Novels by Kosi Antonia

The moment the call ended, Damian released the phone from his ear and slid it into the inner pocket of his black suit jacket. His jaw tightened as he exhaled sharply, with the anger visible in his eyes. He couldn’t understand why his father suddenly wanted to sound calm and polite, as if they had ever shared that kind of bond. They were never close, and yet now, Lord Blackwood wanted to see him. For a second, Damian stared at the silent boardroom. The tension in the air matched his mood, cold and heavy. Finally, he rose from his seat with his face unreadable and began walking out of the room. His footsteps echoed sharply on the marble floor as he moved through the grand hallway. The sound of his polished black shoes striking the ground filled the quiet corridor, commanding attention. Employees and investors who crossed his path bowed or greeted him with a respectful nod. No one dared ignore Damian Blackwood, because his presence alone carried authority. When he

The Monday morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of their penthouse, casting a golden glow across the bedroom. Damian's eyes opened slowly, consciousness returning in gentle waves. The first thing he became aware of was the weight, a soft, familiar, perfect weight of Lira's head resting against his chest. Her dark hair spilled across his skin, and her breathing came in peaceful.He didn't move. Instead, he allowed himself this moment of stillness, studying the curve of her cheek, the way her lashes rested against her skin, the slight smile that played at her lips even in sleep. Three years of marriage, and she still took his breath away. His beautiful wife. His famous, talented, utterly captivating wife.Finally, with reluctance, Damian slipped out from beneath her. She stirred slightly, murmuring something unintelligible, then settled back into the pillows. He smiled and headed to the bathroom.Twenty minutes later, showered and refreshed, he emerged to find the

Eloise’s breath stopped as she stared at the picture Alex had sent to her. It was a picture of him in the bathroom, water still dripping from his toned body, with his abs shining slightly under the light. Under the picture was a message that made her heart skip a beat. Take a peep at this, girlfriend. For a few seconds, she froze. Then, after composing herself, she picked up her phone from the bed and began to type. “What the heck was that, Alex? Why did you send that picture of yours?” When she finished typing, she clicked send and dropped the phone beside her. The moment the message was delivered, another notification popped up. Her eyes widened. Alex had replied again. She clicked on it quickly and read silently. “Don’t you like what you’re seeing? Well, I’m waiting for you, Miss Blackwood.” Eloise hissed softly and rolled her eyes. “He’s teasing me,” she muttered under her breath. Then She dropped the phone back on the bed and stood up, walking to the bathroom to take

Soon the pancake was ready. Lira and Eloise began to set the food on the dining table. The warm aroma of buttered pancakes mixed with the smell of scrambled eggs and freshly brewed coffee. It made the dining room feel cozy and inviting. Eloise moved quietly, with her mind still preoccupied. The earlier phone call had left her feeling strange. The voice she had heard sounded familiar, but she could not place it. She shook her head slightly and tried to focus on the breakfast in front of her. As Lira carefully placed each plate on the table, Eloise took her seat. She watched silently as Lira portioned food for everyone. At that moment, Eloise’s stomach rumbled as she waited patiently for her own plate. When Lira finally handed her the food, she nodded politely and began to eat.Then Lira smiled and spoke softly, “Excuse me, I am going to get my husband upstairs.” Eloise only nodded, focusing back on her breakfast. She watched as Lira walked gracefully toward the staircase, her st

In the room, Damian and Lira had just finished their bath after the sex they had shared. The warmth of the water still clung to their skin, and they were now standing beside the wardrobe, with towels wrapped around their bodies. Damian’s towel hung low around his waist, revealing the sculpted lines of his toned abs. While Lira’s towel covered her chest and fell down to her legs, with her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. In that moment, Lira stepped closer to the wardrobe and began running her hands across the luxurious clothes inside it. Her fingers brushed over crisp white shirts, soft silk blouses, perfectly tailored trousers, and designer jackets. Each piece smelled faintly of fine fabric conditioner, and the materials felt expensive and delicate beneath her touch. The wardrobe itself gleamed in polished wood, lined with golden accents that reflected the morning sun streaming through the window. Damian moved closer behind her and gently wrapped his arms aro

The morning sun shone gently through the tall windows of the Blackwood mansion, scattering golden light across the polished marble floor. The light reached the dining room, glinting off the silver cutlery and reflecting softly on the crystal glasses neatly arranged on the table. The aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly baked pancakes filled the air, blending perfectly with the faint smell of brewed coffee that lingered from the kitchen. In the dinning, the table was carefully set, every plate, fork, and glass were in its proper place.At the head of the table, Harold sat, munching on his food with calmly bites. Across from him, sat Serena who was eating quietly. Her movements were precise and controlled, even though her mind was far from the breakfast before her. Beside her, was Max. Who was playing lightly with his fork, taking a bite here and there, trying to make the morning meal a game. Around them, were uniformed maids standing with attention, ready to step in if anyone n

Aria’s POV:The rooftop terrace was a sanctuary of shadows, the city’s hum a distant roar below. The note from last night “You can’t hide forever” still burned in my mind, its words twisting with Mom’s face, her smile fading in that car accident I could never forget. Dad’s secrets, his control, it all pressed down, fueling the fire in my chest. I hobbled out here, my ankle throbbing but my defiance roaring louder, craving something, anything—to make me feel alive again. The hotel’s pool glinted under the moon, its water still and inviting, a promise of escape.Damien and Kade had followed me, their faces etched with worry after the flickering lights and that damn note. They’d checked the terrace, their protectiveness was a wall I both resented and craved. Damien’s gray eyes scanned the edges, his jaw tight, while Kade leaned against the railing, his tattoos dark in the low light, his hazel gaze on me like he knew I was about to break.“I’m swimming,” I said, my voice steady despite t

Aria’s POV:The hotel suite felt like a glass cage, the city lights mocking me through the floor-to-ceiling windows. My ankles still ached, but just a little. I guess it's healing now. I sat on the white leather couch, my fingers tracing the edge of a photo I’d found in my purse, it was a faded snapshot of Mom, her smile was warm, her eyes shined bright like mine. Elena Sinclair.She had been gone seven years ago, taken by a car accident I still didn’t understand. The memory hit me like a blade. I still remember the headlights, her scream, the hospital’s sterile chill, and the way I had cried that day. The day I lost my soul.I was fifteen, I was too young to lose her, and too angry to forgive Dad for shutting down after, his silence was louder than any explanation. I blamed him, not for the crash, maybe—but for the secrets, the way he buried her memory under his empire’s shadow.And the way he acted like none of it mattered. Like she was just a dream.Nate’s face from yesterday

Damien’s POV:She was going to be the death of me. Aria Sinclair was a blade, sharp and reckless, cutting through every wall I’d built. Her tearful apology last night, her trembling voice as she leaned into us, had cracked something in me I couldn’t repair. My duty to Alexander, watch her, report her moves, stay detached, was slipping, replaced by the memory of carrying her, her warmth against my chest, her green eyes raw with fear. Now, in the hotel suite’s sterile glow, the city lights bleeding through the windows, I watched her, restless on the couch, her sprained ankle propped like a taunt to her defiance. She was supposed to be resting, but Aria didn’t rest.I caught the creak of her door, my gut twisting as I moved to the hallway. She was slipping toward the elevator, her purse slung over her shoulder, hobbling on that damn ankle. Her black dress was gone, swapped for jeans and a hoodie, but she still looked like trouble, her eyes burning with that stubborn fire.“Aria,” I sa

Aria’s POV: The alley outside Vibe was a blur of shadows and city noise. My ankle was still pains, a sharp, insistent pain that had started as a twinge during the chaos of the kidnapping attempt but now felt more painful with every step. “We need to move,” Damien said, his voice was clipped, as he scanned the alley. “This place isn’t safe.” I tried to step forward, defiant as always, but my ankle twisted, I gasped as I grabbed the wall. Kade’s hand shot out, steadying my elbow. “Easy, princess. You’re not walking on that.” “I’m fine,” I snapped, but my voice trembled, the adrenaline from the attack crashing hard. The truth was, I wasn’t fine. I’d run from the safe house, kissed a stranger to drown out Ethan’s betrayal, and nearly gotten myself taken. And they’d saved me, Damien and Kade, the men I’d called my jailers, had torn through those thugs like they were nothing, risking themselves for me. Damien’s jaw tightened, and he gestured toward a black car parked nearby. “We’r

Aria’s POV: The safe house was a cage, and I was done being its prisoner. Nate’s voice from last night, “Nobody cages you”, looped in my head, it was like a siren call to freedom. I clutched the key fob I’d swiped from the garage, my heart was hammering as I waited in my room. The delivery van was due at dawn, it was the perfect distraction I’d overheard Kade mention. That was my shot. I slipped into a tight black dress, traded my sneakers for heels, and checked the camera blind spot by the garage one last time in my mind. It was reckless, stupid even, but I needed to feel alive again, to drown out Ethan’s betrayal and the memory of Damien and Kade’s shirtless bodies burning through me. The van’s rumble echoed outside, and I moved very silently and fast, slipping through the safe house’s halls. The garage smelled of oil and metal, and I held my breath as I slid into my car, the engine purring to life. The city’s neon lights called me, Vibe’s pulse was a promising escape. I shov

Aria’s POV:The safe house was suffocating me. I paced my room, the memory of Damien and Kade’s shirtless bodies still burning behind my eyes, their sweat-slick muscles and heated stares making my skin flush all over again. My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it, half-expecting another pathetic plea from Ethan. Instead, it was Nate, my best friend, the one person who’d always been my lifeline to the real world. "Call me, girl. Need to hear your voice". A smile tugged at my lips, the first real one in days. Nate and his endless gossip, his stupid jokes, he was the normal I craved. I hit call, sinking onto the bed.“Aria, you alive out there?” Nate’s voice was warm and teasing, like a shot of whiskey on a bad day. “Thought your dad’s goon squad might’ve locked you in a dungeon by now.”I laughed, the sound came out shaky but real. “Close enough. I’m in some high-tech fortress, Nate. It’s like living in a sci-fi movie, except the robots are hot and annoying.”“Hot, huh?” His grin was prac