When Patricia's father proposes an arranged marriage with Trystan Oscar, a charming British billionaire, she reluctantly agrees to a date. Faced with the dire state of their family business and her parents' stress, Patricia prioritizes her family's well-being. Expecting a distant, business-like marriage, Patricia secretly hopes for love, like her parents' relationship. Determined and ambitious, she takes it upon herself to make her controlled, anti-romance husband fall head over heels for her. However, Patricia's world takes an unexpected turn as she delves into Trystan's BDSM realm of chains, whips, doms, and subs. Can she handle the intensity of Trystan's love?
The wedding is an intimate affair, hosted in the backyard of my new home alongside my dashing British husband. He's a striking white gentleman, to be precise. It's possible that my father omitted these details, or if I had thoroughly reviewed the file as my father had requested, I might have been aware. Nevertheless, it's a delightful surprise-a young and handsome husband.
I can't resist stealing more glances at him as he gracefully approaches one of the many unfamiliar faces in attendance at the reception, trying my best to be discreet. His chestnut locks are elegantly swept back, held in place with what seems like a generous amount of hair gel, and a warm sensation permeates my chest.
He's a beautiful man to look at and I don't mind spending the rest of our reception staring at him. His lips are not as thin as you will expect from a British man, they are pouty, full and I want another taste. My cheeks heat up at the thought, I cough and his amber eyes narrow slightly in my direction before returning to his guests. Keeping to the shadows to get a better glance at his stiff profile, I pout. His nose is crooked like it has been broken and fixed one too many times.
All these features sit on a face that tells a story-a dangerous one at that and I find myself getting attracted to him. To uncover the secrets that lies behind those eyes searching for me.
Papa did try to set us up a meeting many times, I never showed up. I wonder now if that will put me in my husband's bad book, he looks like one who never forgets. My husband? The word tastes like sour grape, I'm unsure if I like it. Is he as uncomfortable as I am about this whole arrangement?
I frown when his head falls back with laughter at something his guest-a female says, my heart clenches and a corner of my lip twitches until I give into the small smile. I love the sound of his laughter. Snapping out of these weird thoughts, I move to stand behind an empty seat. I must have looked stupid, standing a few feet from the main event, smiling alone. His guest places a hand on his shoulder, I force down the urge to stomp over and slap her tiny hands off him or throttle her with her bleached weave. That is my man. Is he? I swipe the strand of hair that keeps falling over my forehead with aggression, he is my husband so that makes him my man.
"You look so beautiful, Pat," Ma is saying. My head snaps in her direction, I offer her a smile. She takes a sip from the flute of champagne perched between her fingertips with an elegance that surprises even me. My smile widens, I squeeze her in a brief hug, she cleans up real good.
Her fingers brush my hair, keeping in place that stubborn strand that has come undone from the high puff I managed to make from my wild curls. My hair has a mind of its own, today, it will have to deal with the style I want.
"Thank you. You look wonderful yourself," I repay the compliment and she smiles as she does a little twirl.
She is dressed in a black off-shoulder gown that stops just above her knees to reveal her toned legs. Her skin glistens in the sun, she has truly been sun-kissed and her dimples are prominent when she smiles. Ma no longer has those hollow spaces in between her collar bone and I am glad I decided to marry this man, Trystan.
The name is foreign like many of those rich kids I attend school with but I don't scoff at hearing it. Instead, I like the way it settles on my tongue like it's my favourite candy and I bite down on my lip to keep from staring in his direction. He is still with that lady, why can't they talk later?
Speaking of the devil, Trystan walks up to us with a glass containing similar content as Ma, then he whispers into my ear, "Your mother is right, Patricia, you look beautiful." I want to be angry at him but the proximity wipes off all reasonable thoughts and I freeze. "You make a beautiful bride."
Trystan's voice takes a few seconds to settle in, when it does, my heart gallops and my nipples harden behind my armless gown. I suck in a sharp breath, the mirthless giggles escaping him tells me he noticed my little disorientation in his presence. He places a kiss on the back of Ma's hand and she excuses herself with a sly wink, something about giving the new couple privacy.
Without Ma, the atmosphere grows awkward real quick. I clear my throat, he shoves a hand into the pocket of his pant and I turn away under his smothering gaze. I can't stop myself from glancing in the direction he came from, his guest is gone and my body relaxes at the knowledge.
"Are you enjoying..." he trails off at the speed my eyes return to his face and that mischievous smirk returns to his lips at my failed attempt to raise a brow. "Are you enjoying the party?"
"Yes." My voice is raspy, the nerves have seeped into it so I clear my throat and say, "Yes, are you?"
The distance between us diminishes, Trystan arches an eyebrow like he knows I am lying. Does he expect me to say otherwise? It is my-our wedding, I am supposed to be happy. I have to be happy. Sparing a glance at our seated guests, he offers me his hand but I am hesitant to take it.
"Can you dance?"
Dancing has never been my forte but I don't want him to know that. More than anything, I want to impress him and I have no idea why. He's the one who wanted the marriage, not me. His smile fades, hand lowers and I smoothen the front of my gown. "I don't feel up for dancing."
Trystan nods, I bite the inside of my lip when he strokes my cheek, trying and failing to meet his gaze. His breath fans my face, our eyes finally meet and I lean into his touch when his thumb caresses my lip. Shivers trickle down my spine, my tongue runs over my lips in anticipation and his eyes tail the move. I forget everything around me and wait, wait for a kiss that never comes.
"You had this on your face," he says, his eyes darting to the almost invisible speck of dirt on his index finger. My disappointment is palpable, I grunt in reply, murmuring a barely audible gratitude and he lets out a chuckle that has me rolling my eyes. I did not even want to kiss him.
Seconds after he steps away from me, my eyes follow his to a couple. They are watching us and I can't help feeling the show of affection was solely for their sake. He raises his glass to them and they do the same, observing each other in terse silence that makes me clear my throat.
"Cheers," he says, standing beside me. Maybe it is just me but I detect sarcasm in that word.
The band on the makeshift stage continues with their soulful rendition, they play all kind of songs, the type I would have wanted at my wedding and my head bobs to the rhythm. I do not consider this wedding mine, it's too flashy and the only people I know here are my parents.
Trystan dumps his glass into the tray of a passing server, wraps his hand around my waist from behind. He tucks his head into the space between my neck and shoulders. "Relax, Pat." The knots in my joints loosen, I nod and his arms tighten around me. "Relax and enjoy the moment."
There's a strange sense of comfort I feel at having him in such close contact with me as we watch different couples dance in the space we created at the centre of the small field like it is their wedding. I feel it then; I know we'll get along.
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
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?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."