Novels by CeeJey

PENELOPE "Seraphina," I repeated back. The word landed flat without a place to go. I stepped back from the door as they came in. Adrian sat on the chair by the window, and Jonathan stood near the doorway at half past midnight. I stayed close to the door. "Play it," I ordered. "Penelope...I can explain." Jonathan began. "Play the recording," I interrupted. "I want to hear it." He took out his phone and played with it. I listened to the whole thing which lasted for eleven minutes. I listened as my sister told the man I had been cautious about for a year to keep showing up. I heard him say How do I compete with someone who was there when I wasn't.' I listened to Seraphina say 'You don't compete, you just be what you are.' And then his voice alone. 'Don't pull back on me, Penelope.' The recording stopped. "So...You called her the night I kissed you," I said to Jonathan. Then he said. "I needed to say something to someone and I..." He stopped. "I know how it sounds."

ADRIAN "The night she kissed me back," Jonathan muttered. "Yes," I replied. "What was Marcus recording that night?" "I don't know," I said. "He hasn't said what's on it. Just that it exists and that it involves someone close to Penelope right now." I set the phone on the table. "And that we need to hear it before the detective does." Jonathan glanced at the phone. "This is Marcus controlling information from the custody," he reminded me. "Don't forget that." "I know what it is," I said. "But if there's something on that recording that could hurt Penelope, I'd prefer to know about it first instead of her hearing it unexpectedly from a detective." Jonathan remained silent and he picked up the phone. His expression didn’t change, but his jaw showed he was considering it, which needed careful thought. "We can't go to him," Jonathan stated. "He's in custody." "He's not telling us to go to him," I explained. "He says he'll send it." "Through what channel?" Jonathan qu

Adrian's POVI saw them through the window.I hadn't planned to, but I was walking past the building on my way to a meeting I had rescheduled twice already. I glanced up at the entrance, as you do at places that have become familiar, and there was Jonathan, with his hand on her face and his mouth on hers.I stopped walking...Just for a second.Then I kept moving as I reached the end of the street and I stood at the corner.I had told myself I was okay with it.But that wasn’t true.***The meeting the next day was pointless.I sat near three people who talked about numbers. I nodded while my mind wandered to the pavement outside Penelope's building and Jonathan Blackwood's hand on her face.I thought about it often enough to have worn a groove in my mind, but saying " I love you" felt like pressure. The last thing I wanted to do was add to her burdens.Jonathan must have said it in the recordings.I had heard about that from the detective, so I knew what Jonathan had said about her, a

PENELOPE***THE NEXT DAY "He said what?" Jonathan's voice came out flat as he was struggling to hold it together.I sat beside him in the penthouse, the phone displaying the detective's message."Marcus told them everything," I said. "In exchange for reduced charges. He provides the names, dates, and payments. He also gave them something else.""What?" Jonathan asked."The Recordings," I replied."He kept recordings?" he said."Apparently, he recorded every significant conversation in your office for the last eighteen months," I explained. "He said he did it for protection, in case Webb ever turned on him.""He had recordings, with you and everyone," Jonathan repeated, not inquiring but just stating it.Jonathan stood up and he walked to the window."He heard everything," Jonathan said. "Every conversation I had about you," he continued. "About what I was feeling, about..." He stopped."About all of it," I said.He turned back to face me. "He gave those recordings to Webb," he state

PENELOPE "Ohh, that's my sister. She said she needs to meet me," I said."She is always needing something," Jonathan said. "That's not new.""I think she actually mean it this time," I said. "Look at it. She didn't even try to explain herself." I placed the phone down. "She's just asking.""Or she wants you to think that," he said."Possibly," I said. "But I've known Seraphina for years and this doesn't seem like a performance."He sat back in the chair.Nora was on the floor, sucking on one of her toys."What would you do if I weren't here right now?" he asked."I would probably go," I answered "Then why is my presence changing your answer?" he asked again."Because I'm trying to factor in how you feel about it," I answered.He thought about my answer for a while."Penelope," he said. "Don't do what you did when we were still married. Don't make smaller decisions because you're trying to account for my reaction. That's not what I want from you. I want you to decide what you want an

PENELOPE "You kissed him."Mrs. Park stated this as if it were a simple fact. It wasn't an accusation or gossip. She had already confirmed it and was now bringing it up."How do you know that?" I asked."Jonathan called this morning to check if you were safe," she replied. "His voice sounded different.""Different how?" I asked."Like a man who has done something he’s proud of and is trying not to show it." She sat down at my sofa and folded her hands. "So, you kissed him.""He kissed me," I corrected her."And you kissed him back," she replied with a smile on her face."Yes," I admitted.She made a sound that was neither approval nor disapproval."Mrs. Park," I said. "Just say what you’re thinking.""I'm thinking," she said slowly, "that you went out with Adrian on Saturday and then with Jonathan on Monday. Both of them kissed you or tried to kiss you...""I didn't kiss Adrian," I insisted."But he wanted to," she said."Mrs. Park...""I'm not judging you," she said. "I'm just obser

BUTTERCUP That voice cut through the chaos and everyone froze.I blinked hard, my heart still racing from Viktor's outstretched paw. Draven's hand gripped mine tighter, almost painful and Kai moved his stance beside me, ready to fight. Seraphina's eyes widened for once, losing that smug look.A third massive wolf stepped out from the shadows near the broken balcony, his fur rippling as he shifted smoothly into human form right there in front of us. He stood tall, maybe six foot four, with broad shoulders and gray eyes that seemed to hold too much of what he knows. His dark hair fell just right, and even covered in dust from the fight, he looked in control... Like he owned the room without trying."Enough," he said again, his voice deep and steady, carrying weight like he'd seen a hundred wars. "Viktor, stand down. This ends now."Viktor snarled, pulling his arm back but not retreating. "Asher Kane. What the hell are you doing here? This isn't your territory."Asher Kane? I repeated t

BUTTERCUP The massive rival Alpha pushed through the broken doorway like a freight train, his huge frame cracking the wood as he shifted back to human form halfway. Blood streaked his bare chest and his eyes locked straight on me."Hand over the human girl," he bellowed, his voice vibrated through the walls of the damaged hall which produced an echo with it. "Hand over Buttercup, now. Or every last one of you dies right here."My heart responded by beating faster against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack. the copper smell of thick blood filled the air from the fighting. Draven stood in front of me, his claws still out, his body tense like a coiled spring. Kai was right beside him, with his golden eyes flashing with that dangerous smile of his. Seraphina lingered near the stairs, her arms were crossed, watching everything like it was some twisted game.Draven's voice came out low and deadly. "You don't get to walk in here and make demands, Viktor. This is my territory."Viktor

“Get down!” Lila shouted as the rival wolf charged straight at me, his fangs bared and eyes wild with bloodlust.I dropped to the floor just as the beast leaped. They were chaotic movements everywhere. Pack warriors moved mid-run before their bones cracked as they were smashed by the massive wolves. Kai moved like lightning, tackling the rival wolf away from me. Draven roared and moved partially, his claws were out, slamming into two more enemies that burst through the broken side door.“Stay behind me, Buttercup!” Kai yelled, pulling me up and shoving me toward Lila.Lila grabbed my arm, her short black hair turned messy from the fight. “You okay? These assholes don’t play nice.”“I’m fine,” I gasped, even though my whole body shook. “They just keep coming.”Seraphina screamed orders from the side. “Defend the hall! Kill every Black Fang intruder!”Draven fought like a demon, tearing through a rival with his claws. Blood sprayed across the black marble floor. His eyes found me for a

BUTTERCUP “She’s coming with me, Draven. You’ve hurt her enough.”Kai’s words felt too challenging. Draven stood frozen in the doorway, covered in blood and dirt from the fight outside, his eyes locked on me first, then on his old friend.“You’ve got some nerve showing up here Kai,” Draven growled, stepping forward. His voice echoed through the hall. “After everything, you think you can just walk in and take her?”Kai didn’t back down. His eyes stayed steady. “Take her? Look at her face, man. Your people did that to her. Seraphina and her little crew have been treating her like garbage while you were outside playing hero.”I stood there between them, my arms still sore from being held. Lila crossed her arms beside Kai, watching everything with a sharp grin.Seraphina moved next to Draven fast. “Don’t listen to him. This human was caught going through your private papers. She’s a spy for all we know.”Draven’s head snapped toward her. “What?”I swallowed hard. “I just wanted answers,

“The gate is down! Kai Thorn and his crew just broke through the outer corner. They’re heading straight here!” The words hit the hall like a bomb. People started shouting. Seraphina spun around fast, her face tight with anger. The red-haired girl holding my left arm cursed. “Kai? That traitor is really coming inside?” Platinum blonde lady tightened her grip on my right arm until it hurt. “This is perfect. Let him see what Draven’s been playing with.” I stood there shaking, tears still wet on my face. My cheek burned from the slaps. “Let me go. This has nothing to do with me.” Seraphina stepped closer, her voice low and mean. “Everything has to do with you now. Kai was Draven’s best friend before he went rogue. If he’s here for you, then you’re even more dangerous than I thought.” Before I could answer, the main doors slammed open again. And another group of armed men and women walked in, looking ready for war. At the front was a tall guy with brown hair and golden eyes... K

BUTTERCUP “Hold her tight,” Seraphina ordered her friends before rushing off with the warrior. “Don’t let the little human move an inch.”The red-haired girl gripped my left arm harder, her nails digging in. “You heard her. Stay still, pet.”I tried to yank away but the platinum blonde lady on my right twisted my wrist painfully. “Stop struggling. You’re only making this worse for yourself.”Tears kept falling down my cheeks. My face still stung from Seraphina’s slaps. “Please... just let me go back to my room. I won’t cause any trouble.”The red-haired one laughed right in my ear. “Go back to your room? After you were caught snooping in Draven’s office? No chance. Seraphina wants everyone to see what kind of trash the Alpha keeps around.”They started dragging me down the stairs toward the main hall where some pack members had gathered during the attack. My knees felt weak. Every step made the humiliation sink deeper.“Why are you doing this to me?” I asked, voice shaking. “I didn’t