LOGINMIA He stood up, wiping his hands on his thighs. He was standing so close I could feel the heat radiating off his body. He looked down at my petite frame, his dark eyes scanning my face, settling on my lips for a second too long. "You've been watching me from that window for a long time, Mia," he said, his voice dropping dangerously low. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. A direct statement of pure fact. My face went scarlet, my breath scrapped my throat harshly. I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words died in my throat. Dominick didn't wait for an answer. He reached out, his hand sliding behind my neck, his thumb stroking the sensitive skin behind my ear. "It’s okay," he whispered, leaning down. "Because I’ve been watching you, too." My lips parted but no words came out. I was far too shocked to be able to utter any words. Before I could think of anything to say, he crashed his mouth onto mine, and it was like a fucking dam breaking. His kiss was wet, hungry, dem
MIA The afternoon sun was pouring through my kitchen window, highlighting the thin layer of dust on the counter and the sticky handprints my four-year-old, Yoko, had left behind. I was standing over a cutting board, slicing up some ham and cheese for his lunch, but my eyes weren't on the knife. They were rather glued to the house directly across the street. It had been four years since I walked away from Derek, my baby daddy. We’d been the ‘it’ couple in our circle until I found out he was having a whole other life—and a whole other baby—with another woman. I knew Derek was a player when I met him, but I thought having a son would change him. It didn’t and I couldn't stomach the disrespect, so I took Yoko and moved into this small, quiet rental in lower Manhattan, trying to piece my life back together. Grief and betrayal have a way of making you feel invisible, but lately, I've started feeling like a woman again. And that was all thanks to Dominick. Dominick lived righ
BELCALIS He leaned in despite my little protests, his scent overwhelming me in the small space. He tried to capture my lips, but I pushed him back, my hands flat against his hard chest. "You’re a maniac, Kade Carter." "That makes two of us," he murmured, standing up and reaching out a hand. "My room. Now. Unless you want to take the risk of Ivy waking up to the sound of you moaning my name." I let out a shaky sigh, defeated by my own traitorous body. I slipped out of bed, my nightgown sliding against my skin, and followed the shadow of the man I was supposed to hate out into the hallway. Kade’s room was nothing but a sanctuary of dark wallpapers and the scent of expensive cologne. It was uniquely him—dark and exquisite. The second the door clicked shut, every single piece of my morality dropped. Kade picked me up swiftly and tossed me onto the center of his king-sized bed causing me to bounce with a small devilish laugh. The sheets were crisp, neat, and smelled exactly li
BELCALIS I scrambled off the island with the speed of a deer. My heart wasn't just leaping, it was trying to claw its way out of my throat. I practically fell to the floor, my legs feeling like jelly as I scrambled to pick up my panties and my denim shorts. I swiftly put on the shorts while I pocketed my pants. My fingers were shaking so violently I could barely manage to do the last button on the shorts, my breath coming in short, harsh hitches. Kade was faster, naturally. He was already leaning against the opposite counter by the time I managed to snap my fly shut, though his eyes were still dark, swimming with an unfinished hunger that made my skin crawl and burn. I frantically raked my fingers through my hair, trying to smooth out the mess he’d made of it, praying my face wasn't as flushed as it felt. Ivy finally rounded the corner, her arms full of brown paper shopping bags. She stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze darting from me—standing awkwardly by the sink—to Kad
BELCALIS The tropical air of Hawaii was supposed to be a balm for my shredded soul according to my best friend, but as the private jet touched down, all I felt was a hollow ache in my chest. Two weeks ago, I had walked into my boyfriend’s office to surprise him with lunch, only to find him pressed against his mahogany desk with his ‘senior associate’ wrapped around his waist. The image was immediately burned into my retinas. I couldn't shake it off even if I tried. I mean, how does one pretend they didn't see what had been right there? "Belcalis, look at this place! Stop brooding and breathe," Ivy chirped, swinging her designer tote as we pulled up to a sprawling, modern mansion tucked away in a gated estate. I must confess, the house was a masterpiece of glass and white stone, overlooking a turquoise cove that looked too blue to be real. Inside the house was even more magnificent. The ceiling was easily twenty feet high, and the scent of expensive scented candles filled
DEVON The steam from the coffee maker rose in a swirling white cloud, blurring the kitchen window for a second. I stood there, leaning against the counter, my hands wrapped around a ceramic mug that didn't quite provide enough heat for the chill in my bones. It was a Tuesday morning in the middle of a brutal January. Most importantly, it was winter, the kind of winter that makes the house feel too big and the silence feel too heavy. Four years. It had been four years since I lost Rick, and sometimes it felt like it was four minutes. Grief isn't a straight line; it’s a circle that keeps bringing you back to the same empty spot on the bed. I missed his lopsided smile, the way his voice sounded before his first cup of coffee, and God, I missed his touch. Lately, the ache has changed. It wasn't just the sadness anymore; it was now more like a physical hunger that kept me up at night. I’d started touching myself under the heavy quilts, trying to remember what it f
CLARA From the safety of the secluded booth, I watched the scene unfolding beyond the silk curtains with a mixture of terror and morbid fascination. This was completely different from the world I thought I knew. Men in ornate, expensive masks leaned against the bar, their eyes tracking the movem
CLARAHe turned on his heel and marched out, the heavy door swinging shut with such lethal force it could have easily undone the hinges. I stood there, stunned. The silence returned, but this time it was heavier. I felt lonely in a way I hadn't felt in years. Julian didn't love me; he didn't even
CLARAI was a ruin of silk and sweat, suspended by one wrist, my body a map of tremors. But Tyler wasn't finished. He was never finished.He reached for the third piece of equipment. It was a set of heavy, midnight-black leather restraints, lined with soft, cream-colored sheepskin. They looked anci
CLARA I didn’t think twice. I murmured a quick 'please excuse me,' shoved the microphone at Julian, and bolted straight for the restroom. The silence in the restroom was all I needed to anchor my sanity. I leaned over the marble vanity, staring at my reflection. My eyes were wide, the pupils blown







