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Tessa Maddox never imagined she'd trade her passion for social work for the cold, ruthless world of corporate finance. But when a scandal forces her to leave everything behind, she takes a job as the personal assistant to Adrian Steele New York's most feared and untouchable billionaire. Adrian is a man who controls everything and trusts no one. He built his empire with ruthless precision, hiding his secret philanthropic work behind an ironclad reputation. Love is a distraction he can't afford until Tessa storms into his life with her fiery defiance and a body that tempts him to break all his rules. Their chemistry is undeniable. Their connection? Forbidden. But when Adrian's vengeful ex-fiancée, Bianca Castello, sets out to destroy him, and Tessa discovers a shocking truth that could cost him everything, she's forced to make an impossible choice protect the man she's falling for or walk away before she loses herself in his world. He claimed her with a single touch. But in a world where power is everything, will love be enough to keep them together?
The relentless hum of the city pulsed through the tinted windows of the black limousine as it cut through Manhattan's traffic. Inside, Adrian Steele sat in the backseat, one hand gripping his phone, the other tapping impatiently against the leather armrest. His steel-gray eyes were locked on the financial reports displayed on his screen, but his mind was elsewhere.
"She starts today?" His voice was smooth, authoritative.
"Yes, sir. Tessa Maddox should be arriving at your office within the hour," his assistant, Elijah, replied from the front seat.
Adrian's jaw tightened. He hated change, especially when it came to his staff. His last assistant had been efficient-until she made the mistake of trying to seduce him, thinking she could charm her way into his life. He had no patience for workplace entanglements. He needed competence, not complications.
"Background check came back clean?"
"Yes. She has an impressive record in the nonprofit sector, but after a... well, let's just say, an unfortunate situation, she's decided to transition into the corporate world. Overqualified for the role, honestly."
Adrian smirked. "Overqualified? That's never stopped anyone from wanting a paycheck."
Elijah hesitated. "There's more to it than that, sir. She was one of the best social workers in the city. Had a reputation for fighting the system, advocating for families others wouldn't touch. Then, suddenly, she resigned."
Adrian wasn't interested in sob stories. "As long as she does her job, I don't care why she left."
Elijah nodded but said nothing else.
Minutes later, the limousine pulled up in front of Steele Enterprises-a sleek, towering skyscraper of steel and glass that loomed over Fifth Avenue. Adrian stepped out, buttoning his charcoal suit jacket as he strode inside. Employees parted like the Red Sea as he walked through the lobby, his presence commanding attention without a word. He didn't need to speak-his reputation spoke for him.
By the time he stepped into his private elevator, his mind had already moved on. Another day. Another battle. Another deal to win.
Tessa Maddox stood in front of the massive glass doors of Steele Enterprises, gripping the strap of her purse a little too tightly. This wasn't her world. The towering building, the perfectly dressed executives brushing past her, the cold efficiency of it all-it was the complete opposite of the life she'd known.
But she didn't have the luxury of hesitation. Not anymore.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor. A receptionist glanced up from behind a sleek white desk, offering a polite but detached smile.
"Name?"
"Tessa Maddox. I'm the new executive assistant."
The woman's expression flickered for a fraction of a second-something between curiosity and pity-but it was gone so fast, Tessa almost thought she imagined it.
"Mr. Steele is expecting you. Take the elevator to the top floor."
Tessa nodded and walked toward the elevator, her heart pounding harder than she wanted to admit. This job wasn't her dream, but it was necessary. After what had happened... she needed a fresh start.
She stepped inside the private elevator, the doors sliding shut with a whisper. As the numbers climbed higher, she inhaled deeply, straightened her shoulders, and reminded herself-this was just a job.
Then why did it feel like she was walking straight into the lion's den?
When she entered the top-floor office, she barely had time to take in her surroundings before a deep, commanding voice cut through the silence.
"You're late."
Tessa's head snapped toward the source of the voice.
Adrian Steele.
He sat behind an enormous black desk, the skyline stretching behind him like a throne room view. Dark-haired, sharp-jawed, with piercing gray eyes that pinned her in place. He exuded power-not just in the way he looked, but in the way he carried himself. As if the world itself bowed at his feet.
She swallowed. "Actually, I'm five minutes early."
His brow arched, a slow, calculating expression. "Interesting. Most people in your position wouldn't dare correct me."
Tessa lifted her chin. "Most people aren't me."
A flicker of something passed through his eyes-amusement? Annoyance? She couldn't tell.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, folding his hands. "Tessa Maddox. Former social worker. No corporate experience. Yet here you are."
She clasped her hands behind her back, keeping her posture firm. "I learn fast."
"We'll see." He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."
Tessa hesitated a fraction of a second before obeying. The chair was ridiculously comfortable, but she refused to relax.
"Your job is simple," Adrian continued, watching her with an intensity that made her pulse skip. "You'll handle my schedule, manage my communications, and ensure everything runs smoothly. No mistakes. No excuses."
Tessa met his gaze head-on. "Understood."
His lips curled, but it wasn't quite a smile. "You're bold. That's either going to serve you well or get you fired within a week."
"Guess we'll find out."
For a moment, silence stretched between them. The air felt charged, crackling with something she couldn't name. Then, Adrian exhaled sharply, as if dismissing whatever had just passed between them.
"Report to Elijah for onboarding. We'll see if you're worth keeping."
Dismissed already.
Tessa stood, smoothing her skirt. She had barely taken two steps when his voice stopped her.
"One more thing, Ms. Maddox."
She turned.
His gaze was darker now, unreadable. "I don't mix business with pleasure. Keep that in mind."
Her stomach tightened, but she forced a smirk. "Good. Neither do I."
A slow, deliberate smile spread across his face, and for the first time, she realized something-
She may have just started working for Adrian Steele, but she had already stepped into a game she wasn't sure she knew how to play.
A prophecy foretold his rise to power. A dark witch vowed to claim him. A seer with untapped magic held the key to his fate. Talon Wildshadow was born to rule an alpha with unmatched strength, haunted by a destiny that could either make him the most powerful werewolf in history or lead to his downfall. Cold, ruthless, and unyielding, he has spent his life resisting fate... until her. Serena Evermore has always been different. Raised among humans, she never understood the visions that haunted her dreams or the strange pull she felt toward the moonlit forest. When she crosses paths with Talon, she sees flashes of a future she cannot escape a love as fierce as it is dangerous, a war between packs, and a dark force that seeks to tear them apart. But they are not the only ones bound by destiny. Helena Darkmoon, a powerful and cunning witch, has spent years plotting to make Talon hers. She will stop at nothing to eliminate Serena and ensure the prophecy unfolds in her favor even if it means using forbidden magic to bind Talon to her forever. As passion ignites and betrayals unfold, Serena and Talon must fight against fate itself. But when a deadly truth is revealed one that could destroy them both will their love be strong enough to rewrite destiny, or will they become pawns in a game designed to break them?
In the shadowed canals of Venice, where power and betrayal go hand in hand, Isabella Frost is forced into a dangerous pact to save her family from ruin. An arranged marriage to the infamous Noah Bennett, the ruthless mafia king, is her only salvation and her greatest curse. Noah is as lethal as he is captivating, a man who holds the city in his iron grip and hides his pain behind a mask of control. To him, Isabella is a pawn in a high stakes game of vengeance and dominance. But the more he tries to keep her at arm's length, the more she unravels the man beneath the monster. As passion ignites between them, secrets long buried rise to the surface. Isabella discovers her family's dark connection to the tragic past that fuels Noah's thirst for revenge, forcing her to choose between loyalty and the dangerous love she can't deny. But in a world ruled by blood and betrayal, love is a double edged sword, and the lines between savior and destroyer blur. When the truth comes to light, will Isabella and Noah survive the ultimate betrayal or will their love burn them both to ashes?
Raven Dark has spent years clawing her way to the top in the cutthroat world of tech, but her ultimate goal has always been revenge. Matt Hank-the arrogant billionaire CEO of Hank Tech Industries-is the man she blames for her family's ruin. Ruthless, charming, and infuriatingly handsome, Matt is everything she despises... and everything she secretly desires. When a high-stakes project forces Raven and Matt to work together for 365 days, their explosive rivalry takes an unexpected turn. Heated boardroom battles give way to smoldering stolen moments, and the line between enemies and lovers blurs dangerously. But as Raven uncovers a shocking truth about her past, her carefully constructed plans begin to unravel. With both their careers and hearts on the line, can Raven and Matt trust each other enough to survive the betrayals threatening to destroy them
Cassie Monroe never imagined she'd find herself in a high-stakes game of power and money - or that she'd be the one for sale. When her struggling boutique faces bankruptcy, Cassie has no choice but to accept a once-in-a-lifetime offer: a marriage of convenience with Dominic Blackwell, a ruthless billionaire who could save her business with a single signature. The deal is simple: a year-long marriage to help Dominic secure a vital business merger, and in return, financial freedom for Cassie. But there's nothing simple about the magnetic, enigmatic Dominic. Beneath his cool exterior lies a man with secrets as deep as his pockets, and Cassie can't decide if she's his savior or his pawn. As their arrangement blurs the line between business and pleasure, Cassie finds herself falling for the man she's supposed to be pretending to love. Just when she thinks she's seen beyond Dominic's façade, a hidden truth shatters her trust: Dominic orchestrated their entire meeting, knowing more about her past than she could have ever guessed. Was she chosen for this arrangement because of fate, or because of a carefully plotted plan?
When high-powered attorney Bella Castillo crosses paths with ruthless billionaire Damon Westwood at a glittering charity gala, the sparks are instant and undeniable. Bella knows better than to fall for a man like Damon, he's everything she despises: arrogant, entitled, and used to getting whatever he wants. But when a lucrative deal forces them to work together, their steamy chemistry becomes impossible to resist, blurring the lines between business and pleasure. Bella is determined to keep her heart locked away, but Damon is a man with secrets, and one slip could shatter the illusion of his perfect life. As Bella uncovers the cracks in Damon's empire, she faces an impossible choice: expose the truth and risk losing the only man who's ever made her feel this alive, or protect his darkest secret at the cost of everything she's built. In a world where money can buy almost anything, can love survive when the lies come crashing down?
Blurb: The Villainess In a world ruled by moonlight and dominance, Caroline Lockwood was born a noblewoman but became nothing more than a pawn in a ruthless game of power. Trapped as the unwilling lover of Kai Alexander, the alpha who despises her, she endures his cruelty and hatred, her heart broken time and time again. When she finds herself pregnant, she clings to a fragile hope that the child might thaw his icy heart. Instead, her hopes are shattered as Kai beats her until she loses the baby, leaving her with nothing but an unquenchable thirst for revenge. But Caroline is not as weak as she once seemed. Faking her death, she vanishes into the shadowy depths of the forest, emerging as a vengeful specter. She builds her own rogue army, transforming from a submissive victim into a feared predator. Her new mission? To hunt and destroy the very male werewolves who once hunted her. Now, she is the villainess in her own story, and the hunt has begun. As she returns to confront Kai, secrets unravel and truths long buried come to light. The alpha who once hated her might have hidden his true feelings behind a mask of cruelty. But is it too late for love when blood has already been spilled?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
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."
Warning! Mature Contents! ***Excerpt*** "You belong to me, Sheila. I alone am capable of making you feel this way. Your moans and body belong to me. Your soul and your body are all mine!" *** Alpha Killian Reid, the most dreaded Alpha in all of the North, wealthy, powerful and widely feared in the supernatural world, was the envy of all other packs. He was thought to have it all... power, fame, wealth and favour from the moon goddess, little was it known to his rivals that he has been under a curse, which has been kept a secret for so many years, and only the one with the gift of the moon goddess can lift the curse. Sheila, the daughter of Alpha Lucius who was an arch enemy to Killian, had grown up with so much hatred, detest and maltreatment from her father. She was the fated mate to Alpha Killian. He refused to reject her, yet he loathed her and treated her poorly, because he was in love with another woman, Thea. But one of these two women was the cure to his curse, while the other was an enemy within. How would he find out? Let's find out in this heart racing piece, filled with suspense, steamy romance and betrayal.
"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?"
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!