When Tasha agrees to embark on a vacation with her friend, she doesn't expect that it would end with her getting pregnant for Mathew Williams, a man older than her and whom she barely knows, neither is she prepared for the changes it brings to her life. Her pregnancy leads to her forced marriage with Mathew whom she just met, putting her in a situation she desperately seeks a way out of. How does she navigate her new life? What happens when her sister in law does everything to make sure she loses her baby or worse ends up dead? Would she succeed in her quest for freedom or will she fall for him after learning about the circumstances surrounding her forced marriage?
Tasha's POV
I adjust my sunglasses to cover my eyes properly. The sun feels so good on my skin. I hope I get a beautiful tan by the end of this trip.
"This is what it feels like to live the dream life" Lisa says from beside me.
Lisa is my best friend. We've been planning and saving up for this trip for as long as I can remember but have been too busy to actualize it.
This summer, we both decided that nothing was going to stand in our way of embarking on our trip.
I snort.
"Yeah. Just wait till we get back and work starts calling" I say.
"Ugh. Girl please, don't remind me"
"I'm on vacation here. I'm having fun and trying not to think about work" She says and adjusts her position.
We are on a Cruise ship with thousands of other passengers who were out to make the most out of their summer holiday.
Lisa glances to her side and turns towards me with a grin on her face.
"Your man's on his way here" She says.
I glance in the said direction and sure enough Mathew is walking towards me, shirtless and looking as delicious and sexy as always.
A group of guys approach him, halting his advance.
"I told you already. He's not my man. We're not in a relationship" I say and lie back.
"Then what do say about all the activities you both have been engaging in ever since we got here?" She says waggling her eyebrows.
"Not everything has to be complicated Lis. We both agreed to no strings attached"
"We're just having fun. I find him attractive and he finds me attractive. But do we want to put a label on it? No we don't" I say.
"Whatever you say girl. All I know is if it was me in your shoes, there's no way I'm letting him go with just a 'no strings attached'. I mean look at him!" She exclaims pointing towards where we saw him.
"Lis..." I'm about to reply to her when I feel arms wrap around my shoulders and a kiss is being placed on my neck.
Mathew.
"Hey you" He says in his deep voice.
I'm surrounded by his masculine and intoxicating smell that I love so much.
Mathew is eleven years older than me. If my parents knew about our arrangement, they would loose their minds.
"Where have you been? I missed you last night at the party" He says.
There was always a party held by the Cruise's management every Friday night where everyone was welcome to mingle and have fun.
I angle my face towards him and smile.
"I was too tired yesterday. Lis and I just crashed immediately we hit our rooms last night"
"I missed you too. I thought you wouldn't be up until later considering how hard you must have partied last night" I say smiling at him.
"I had to see you" He says and kisses me.
With the attention he gives me and the way he treats me, he makes it sort of hard not to fall for him but he made it clear from the onset. He doesn't want a relationship. He's also considered too old for me.
Lisa clears her throat causing him to release my lips.
"Hey Lisa. How're you doing?" he asks her.
"I'm good. How are you?"
"A bit drunk honestly. I'm going to steal your friend away for a moment if you don't mind" He says and starts to pull me up.
"Oh that's fine. Just stay safe kids" She says, earning a look from me.
We make our way across throngs of people and into the hallway leading to his bedroom. I know what he wants and I'm also feeling like it.
Mathew opens the door and I steps in after I do. He wastes no time before pouncing on me.
He crashes his lips on mine and sends us stumbling into his dining area.
"We don't need this" he pushes off the dishware off the table, lifts me onto it and spreads my legs to settle in between them.
"Or this" He rips off my underwear in one go.
"Moan for me" He pushes inside me.
We go at it for a couple of hours and Mathew ensures that we've christened literally all surfaces in his room before finally settling on his bed.
Tired and exhausted, we lay side by side, the duvet serving as our only source of coverage.
His room is huge. It was like a suite. Hell, it was a suite
"That was fun" I say, breaking the silence.
He turns to face me.
"That was incredible as always. You're amazing" He pulls me closer and plants a kiss on my forehead.
I hum and we continue to lay there in comfortable silence.
"Tell me something about yourself" I say.
"I'm very rich and bougie" I angle my head towards his face.
"You don't say" We share a laugh.
He waits a bit before breaking the silence.
"What do you want to know?" he asks and starts stroking my hair with one hand.
"I don't know. Anything. Really. I don't really know anything about you" He hums.
"I told you, I'm a very private person"
True, the man was extremely private. He wore sunglasses everywhere regardless of whether he was out in the sun or not. I always found that weird.
He also always had people following him about like they were bodyguards or something.
I asked him about that once and his reply was that people of his status needed protection every now and then.
I mean I understand he's rich and all but that looks extreme to me. Bodyguards even while on vacation?
"Or maybe you can tell me why you always have men following you wherever you go" I say and look up to him.
He pauses his movements on my hair, looks at me and smiles.
"I told you. I'm an important person and people like me need protection" He says.
"Protection from who?" I wasn't really understanding him.
He slips his hand under the sheets to cup me.
"Protection from sweet, beautiful vixens like yourself who are out for me"
He's doing it again. Trying to use sex against me. He knows I get weak in the knees whenever he does that.
"You're cheating ... .S-stop cheating" I force out.
I can try to deny him and maintain my resolve but once his lips touches mine, I'm a goner.
He slips his fingers into me and I moan, my eyes closing in pleasure.
"Do you think you can give me another one?" He's closer now.
"I don't think I'd survive another round" I say, my resolve weakening.
He's already on top of me.
"Just one more. You can take it" He says and kisses me.
I'm a goner.
He pushes into me......and one little sperm swims home.
From the moment she was born, Camilla has been bound to Damien Russo, her fate sealed as a peace offering for her parents' hidden sins-a dark secret everyone refuses to reveal. A fierce rebel at heart, Camilla relentlessly seeks to break free from the gilded cage he has created for her. But as she delves deeper into the truth of their union, she uncovers a chilling reality: escape is impossible, and the grip of Damien Russo is inescapable. In a world where love and power collide, can she find a way to reclaim her freedom, or is she forever trapped in his world?
Sarah's father was accused of treason and executed alongside his wife as punishment, her sister had also mysteriously disappeared and was feared dead. She was shunned, ridiculed, bullied and mistreated by her own kind as punishment for being spared. With her days filled with scornful glares and harsh words, and Lucia, the Alpha's betrothed ensuring she was always on the edge of despair, she longed for a day where she would be free from the pack's cruelty. Fate seemed to smile at her when Alpha Killian, the Alpha King pays a visit to her pack, they end up becoming mates and she leaves her old pack. However, in Alpha Killian's pack, she comes to learn about a shocking truth and revelation about her sister's disappearance and her father's supposed betrayal which leaves her both stunned and devastated.
For three years, I waited to become the perfect Luna for my pack, to give the Alpha an heir. Three years of lies, of being the outsider in someone else's love story. Three years of grieving the loss of my baby and plotting revenge against the man who disfigured my face and ruined my womb. I had two choices: die at the hands of my own pack or escape and survive. I chose to hide and live. The Lycan King, Fenrir Lycros-the most bloodthirsty, ruthless ruler to ever lead the werewolves with an iron fist-made me his personal maid. It was the most dangerous role I could have, where even the slightest mistake could cost me my life. But no one from my past would think to look for me here. "Always be submissive, don't speak unless spoken to, don't listen, don't see anything, don't disturb the Lycan or you will die," were the simple rules I followed. I thought I was doing well-until one day, the King made me an offer I couldn't refuse. "Do you want me to save those people? Then give yourself to me tonight. Be my woman. I desire you, and I know you feel the same. Just once, Raven, only once..." But it wasn't just once. Passion turned into something deeper, something neither of us could deny. That cold, untamable man had somehow conquered my heart as well. However, when the past returned to haunt me and the truth about my birth came to light, I faced another choice: run from the Lycan King or wait for his mercy. "I'm sorry, but this time, I won't lose my pups again-not even for you, Fenrir Lycros."
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."