Novels by PYJ

VAL’S POVThe next morning, I was still tangled in my sheets, the ghost of Dominic's hands on my skin making me twitch, when my bedroom door flew open with a bang that rattled my teeth.Matteo stood there, framed in the doorway, looking like he'd just wrestled a bear and lost. His hair was a mess, his eyes were bloodshot, and he wasn’t smiling."We need to talk," he said, his voice rough and low.I didn't even sit up. I just glared at him from my pillow fortress, "I have nothing to say to you."He took a step closer, “I’m not kidding, Val, we really need to talk.”"About what," I blurted out, sitting upright.“You’ve been avoiding me, and I don’t know why. I literally confessed my feelings to you and the next day you ghosted me?"I let out a humorless laugh that was more like a bark, "I ghosted you?"He looked genuinely bewildered, like I'd just accused him of being a secret astronaut, "Val, I literally woke up and you were gone.”I scoffed, "Perhaps it was your dick who ghosted me an

VAL’S POVA hand stroked my temple, gentle but persistent, dragging me up from the dark. I mumbled something that sounded like "five more minutes," my eyes fluttering open, sticky and confused.“Val.”A familiar voice rang in my ears, and suddenly, my eyes shot open like I'd been tased, and my mom's face was literally hovering over me like a fucking creep.Shit!I vaulted up so fast I practically gave myself whiplash, the sheets twisting around my legs like an octopus."Mom," I choked out, my tongue feeling like sandpaper, my brain still swimming in Dominic-scented memories."When did you… I mean, what are you… I wasn't expecting…" I stammered, sounding like a total idiot."You were talking in your sleep," she said, tilting her head like she was a goddamn detective and I was the case of the century. "Something about… stretch? And mine…?"My stomach literally fell out of my ass. I was positive I hadn't dreamed it. The stretch of him splitting me open, his stubble scraping against my in

DOMINIC’S POVI'd fucking dreamt of this—of her flavor, of the sounds she'd make, of the way her fingers would grip my hair and hold me to her like she was drowning and I was the only air she had. I licked through her slick folds with long, deliberate strokes, circling her clit with the tip of my tongue before sucking it hard between my lips. She was whimpering now, a constant, desperate sound, her hands fisting in the sheets, as her hips rolled against my face."Dominic, oh god, Dominic—"I tried to slide a finger into her, to feel that tight heat, but fuck. She was so goddamn tight, and the thought of how she'd feel clamped around my cock had me grinding my own dick against the mattress like a fucking teenager. But I didn't hesitate. I slid a finger into her, and her cunt clenched around it immediately, greedy and wet. She was so fucking soaked it was obscene.Her body moved against my working finger, her moans getting louder, more desperate, making my cock throb with a painful ache

DOMINIC’S POVI watched her step closer, the scent of her skin and tequila a heady cocktail in the air. She leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear, the warmth of her breath a match dropped directly into the powder keg of my self-control. "Don't leave," she whispered, and a violent shock rippled through my entire system.This had to be a fucking dream. A sick, twisted, perfect dream my depraved mind had conjured up after three years of silent torture.In that moment, my mind travelled back in time.For three years, I had played the part of the stable, disciplined stepfather. I had watched her grow into a woman. I had spent countless nights staring at the ceiling, cursing the timing of my marriage to her mother, wondering how the hell I was supposed to coexist with a girl who looked like a dream and acted like a storm.I remembered every subtle moment. The way I'd snap at her over nothing just to create distance, to put up walls between us. I'd been harsh, just a few times, and ev

VAL’S POVThere, standing in the middle of the room, was my stepdad, completely naked, just about to step into a pair of pants. My eyes widened as my mouth gaped open. I did a full one-eighty and bolted back to my room, but not before the image was permanently laser-etched onto my retinas. Every single muscular inch. And yeah, that part of him? The one that made my mouth go dry? That definitely, definitely caught my attention.I tried to drown the memory in more tequila, a stupid plan because all it did was make the picture in my head sharper, more high-definition. Just then, a knock on my door had me jumping out of my skin. I was too chicken shit to answer, but the door opened anyway, and Dominic came in, fully dressed now, thank God, but still radiating that hot, commanding energy that always made my panties feel a little too tight."Val, are you okay?" He asked."I'm so sorry," I said, my face flushing, "I only meant to say thank you for saving me, today. I didn't mean to... you k

VAL’S POVMatteo was still dead to the world when I snuck out of his room at dawn, the sheets still warm from his body.Last night was magic, a sensation that still made my thighs clench when I thought about it. I wrapped my hair in a messy bun, my movements stiff, and headed towards his room again. Just to check on him, I told myself. A quick peek to make sure he was still breathing, not a booty call for round two of his perfectly curated dick.I pushed open his door without a second thought, and my eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. WTF Gianna was lying in his fucking bed, her dark hair splayed across his pillow. When did she even get here?My heart hammered so hard I felt I was going to have a heart attack. I didn't hesitate, I slammed the door so hard the frame shook, the sound echoing my internal scream. I spun on my heel and marched straight back to my room. I knew it. I fucking knew it. Matteo was a playboy, a walking red flag in designer sneakers, and I was a world-class

GABRIEL’S POVWhat the hell was Damien thinking coming all the way to Abuela's? Did the man ever stop to calculate before leaping? He had that maddening habit of showing up unannounced, stirring the pot, and leaving everyone to deal with the aftermath of his chaos.1 It was his signature move, a tornado of charm and destruction that left the rest of us to pick up the pieces.I flicked the pen in my hand, the metallic click-clack breaking the oppressive silence of my office. Back and forth, over and over, a metronome for my spiraling thoughts. The events of the past few days replayed in my head, a fucked-up highlight reel that was adding fuel to the slow-burning fire in my chest.Kiera insisted on coming into work today, claiming she was fine, but I wasn’t having it. Not after the pool incident. Watching her struggle for breath, her face pale and vulnerable, was an image seared into the back of my fucking eyelids. I couldn't erase it if I tried. She needed rest, not spreadsheets and boa

MIGUEL’S POV"Because he won’t even realize you’re gone. Diego here will send him a message from your phone, tell him there’s a little traffic, and buy us some time. Then, you will help me destroy your husband.”I let the words hang in the stale air of the warehouse, watching them sink into her perfect, porcelain skin. Mrs. Diaz. Always so fucking pristine. I watched her face, a beautiful canvas of emotions shifting from defiance to a dawning, sickening horror. That's it. Let it sink in. Let it crawl up your spine and wrap around your throat."I will do no such thing," she said, her voice a shaky little thing trying so hard to sound like iron. Cute, but her loyalty didn’t mean shit to me.A slow, predatory smile stretched my lips. It didn't reach my eyes, "We shall see," I murmured, my voice a low rumble. I didn't need to shout. The quiet was always scarier.With a lazy flick of my wrist, I gave the order. No words, just a slight turn of my hand. Joe and Diego, knew exactly what it me

MIGUEL’S POVThe chiming of my phone was persistent as fuck, dragging me from a restless sleep that felt more like a coma. I reached out and saw it was the alarm I'd set. Shit, it was already 4pm, and I still felt like I'd been run over by a truck. The other side of the bed was empty, the imprint of Freya's body still warm against the sheets. Her absence didn't surprise me, neither did it bother me.Elise could be right, Freya might be faking all this bullshit, but what if she wasn't? I'd known Freya since I was in fucking diapers, and at some point I could say I was in love with her, but it faded. Childhood infatuation, nothing more.I couldn't push her away now, not with the whole amnesia circus, so, Elise would have to deal with that. My decision was made. Elise would play along until Freya's health improved, or until I figured out what game that bitch was actually playing.I sat up, my muscles stiff from yesterday's chaos. Sliding out of bed, I headed for the shower. As the water

ELISE’S POVI can't believe we actually stayed overnight at this godforsaken hospital. The clock on the wall was ticking with this infuriating slowness, each second stretching like it was personally trying to piss me off. It was 4 a.m., and we were still stuck in this sterile sh*thole, waiting for her royal highness, Freya. Trust me, I hadn’t left Miguel’s side. I was not gonna give that manipulative snake any chance to seduce my man anymore than she already had.Miraculously, the doctor had declared her fit to be discharged. Her mom had gone, thanks to an emergency that was more important than her daughter’s health, after she had emotionally baited Miguel to agree to play Freya’s husband till she recovers. “She’s now in your care,” the witch said giving me a once over before she finally dragged her old ass away. Well, good riddance.Meanwhile Freya was putting on this whole fragile act, clutching Miguel's arm like he was her personal life support, and I was standing there fantasizing

KIERA’S POVMy heart was hammering so hard I felt like I was about to have a heart attack and become a literal ghost haunting this shitty motel. The knock came again, softer this time, almost hesitant, and I stood there staring at the door. I was still sweating from that damn dream, still half-convinced I was hallucinating. Could it be Gabriel? Brain, shut up. We are not doing this right now.Without letting another seconds go by, I grabbed the handle and yanked the door open, and it was Damien.He stood there looking absolutely wrecked, his hair a mess like he'd been running his hands through it, his eyes dark and intense and fixed on me with this expression that made my stomach do a full Olympic gymnastics routine. He was wearing the same clothes from earlier but somehow he looked different."Damien," I breathed, and I didn't know if it was a question or relief or me just being pathetic."Can I come in?" His voice sounded rough, scraped raw.I stepped back without thinking because a

KIERA'S POVOh for f*ck's sake. What did I do to deserve this kind of torture? I was standing in that lobby staring at the peeling wallpaper and wondering which god I'd pissed off in a past life. Talk about a cosmic joke. One room? Seriously? Who’s writing this shit, and why does my life suddenly feel like a setup? Except, there was nothing remotely funny about this. Not when every nerve in my body is screaming.My eyes flicked between Gabriel and Damien, trying to get a read on their reactions. Gabriel's face was a stone wall, while Damien, on the other hand, was clenching his jaw so hard I was genuinely concerned he might grind his molars into dust.Suddenly, an old, shrill telephone rang, and the receptionist, or fossilized hag, whatever the hell she was, stretched out her wrinkled hand and picked it up."Yeah, there's just one room left. A couple people here, but I don't know if they'll take it." Her gaze roamed to us, sizing us up like we were livestock at an auction, and I shift