Oh, God Not again, but again. All that flashed through my head in the space when Gavril let me back down, and bang! Bang! He cursed, pulling up my panties, then fastening his own pants. He had a gun out, and where did he get that gun? But he had it pointed down, and he took my hand, pulling me to the back of the shed. _____ Naomi finds herself trapped in a nightmare she never asked for. Forced into a marriage with the monster of her nightmares, she struggles to reclaim her identity and freedom. With every moment, her spirit is crushed as her name is erased, and her life is shattered. Garvril Kirilenko, a relentless and dangerous billionaire Boss , refuses to accept no for an answer. From the very beginning, his rough hands tore apart her dreams, leaving her with a choice: submit to a life of torment as his wife or face a fate worse than death. Their marriage, built on lies, becomes a twisted web of secrets and manipulation. The truth, if revealed, could cost her everything. But remaining silent means enduring the unimaginable. In the depths of his depravity, he breaks her, claiming her body as his own. Night after night, she surrenders to his dark desires, her suffering becoming his pleasure. Yet, amidst the pain, a glimmer of hope emerges when she discovers she carries his child. Now, with the life of their baby hanging in the balance, she must navigate a treacherous path to survival. Will she find the strength to protect herself and her child from the clutches of this monstrous Billionaire Boss? Or will she forever be trapped in a loveless, torturous existence?
Naomi
It was my wedding day.
I had dreamed of this day since I was a little girl. I dreamt of what I would wear. I dreamt about my father smiling at me with tears in his eyes as he walked me down the aisle. I dreamt about my mother blinking away tears of joy when she saw me in a veil that floated down my back, the gossamer material caressing my bare shoulders. My best friend Ilsa would giggle and carry on as she helped me put on the garter belt, and we would toast the happiest day of my life with champagne and wine while my hair and makeup were being done.
It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life.
I drew in a shuddering breath and looked at the woman staring back at me in the full-length mirror, searching for any remote sign of happiness in her eyes.
There was none. I couldn't even fake it, and as an actress, I prided myself on faking just about any sort of emotion.
Instead, the woman in the mirror stared back with other emotions: dread, apprehension, and fear.
My father wasn't here. My mother wasn't here. Ilsa wasn't here. I was alone, and the only person who had once accompanied me had already left the room, her tasks complete.
Maybe it was for the best.
Because if they knew what lay in store for me, their hearts would break. They'd beg for me to be released from the terrible fate that awaited me, and if I knew anything about my husband-to-be, he'd force them to watch as he claimed me at the altar.
I touched one of the curls draped over my shoulder, teased and styled so solidly in place that a hurricane couldn't move them. Outwardly I was the picture-perfect bride. No expenses had been spared. The undergarments I wore under the dress were lace and silk, probably the most expensive set I had ever put on.
The dress, well, it wasn't the one I would have chosen, but it exuded the wealth and power that I was about to marry into.
But no amount of perfection could hide the ugly, horrific truth.
This marriage was a lie. And I was a captive bride in all but name.
It had all started when I was trying to help my best friend Ilsa, a detective with the LAPD, and her husband Roman, don of the Marchetti Mafia, save a young Russian girl-Sveta Orlov-who had been ripped from her family at the expense of her maniacal father. Since I was the only one that Ilsa knew who spoke Russian, they had brought her to me, and I had helped concoct a foolproof plan.
Unfortunately, the plan had gone sideways before my part had come up. Sveta had been killed. Ilsa and Roman had been forced to take down her father by themselves, along with all who were involved.
I'd thought that would have been the end of it.
I was so wrong.
Now I was about to marry a monster.
Gavril Kirilenko.
The very name sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't know anything about him other than he was dangerous and powerful. He had made me do terrible, shameful things in the short time that I knew him. He had stripped away my dignity and made me aware of just how powerless I was in his hands.
The things he made me do...Oh God. I didn't want to think about them.
And now, I was going to marry him.
What other choice did I have? I thought about telling him the truth, but based on what he said to me, based on what he had made me do, I knew that a worse fate than being his wife awaited me if he found out the truth.
And so, I had to pretend to be Sveta until I could find a way out of this. I had no means of contacting anyone. My cell phone had been taken away when I was kidnapped from my apartment a few days ago. Aside from Ilsa and my agent, no one else was going to be looking for me.
Well...there was one other person. But there was no way in hell I wanted him to find me.
Honestly, I had a pretty sad life outside of my social media pages. Those showed a woman who enjoyed life, one who seemed to have it all: money, influence, popularity, self-confidence.
In reality, I didn't have any of those things. Most of the clothing I wore was from thrift shops all around LA. I just knew which ones received the leftovers from the production companies and celebrities.
Popularity was easy when you were going to all the places that everyone else wanted to go to. I had the gift of gab, just about able to talk my way into anything.
Of course, it didn't hurt that I had a pretty face, or at least that was what they told me. My long blonde hair was just like any other girl in LA; my pale body helped me stand out among the fake tanners that I usually shared an interview room with.
I kept my body in top shape because getting acting gigs required that I look my best.
All that my looks had gotten me was a few B-rated films that had paid enough for me to pay my rent in LA, but so far, nothing had panned out to pay more.
A few of the gigs that my agent had found were promising, but now all that was my past. I had missed those appointments. And if anything, Chuck had probably written me off as another blonde bimbo lost to LA.
If he only knew that I was about to play the biggest acting role of my life.
The door opened behind me, and I lowered the veil, obscuring my features from everyone. I had to do this. I had to make sure that no one believed me to be anyone else other than Sveta, not until I could find a way to contact Roman or Ilsa to get me the hell out of this mess.
Turning, I tried to portray the meek girl who knew nothing about the world she had been thrust into. They knew me as a girl who spoke no English, and it had proven difficult for me to maintain the air of speaking flawless Russian.
Thank God for my electives in college or I would be screwed.
The man at the door held out his arm and I took it, keeping my hand from trembling as I laid it on the sleeve of his suit coat. The church I had been brought to earlier was one I recognized, the Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Church. It was one I had filmed a soap opera episode in once before, a gorgeous sanctuary that would be on any bride's most wanted list for a perfect wedding day.
My dour-faced guide moved me before a set of heavy wooden doors, and my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. This was it. There was no turning back.
What would Ilsa say about this? Would she urge me on? Doubtful. She would tell me that I was crazy and have Roman whisk me somewhere to hide.
A sudden rush of tears assaulted my eyes and threatened to ruin my makeup. I blinked them back, clearing my vision once more. I wasn't going to cry. Not today. I had already cried enough since I had been taken. Tears didn't solve anything, and they sure as hell weren't going to get me out of this.
The doors opened and I was forced to step forward onto the shiny lacquered floor, looking up at the vaulted ceilings and ornate carvings that were at the end of a long aisle. Surprisingly the wooden pews were packed with guests, all standing and turning as the pipe organ music swelled. None of their faces were familiar, and my heart wrenched in my chest.
I wanted my family here. I wanted my friends here.
Hell, I wanted a man who actually cared about me waiting at the end of the aisle.
I wanted to feel happiness instead of emptiness and dread. I wanted to cry tears of joy instead of tears of fear.
This was supposed to be a day I wanted to remember. Not a waking nightmare I wanted to forget.
Somehow I made myself move down the aisle, my head held high, the only sounds the music in the large sanctuary. No one spoke, no one whispered, as if they were frozen in place, surprised that they were attending a wedding after all.
The closer I got, the tighter the knots grew in my stomach. He was there, waiting for a woman he thought he was going to wed.
Instead, he would be getting an actress that had no ties to any Bratvas. He would be marrying a poor girl from a blue-collar family that could barely rub two coins together some days, a woman who could give him none of the power he was looking for.
Even if I did lose my life over this, at least the biggest joke was about to be played on him.
I took the steps up to the altar and turned, my train cascading down the steps behind me. Only then did I allow myself to look at my soon-to-be husband-Gavril Kirilenko.
His hands were clasped before him, the silver ring on his right hand catching the low lamplight. He was dressed in a black suit, his white shirt a bright contrast to his tanned skin underneath. His dark brown hair was slicked back on his head, exposing his wide forehead and a set of high cheekbones dusted with the beginnings of a beard. Gavril's eyes were almost gray in color and as he gazed at me intensely, I fought the urge to run back down the aisle screaming.
There was no warmth in his stare. No affection. No love. The only thing I saw staring back at me was inky coldness. The man before me wasn't a kind man. I had already found that out in more ways than I'd liked.
I doubted there was a bone in his body that could even understand what kindness was.
My heart wanted to hang onto the fact that Roman, Ilsa's husband, had been the same way. She had given me their complete, sordid tale and how he had turned from a cold-blooded killer to a man that cared about her and their unborn child above all else.
But as I looked at Gavril, I knew I couldn't cling to that hope. This man was born and bred to be harsh, and nothing was going to change that.
Least of all me.
A monster like him shouldn't be so damn gorgeous. Gavril filled out his suit nicely, from his broad shoulders to the tapered waist and everything in between. As my eyes roamed over his impeccably dressed form, my stomach tightened at the memory of what he was capable of.
A memory that I would never admit to liking.
Gavril was power, danger, and sex all wrapped up.
And in a few moments, he would be my husband.
No, I reminded myself. Not my husband. Not Naomi Spencer's husband. He was marrying Sveta Orlov.
The priest cleared his throat, and Gavril gave him a curt nod.
"Begin," he said in Russian.
Thank God I had taken that Russian class in college. I thought it was a useless elective years ago, and now, that useless class might be the only thing that was keeping me alive.
The priest started, and Gavril took my hand in his. His touch was warm, and I tried to fool myself into believing that it was reassuring.
But I knew better.
There was nothing soft about this man, nothing that was going to make me feel at ease. He'd made me do unspeakable things before this day. And the thought of what he'd do after his ring slipped on my finger sent a shudder down my spine.
A few times I was forced to kneel before the priest with Gavril, keeping my eyes downcast so he couldn't see the indecision there behind my veil. I wasn't very religious and had only attended a handful of Catholic weddings in my day, but never a Russian Orthodox one.
Everything was different, and I didn't understand the protocol. Each time, though, Gavril helped me rise, his hand tight on mine as if he knew my thoughts.
What more could he expect? He was marrying me without my consent. Any woman would want to run away from this madness!
"And now the rings," the priest finally said, balancing two circles of gold on his Bible. My breath caught as I stared at them, wondering why I thought he wouldn't wear one. Gavril didn't seem like the type of man who wanted to be known as having a wife, but then again, I wasn't just going to be a wife.
I was going to be a means to an end, a source of power for him. Little did he know that nothing he was doing was going to help him in any way.
Sveta was dead. Her father was dead. Gavril wasn't going to get anything out of this marriage.
A bubble of laughter nearly escaped me at the thought, but I choked it back as Gavril reached for the smaller circle. He took it and slid it onto my hand. The ring itself was simple and elegant. I could see the scroll of designs on the metal and realized it looked older than I first realized.
It was a family heirloom.
The cool metal immediately warmed on my finger, and even though it was light and airy, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Like a shackle that bound me to him.
Forever.
My fingers trembled as I took the solid gold ring from the priest and turned to Gavril. He held out his hand, and I hesitated. There were so many other things I would have liked to do with the ring, and each one would have resulted in my death. For a moment, I toyed with the idea that I could still end this. That I could choose to go out on my own terms.
But powerless and wordless, I slid the ring on his finger, past his scarred knuckle, until it rested at the base.
I barely had time to draw in a breath before Gavril's hand cupped the back of my neck and pulled the veil back from my face. His eyes were dark with intent.
I gasped right before his lips closed against mine, and his hungry tongue pushed into my mouth, swallowing my small yelps of resistance. His rough hand pulled me closer, and I felt his insistent heat throbbing against the thin fabric of my dress-a promise of what was to come.
In sickness and in health.
Till death do us part.
I was his.
To own. To use. To ruin.
Forever.
That was it. We were married.
"Where have you been hiding, little wolf?" He stared at me with his amber eyes, a vicious smile on his lips. I faced him, chin held high. "Move out of my way." "I could kill you, you know..." His fingers dipped to my inner thighs before his hands came to rest at the joint between my legs and hips, and his fingers squeezed. His large hands moved over my breasts and stomach, running over my skin as if it was made from the softest velvet. His caresses were tender, unhurried, and appreciative, and I could feel myself swelling up with a strange emotion. My lips never left his skin as he slowly thrust up, nipping, kissing, and sucking on his shoulders and neck. I whispered sweet encouragements". _____ Hidden away by a cruel uncle for years, where she was kept prisoner, treated like a piece of trash in the basement of his house. Beaten, broken, neglected, hated and rejected by him for reasons she can't even understand. Sable's life takes an unexpected turn. A chance for escape leads her straight into the arms of a mysterious wolf shifter named Ridge, the alpha of the North Pack. As her world shatters, she discovers the shocking truth about the existence of shifters and the undeniable pull she feels towards Ridge The alphas of the East and West Packs step forward, claiming her as their mate too. Now, she finds herself torn between four powerful and captivating alphas, each with their own secrets and desires..The four alphas who’ve each claimed her as their mate kept their promise to protect her. They came for her. They saved her. For one beautiful, blissful moment, the five of them were united, joined more closely than she have ever been with anyone. As sable learns to navigate this new world of shifters, danger lurks at every corner. Witches threaten the borders of shifter lands, and insurrection brews within the packs. But the greatest danger of all may come from within herself. Will her potential mates accept her now that they know the truth? Can she trust them to protect her from the looming threats?
What happens when a hook-up gets complicated by a baby? Can she hide the secret from him? Or will he show her how possessive he can be when he learns she's carrying his child? "Seven years ago, I had a one-night stand with my brother's best friend, who also happened to be my lifelong crush. The next day, he vanished leaving me pregnant. Now, I am a single mom raising our son in the same small town. Recently, he returned to attend my brother's wedding and the truth about our son was finally revealed. As he reclaims his place in our lives, the sparks between us reignite. However, danger from his past threatens to shatter our newfound connection. I am torn between my love for him and my fear of getting hurt again, especially now that I have two hearts to protect - our son's and my own."
Introducing the "Billionaire One Night Stand Romance" series of standalone novels. This enthralling collection will take you on a journey of passion, power, and forbidden love. Brace yourself for a captivating experience that will leave you breathless across all of the spellbinding books. 1. Elizabeth is faced with a difficult decision. Desperate to start a family, she turns to her ex-lover, a billionaire who once broke her heart, for help. Despite her reservations, she agrees to one night of passion, hoping to conceive a child and move on with her life. But as the night unfolds, old feelings resurface, and she finds herself torn between her desire for a baby and the risk of getting involved with her ex again. Will she be able to keep things strictly business, or will love complicate everything? 2. I'm twenty-five, and I decide enough is enough. Family responsibilities have made dating impossible. Now I’m single and inexperienced. Like, completely. My virginity is a millstone around my neck. And I want to get rid of it. All I need is one night, with one stranger, so I don’t look like an idiot when I start dating for real. My sister convinces this country bumpkin to sign up for Tinder, and to head to the city. My first two matches are complete failures, and I’m about to give up. Then I see Kip’s profile. I swipe right, and so does he. We chat for ages, and agree to meet that evening for dinner. He’s gorgeous. Kind. Sexy. Wicked. Perfect. So I tell him I want him to teach me as much as he can before the sun comes up. I ask for one night. But it’s only the start of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland… 3. When the hottest one-night stand of my life turns out to be my new billionaire boss, I don’t think I can ever live it down. And to make matters worse, he’s pretending not to know who I am—and seems hell bent on making my life a living hell.
In a desperate bid to save her mother's life, Elena Rousseau finds herself at a crossroads she never imagined. Stepping into the dimly lit embrace of a gentlemen's club, she prepares to make a sacrifice she never thought she would have to make. But fate has a twisted sense of humor, as she comes face to face with a man she never expected to encounter in such a place - Alexander Kennedy. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a proposition that turns Elena's world upside down. Instead of selling her body, Alexander offers her a marriage of convenience. A deal that promises to save her mother's life, but at a cost she never anticipated. For hidden beneath his charming facade lies a web of revenge, and Elena becomes a pawn in his dangerous game. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Elena is left with an impossible choice. Does she embrace the devil she knows, Alexander, and risk losing herself in his twisted plans? Or does she take a leap of faith into the unknown, hoping to find a way out of the darkness that surrounds her?
Raven has been in love with Ares Windsor ever since she met him. He is a man of great wealth, power, and influence, and his enigmatic charm has always captivated her. Unfortunately, Ares has only ever had eyes for Raven's younger sister, his fiancée. Raven has always felt like she lived in her sister's shadow, but when her sister doesn't show up on the wedding day, Raven is forced to take her place and marry Ares. Despite her deep love for Ares, marriage to him is nothing short of torture for Raven. She can feel his disdain and resentment towards her, and the fact that he only sees her as a substitute for her sister only makes it worse. But Raven is determined to win him over and make him fall in love with her. To her, this is a war, and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to win. She's determined to use every weapon in her arsenal, from her intelligence and wit to her beauty and sensuality, to make Ares see her as the woman he truly desires.
A one-night stand with a sexy stranger seems like a great idea, until he turns out to be my new billionaire boss… On her last night in Auckland, Heidi meets an attractive man in a bar who invites her to go back to his hotel room. Despite her reservations, she agrees to a one-night stand given that she's leaving the city the following day. The night turns out to be the most intense and passionate experience of her life, and she leaves the next morning feeling disappointed but excited to start anew. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned. She can't find a permanent secretarial position in Wellington, so she has to take up temp work. The only room available for rent is damp and tiny, and to make matters worse, she ends up with an unexpected complication from her fling. Feeling like she's hit rock bottom, she starts a new temp job, only to discover that her mystery man from Auckland is her new boss. Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to recognize her and acts as if they've never met. It isn't until later that he reveals he's actually the CEO.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony. On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide. Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge." On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling."
Andrea Deciding that I was going to skip a day at work so I could have first time sex with my boyfriend seemed like the most absurd decision I could ever make. Or at least that was what I'd thought. Until I'd walked in on my said boyfriend cheating on me with some redhead and decided to get my revenge by losing my virginity to his wealthy billionaire father instead. Crazy, right? Trust me, I know. Like that's not enough, things take a drastic turn for the worst after I realized I was in love with him and pregnant with his child. Before I could get the chance to come clean about every including my feelings formhim and the pregnancy, he finds out about my trickery. Alejandro's not one to condone being lied to and deceived so he immediately tells me he doesn't want to see me again. So what do I do? I pack up and leave the country. But it seems like the universe isn't done with us just yet. . . Alejandro I should have known better than to get involved with someone way younger than me. It was something I've never done before. But like the saying goes, there's a first time for everything. The first time I met Andrea I was captivated by her beauty. More than that there was this innocence in her that called out to me like a moth to a flame. I ignored all the warnings in my head and went after what I wanted. And what I wanted was her. Unfortunately what she wanted was revenge against my son. I told myself that it had to be some kind of mistake. There was no way she had been playing with my feelings and planning some silly revenge this whole time. But she had. It had taken a surprise visit from my son for me to find out her true intentions. Even then it had been hard to believe it. But I couldn't deny that she'd fooled me real good alright. So naturally I cut ties with her. And that's supposed to be the end, right? Wrong. Turns out that our story was never destined to end just there. . .