Novels by Chanel L. Faye

Natalie sat at her large waterfall kitchen island, flipping through a fashion magazine. The television in the kitchen was on, but the sound was on mute. She flipped a page and took a sip of her strong coffee. She needed the caffeine, as she hadn’t slept last night. The thought of Palmer across the hall from her in her own apartment kept her tossing and turning in her king-sized bed. She had hoped that he’ll knock on her door, but she’d woken alone, sexually frustrated and mad at Palmer for being in her safe space. She had nowhere to run from him now. “Mm-hm General, I realize that you couldn’t stop the news from leaking out. I’ll talk to her father to get a press release out ASAP,” Palmer’s gravelly, calm voice pierced the stillness in the open-plan kitchen as he rounded the corner.“Okay, General. Thank you for the heads up. Goodbye.” Palmer placed his phone on the marble kitchen counter and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Natalie, your friends are coming up the elevator. Mark co

Natalie stepped out of her en-suite bathroom, the steam billowing out behind her. She had taken a scorching shower the minute she arrived at her apartment. Trying to wash away the nightmare that was the last 24 hours. Sitting in that school room in Angola, she had felt that she was counting down the seconds to her death. She was sure that even if her father paid the ransom, she would have been killed. Palmer kicking down the door had brought such extreme relief that her body had shaken with it.She sat down at her white and gold dressing table and unwrapped the towel around her head. The wet strands curling around her shoulders. Palmer had held her on the bed throughout the flight to New York until she fell asleep. When she had awakened, he had been there. Awake and watching her sleep. He had informed her that they had arrived and that the car was waiting for them.Palmer had escorted her to the black SUV that was parked on the airport tarmac, and they had driven her straight to her a

Natalie stood up from where she was crouching down on the bucket. She took a water bottle and washed her hands. Pulling up her jeans, she slowly walked back to the spot where she’d made a makeshift bed with the blankets she had been given. She didn’t know what time it was, but she guessed early morning.She slid down to her bed and wrapped a blanket around herself. It was June in Angola and the temperature dropped in the night. The footsteps of the man patrolling outside her windows sounded and she turned her head to look at the barracked window. Had her father paid the ransom already? Were they really going to let her go? Palmer must be furious with her for not staying close to Mark. Why did he leave her bed so early in the morning, leaving her wondering what was happening between them? She gave her head a shake. This was not the time to think about her entanglement with Palmer. She needed to stay alive. Natalie bolted upright when she heard a grunt from the kidnapper that was outsi

“The kidnappers have reached out to her father,” Isaiah said through the phone. “They want 800 mills in crypto.”Palmer rubbed the back of his neck, while changing direction mid-stride in his pacing at the police headquarters in Luanda. “800 mill! What the fuck!”“He wants to pay it, but he’s concerned that they won’t keep their word and kill her anyways.”Tendons stood out in his neck as his heart beat a mile a minute. His grip tightened on the cellphone. Natalie wasn’t going to die; he wouldn’t allow it. “Tell Mr Lopes that Natalie will be safe with us by tomorrow. Tell him to not pay those fuckers.”“Now, Palmer we still need to act like Mr Lopes is going to pay them until we have Natalie. Mark and Ezekiel are still combing through the satellite map to see where the panic button signal is coming from. We need time until we can pinpoint the exact location for extraction.”Palmer dipped his head even though he knew Isaiah couldn’t see him nod his agreement. He kept going through the

Natalie gasped awoke on a tough cement ground. Darkness surrounded her as she blinked away the grogginess from the sweet-smelling solvent that had rendered her unconscious. Lifting her hands, she hastily pulled off the bag wrapped around her head. Glancing around she took in the dimly light room. It was a dilapidated classroom and from the sizes of the broken chairs and desks scattered around the room it had been a primary school. The chalkboard was cracked, and dust particles floated around the room. The two windows were barricaded with wooden boards, the setting sun’s rays flowed through the spaces in between the boards casting long shadows across the room. The only door in the classroom had no handle. She was stuck inside. Harsh breaths left her mouth, her eyes squeezing shut as she rocked back and forth, her arms wrapped around her belly. How am I going to get out of here? Her father’s voice echoed in her head of him admonishing her of losing her bodyguards. She never took the da

“I’m glad that you wanted to see me again. After my party ended in a disaster, I wasn’t sure,” Mauricio said, his fingers pulling at the cuff of his designer suit.“Your suggestion to see the street market was enticing. Today is my last day in Angola and seeing more of it before I leave is exciting.” Natalie smiled sheepishly at Mauricio. “And I apologize for the way Palmer acted that night.”Mauricio let go of his cuff and waved his hand in a ‘doesn’t matter’ way. “You don’t have to apologize for your rude guard dog. He should be the one apologizing. If it wasn’t for you, he’d be in jail right now.”“I’m glad that you held back for my sake,” Natalie replied, gently nudging her elbow on Mauricio’s side.Natalie took in the scene of the S o Paulo open street market. The street was teeming with people buying or selling. Cars drove haphazardly in the busy street. Makeshift shops with corrugated tops and colorful parasols lined the street with sellers calling out for customers to buy all

Isobel opened her eyes and then blinked against the bright morning light. Her eyes finally cleared enough to see Kyle laying by her side, his fingers brushing against the small teeth mark on his shoulder.Frowning, she glared at him. “Why don’t you have curtains? The light nearly blinded me!”Laughing, he leaned to kiss her, blocking any other words from her mouth. Pulling back, he placed his head on his pillow, his fingers moving back to the bite mark. “My cabin is further back from the rest of the settlement and if anyone comes, I can hear them or smell them, so I won’t be caught unaware. Leaving the windows uncovered makes me feel closer to the woods. It calms my wolf.”Isobel Harrumphed, as she placed her head on his chest. His heartbeat a sweet lullaby in her ear, making her feel safe and protected. “My blunt human teeth didn’t do much damage, I see.”“What?! No, I love that you bite me. That you want to leave a mark on me, too. Bite me as much as you like Bella.” He ruffled her

“I’m so glad you could join us for dinner,” Kyle’s mother said, beaming. “If he hadn’t bought you, I would have come knocking at your cabin to come meet you.”“Mom!” Kyle grouched from across the dinner table, a flush creeping across his cheeks as he peeked from under his eyelashes at Isobel, who sat next to him.“I’m grateful for the invitation,” Isobel responded, smiled at Kyle’s mother. A tiny woman who didn’t look like she could have pushed out a strappy man like Kyle. She had the same coloring and hair as her son. Greyston, Kyle’s father, had the same hair coloring but instead of chocolate-colored eyes, his were a deep-set blue.“I’m proud that my son and wolf have such great taste. You are a stunning girl,” Kyle’s mother stated.Isobel dropped her gaze to her dinner table, her throat burning from the compliment. “Thank you, Mrs. Brooks.”“Please call me Annie. We are family, after all.”Glancing up, a shy smile tugging on her lips. “Thank you, Annie.”“Are you sure she’s family?

The noon sun streamed through the thin curtains, when Isobel awoke alone, a brief note from Kyle on the pillow beside her, explaining that he had a family emergency that he had to attend to and that he will return later tonight. She pushed back the sheets and winced when she tried to move and get off the bed. Glancing down between her legs, she saw Kyle’s semen mixed in with blood. Signs of her lost innocence.Sitting upright, she leaned back on the vintage metal railing of the bed frame. Varied emotions rushed through her, but the one that bubbled to the surface was elation. She’d never thought she’d experience such pleasure. Such passion. The deep gashes on her body had made her self-conscious about her body. About showing her body to a lover. But Kyle had kissed and loved on her scars. Making her feel seen. Beautiful. Desired. She never thought anyone would see beyond her scars and love her. Her fingers itched to paint these emotions inside of her. But first a shower, food and then

Isobel squealed as Kyle hurled her in the middle of the soft bed. She glanced at him with dark brown eyes still hazy with lust. Him and his wolf preened. They’ve put that desire in her eyes. Kyle had never wanted to be inside a woman as badly as he wanted to be inside her. She was the reason he waited and there were no regrets. She was the one. His mate. The goddess had finally blessed him.“Isobel, if you don’t want this, tell me now and I’ll stop.” His wolf whined at the thought of stopping, but they’ll never hurt their mate. “I’ll go and make us tea so we can talk.”Isobel’s glances rolled over his body, her eyes darkened with desire, but a shadow passed over her eyes, masking her desire. “I want to but…”“But you are scared, because I’ll see your scars?”She nodded, looking away. He placed both of his hands on the bed and crawled toward her. Kyle kissed her leg from her ankle to the deep gashes on her thigh. “You don’t have to be scared, Bella. I want you. All of you,” he said, hi

The early morning breeze chilled her skin and Isobel gripped her warm mug with both hands to ease the chill of the wind. She gazed at the stream flowing in front of her cabin, but her thoughts were on Kyle’s confession yesterday. He turned into a wolf? How was that even possible? And was the monster that marred her skin a wolf shifter too? She had so many questions and not enough answers.The wind ruffled her white nightdress against her ankles, the grass cold and wet under her bare feet. Isobel had woken up from a restless night hoping to get some painting done in the morning, but now the sun was ascending in the navy-blue sky and all she had done was fret about Kyle. a noise by the edge of the forest made her glance up and the man that wasn’t too far from her thoughts stood at the border where the forest stopped and the field to her grandfather’s cabin started. Her heart leaped as she took him in. Clad in worn jeans that hung low and a black henley shirt that clung to his muscular c

Isobel scurried out of the bed. Strong arms clasped her waist and pulled her to a hard, lean chest.“Please don’t run away,” Kyle implored. His hot breath brushed against her ear. “Let me explain.”Nodding, she waited for him to let her go, but his arms tightened against her. “Now, I’m not letting you go until you’ve heard what I’ve got to say.”He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her down on his lap. Her soft buttocks pressed down on his groin as she squirmed underneath him. Kyle swallowed a groan. His heart thundered, his lungs expanding, taking in her delicious scent. He nuzzled her nape, his eyes briefly closing.“Kyle, let me go. I won’t run. I promise.”Her soft-spoken words made him pop his eyes open. He tightened his hold on her. The tip of his nose trailed down from the nape of her neck to her shoulder. Her breathing hitched and her pulse was visible against her skin.“Shh, don’t be afraid of me,” he said, his voice an octave lower. “My wolf is my other half. I am h