man she has secretly loved for years. The only problem is he has his eyes set on Alice, her adopted sister. In the face of this dilemma, Haisley rejects the marriage, but destiny seems to have its own plans beyond her control. Haisley finds herself at a crossroads. While she wishes for her mate to rescue her, she's also entangled in a deep affection for Hades. A forced marriage to him was not her desire, but it seems destiny has other plans.
“I need to teach you a lesson for defying me,” Beau says, and in an instant, my leg drops down. He puts his other hand on my waist and lifts me off my chair. Landing perfectly on him, my eyes widen once I feel him against me. “Yes, darlin’, you are the reason for it. And tonight, you are going to satisfy it.” He holds me down, hunger in his eyes. “I’ll do no such thing,” I say, resisting the urge to grind my hips against him. My already wet pussy is pressed against his hard length, and I find myself wanting to pull it out so he can fill me up to the hilt and make all my dreams a reality. “Oh, you will, and you are going to enjoy it.” Beau buries his head in my neck and places a kiss on my shoulder. My eyes close as he begins to grind against me. A moan escapes my lips, but Beau spanks my ass hard the second it does. “Don’t moan out, darlin’,” he says, putting his hand under my dress and caressing my stinging ass. “You don’t want anyone to hear us, do you?” he asks, kissing my neck before burying his head in my chest. I shake my head as pleasure surges through my body. “Good girl.” **** Delilah Stephen is a young architect trying to make it independently without Daddy’s help. She is so close to achieving her goal when something unexpected happens. The investor meant to make her dreams a reality turns out to be someone Delilah wishes never to see again, Beau Williams. He is a handsome billionaire with a dangerous family. He broke Delilah’s heart seven years ago and is now back to win her. Delilah passionately hates Beau, so he has his work cut out for him. She refuses to forget the past, but Beau doesn’t give up. He will stop at nothing to make Delilah feel something for him after so many years. But for how long can he keep trying, and will he ever succeed?
“Why can’t I fucking hit you?” Thomas yells, smacking the belt close to her feet. “Why,” he smacks it on the door above her head. “Why, fucking why” to the right and left sides of her body. Melina trembles against the door with her eyes closed and head tucked between her knees. She jumps, sniffing Thomas’ cologne, and tries to hide more. He’s probably bending down. “I want to hurt you, Melina, but I fucking can’t. Tell me why I fucking can’t. Tell me why,” she bites her lips to muffle her sobs as she fears they will exacerbate her situation. “Fucking look at me when I am talking to you,” Thomas says, grabbing her hair and pulling her head up. “I am- so-r-r-r-y,” she says as she turns to face him with her tear-stained face and bloodshot eyes. “Did you think it would work? Did you actually think you could get me arrested and then flee? Are you that dumb, Melina?” he tightens his grip on her hair, and it starts to hurt. Melina can’t believe this is what he thinks. How will she prove that it was never her intention to have him arrested? ******** Melina Davis was born with the face and body of a goddess. Her heart was as beautiful as her, but it never did her any good. Melina was the most unlucky woman in this world when it came to love. Her first love was an abusive con artist who made sure to exploit Melina's kindness. The second one who Melina felt was genuinely worthy of owing her heart was far more dangerous than her first. His name is Thomas Costanzo. He is the second in command of the Costanzo mafia. He was highly feared in the mafia world. Some even feared him more than the don of the Costanzo mafia. Melina didn't know she shouldn't cross him, and she did. She broke the heart of one of the most feared men on this earth, and now, he is out searching for her. Once he finds her, Melina will wish she never crossed paths with him.
Ana was like every young she-wolf out there. She couldn’t wait to meet her mate. She didn’t expect the way things would go the day she finally met him or the way he would treat her once they met. Ana’s mate wants nothing to do with her but won’t let her go. Ana feels like a prisoner to her mate. Her mind is torn on what to do. She wishes her mate would love her, but he shows no hope of that happening. She wants to try and build something with him, but he makes things difficult for her. He treats her horribly, and Ana doesn’t know why. Ana wishes he would reject or let her go, but he won’t. She feels like he is determined to make her his prisoner forever. Read and find out how Ana survives being a prisoner to her.
"Yes, we have, but I still want you to stay.” "Stefano, we just finished arguing, and you did not give me a single reason why I should stay, so I am leaving.” “No, you are not,” He says, dangerously coming close to me “Excuse me,” I say, backing up the wall “You heard me; I won’t let you leave me,” He says as his breath fans my face with every word that comes out of his mouth. “Then give me a reason to stay,” I say, looking down on the ground due to our proximity. I feel shy to look at him with how close we are. *********************************************** Andrea Lopez is a beautiful woman with a wonderful life. Any woman would wish to have her life, but you can't be sure her life is great. Andrea has everything but the one thing she desires most, Love. All she has ever received from Love is pain in return. There is no love in her life, but everything changes when she takes a trip to Italy. She reunites with her first Love, Stefano Costanzo, a cold, ruthless man who hates Love. He would rather pull his heart out of his body than feel Love, but for how long will he hate Love? Will the cold, ruthless man allow himself to love again, or will our Andrea never find Love?
In the fifth year of marriage, Rylan had an affair with a somewhat famous internet celebrity. His friends asked him, "If Stella finds out and wants a divorce and half of your assets, what will you do?" He laughed disdainfully while smoking, "Stella, she's just someone who throws herself at me, loves me to death, and can't leave me." Later, when I presented him with the divorce agreement, he cried and tried to hold on. But, cold wine can still be warmed, how can a cold heart be warmed?
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
"It was just one night stand, and now I'm pregnant with triplets? Gosh!" Josephine Jade never thought that she would have to run away from her own family while pregnant. She was alone, without money, without connections, with three fetuses in her stomach. How can she survive? However, Josephine couldn't give up now, until she managed to reclaim her arbitrarily seized property and get back at everyone who tried to get rid of her. A sick child, a past crush that comes back, a mysterious eccentric man, and a family that hates her, will weave together the journey of Josephine Jade's new life. "You have no right to separate me from my children, you bastard! I will survive and you will submit to me. Just watch!"
He owns her, He wants her, She saw something she shouldn't have, She thought she could escape him, Now he haunts her to the ends of the earth, He would make her life miserable, He would make sure she sees no one but him. "You are mine Alicia, I can have you whenever I want, you are my woman and I will be damned if I let another man touch you or even take what is mine" her. *** Alicia was dumped at the altar by her fiancee and she became a laughing stock to the whole town, she sought to take her life because of her pain but she stumbled upon something she should never have seen, now He haunts her. Even when she thought her life couldn't get any worse, she was forced to marry him.
" Don't say anymore word than you already have, don't..." I stuck a finger out at him, sauntering away on my heels when a hand wrapped itself around my arm. Breathlessly he whispered, "You know that I do love you and...fine, what exactly was I supposed to do?" "Protect me and stand up for me. That is what you do for someone who you claim you love!" ************ Out to spite her ex-boyfriend after he had broken up with her on her birthday, Daphne slept with a stranger who turned out to be his uncle while trying to rebuff his words that she was unwanted by others. Was she ready for the wild chase that followed when he found out years later that she had been pregnant with his heirs and that she had been hiding the truth all this while? Faced with the ruthless CEO, known as the beast, who wasn't ready to back down, Daphne does everything possible to make sure her kids wouldn't be taken from her, but what happens when love gets in the mix of it all? Would she be able to conquer these weird feelings and give in her all amidst her scars? And with how deadly he turned out to be? And faced with her ex who still wants her back, what choice is she going to make?