Sage Whitmore has always fought for what she loves. The Bluebird Café-a small, charming cornerstone of her hometown-isn't just a business. It's her mother's legacy, a place filled with laughter, memories, and the heart of her community. But when an unexpected financial disaster threatens to shutter its doors forever, Sage is left scrambling for solutions. Desperate to save the café, she finds herself staring down a deal with the devil: Damian Cross. Damian is the king of New York's corporate world-ruthless, brilliant, and infuriatingly charming. A billionaire who bends empires to his will, Damian is a man who values control above all else. When he acquires Bluebird Café as part of a larger investment portfolio, he makes Sage an offer: work as his personal assistant for one year, and in return, she'll have the chance to buy back her café. The terms are simple, but Damian Cross's world is anything but. Thrown into the deep end of high-stakes business, Sage struggles to keep up with Damian's demanding pace and cryptic rules. But the more time she spends in his world, the more she begins to see cracks in his steel façade-glimpses of a man haunted by his past and driven by secrets. Damian, too, is drawn to Sage's unshakable spirit, her refusal to be intimidated, and the fire she brings to his cold, calculated life. Yet their growing attraction is a dangerous game. As Sage learns to navigate Damian's power plays and manipulations, she begins to question everything: his motives, his business decisions, and the undeniable pull between them. When a shocking betrayal threatens to shatter everything Sage has worked for, she's forced to make an impossible choice. In a world where loyalty is bought and trust is a luxury, Sage and Damian must confront their deepest fears to find the one thing they never thought possible-love. Beneath the Steel and Silk is a tale of passion, power, and redemption-a story of two souls colliding in a world that thrives on ambition and secrets. Will Sage conquer Damian's games, or will she lose her heart in the process?
Sage Whitmore tightened her grip on the rusted doorknob of Bluebird Café and took a deep breath before stepping outside. The August sun was relentless, beating down on the cracked asphalt and glaring off the peeling sign above the café. The place had seen better days-so had Sage-but it was hers. Or at least, it had felt that way until this morning.
She'd read the notice three times before her brain had truly absorbed the words. "Property auction: foreclosure effective immediately. Bidding to begin Monday, 11:00 AM." Just like that, the place where she'd poured every ounce of her pride, sweat, and stubbornness was going to be sold off to the highest bidder.
Now, Sage stood in the shadow of her small dream, watching as black SUVs rolled into the parking lot. Her heart sank as she saw the men in tailored suits and sharp dresses emerge, talking into their phones, clutching leather portfolios as though they were weapons. These weren't people who cared about the smell of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls or the way the sun warmed the diner's windows in the mornings. They were sharks, and Sage was a small fish with nowhere to swim.
"Big day, huh?"
Sage turned to see her friend and coworker, Maggie, leaning against the café's doorframe, a cigarette dangling from her lips. Maggie had the hardened smile of someone who'd seen too much of life to be surprised by it anymore. Her greying hair was tied back with a bandana, and her apron bore coffee stains that refused to wash out.
"Big day for vultures," Sage muttered.
"Say the word and I'll toss sugar syrup on their fancy loafers," Maggie offered, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
Sage cracked a smile, but her insides knotted with anxiety. "Appreciate it, Mags. But I need someone to keep the place standing while I try to fight for it."
She patted the café door for luck-an old habit-and crossed the parking lot to the community hall across the street, where the auction would take place. Her old boots scuffed against the pavement, a reminder that she didn't belong in this polished, high-stakes world.
The hall was packed when she entered. Rows of folding chairs were already filled with bankers, developers, and men in slick suits who smelled like money and arrogance. At the front of the room, a podium stood beneath a massive banner that read "Summit Real Estate & Holdings." Sage knew the name-it was plastered on the notices pinned to the café's windows.
She forced herself to sit in the back row, feeling invisible among the wealth around her. She hated the way her hands shook in her lap, hated that she cared so much about a piece of property. But Bluebird Café wasn't just a business-it had been her lifeline.
The hum of conversation quieted as a man approached the podium. He was tall, his black suit flawless against the white of the banner. But it wasn't his clothes that caught Sage's attention-it was his presence. The air shifted when he stepped forward, like gravity itself was bending in his favor. His jaw was sharp enough to cut glass, his dark hair brushed back in a way that made him look untouchable.
But it was his eyes-ice-blue and emotionless-that held her captive. They swept over the crowd as if he were cataloging every person in the room, and for the briefest second, they landed on her. Sage shivered involuntarily.
The man spoke, his voice smooth and commanding. "Good morning. I'm Damian Cross, CEO of Cross Global Enterprises. Summit Real Estate, as many of you know, is a subsidiary of my corporation. Today's auction will proceed swiftly and efficiently. I expect no interruptions."
A murmur rippled through the crowd at the name. Sage felt her stomach drop. She'd heard of Damian Cross-everyone had. Billionaire mogul, destroyer of small businesses, and a man whose face graced magazines alongside headlines like "The King of New York" and "Cold as Steel, Rich as Sin."
So why was he here? Why would a man like Damian Cross care about a rundown café in a no-name Kentucky town?
The auction began with properties Sage didn't recognize. One by one, the names of buildings and lots were called out, and developers raised their paddles with robotic precision. The numbers being thrown around were absurd-five hundred thousand, a million, three million.
Sage clenched her fists. The café wouldn't go for anywhere near that. It wasn't worth it. But to her, it was priceless.
Finally, the auctioneer called the name she'd been dreading.
"Lot 12: 432 Sycamore Street-Bluebird Café."
Sage stood up before she could stop herself. "I object!"
The word burst from her mouth like a cannon blast. The room turned in unison, a hundred pairs of eyes locking onto her. At the front, Damian Cross raised a single brow, unimpressed.
The auctioneer blinked at her. "Miss, this is a legal foreclosure auction. You can't 'object.'"
"It's my café," Sage said, her voice clear despite the tremor in her chest. "I've worked there for five years, poured every penny I have into keeping it alive. I just-I need time."
A few people in the crowd smirked. Someone whispered something that sounded suspiciously like "pathetic."
Damian Cross didn't smirk. Instead, he tilted his head, studying her as though she were a particularly confusing math problem. "You're Sage Whitmore, I presume?"
She stiffened. "How do you know my name?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he glanced at the auctioneer. "Proceed with the bidding."
Rage boiled up in her throat. "Wait! I'm not done-"
"Miss Whitmore," Damian said, his tone clipped, "your sentiment is admirable, but business isn't won on feelings. If you want the café, then bid."
A ripple of laughter moved through the room, but Sage's cheeks burned. She turned to the auctioneer. "How much do I need to start?"
The man glanced at his papers. "Opening bid is fifty thousand dollars."
Fifty thousand. She didn't have fifty cents to spare. Sage's shoulders sagged as the first developer raised his paddle. "Fifty thousand."
"Seventy-five," another voice called.
"One hundred," someone else chimed in.
Damian Cross remained silent, hands steepled before him, gaze unwavering. He was watching her.
By the time the bids hit one hundred fifty thousand, Sage wanted to scream. This wasn't a competition-it was a bloodbath, and her café was the prize.
"One seventy-five," a sleek-haired woman said, holding her paddle up high.
The auctioneer's voice echoed. "One hundred seventy-five going once-"
"Two hundred thousand," Damian Cross said.
The room fell silent.
Sage's breath caught as every head turned to look at him. Damian didn't flinch. If anything, he looked bored, as though he were bidding on a paperclip instead of her livelihood.
The auctioneer glanced nervously at the other bidders. "Two hundred thousand. Do I hear two twenty?"
No one moved.
"Two hundred thousand going once... going twice..."
"Wait!" Sage blurted. "You can't just-"
"Sold," the auctioneer said, slamming his gavel.
The room erupted into murmurs, but Sage's ears were ringing. Damian Cross had just bought Bluebird Café.
For a long moment, Sage couldn't move. She stared at him as he stood and adjusted his cufflinks, exuding the kind of confidence that could flatten mountains. Before he turned to leave, he looked directly at her and said, "Miss Whitmore, meet me outside. We have much to discuss."
He disappeared through the double doors, leaving Sage trembling with fury and confusion. Her café was gone, snatched away by a man who already had everything. But she wasn't about to let Damian Cross win-not without a fight.
"What do you want from me?" she whispered under her breath as she followed him out into the sunlight, her heart pounding.
She didn't know it yet, but her life had just collided with his, and nothing would ever be the same.
In a kingdom torn by betrayal, Queen Margret hides a dangerous secret: her daughter Danielle has been raised as "Daniel," the male heir, after the tragic death of her son. For 20 years, Danielle has lived as the crown prince, concealing her true identity to protect her family and kingdom from her treacherous uncle, Kaelen. When war threatens, Danielle is sent as a spy to the rival Kingdom of Aldred, where she befriends Prince Adrian, who believes she is a man. Their bond deepens, and when Adrian discovers her secret, love sparks between them, despite their kingdoms being enemies. As Kaelen's schemes unfold and the truth risks exposure, Danielle must decide if she will embrace her destiny and fight for her kingdom-or lose everything to protect the man she loves.
Eira, a timid omega, spent her life enduring ridicule and rejection in the Blood Crescent Pack. The Mate Ceremony was supposed to change her fate, but her dreams shattered when her fated mate, Caden, publicly rejected her. Heartbroken and humiliated, Eira fled into the forest, only to be captured by ruthless slavers. Sold to the mysterious Alpha Triplet Princes-three dangerously powerful and alluring brothers-Eira is thrust into a world of dominance and desire she never anticipated. The triplets, known for their cruelty and insatiable appetites, see her as nothing more than a pawn in their games. But as Eira's fiery defiance sparks something unexpected in the princes, her role as their possession becomes far more complicated. As secrets of the past unravel and the triplets' true motives come to light, Eira must navigate a dangerous path filled with power struggles, dark desires, and forbidden emotions. Will she remain their captive, or will she find the strength to reclaim her destiny? In this steamy, suspenseful tale of betrayal, survival, and passion, Eira discovers that the bonds of fate are not easily broken-and neither is her spirit.
Five years ago, Samantha Grayson walked away from her marriage to ruthless billionaire Nathaniel Steele, heartbroken and pregnant, vowing never to look back. Betrayed by his cold neglect and devastated by a web of lies spun by his family, Samantha disappeared, leaving Nathaniel with nothing but regret and the ghost of a love he never deserved. Now, Samantha has returned as Scarlett Knight-a powerful lawyer with wealth, influence, and a single goal: destroy Nathaniel and the empire he sacrificed her to build. With secrets that could ruin him and an ally in his fiercest rival, she begins dismantling his life piece by piece. But Nathaniel is no longer the man she left behind. Haunted by his mistakes and desperate for redemption, he refuses to lose her again, even if it means unearthing the truth about her mysterious transformation. As Samantha's carefully orchestrated revenge takes shape, long-buried secrets unravel, and dangerous enemies emerge, threatening both their futures. When Nathaniel discovers Samantha's ultimate secret-their four-year-old daughter, Emily-he must fight not only for his company but for the family he never knew he had. Caught between love and vengeance, Samantha and Nathaniel are drawn into a high-stakes battle of wills. Will Samantha achieve her revenge, or will Nathaniel's regret and newfound love be enough to heal their fractured hearts? In this gripping tale of betrayal, passion, and redemption, revenge is just the beginning. ---
Evangeline "Eva" Woods thought a quiet life in the small town of Silver Mist would be her escape from the chaotic past that left her broken. But fate has other plans. On the eve of her 24th birthday, Eva discovers she is the long-lost Moon-Blessed, a rare being with the power to amplify a Lycan's abilities and bring balance to the supernatural world When Eva crosses into Lycan territory, she draws the attention of three powerful, possessive triplet Lycans-Dominic, Kael, and Lysander Graystone. Each brother is a force to be reckoned with, and they are bound to her by a bond deeper than blood. Dominic, the authoritative and protective eldest; Kael, the seductive and playful middle; and Lysander, the brooding and mysterious youngest-each one is determined to claim Eva for themselves. As the brothers' possessive love for Eva ignites, so does an ancient prophecy. The triplets must unite their fractured pack and confront a deadly threat-the rogue Lycans and a dark force tied to Eva's lineage. In the heat of battle and desire, Eva finds herself torn between the triplets, each of whom embodies a different side of the power, lust, and longing that bind them. But with danger closing in, Eva must embrace her fate. To protect the world they know, she must make a choice that could break her heart, or solidify the bond between them forever.
When struggling freelance photographer Sienna Blake wakes up in Las Vegas with a pounding headache and a billionaire husband, she assumes it's the worst mistake of her life. Xander Hawthorne, the reclusive tech genius and CEO, is equally horrified. Their drunken, impulsive marriage seems like a problem that can be solved with a quick annulment-until Xander's legal team reveals a shocking twist: a clause in his late grandfather's will forces him to remain married for six months if he wants to secure his family's estate. Desperate to fix their respective problems, Xander offers Sienna a deal: pretend to be his wife for six months, and in return, he'll pay off her mounting debts and fund her dream photography studio. Sienna reluctantly agrees, but the arrangement plunges her into the high-stakes world of billionaires, where every move is scrutinized, enemies lurk in plain sight, and her growing feelings for Xander threaten to upend their carefully crafted contract. As the two navigate media scandals, corporate sabotage, and personal insecurities, secrets from Xander's past and Sienna's present threaten to tear them apart. When a betrayal leaves their fragile trust in shambles, Sienna must make a choice: walk away with her independence intact or risk her heart to help Xander salvage not just his empire, but the future they've unintentionally begun to build together. In Accidentally Ever After, love and trust bloom in the most unexpected places, proving that sometimes, the biggest mistakes can lead to the happiest endings.
Selene has spent years running from her past-a lone wolf haunted by the sins of her fallen Bloodfang pack. Cursed with a reputation she never earned, she hides in the shadows, avoiding the hunters who would see her dead and the packs that would never accept her. But everything changes the night she crosses into Lucian Blackwood's territory. Lucian, the powerful Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, is relentless and untamed. When he discovers the rogue she-wolf injured in his forest, he feels the pull of the mate bond-a bond neither of them can afford. Selene wants nothing to do with him or his pack. She knows the truth: an alpha like Lucian can't be tied to someone like her, a wolf whose blood carries darkness. But Lucian refuses to let her go. As enemies close in and secrets unravel, Selene finds herself torn between the safety Lucian offers and the freedom she craves. The bond between them is undeniable, but their connection is forbidden. If Selene stays, she risks destroying the only chance of peace Lucian's pack has ever known. If she runs, it may cost them both their lives. Some bonds are fate. Others are a choice. And Selene must decide before time runs out.
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?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
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.
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."