I did everything against my beliefs in marriage. The day our worlds collided, I hated his guts. If you think a man who is striking-so damn good-looking, shallow, narcissistic, and extremely rich like Mykel Creed will ask the love of his life to marry him? You're wrong. It was me who asked-a complete stranger, a hardworking independent woman who took a different path from the family business. Yet, right now, I'm marrying him for my inheritance. I blame myself for my self-defeating action. It doesn't take long for me to realize my biggest mistake is marrying the right man for the wrong reason until my actions speak the loudest, and my heart starts to get a mind of its own. *** Not so long ago, my only priority was making billions with a little bit of fun along the way. Yet it only took Adley Kross a minute to make me agree to marry her-the woman who called me names. If you think I will laugh in her face, call her nuts, and show her the way out? You're wrong. Well, I owed her, and now she comes to collect it, but that's not the point-she had me at the first sway of her ass. I blame myself for being drawn to those sterling eyes and her gorgeous curves. But being with her seems to matter more than my money and being bound to her stupid terms.
ADLEY
What's wrong with me?
This guy was attractive, had a good sense of humor, and we were into the same music and food. Yet, it didn't feel right.
I pulled away and stepped back. I could still taste the beer he had drunk. I could still feel my lips tingling as a reminder that he was a good kisser.
We had met in a bar earlier tonight. After a few drinks, he took me to his place, and he didn't initiate until I told him it was okay. His apartment was pretty decent, and there were no signs of a red flag.
"What's wrong?" His hands were cupped around my face.
With my eyes still closed, I sighed, disappointed with myself. I honestly didn't know what was wrong with me. I hadn't had a boyfriend for a year now. That was why I tried going out there like every lonely woman should.
I bit my lip as I opened my eyes to look at him. His brows met together as he looked down at me. He was tall, towering my five foot and two inches with four inches added, thanks to Louboutin.
"I'm sorry." I sighed again.
"Are we moving too fast?"
I shook my head, trying to pull myself together. I didn't want to sound rude, but here came the cliche part. "It's just. It's me. I haven't dated in a while, and I'm not usually like this. I don't rush things. I'm not spontaneous like other women-"
"It's okay. You don't have to explain." He placed his hands on my arms. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
"No. You didn't do anything wrong."
"Okay. We can just sit, watch a movie, and get to know each other." His suggestion should have made me relax, at least because it showed how gentlemanly he was.
When the situation became awkward, I smoothed my hands over my dress. "I'm sorry. I can't. How about a rain check? Give me your number, and I'll call you next weekend."
He smiled and said ruefully, "No, you won't."
"I will, Knox." I pulled out my phone from my purse and gave it to him.
While he typed his number, he said, "If you need anything. It doesn't have to be sexual. Call me or hit me up."
I managed to plaster a smile on my face and dialed his number so that he could have mine saved. "Thanks."
"No problem. Let me call you a cab."
"That won't be necessary."
"The least I could do, Adley. Is Adley your real name?"
"Yes." I nodded. "See you."
My face was burning as I walked out of his apartment. I was over my ex. He'd moved on as well. When my best friend, Blaze, told me to start living like a single woman, I agreed because I realized I missed out on a lot of things.
I'd been busy working for my company from the ground for almost two years, and my ex dumped me because I was too swamped with the home design business.
I pushed the elevator button with my stomach in a knot. I felt terrible for what I did, but I couldn't force myself to do something I was uncomfortable with. I couldn't push myself to be someone I was not. And change wouldn't happen overnight.
I was not against hookups, but maybe, I was not that person.
I pressed the button to the lobby. When the elevator door slid close, someone just slipped in.
"Sorry."
I stepped aside.
I was alone in the elevator until a giant man in a suit joined me, interrupting my thoughts. Before I could finish my contemplation, he must be eyeing me up and down as I could feel him standing still, watching me. His stare was unsettlingly direct and unwavering. And something tickled my nose like an expensive woodsy and pine.
"Not a talker, eh." His voice was deep and sharp like someone used to command and order around.
I was sure he was talking to me, considering it was just the two of us in the elevator.
"Do I have to say something?" I replied as I glanced up at the man. His chestnut brown eyes focused on me. His thick dark eyebrows slanted. He had a five o'clock shadow that added sharpness to his jaw. And I tried hard not to notice his strong jawline and cleft chin.
"Ah, it didn't go well." He released a short laugh. There was a hint of amusement in his voice, which irritated me.
"Excuse me?" I pierced my eyes like a laser beam at him.
He slipped his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "It didn't take a lot of time. You don't look exhausted, and there's no glow on your cheeks."
I swallowed in an effort to collect my thoughts, trying not to get his remarks under my skin. He was a stranger, and he should not affect me. It was my decision to leave when I could have a little fun.
"It's none of your business." My stomach rolled violently.
He chuckled. "Why can't you just admit he's a lousy lay?"
"And let me guess, you are good in bed." I shot back, irritation dripping my sole existence as I shot him a harsh look. "And you just came out from your meal of the night, and the next thing you'd say, the best night of her life. Yeah, maybe I didn't sleep with him because that was my decision, and if you have a plan on saying another word, I'm gonna gouge your eyes out, jerk. Life doesn't revolve around sex, and our lives don't revolve around a man like you, asshole."
He turned to face me with the most intense look causing a chill to race down my spine. When I thought I should feel panicked as he would do something to corner me, pin me against the elevator wall, and hurt me, but it did not happen. Instead, his body shook until he burst out laughing.
I almost jumped. My heart hammered in my chest.
His eyes glittered. His perfect teeth were white and natural. His espresso hair needed a haircut and was in disarray from his wild night with whoever was the luckiest woman.
With wide eyes, I was stunned to say something and, at the same time, pissed at this awfully intrusive stranger- a strikingly attractive stranger, if I may add.
He then abruptly stopped. He traveled his gaze from my eyes to my lips and down to my chest. The intensity caused my spine to stiffen.
I was wearing a V-neck dress. I was not as tall as a model, but I was happy with the glass hour figure. I may not have butt as the Kardashians, but mine was natural.
"His loss."
"I said if you something- "
"You're gonna gouge my eyes out. I heard you. It was not an insult. Your gorgeous, and I would totally-"
Thankfully the elevator dinged. The door slid open before I could poke his- well, to be honest, he was dangerously handsome in an annoying way, especially when he smiled. He was the kind of man you would second look at and daydream of being with him under your sheets. Maybe if I was too bold and met him in the bar, but I wasn't. And this guy screamed danger with playboy persona written all over his face and would break your heart and not care.
"What's your name?"
"Go to hell." I walked out of the elevator.
"I already am, baby." I knew he was following me, or we both went in the same direction.
I quickened my pace, but considering how tall he was, he didn't need an effort if he wanted to catch me. Still, I ignored him out of annoyance.
Thankfully, it didn't take long to hail a cab. The exorbitantly handsome even waved his hand and said goodbye.
***
"You're up early."
I poured coffee into my mug, ignoring Blaze behind me. "Morning."
"Or you just chickened out last night." He helped himself with the coffee pot before he joined me on the island.
"Both. Then, there was this elevator guy who's a total jerk." The word guy was even offensive to him because he was nothing like that. He was a man-an extraordinaire with an outstanding ego.
His blue eyes penetrated mine. "What do you mean? Who's the elevator guy?" He was the one who encouraged me to get a life as if my biological clock was running out.
"Don't know and don't care. So last night, I met a guy. He's kind, and we clicked right away. We went to his apartment, and we started kissing. Then suddenly, it felt like I was cheating on someone. I felt terrible. He still gave me his number even if he said it himself that I wouldn't call him. He said if I need anything, don't hesitate to call me, even if not a booty call."
"Don't feel bad. It happens when you're holding up on something. It doesn't mean he's kind; he's the right guy. You know when he is the right one for you."
"I'm not looking for a relationship." I grabbed my laptop and checked my email.
"You're not looking for a fling either."
I looked at him. "I want a fling, but maybe, he's looking for a relationship. That's why it didn't work out last night."
"Whatever. You will still go out on Friday. Anyway, we have a client."
"That's good news."
"I already set up a meeting. And guess who's our client?"
"A rich old man with a terribly gone wrong botox just got married to an attractive social media influencer around my age in one of the resorts in Chile?"
"Nope. It's Mr. Creed."
Heartbroken, Charleigh Wrylee, a charming and driven associate architect, dedicates her life to her career. She grabs the opportunity when a new project promises her a promotion. Bryce Chase is a tough daddy and a great baker with only two goals in life-raising his child and managing his cake shop. But things change when he runs into a new girl. Even though their interests don't align, it turns the heat between them, pulling them together like magnets. Will they be able to set their issues aside and follow their hearts instead? Or will they rather stick to what they're fighting for; his shop and her promotion? *** Sometimes hiding the truth comes with a great price. That's what the quiet and preserved Arizona Sky realizes after meeting Tripp Wrylee- a hardworking overconfident CEO of a top architectural firm. She finds herself doing things she never thought she'd do- marrying a man she barely knows and leaving her the next day. Three years later, he comes back, asking for a second chance, filling the husband's role he left empty, bringing out the other side of him that Ari never knew he had. Things between them become surreal until his job is at risk, their relationship is in hot water, and the people she loves are against their relationship, but something between them is maybe worth saving.
"Why did you bend over, Maverick?" Â "Because you told me to, assh*le." Â "I'm so tempted to f*ck you right now. You're the most exquisite woman I've ever been with, the only beautiful thing I see and have." Â "Then what are you waiting for? Just punish me already!" *** MAVERICK As a working college student, I struggle to make ends meet until a stranger approaches me with a proposal-- to be his employer's wife for an enormous sum of money. Knowing the cash will help me pay my grandmother's medical bills, I accept the offer with a demand-- just a marriage of convenience, no intimacy. It's too late to realize I'm marrying the charming and gorgeous to a fault, young Mr. Winston. And there's this instant fire between us despite my inhibitions. Things get more complicated when our sham marriage is put to the test by his father, who threatens to expose my dirty little secret. *** LAKE Being a Braddson-Winston heir is sometimes a curse. My father is a real SOB and a pain in my ass. He makes one outrageous demand for me to secure the CEO seat in the company-- marriage. So I found a perfect bride- Maverick Bates II, who is beautiful but in a dire financial situation. I only ask two things. We stay MBA and keep things purely business until the contract ends. As simple as that. It was meant to be a straightforward deal, but each day I get to know her, my position is not the only thing at stake but also my heart. I realize I can't let her go even if I have to make a dangerous bargain with her father, who happens to be a ruthless crime boss.
Without warning, he grabbed me by my ankles and dragged me to the edge of the bed. “Take your panties off,” he ordered me as he unbuckled his belt and worked on his pants, letting them fall on his ankles. Then he grabbed his dick out of his boxers. He was already hard and began stroking it. When I was too shocked to move, he growled at me, his green eyes searing against mine. “Panties. Off. Now, Nirvana.” I did as he said, scrambling to remove my shorts and underwear. My chest started heaving. My lips went dry as I watched him enjoy stroking himself. “Open your mouth, suck me, and take me all in.” His order woke up something inside me. Lust fired up through my veins, and my clit ached for him. I opened my mouth, and he shoved his shaft inside. “That’s it, sweetheart. Good girl.” *** All her life, Nirvana Thorne thought she was just human, at least not until a mysterious guy rejected her for no reason. When she finally uncovers her family secrets, Knight reclaims her as his fated mate and forces her to dig deep into the unimaginable danger of the underworld to undo the curse. Fighting her attraction towards him is hard enough. Every time they get close, their chemistry sizzles, and the heat between them becomes irresistible. When the pack is under siege, she must learn to gain control of the newfound power within her while the alpha intends to show her where she belongs. *** All Knight Blackwell ever wanted was to run his pack while getting rich. What he didn’t need was a woman demanding his attention, let alone a human mate like Nirvana. So he rejects her. What he never sees coming is his mate possesses an ancient secret— she’s a creature bound in magic intertwined with an ancient dark prophecy and the key to something bigger than anything they’ve ever imagined. With his primal urges getting harder to resist and the powerful being wreaking havoc in his wake, Knight has to sate his dark cravings for his mate before they go to war that Nirvana might have to sacrifice a piece of herself.
“Do it again.” “Be more specific, baby.” I heard a smile in his words. He was enjoying this and wanted me to beg. “Fuck you. You know what I mean.” I grunted in frustration. “I actually don’t.” He stopped again. His rough hand remained between my thighs. “Stop playing games, or I will stroke myself until I come.” I wiggled my ass, seeking a quick relief from the throbbing in my core. Breathing raggedly, he said, “No one is playing games here, baby. I just want to know what you want.” “You really make me do this, don’t you?” My voice was a combination of frustration and irritation. He was enjoying this too much, probably punishing me for giving him blue balls twice. “You were complaining earlier, so, yes. I don’t want another broken nose.” “Spank my ass, Califf. Then touch me and fuck me with your finger. I wanna come. Do you think you can do that?” *** All Shadow ever wanted is to live in peace with their pack, but as a royal Lycan and the daughter of a witch, it comes at a price. When a faceless enemy targeted her, she did not only lose her wolf but also her healing gift, leaving her powerless and vulnerable. Now that the bond is gone and her happy ending is not guaranteed, she has nothing left to offer. She doubts whether she’s still worthy of her mate and Luna of their pack. Alpha Califf becomes a formidable Alpha after defeating a sinister enemy. He should be invincible with allied packs everywhere and witches at his disposal, but Shadow becomes a liability. Despite what happened to his mate, he’s willing to leave the pack and live with her away from threats, but their enemy is two steps ahead of them, and Shadow becomes cold and distant, leaving him nothing but agony he’d never felt before. Will Shadow get her revenge and find a way to get her wolf and gift back? Will they uncover the ugly truth behind their enemy? Or their foe is just right under their noses all along.
“I can smell you’re wet for me, my little mate.” My nose flared. My chest heaved. My rage boiled inside my body, making me want to explode. “Well, take this, Alpha. I, Shadow Raven Hawks, omega of Night Stalker Pack—” “Shadow, what the fuck are you doing?” He was fast to cup my face as his eyes began brewing the pain. “Rejecting—” I wasn’t finished when he slammed his mouth against mine, stopping me. *** She’s a lone wolf— a rogue. Shadow Hawks learns to keep her head down. That’s how she survives until she wakes up in a pack run by a control freak hot-as-sin ruthless Alpha. With one single sniff of him, she feels an intense connection with irresistible heat. Now she’s got her old pack on her heels. The only one who can protect her is Alpha Califf. She will do everything, even if she has to bow down and reveal herself. Califf Stone doesn’t have time for a relationship but to protect his pack from a sinister, vicious Alpha killing the neighboring packs. Until he meets a mysterious rogue who enjoys defying his orders, he finds himself craving for her, losing control— And he knows she’s the one. When their common enemy threatens her, he’s ready to break his defenses to protect his mate. What surprises him, she’s not only half-Lycan, half-witch. She’s also a Lycan Princess.
Estelle Bladwyn has a certain type— a little older with a little less demanding job and knows his way in bed. When she bumps into a hot thirty-ish man on her not-so-romantic-getaway on an island, he does check two on her checklist, and exactly what she wants for that moment. One thing that doesn’t set right— their growing attraction is overwhelming, and her life is already complicated. But who can deny someone like Linden, who held you captive with his eyes, caged you in his arms, and still promised you a good time? Gabe Linden is getting old and still single and done with hookups and doing favors. When some big guns like Moses Braddson, a man he looks up to, he just can’t say no to. The only problem is he hasn’t taken the job yet— he knows he’s already failing it. Looking into her celadon blue eyes, he sees right into her soul. There’s no way he’s letting her go, even by means of breaking his number one rule— The beautiful billionaire is his to keep.
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?
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.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?