Her Strength, Her Bane
Being a taboo makes it all the more exciting...
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Three years ago, Joslyn Patel met a man whom her best friend described as “sex on legs”. Three years ago, Gabriel Reid met a woman whose smart mouth he'd hoped was as good at blowing as it was at retorting—it had been way more than he'd imagined, by the way.
Three years ago, sparks were ignited, their intertwined fate was set in stone and they had a night to remember.
Fast forward to two years later, Gabriel now has a girlfriend so he definitely shouldn't be thinking about the woman from that explosive night but he can't help that the memories were now imprinted on his mind... and perhaps another part of him.
Fate would have it that when Gabriel finally meets the best friend his girlfriend wouldn't stop talking about, she happens to be Joslyn, the mystery woman from two years ago. Tension brews between the two but nothing can be done about it.
Skip to the present; Gabriel is now single again and nothing stands between him and finally getting the woman he's spent three years wanting, but what happens when before he can begin his chase, his divorced mother introduces a man her age as her new fiancé.
What happens when the man turns out to be Joslyn's father?
After all, a taboo relationship makes it all the more hot and exciting.
Ler
Chapter: Chapter 20Joslyn froze for a split second as Gabriel's lips claimed hers, the rest of her words vanishing in the passionate wake of his kiss. The sheer force of his longing washed over her, instantly leaving her breathless. His hands cupped her face, fingers threading up into her hair as though he were anchoring himself to her, desperate to prove something—perhaps to her, or perhaps to himself. Joslyn's words and her initial shock melted away as her body betrayed her, responding instinctively to the intensity of Gabriel's touch. She raised her hands to his chest, torn between pushing him off or drawing him closer but without thinking too much about it, Joslyn chose the latter, gripping the front of his shirt and pulling him closer until their fronts were pressed against each other. She let a moan slip through as the kiss deepened, their tongues lightly caressing—it was raw and electric, as if the air between them had ignited into flames. Joslyn's back hit the door behind her with a soft thud
Última atualização: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 19As Gabriel pulled into the parking lot of the bar close to his apartment building, exhaustion weighed heavily on his shoulders. The day had been quite grueling, dealing with a particularly indecisive and demanding client who'd seemed determined to test his patience at every chance. All he wanted now was a moment of peace, a quiet, crowdless corner where he could nurse a glass or two of alcohol. But as he approached the entrance, his thoughts drifted to Joslyn, her image vivid in his mind as always. The memory of their kiss lingered, leaving him with a confusing mix of emotions. Did she kiss him out of genuine desire, or was it merely a gesture of gratitude, like she'd said? Gabriel hoped the first was the case. Pushing aside his doubts, he stepped inside the dimly lit bar, sighing in relief at the sight of the few customers in it. The soft murmur of voices and clinking glasses welcomed him as he made his way to the counter.He was quick to gain the bartender’s attention. “Whiskey, p
Última atualização: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 18Finished with her final stretch, Joslyn stole a glance at Gabriel, who was in the process of packing up his gym bag. Their eyes then met, and the intensity of his gaze in that moment sent a shockwave through her body, like it had been doing all the while.She couldn't shake the memory of the heated glances they had been exchanging all morning, the silent but palpable attraction hanging thick in the air between the both of them. Something had obviously shifted between them in the past week since Joslyn spent the night at Gabriel's apartment. He’d taken care of her, not just that night alone but the next day as well by being there for her physically and emotionally when her father, Timothy, had been absent like usual. This shift appeared to have brought Joslyn and Gabriel closer this past week, close enough that the idea of giving in to this spellbinding desire between them seemed even more tempting.With a fluttery feeling deep in her stomach and a distinct ache further southward, Jo
Última atualização: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 17The soothing flow of warm water enveloped Joslyn as she stood beneath the shower. As the steam filled the bathroom, her mind drifted to Gabriel, the image of his caring acts towards her over the past few days vivid in her mind.But with each passing moment, her thoughts only deepened her confusion about her feelings for him. Were they just friends, or was there now something more brewing beneath the surface? The line between friendship and something else felt blurred, and Joslyn felt more uncertain.Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, her thoughts drifting to the day ahead. She walked to her closet, selecting her gym attire for the day, opting for comfortable spandex gym shorts and a snug sports bra. Joslyn made her way to the kitchen, her mind still lingering on the thoughts of Gabriel. She couldn't shake the nagging question consuming her thoughts; ‘Was he really here to stay or did he just want a repeat of their one-night stand together those years a
Última atualização: 2025-11-30
Chapter: Chapter 16The next morning, a slight headache greeted a dazed Joslyn as she woke up, her surroundings unfamiliar to her for a minute before the events of the previous night came flooding back. She was in Gabriel's guest room where the soft rays from the morning sunlight filtered through the diaphanous curtains, casting a warm glow over the room.Letting out a heavy sigh, Joslyn sat up on the bed with her back against the headboard as she carefully massaged her temples, her mind still reeling from the emotional turmoil from the previous day.She rubbed her eyes next, feeling their dry and puffy state, then suddenly Joslyn was reminded of how she'd broken down in front of Gabriel the night before and how, being so intoxicated by the much-needed comfort he provided with, she'd tried to kiss him. Joslyn’s eyes immediately widened, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment as she recalled her actions and how Gabriel had delicately rejected her, not wanting to take advantage of her when she’d been in suc
Última atualização: 2024-10-02
Chapter: Chapter 15Gabriel found himself revisiting the scene in his mind as he roamed his apartment, unable to shake the vivid memory of what had happened earlier. After a long day at work with countless meetings running into one another, Gabriel had been about ready to go to bed when he'd heard the loud bang from outside. Worried and cautious, he'd quickly stepped out of his apartment—only to be met with a sight that had caught him by surprise. There, seated before her door, was Joslyn, surrounded by her scattered belongings, resembling fallen leaves in disarray.However, it hadn't quite been the disorderliness of her belongings that had captured Gabriel's attention initially. It’d been the tears streaming down her face, her shoulders shaking with each sob. The contrast between her usual composed demeanor and her current state of vulnerability had been so stark and had struck him deeply.The image of Joslyn in such a state of distress had stirred within Gabriel an overwhelming yet inexplicable sense
Última atualização: 2024-05-23
Chapter: Bonus IIGrunting as he hurriedly threw on his clothes after haphazardly picking the first fabric he could get his hands on, Jordan had never in his entire life, multitasked as much and as frantically as he currently did. He buttoned up his shirt—his quivering hands making the task more difficult than it ought to be—while shaking his head to get rid of the water residue in his hair from his quick shower (the quickest he had ever showered), not having the time or patience to towel it dry as he simultaneously paced the length of the room in socks to find a pair of comfortable shoes since they were all only gathering in the backyard.Finally done securing the buttons on his shirt, Jordan grabbed a towel, fed up with the water marks ruining his shirt from his damp hair, and ran it vigorously through his hair; he crossed the room with a pair of shoes in his hold (ones he had also grabbed at first sight), only to suddenly howl in pain when he stubbed his little toe against the wooden bedpost.“Fuck!
Última atualização: 2022-10-30
Chapter: Bonus Chapter If anyone had told Jordan three years ago that he would have all he currently had, he'd have probably stared them down with an emotionless expression before flinging a dagger in-between their eyes. But now as he stood in the kitchen of their home—one Emerald had been so adamant on contributing to purchase—doing the dishes, he couldn't help the smile that seemed to never leave his face whenever he caught glimpses of the shimmering wedding ring around his finger through the lather. He had been smiling more since they had gotten over the incident two years ago. Surely at first, he had been consumed by the guilt, but after Emerald vowed to leave him for someone else if he didn't suck it all up, he had eventually gotten over it, the both of them choosing to set it amongst the things of the past they wanted to forget. Presently, as he hand-washed the pile of dishes from the lunch buffet his wife had just consumed after already having breakfast and brunch, with snacks in-between, he could
Última atualização: 2022-07-13
Chapter: EpilogueThree months. . .It had been three months since that dreadful day. Three months since he had heard her voice. Three months since he had seen those whirlpool of her emerald green orbs. Three months since she had graced him with that heart–stopping smile of hers. Three months of merciless torture for Jordan and Emerald's family.And through the seemingly endless course of these harrowing months, it had made him wonder if he would ever get to hear her sweet voice call his name ever again, if he would ever look into those bottomless orbs of hers and see his image reflected in them ever again, if he would ever feel her warm touch against his ever again. The war had been won, the obstacles had been passed over, but the casualties and damage done was irreversible and too great to bear, especially for Jordan, who was ridden by overwhelming guilt. Perhaps if he had kept his unwarranted anger at bay that night at the club, they would have finished off Carl and wouldn't have had to deal with t
Última atualização: 2022-06-28
Chapter: Author's NoteHello everyone, this Author's Note is prepared with regards to my previous about the new book I intended to publish. So there's been a change of plans and I've decided to publish a totally different book instead and leave the Yuletide novella for the holiday seasons. The next book has already been drafted and will be published this month, maybe on the 4th of April as a birthday gift from me to you guys, so we'll see how it goes. Just wanted to inform you all. With mixed feelings, I announce the completion of Behind Their Veneers. There would be an epilogue and maybe a bonus chapter or two and then we'll close Emerald's and Jordan's book officially. I'm so happy and sad about this, cause I'm going to miss these two, but it'd pave way for our upcoming couples — Remi and Zion. You're all going to love them, I promise. Well, that'll be all for now. Thank you! Your author, Laramie.
Última atualização: 2022-04-01
Chapter: LV (Pt Three)Emerald could only hear the deafening ringing in her ears, she could feel her head throbbing as though someone was using her head as a drum to beat an arrhythmic tune. Her vision swam, multiple black dots clouding her eyesight as she dangled right off the edge of consciousness. Letting out an agonising groan, she let her head fall, her forehead hitting the floor as she was unable to keep her head up any longer; it felt too heavy for her to carry, so she remained on the floor, her pulsating head against the cold ground as she tried to recover her bearings. Vaguely hearing the clicks of heels tapping against the floor she laid her head against, Emerald groaned. To her, the small clicks sounded like the harsh shrill of cymbals clashing against each other. She heard the footsteps stop in front of her and with a pained moan, she squinted her eyes open, seeing doubles of each image as she stared cross-eyed at the pair of spiked hee
Última atualização: 2022-04-01
Chapter: LV (Pt Two)A feminine voice cut through the silence of the room, interrupting Owen's response and Jordan turned his head toward the entrance of the basement when he heard the clicks of heels tapping against the floor. A blonde woman came into Jordan's view just as several masked men shuffled into the room, taking up one side of the basement, surrounding the woman, while his own men took the other side and surrounded him and Owen, their stances rigidly alert. Frowning deeply at the new and unfamiliar intruder in the room, Jordan stood to his feet, pulling Owen with him before facing the unknown woman. His eyes remained glued to her face as he tried to shuffle through his memories for recognition of her while the woman was busy ogling his body, visibly undressing him with her gaze as she licked her lips. He had never seen or heard of her before, Jordan concluded, and not having the patience to deal with an evidently horny
Última atualização: 2022-04-01
Bound By The Erstwhile Chains
"You can't handle it. If you try too hard to understand me, what you'll unbosom, that is if you're able to uncover anything, will drive you mad. Because my mind is a dark labyrinth, never understood".
“Sometimes there is no darker place than our thoughts, the moonless midnight of the mind”.——Dean Roontz.
A dark, lonely, numb soul wanders the face of the Earth in search of peace. Running and hiding from her hunters and her captives. She's trying all she can to feel something, anything, at all as proof that she's living but all to no avail. She's neither human nor werewolf, Satyr nor mermaid, she doesn't seem to have a place to fit in. Her only mission and the goal that drives her very being is how to get rid of the curse she was born with. A curse that seems to spread its wings of death over any one she dares to care about. A curse that doesn't hesitate to suck the happiness out of all beings of close proximity to her.
Will her strive to break this curse be fruitful or futile? Will she be able to protect others from getting consumed by this curse that plagues her very existence? Will she thrive over this seemingly unbreakable curse?
Ler
Chapter: FIFTEEN“As we all know, this is a meditation class. Camp Arietis isn't just all about teaching you how to fight or control your powers.We also educate you on how to keep a calm mind while others are panicking in a time of trouble. Only a calm and thoughtful mind will be able to think of diverse solutions to help resolve whatever dilemma you may face.”Professor Tancred walked around the class as he looked at the faces of students before his eyes stopped at the sight of the second Prince of the Water Kingdom sitting beside the intruder.His eyebrows knotted on his forehead before they vanished in no time, making way for a small smile to dominate his face.He continued, “Same as other activities, some of you would be able to master this skill while others might find it very hard to learn, thereby giving up.I am restating all of this for the sake of the new
Última atualização: 2021-09-14
Chapter: FOURTEENRed. Pink. Purple. Those were the sickening rainbow colours that marred her left cheek as she stared at herself in the foggy mirror which held the remnants of the earlier steam from her much needed bath.She raised her long yet delicate hands towards her pale white face. Her fingers softly touched the mark. In contrast to her white porcelain face, the coloured injury was explicitly conspicuous. It was swollen and it made the entirety of her left cheek look fat and chubby — the total opposite of her bony right cheek.She poked the injury but as expected, just like her other injuries, it was numb. She felt nothing there; no pain, no sting like it had stung her back in the training room.Blinking her deadened pink eyes, she stepped away from the mirror and walked out of the bathroom. Hearing the camp bell that was currently clanging, the loud and annoying chime resonating round the entire camp, she knew it was the end of their lunch br
Última atualização: 2021-04-20
Chapter: THIRTEENCavier continued to swing his spar, taking aggressive shots at her but Alaria only dodged his advances. She didn't want his name to be added to the endless list of people that she had killed but that move was making her seem like a coward and an amateur before the people seated here.She had no choice, she had to keep herself under control before this supposed ‘best sparring student in Arietian camp’ became old news.Seeing his opponent continuously dodging his hits with no intention of fighting back, Cavier could feel his ego swelling beyond the size of his head. He concluded that the so called ‘scary and deadly intruder’ was just full of hot air with no actions and consequentially, that thought fueled his courage to take even more aggressive swings at her, so with his signature twist, turn and strike technique that none of his opponents had ever expected, he managed to deliver a hit right to her face.Hearing the simultaneous gasp
Última atualização: 2021-03-24
Chapter: TWELVE“Good morning kids,” Miss Tabitha, the sparring teacher greeted, successfully eliciting disapproving groans from the students.She chuckled before correcting her words, “Sorry, I meant good morning ladies and gentlemen,” she flashed them a teasing smile to which they responded with ecstatic ones.“Good morning Miss Tabitha!” they shouted in enthusiasm. Friday was always an elated day for the students because then they wouldn't need to see professor Ethan for the entirety of the day; and though it was just the early hours of the day, they were ready to start their day.“I see you guys are pretty ecstatic today. Any special occasion?” she grinned as she attempted to walk towards the equipment room that was standing behind the door at the far corner of the room but she stopped short when a male student was already on his feet to help her get the sparring sticks.“We're just so happy to see you this morning, Miss Tabith
Última atualização: 2021-03-19
Chapter: ELEVENAmaury let out a deep, shaky sigh as his eyes snapped open. He ran his hand through his wet hair as the water from the shower above his head trickled down his body, in attempts to wash away the nightmare he had just had.It had been a nightmare that had suddenly turned into a sweet dream. It wasn't a figment of his imagination but it was his harsh past; it was the foul reality he had faced as a kid. That day had been the worst day of his life but also the best day of his life.Could such a thing exist? Having both your happy moments and tragic moments in just one day with only a few couple hours separating both events.The dream always left him breathless and angry yet with a tinge of regret and longing in the depths of his heart. He didn't know what he was longing for or why he felt such way but that was the last thing on his mind.His most prioritized concern was to figure out what might have prompted or tri
Última atualização: 2021-02-20
Chapter: TEN“Get a hold of her! Do not let her get away! Find her!!!”That familiar devilishly stentorian voice—that had always haunted her—thundered through the entire icy forest as she ran through the bushes in hopes of finally escaping this time around. She was in a life or life situation, trying to run very fast to get away and also trying to be quiet so they wouldn't know in what direction she went by having to listen to the rustling of the bushes or the crunching of snow beneath her feet as she ran past.She had four predicaments; to escape without being caught, to move swiftly but quietly through the bushes to avoid the risk of being tailed, she also had to mask her scent to prevent being perceived and lastly, she had to control her breathing and keep her vitals in check, especially her heartbeat.
Última atualização: 2021-02-12
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