Novels by Joanna Jade

Zayden’s POVMy office was quiet now. I had told Noemi she could help me with Hiram, but apparently that wasn’t enough for her to leave.I had my face buried in between some documents. But I could feel her eyes boring into me. And I knew there was something she was itching to say. “You can say what you want, you know?” I said, without looking up at her.She exhaled as if finally letting something off her chest. “What’s your relationship with Bella like?”The question caught me off guard. I paused before finally answering. “It’s…cordial.”She raised a brow. “That’s one way to put it.”“Well, what would you have me say, Noemi?”“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just didn’t expect you to be just cordial with your wife.”I leaned back in my chair. “Bella and I weren’t exactly a love match.”“But that doesn’t mean you’re not in love with her now,” Noemi said. That made me pause. “Noemi please.”"I'm serious." She leaned forward. "I saw the way you looked at her at dinner. And I saw the pa

Zayden’s POV I closed the door and stood there. The silence pressed in around me, heavy and suffocating. I could still hear her footsteps fading down the hallway — slow, unsteady, broken. Each one felt like a defeat. I leaned my forehead against the wood and closed my eyes. I could still taste her on my tongue. Sweet. Salt. Something darker underneath. She had been so wet, so ready, so desperate. The way she had pushed back against my face, the way she had sobbed my name— It was everything I had wanted. Everything I had been waiting for. And yet, I had sent her away. I pushed off the door and walked to the window, my body still aching, my dick still hard and straining against my sweatpants. The city sprawled below me, dark and indifferent. It never slept and right now — neither could I. Because all I could think about was her. She had looked at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. Her voice had cracked on her pleading words. Her body had trembled beneath my ha

Bella’s POVZayden stared at me for a second, then grabbed my wrist and dragged me inside, slamming the door shut behind us.“What do you mean by that?” he asked, backing me against the wall, his body caging me in.I opened my mouth to speak. My heart was pounding so loud I could barely hear myself think."I—" I swallowed. "I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about—" I stopped. Shook my head. "Never mind. This was a mistake."I tried to move past him but he didn't let me."Bella." His voice was low and patient. But I could hear the edge underneath. "It's 3 a.m. You banged on my door like the house was on fire. Now you're standing here in nothing but silk, shaking like a leaf, telling me you couldn't sleep." He tilted his head. "What exactly do you want?"I looked away. "I don't know.""Try again.""I—" My voice cracked. "I don't know how to say it.""Yes, you do." He stepped closer, his chest almost brushing mine. "You know exactly what you want. You just don't want to admit it."My thr

Bella’s POVI couldn't even cry in peace. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face. The way he had looked at me after I slapped him. The way his cheek had reddened beneath my palm. The way his voice had dropped when he said "I've had enough."I touched my lips.I could still feel him there. The pressure. The heat. He had kissed me so forcefully yet so gently like I was his chaos and his calm at the same time.Why could I still feel it? I hated that I could still feel it.I sat up in bed, pulling my knees to my chest. I wiped the tears from my eyes and took in deep short breaths.The room was dark. Silent. But my mind was anything but that. Why did I go to him?I had told myself it was because I was worried. Because he looked broken. Because I was just being a decent human being.But that was a lie.I went because I wanted to see him. Because something in me had pulled me toward his study like a magnet. Because watching him walk away from that dinner table had made my chest ache i

Zayden’s POVThe slap stung my cheek in a way that made me feel utterly embarrassed.She had done it again. Once more, Bella had pushed my buttons.I looked up slowly and saw her hand covering her mouth. She looked as though she had committed the biggest mistake of her life… and frankly, she probably had."I… I didn't mean to do that," she said, her voice shaking. "But you did."“I didn’t mean to.” She shook her head.I stepped closer to her. "How many times do I have to tell you not to disrespect me?"Bella stepped back. "I wasn't disrespecting you. I was just—" She paused. "I told you to stop.""And how long do you want to keep saying that?" I asked."As long as it takes for you to understand," she replied.“There’s nothing for me to understand,” I said. “But it seems like you’re the one who needs clarity here.”"Clarity?" She let out a sharp breath. "I don’t need clarity Zayden, you do. You're a man who thinks he can own people. Control them. Break them until they fit into whateve

Bella’s POVWe all watched Zayden go.And then Noemi scoffed. "Typical Zayden."I sat there for a moment, my heart pounding.“What is wrong with you?” Emerald said, angrily. “Nothing is wrong with me Mamma,” Noemi answered. “And it’s been years now, maybe you can finally be my mother instead of always taking Zayden’s side.”“Well for one, Zayden is not an embarrassment to me,” Emerald said sharply. “You always cause chaos, Noemi. End this now.”Noemi smiled, although she was clearly hurt. “Fine. Whatever you say.”I didn’t wait to finish eating. I couldn’t spend another second at that table.After a while, I stood. “I have to go.”They didn’t stop me. I left the dining table and went to my room. I closed the door, but I couldn't sit still. The dinner replayed in my head — the accusations, the pain, the way Zayden's face had gone cold when Noemi mentioned their father.I paced for a while. Then I stopped.He was angry.I didn't know why that mattered. I didn't know why I cared. But I

Roman sat in his car, parked outside his own house.The engine was off. The night was quiet. But inside the car, the only sound was the relentless beep of a call that wouldn't go through.He pulled the phone from his ear and stared at the screen."What the hell Tessa?” He murmured.He had called her seven times today. Fourteen times this week. Dozens of times over the past month.Yet, no response.The line just kept beeping. No ring. No voicemail. Just... nothing.She blocked me.The thought sat in his chest like a stone.He understood things had been difficult between them. He understood she was hurt, angry, confused. But to block him completely? To cut him off without a word?That was more frustrating than he’d like to admit.He groaned and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat.His eyes fell on the items beside it — flowers, chocolates, a small velvet box he hadn't touched. Romantic things. Hopeful things. Things he had planned to give her tonight.Now he just looked stupid.He

The sound of Eleanor's heels against the marble floor echoed through the corridor.She had faced many difficult situations before. Boardroom battles. Social scandals. The return of a dead husband. But this — watching her son be led away in shackles while the world watched — this had to be the most humiliating.She put on her dark glasses and continued down the corridor."Eleanor."The voice stopped her cold.She turned.Salima and Roman walked toward her, side by side. Roman's face was unreadable. Salima's was not.Eleanor exhaled sharply. "Salima. Roman." She adjusted her sunglasses. "I believe you are here to gloat."Salima stepped closer, her shoulders high, her chin lifted. The years between them seemed to collapse into a single moment."Do you remember," Salima said quietly, "months ago... in this very courthouse... you stood there after you tried to lock up my son. And you told me that it was just the consequences of his bad decisions?"Eleanor's jaw tightened. She said nothing.

The courtroom was already packed by the time the deputies brought Grayson in.The chains around his wrists rattled softly with each step.For the first time in his life, Grayson Thorne looked small.The expensive suits were gone. The arrogance was harder to maintain in a prison uniform. Bruises still lingered along his jaw from the night of his arrest, and dark circles sat beneath his eyes.A murmur swept through the gallery as he entered.Roman watched silently from the front row.Grayson’s eyes immediately found him.The hatred there was instant.Raw and unfiltered.A deputy guided him toward the defence table.On the opposite side of the courtroom sat Eleanor and Liam.Eleanor looked immaculate as always. Perfect hair. Perfect makeup. Perfect posture.But her hands were clenched tightly together in her lap.Liam sat beside her, his expression unreadable.A few seats away sat Bernard.Salima occupied the space between Bernard and Victor.The arrangement hadn’t been planned, but Roma

Roman stood before the mirror, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve. His suit was jet black, crisp and expensive. His watch clicked into place — a gift from his father, years ago, before everything fell apart.He barely recognised himself.Not because he looked different. But because he felt lighter than he had in months.It had been four weeks.Four weeks since the fire.Four weeks since Grayson had been dragged away in handcuffs while screaming threats into the night.And now the day had finally arrived.The trial.Grayson would finally face consequences. And Roman could breathe.The door opened behind him."Hi, Mom," Roman said without turning. "Good morning.”Salima stepped into the room, her heels soft against the carpet. She was dressed in a deep navy dress, understated but elegant. Her hair was pinned back. Her face was calm."Good morning," she said. She walked up to him and reached for his tie. "Let me."Roman laughed. “You know I can do that myself.”“Clearly not very well.” Sal

Tessa sat propped against the pillows, her wrists still bandaged, her arms spotted with healing burns. The room smelled like antiseptic and flowers — too many flowers, brought by people who didn't know what else to do.Daniel sat on her left. Her father, Peter, stood by the window. Gina was curled in a chair in the corner, pretending to scroll through her phone but really just watching."How are you feeling?" Daniel asked."I'm fine," Tessa said. "I've said that three times already.""You keep saying it. Doesn't make it true." Daniel said.“Maybe.” She tried to sit up. “But I’m going to be fine.”“You should just have stayed home,” Daniel said. “Told you not to go see Roman. But you wouldn’t listen. Now see where you end up.”Tessa sighed. "Daniel, please. I don't have the energy to fight with you.""Good. Because I'm not going to fight either." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I'm here to tell you what we've decided."Tessa's eyes narrowed. "We?""Dad and me." Daniel glanced

"When you said fighting fire with fire, I didn't think you meant literally," Alec said as Roman uncapped the gasoline container in front of him.Behind him, Bernard stood still, arms crossed, saying nothing.Alec leaned against a wall, phone in hand, watching but not interfering.Roman didn't look back. He knew what he was doing. He didn't care.Grayson's cars were lined up in a row in the compound — the black Mercedes, the silver Porsche, the matte grey Lamborghini he never drove but loved to show off. Roman had seen them all before. Had listened to Grayson brag about the engines, the custom interiors, the price tags.None of it mattered now.Roman unscrewed the cap and started pouring.The liquid splashed across the hood of the Mercedes, dripped down the windshield, and pooled on the ground. He moved to the Porsche. Then the Lamborghini.The smell was thick, acrid, and familiar.The same smell Grayson had left after he tried to kill Tessa.Roman's jaw tightened.He finished the cont