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?
RATED 18+ (WARNING) - EXPLICIT SCENES. "Strip for me" the beastly alpha called, his voice echoed from his dark cell, causing a shiver to go down her body. She couldn't fight the way her body reacts to him. Her nipples harden from his touch. "I can smell your wetness omega" he mutters, his hands tracing under her skirt till he feels up her wet jeweled folds, causing a hiss from her lips as his fingers push in. He whispers to he ears, a voice filled the dangerous promise "you are mine" .******. Elise Aldermen is the daughter of the Silvernight Pack's chief alpha. She has waited her whole life for her marriage ceremony, hoping it would be the best day of her life. However, she gets the shock of a lifetime when her betrothed coldly rejects her and makes her a slave after finding out her true origins, even though they were already bound. Not Not only is she claimed to be a bastard on her mating day, but she is also disowned and rejected by her pack and mate. Elise's life turns into a nightmare as she is thrown into the dungeons as the cruel alpha's slave, only to be handed off to his greatest beastly champion, who dwells in the dark cells. Elise soon discovers that the beast she is now forced to be marked and bound to is more than a monster; this beastly alpha could also be her fated mate.
"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?"
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!