Ava's mother gets married again, and she finds herself living under the same roof as Ethan Thompson-most handsome boy in his school and son of the wealthiest millionaire in town-who is now her stepfather. What begins as an uncomfortable adjustment turns out to be more complicated when she realizes feelings toward him are more than just familial; the chemistry between them is undeniable, but with their parents happily married and with their new family bond at stake, both are torn between coining what's right and following their heart. As the moments of tender connection escalate, all small, into something far more intimate-a touch or a lingering glance. It is then that Ava's mother remarries, putting her under one roof with Ethan Thompson, the hottest boy at his school and the son of the wealthiest millionaire in town-her new stepdad. It's an uncomfortable adjustment that begins to get much more complicated when feelings toward him are realized to be more than sibling-like in origin. The sparks between them are undeniable, but their parents' happy marriage and their bond as a new family hang in the balance, leaving each person to be torn between coining what's right and following their heart. With more time devoted to each other, small moments of connection deepen into something much more intimate: a touch, a lingering glance, a secret they can't share with anyone else. Weighted with the expectation of family, they understand it could shatter everything. Skirting that line between love and family, Ava and Ethan must decide. Will they be able to embrace their forbidden love or give up their happiness for the people they care about? Meanwhile, Ava's best friend Leah gives another layer to the story. Her vibrant, apparently carefree personality hides secrets of its own, and as Ava confides in her about her complicated feelings for Ethan, Leah begins to act strangely. Or can she be hiding something really important? When all these secrets come into the open, the relationship between Ava and Ethan faces one final test. Secrets begin to unwind: about Ethan's mother and the real reason for her disappearance. The family is immediately in turmoil, and Ava finds herself in a web of deceit and mystery threatening to rip the whole family apart. As the stakes mount, Ava must choose between walking away from the only person who has made her feel alive or risk it all-including the fragile new family she's just become a part of-for love that may be doomed from its inception.
CHAPTER ONE.
NEW BEGINNING
The hum of the moving truck's engine finally called off and silence settled over the quiet suburban neighborhood. Ava stood in the path in front of the house that was supposed to be her new home, but it felt anything but that. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared up at the gorgeous giant house. Painted bright navy blue, the shutters almost glowed in the dim light of evening, and the flowers lining the walk were painstakingly tended. A perfect house, for a perfect family-except that she didn't feel like a part of such a family."
"Welcome home, honey," her mother's voice was soft, bubbling with excitement, and she stepped up beside her, nudging her gently with her shoulder.
" I know it is a big change., but give it time, Ava smiled and nodded, even though her chest tightened. Give it time. She wasn't sure time would make it easier. Her mom had remarried after years of being single and now they were moving with her new stepfather Mr Thompson and that meant living with him and the stepfather.
The sound of footsteps, heavier than her moans behind her, broke into her thought.
"you must be Ava". It's great finally having you here,Mr Thompson said warmly extending a hand. She shook it politely, trying to match his enthusiasm but her attention was already wandering, thanks Mr Thompson. Its nice............ nice to be here she managed, her eyes darting towards the front door. And there he stood, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest, watching her. Ethan Thompson. His brown hair was messy, haphazardly tangled, as if he hadn't bothered this morning to do anything with it. His green hazel eyes were examining her with such intensity that she didn't know how to feel about it. She had met him but briefly before the wedding, and even then he gave her that exact same look-as if he were trying to figure her out. It unsettled her. Their gaze held a second longer than she planned, and she looked sharply away, her cheeks heating as she detested how, even now, she was hyper-aware of him. He hadn't said a word yet, and already she felt like crowing in awkwardness. He must think she was some quiet, boring girl invading his space. Hey", he said finally, his voice low but casual. "Hey", she replied, clenching onto her bag a bit tighter, wished she had something to say, but really, what was there for her to say, hmmmm nice house, nice to meet you again? This just wasn't the time for all this-forced togetherness. Her mum didn't pick up on the unease and clapped her hands together; well, let's get your things inside-you've got the room at the end of the hall, right next to Ethan, she beamed, like she had just announced the best news in the world. Ava forced another smile, wincing on the inside-of course their rooms would be next to each other. How was she going to live like this, sharing the same hall, hearing him come and go, knowing he was only one door away? She could almost feel the awkwardness of accidental run-ins, moments of silence where they didn't know what to say to each other. She stepped inside the house and immediately was hit with the scent of a fresh, new-smelling room; everything looked new. Mr Thompson had clearly gone out of his way to make the house welcoming to me and mum, and she could appreciate that, yet it simply was not her home. As she mounted the stairs to her room, she could feel Ethan trailing at her back; she quickened her pace, desperate to put space between them. But when she turned into her room, he stopped at his door and leaned against the frame again, "need any help unpacking" ? He offered, though there was a trace of amusement in his voice-like he knew she wouldn't accept. She wriggled her hand free quickly, "No thanks, I am good". "suit yourself", he gave a half shrug disappearing into his room and shutting his door behind him. She exhaled a breath that she hadn't known that she was holding and turned to her new room.
It was nice - spacious with a window that overlooked the backyard. She couldn't enjoy it yet, not with everything else weighing in her mind-the walls felt too bare, too unfamiliar; her clothes, still packed away in boxes, out of places. She hadn't realized how much her old room had been a comfort until now. Sitting on the bed edge, she stared at the unopened boxes, trying to summon the energy to unpack. Trying to summon the energy to unpack. Her mind kept returning to Ethan, the manner in which he had looked at her, his easy confidence as he carried this like it wasn't a big deal. Perhaps for him, it wasn't-he was accustomed to this house, this life; she was the outsider. A soft knock on the doorframe made her jump; her mum stood there leaning against the door with a kind smile. "I know this is hard, but give it a chance, okay?" she said softly. Mr. Thompson is a good man, and Ethan.......... well, he can be a little tough, rough around the edges, but he is a good kid; you will get along. Ava forced a nod, not trusting herself to speak without her voice breaking, "yeah I'm sure". When her mom finally had left, Ava lay back on the bed staring up at the ceiling-it all just felt too much: new house, new family, new life, new everything and now Ethan. She hated how much he occupied her thoughts already, how her heart raced just from standing near her. It was just awkwardness, she told herself; it would pass. But deep inside, she was not quite so sure, because something in him made her believe this was only the beginning.
She lived in a world of shadows and secrets, where she was never destined to get close to the dark world. But when she finds herself bound and captured by the Mafia's most dangerous enforcer, her life becomes a perilous game of survival-and seduction. Her captor is ruthless and relentless, his icy demeanor hiding secrets as dark as his past. She's just a pawn in his world...or so she thinks. Yet, with each passing day and every increasingly hot exchange between them, she catches glimpses in him behind his mask-one that is as broken as she is fiery. Compelled by happenstance and bound by a chemistry none can deny, they both enter a lethal dance of trust and betrayal. But in the Mafia underworld, loyalty is a fragile thing, and love may just be the most dangerous weapon of all. Will she fall into his clutches, or does she find herself falling for the only man who should become an enemy? In the shadows, one thing is sure: surrender comes at a price, and in The Captive's Kiss, passion might just be their only salvation-or downfall. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or just possibly, she was exactly where fate wanted her to be. The Mafia enforcer with cold-hearted deadliness trapped her within a world barely known to her. He is as mysterious as he is ruthless, every spoken word with laced danger, both terrorizing and captivating her. In this war of wills, sparks fly, showing glimpses of the vulnerabilities that lie beneath toughened exteriors. The more barriers they break, however, the more she realizes that her eventual escape may just be a heart left behind. The lines between captor and captive blur in a tangle of resistance that binds them tighter than any chains. But in a Mafia world of unforgiving existence, trust is a weakness and love, a fatal mistake. Every kiss, every whispered secret brings them one step closer to betrayal. With enemies closing in around them from the darkness, loyalty balancing precariously, their bond becomes at once their vulnerability and their strength. From Captive's Kiss: She does have a choice to make: will she risk her heart and step into his world, or escape with her life, leaving their dangerous passion behind?
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.
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.Â
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"