Anya, a woman haunted by the past, seeks solace in the quiet solitude of her seaside cottage. Her peaceful existence is shattered when she encounters the enigmatic billionaire, Damien Blackwood. "You're a puzzle, Anya," Damien murmurs, his gaze intense. "A puzzle I'm determined to solve." Drawn into his opulent world, Anya discovers a man consumed by darkness, a man who craves control and possesses a dangerous obsession. "I'll protect you, Anya," he promises, his voice laced with both tenderness and menace. "From yourself, from the world, and from anyone who dares to harm you." As the lines between love and obsession blur, Anya must confront her own demons and unravel the truth about Damien before it's too late. "You can't escape me, Anya," he whispers, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "I'll always find you."
Chapter One: Shadows by the Sea
The waves crashed against the rugged shoreline, their rhythm echoing through the quiet morning air. Anya Miller stood at the edge of the cliff, her arms wrapped around herself against the chill. The wind tugged at her loose sweater, carrying with it the briny scent of the ocean. Her easel stood a few feet away, the canvas still blank. Despite spending hours staring at the scene before her, the inspiration she sought refused to come.
She sighed and lowered her gaze to the rocky beach below. The sea had always been her sanctuary, a place where the noise of the world couldn't reach her. But lately, even its endless expanse wasn't enough to quiet her restless thoughts.
Anya glanced back at her small cottage, its weathered walls blending into the landscape. It was unassuming, tucked away from prying eyes, and it had been her safe haven for the past two years. She had rebuilt her life here, piece by fragile piece, away from the chaos and pain of her past.
But the past had a way of clinging to her like a shadow.
She turned back to the ocean, forcing herself to focus. The horizon stretched endlessly, a canvas of muted blues and grays. If she could just capture a fraction of its vastness, maybe the painting would come alive. Picking up her brush, she dipped it into the paint and hesitated, the bristles hovering over the blank surface.
Then came the sound of footsteps.
Anya's breath hitched, her grip on the brush tightening. The cliffside was remote-she rarely encountered anyone out here. She turned slowly, her pulse quickening, and saw a man standing a few feet away.
He was tall, his dark coat billowing in the wind. His sharp features were partially obscured by the shadow of the morning light, but his piercing gaze was unmistakable.
"I didn't mean to startle you," he said, his voice smooth and deep.
Anya took a step back, her instincts telling her to be cautious. "This is private property."
He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching as if amused. "I could say the same to you."
Her stomach dropped. She hadn't realized she had wandered so close to the edge of her neighbor's estate. She'd seen the sprawling mansion from a distance but had never been curious enough to approach it.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't realize-"
"It's not a problem," he interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "You're an artist, aren't you?"
Anya blinked, unsure how to respond. She glanced at the easel behind her and nodded cautiously. "I paint."
His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as though he were trying to unravel her secrets. "I'm Damien Blackwood," he said, extending a gloved hand.
The name struck a faint chord of recognition, though Anya couldn't place it. Hesitantly, she took his hand, his grip firm but not overbearing.
"Anya Miller."
"Anya," he repeated, as though testing the name. "You live in the cottage just beyond the hill?"
Her throat tightened. How did he know where she lived? She nodded again, her words caught somewhere between her caution and curiosity.
"It's rare to find someone who values solitude as much as I do," he said, his gaze drifting to the ocean. "Most people would rather fill the silence with noise."
Anya didn't respond, unsure of what to make of him. He was impeccably dressed, his coat tailored and his shoes too polished for the rugged terrain. He didn't belong here, and yet he seemed perfectly at ease.
"What are you painting?" he asked, gesturing to her canvas.
"Nothing yet," she admitted, her cheeks flushing. "I'm still trying to figure it out."
Damien tilted his head, studying her as if she were the puzzle instead of the painting. "Sometimes the best art comes when you stop trying to control it."
Anya frowned, his words hitting closer to home than she cared to admit. "I suppose," she said cautiously.
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'll leave you to it, then." He turned, but after a few steps, he paused. "Be careful near the cliffs. The wind can be... unpredictable."
She watched as he walked away, his silhouette blending into the mist that rolled off the sea. Even after he disappeared, the tension in her shoulders remained. There was something about him that set her on edge, something she couldn't quite place.
---
Later that afternoon, Anya found herself replaying the encounter in her mind. She had returned to her cottage and busied herself with cleaning, hoping the routine would ground her. But Damien Blackwood's presence lingered like a ghost.
She finally allowed herself to look him up online, her old laptop whirring to life as she typed his name into the search bar. The results were instant.
Damien Blackwood, billionaire entrepreneur, real estate magnate, and philanthropist. The articles were endless, detailing his rise to power and his penchant for remaining out of the spotlight.
But it was the photos that gave her pause. In every image, his expression was the same-calm, composed, and unreadable. There was a coldness in his eyes that made her shiver, even through the screen.
A knock at the door startled her, and she quickly closed the laptop. Her heart raced as she approached the door, hesitating before opening it.
"Ms. Miller," came a familiar voice.
She exhaled, her pulse steadying. It was Sarah Caldwell, the local café owner and one of the few people Anya trusted.
"I thought I'd bring you some leftovers," Sarah said, holding up a basket. "I made too much stew again."
Anya managed a smile, stepping aside to let her in. "Thanks. You didn't have to."
Sarah shrugged, setting the basket on the counter. "You've got to eat, Anya. You're too skinny as it is."
As Sarah busied herself unpacking the basket, she glanced around the room. "Did you hear about the Blackwood guy?"
Anya froze. "What about him?"
"He's been back in town for a week now. People say he's planning to restore the old mansion. It's been abandoned for years, you know."
Anya nodded, her thoughts racing.
"Damien Blackwood's a bit of a mystery," Sarah continued. "Some people think he's charming; others say he's dangerous." She leaned closer, her voice lowering. "I'd keep my distance if I were you. Men like him don't come to places like this without a reason."
Anya swallowed hard, the weight of Sarah's words sinking in. She thanked her friend and saw her off, but the unease in her chest only grew.
As night fell, Anya stared out the window at the distant lights of the Blackwood mansion. For the first time in years, she felt the walls of her sanctuary begin to close in.
Something had shifted, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her quiet life was no longer her own.
"Slave to the Inferno" tells the story of a young girl named Elissa who is sold into the world of human trafficking and ends up in the hands of an underground mafia boss named Kaier. As Elissa adjusts to her new life, she finds herself becoming more and more fascinated with the power dynamics of BDSM, and begins to rise in the ranks of the dungeon as Kaier's favorite. However, the jealousy of the other women in the dungeon threatens to destroy everything Elissa has built, and she must fight to survive in this dangerous, seductive world.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
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."
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
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?"
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."