Lila Monroe: "I thought I knew everything about him. The way his hands trembled when he was lying, the chilly tone in his voice when he was hurt, and the truths he sought to cover under his enticing arrogance. But the truth? It demolished everything I believed in, including the falsehoods I told myself to survive. I didn't plan to slip into his world of power, deceit, and persistent passion. I was just another pawn in his empire-a contract wife for convenience, chosen to fix his public image. But one prohibited night altered everything. One secret devastated me. And now, the man who broke me is the only one who can save me. If I allow him." Adrian Kane: "I didn't select her; I needed her. She was my ticket to survive, a perfect storm of innocence and disobedience wrapped in a contract neither of us wanted but both of us couldn't avoid. I should've kept my distance, but the falsehoods I told her were my doing. Now I'm chasing her through the damage and the treachery I inflicted, hoping she'll let me make things right. But what if the truth I strove to hide was the one thing that could bring her back-or destroy her completely?"
Lila's POV
"How much will it take for you to walk away from this?"
The voice was deep, cold, and dangerously smooth. It pierced through the whirl of music and laughing surrounding the private area like a whip, grabbing attention.
Mid-step I halted and tightened the contract folder to my chest. Not looking at me was the man in the exquisite black suit slumped against the bar. Not quite yet. His acute blue eyes locked on the man who had been obstructing my path seconds ago-a balding businessman motivated by wicked motivations and drunkenness.
"Adrian Kane," the man murmured, his cheeks paling. "This isn't what it looks like-"
"Leave," Adrian replied, his voice cold yet angry. "Or the next time you make a deal under my roof, you'll find yourself out of business."
The CEO stuttered meaningless apologies and fled into the throng, leaving me in the crosshairs of the predator alone. Adrian gazed at me then, slow and careful, as if he were stripping layers of my soul.
And you, he added, drawled straightening. "You seem like a woman who is in the incorrect place at the incorrect moment."
"Funny," I shot back, my pulse racing. "I was just about to say the same about you."
His lips twitched-was that a smile? It went very shortly, replaced with an expression I couldn't decipher.
"You're bold," he muttered, taking a step closer. "Most people know better than to cross me."
"I'm not most people."
"No," he muttered, his voice falling to a deadly whisper. "You're not."
I didn't back away, even as the intensity of his presence coiled about me like smoke. I'd come here to save my job, not to play his games, no matter how wonderful his voice sounded.
"If you'll excuse me," I muttered, struggling to go by him.
But he didn't allow me. His hand, warm and firm, descended on my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
"Wait."
His hold wasn't firm, but it sent a thrill through me just the same. I swung back, frowning. "What do you want?"
"A moment of your time," he said, releasing me. "Consider it payment for the favor I just did you."
"I didn't ask for your help."
"Maybe not," he conceded. "But I protected you from making a mistake, didn't I? That man was about to scam you out of everything you've worked for."
My breath hitched. How did he know that?
"I don't need saving," I snapped, more defensive than I intended.
"No?" His eyes glinted with something dark and knowing. "Then tell me, Ms. Monroe, what exactly were you planning to do when that man offered to 'invest' in your company?"
I opened my lips to reply, but no words emerged. He had me, and we both knew it.
"That's what I thought," Adrian commented, his voice quieter now, almost...gentle? No, I couldn't afford to be deceived by him.
"What do you want from me?" I queried again, my tone stronger.
"A business proposition," he said simply, stepping back. "One that could solve both of our problems."
I frowned. "And what problem do you think I have?"
"You're desperate," he observed bluntly, folding his arms. "Desperate enough to take a deal from a man you didn't trust. Desperate enough to walk into a room like this, alone, without a plan. Am I wrong?"
My stomach twisted. I disliked how accurately he read me.
"And what about you?" I countered. "You're Adrian Kane, one of the richest men in this city. What problem could you possibly have that demands me?"
Adrian smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "More than you think. Sit with me, and I'll explain."
I followed him to a secluded corner of the lounge, my shoes clicking against the marble floor. Adrian didn't say a word until we were seated, the ambient hum of the space creating an odd impression of solitude.
"Do you know what the media has been saying about me lately?" he remarked, relaxing back in his chair.
"I don't follow tabloids," I responded, though I'd heard whispers. Scandal. Corruption. Something about a deal gone wrong.
"They think I'm unstable," he remarked, his voice tinted with rage. "A risk to my own kingdom. Investors are pulling out. Competitors are circling like vultures. I need to rehabilitate my image, and I need to do it fast."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"You," he added, his stare locking into mine, "are going to help me rehabilitate my reputation. You're going to be my wife."
The words hung in the air, weighty and impossible.
"Excuse me?" I sputtered, leaning forward. "Your what?"
"My wife," he continued, calm as ever. "On paper, at least. A mutually advantageous deal. I help you rehabilitate your career, and you help me stabilize mine."
"You're insane," I answered, standing. "This is insane."
"Maybe," he conceded, unfazed by my rage. "But I can offer you everything you've ever wished for, Lila. Security. Success. Freedom from the kind of men who prey on persons like you. All I'm asking for is one year of your life."
"And in return?"
"In return, you'll be set for life. Financially. Professionally. You'll never have to struggle again."
His comments were appealing-too seductive. But I couldn't dismiss the sensation in my gut that this was a mistake.
"Why me?" I asked, crossing my arms.
Adrian's expression softened, just a touch. "Because you're not like the others. You're real. And right now, that's exactly what I need."
I shook my head, backing away. "I don't even know you."
"You don't have to," he muttered, rising to his feet. "Not yet. But think about this, Lila: when was the last time someone offered to make your life easier instead of harder?"
I couldn't answer.
"Take the night to decide," Adrian continued, slipping a card into my palm. "If you say no, you'll never hear from me again. But if you say yes..." He trailed off, his stare searing into me. "You won't regret it."
I exited the lounge with my head spinning, Adrian's statements sticking in my mind. The card burned in my hand as I went through the dismal streets of Manhattan, my heart thumping.
This was ridiculous. This was hazardous. This was...everything I'd secretly dreamed of.
But as I rounded the corner of my flat, a shadow loomed from the alleyway. My breath hitched as a stranger moved into the feeble light, their face concealed by a hood.
"You're making a mistake," a voice said, low and scary. "Stay away from Adrian Kane, or you'll regret it."
Before I could respond, the person disappeared, leaving me alone in the rain with a choice I wasn't ready to make and a risk I couldn't ignore.
I never thought I'd become a pawn in my family's twisted game. I was the hidden daughter, dragged from the countryside, thrust into a contract marriage with a cold, ruthless billionaire to replace my conniving sister. Alan Walker-crippled and seemingly powerless-was my new husband. But beneath his icy exterior, secrets festered like poison. Betrayal has a way of changing people. When I learned the true reason I was chosen-used and discarded by my own blood-I knew revenge was my only path. What I didn't expect was Alan's hidden strength or the feelings that began to bloom between us. But even love can't erase lies, and Alan's secrets are darker than I ever imagined. He lied about everything. He was never truly crippled. Now, I stand on the precipice of love and hate, hunted by enemies that want to destroy us both. Together, we're dangerous. Apart, we're vulnerable. But can I trust the man who lied to me, or will his betrayal be our undoing?
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
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!
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.