This is the story of Grace and Lucas Mcarthy, the perfect family in the eyes of everyone else. Gorgeous, Billionaire status, power, and everything good; they had it all. But the foundation of their marriage was built on selfish interests, one they kept hidden from the public. Imagine having everything you've ever wanted in life, and thinking everything is going according to your plans, only to find out you've been fooled your whole life and you've just been a pawn in someone else's game. What would you do? What would Grace do? What would Lucas do? Go ahead and turn those pages Note: This book contains intimate scenes
Men busied past as Grace played with her straw again, every man but Lucas Mcarthy.
It was shameful enough that she had been reduced to getting into a marriage deal, she didn't need to be stood up to.
Fifteen more minutes passed by before he walked in, checking from side to side for the table number she had texted him.
This was their fifth attempt at having a date and she had always been the one waiting, totally unmanly of him.
"I'm sorry," he had beads of sweat lined at the top of his forehead and a grim smile.
Maybe he hates my dress, she thought, or the color
She blinked to shut the voices in her head
"At least you made it"
He pulled the chair opposite her and took a seat and their eyes met for the first time.
It was a lot to take in; the Rolex on his wrist, the neatly designer tuxedo, the well-arranged hairline, the fragrance that smells like wealth.
As if pulled out of a trance, he shifted in his seat "At least I did. Lucas Mcarthy" he pulled out a hand "It's a pleasure meeting you."
The butterflies in her tummy curled in bliss... that voice.
"Same here"
He brought her hand to his lips and planted a kiss on it "You look good"
So he likes my dress, she thought. She had been so unsure of the earlier look on his face.
A smile was her reply "Shall we?"
She raised the menu to her face, not to scan for something mouthwatering but to be able to release the tensed breath she had been holding ever since he walked in.
It wasn't the first time she had seen what he looked like, for he was all over the news, the billboards, and social media. Lucas Mcarthy was one of the leading forces in marine contracts and she had braced herself to meet him but the moment he walked in through the door, there was something about his presence that caused her stomach to churn, and in a good way.
"I would ask you to tell me about yourself but I'm not sure there's anything special I need to know," he said after the waiter had brought their orders and they were digging in.
Grace almost choked at his statement but before she could reply, he was back to talking "So let's get straight to the point" he sat back into his chair, "I would.."
"I am aware of all the deals," she cut in. His attitude was turning her off. He seemed uninterested in the meeting and seemed like he had something more important to do and couldn't wait to storm out. "I don't need them to be read to me physically."
For the second time, he took a good look at her and for a minute, it seemed like he was going to say something but he held back. "Good. Anything you want to talk about?" He asked
"I want to get to know you," her voice was soft. "If we are going to be getting into this, at least we should be on friendly terms."
He sighed in exasperation "I am a busy man, Grace," his eyes traveled to the low neckline of her dress before traveling back up to her face "and I don't keep friends, I make rivals." he paused to let his message sink in before resuming "this is a contract, not a relationship."
Women, he couldn't deal with them. It was the reason he found it difficult to keep one.
Grace grabbed her fork and resumed munching her salmon "That's alright, so, you wanna go?"
He resisted the urge to squint in surprise at her question "You want me to?"
"Well, I don't see you as one who would come sit for nothing when you have a very busy schedule. You better go catch up on those deals."
Giggling, he smiled "I think I'll like you"
She didn't know why that made her nerves tingle but it did.
"What do you want me to know about you?" He asked.
"That I don't think I'll like you" As much as she was already dripping just by being in his presence, she wasn't one to tolerate disrespect, especially not at this early stage.
He humped "I don't think that will be a problem." When she said nothing, he continued "Listen, we both know why we are into this, you want your family's stability, I need the company, this alliance is as important to me as it is important to you, so why don't we go ahead with the deal and let go of whatever we think we may feel. It's a simple deal and it's either you're in or you're out."
"Got it"
"You'll get everything, the money, the fame..."
"I have experienced all that before, it's not going to be the first time."
"What's your problem?" He asked her
"That you kept me waiting for almost an hour and you're coming in here, barking orders. You don't see me with an apron, do you?"
"We haven't even made love yet and you're already nagging."
She opened her mouth to speak but no words came through so she turned to her food for distractions. She was going to pretend he didn't just say that and that it didn't bring dirty thoughts to her head, and that she was looking forward to it. It wasn't just the line he said, it was the way he said it, the voice he said it with, the way his eyes romanced her while his lips moved.
His phone buzzed the entire time they were together and he kept glancing at it.
"Do you have anything else you want to say to me?"
Her head moved from side to side. "No, for now."
"That being said, I will take my leave now, it was nice meeting you and I'll try to stay in touch. I'm sorry we didn't get to spend much time together but we'll meet again soon and I'll make it up to you."
He was on his feet and after a quick kiss on her cheeks, he was out of the restaurant. He hadn't even touched his food.
Valarie is a she-wolf who is still trying to discover her role in the Hanger pack. She believes in exploring, and has mapped out plans for her entire life. These plans are cut short when she is kidnapped by the Travana Pack, a pack she never knew existed until her capture. She is taken to the breeding grounds where she meets a lot of other breeders captured from many packs. She accepts the fact that she cannot escape and spends her time studying the Travana mode of operation and comes up with a different plan entirely. It is soon discovered that she is unable to bring forth young cubs and would have been thrown out but for the fact that the alpha has eyes for her. Valarie uses this to her advantage, gets all the information she can, and earns the alpha’s trust. She soon discovers that the Travana pack is building an army, hence, the capturing of she-wolves, to help in breeding. The aim was to take over the remaining seven packs, and acquire power. Valarie switches plans, and with the help of trustworthy wolves, she challenges the alpha, just when he has been completely vulnerable with her. Gerald, Travana alpha feels betrayed, and fueled by the desire to protect his pack, he charges at her. The army Valarie builds is ready and willing to fight, and her challenge to Gerald is motivated by that. She retreats and asks his permission to release the breeders, which he grants because of his love for her. She soon realizes his genuine care for her and feels guilty for betraying him. After breaking away with the breeders, they form a new pack, the Ginger pack, and together, they mark their own territory. But there are some she-wolves in the pack unwilling to forgive Gerald for the years of suffering he put them through. They seek justice but Valarie as alpha refuses to give them authority. This creates enmity in the camp, and soon, Valarie is faced with opposition from her own pack. She is perceived to be weak and while she tries to counter that narrative, she realizes she is still in love with Gerald. How does Valarie earn the trust and love of Gerald again, reinstate her position as alpha, and unite the two packs having lost the respect of both? Will the packs bend against her will, or will they break her?
Two young girls, Darren and Chloe make their way into an educational institution with the hopes of chasing their dreams. It soon becomes a race for safety when they discover their admission was an arrangement and they were in danger. They are faced with the choice to give up their lives or fight for their safety. They fight, but betrayal, lust, and pain all stand in the way. They fight, but do they fight well?
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?
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
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?
Rose looked at the reports in her hand and was in shock... The reports said that she was one month pregnant, however, how can she get pregnant when she didn't have any man in her life... "Was it because of that dream? Could I get pregnant because I have sex in my dream?" She thought... She didn't have any mental problems, however, except for this she can't able to think about anything... However, she still didn't get out of her surprise when she met the man in her dream... Kevin Davis looked at the reports in her hand and asked, "Is this child mine?" However, Rose didn't answer but asked... "Was that night not a dream?" Kevin was angry because it was his first time and she thinks it was a dream... Kevin forced her to marry him however, Rose didn't want it... She wanted to abort the child but he didn't let her... In the end... Rose agreed to marry him... She looked at Kevin's blue eyes and said, "I will marry you, however, I had two conditions..." "First, after marriage, you can't control my freedom, I still had the right to do whatever I want. Don't worry I won't harm the child." "Second, if I ever found out that you had cheated behind my back then I will leave with my child and you can't stop me..." Both of them got married... However, after she falls in love with him... She found there are hidden secrets in his past...
Five years ago, he upped and left his wife without informing her. He had always felt unworthy. As a result, he decided to go and become a better man. It took him five whole years of daily hard work. When he was satisfied, he returned as a powerful and honorable man. He intended to start a family with his wife. But he got back to meet the greatest shocker of his life. He actually had a daughter!