2nd-glance

Sienna Moretti I always knew the world my brother ruled was dangerous, but I never imagined it would reach my doorstep. As the sister of Adrian Moretti—the infamous mafia leader—I have been kept hidden, protected. But all of that shatters the night Lucien De Luca, Adrian’s sworn enemy and a ruthless Don, sets his sight on me. I know better than to trust the charming, lethal man who once called my brother a friend... before everything fell apart in betrayal. I tell myself it's a trap. Yet every glance, every brush of Lucien's hand against mine, chips away at my defenses. He's my brother’s rival, but in Adrian’s absence, Lucien becomes my unexpected shield. The lines blur. I start to believe Lucien might not be the villain everyone says he is. But happy endings aren’t written in blood-soaked worlds like ours. Some sins refuse to stay buried. Lucien De Luca I only wanted one thing— destroy Adrian Moretti for the sins he committed. And what better way to bring a king to his knees than by using the one thing he cared about most? His sister. His precious Sienna. She was supposed to be another move on a bloody chessboard. Nothing more. But from the moment she looked at me with those stormy eyes, the game shifted. Sienna wasn’t a piece to be played. She was the spark that could burn my whole Mafia empire down. She made a hunger ignite inside me no one else had ever touched. Nothing could have prepared me for the war she would start inside my soul—or the secrets that would rise from the ashes, threatening to ruin everything. Because Sienna Moretti was never meant to be mine. But damned if I was going to let her go.

“Now take your bastard daughter and get out of my sight! If you ever step foot into this mansion again, you will die!” Elsa Boseman’s thunderous voice sounded all over the room. Her lips quivered as the tears streamed down her cheek freely. “No..mother in-law, please! I’m innocent!” She cried from the floor where she was kneeling before Elsa Boseman. “Leave, you slut! Take this bastard and get out of this place!” She heard Mrs Taiwo’s voice and her tears increased. “Guards! Guards! Take her out!” Dotun's provoking voice sounded all over the room. “No..I’m innocent, please don’t throw me out! Mother in-law!” She cried as she rushed over to Elsa Boseman. “No.. mother, I have nowhere to go!” She cried as she knelt before the two women. She was pulled up by the guards along with her daughter who was still crying uncontrollably. As she struggled with the men, she took a glance at Daren who was sitting dejectedly on the long couch with his head bowed. “My love, I'm innocent! Please don’t let them throw me out! Daren!” She shouted with her full strength but he remained silent and didn’t look in her direction. ** The rumbling of thunder could be heard as the rain continued to pour down mercilessly. Her lips continued to quiver and her body trembled as she wrapped her one year old daughter in her bosom. She thought of everything happening in her life at the moment. She had been accused, betrayed and rejected by the family she had worshiped all through the years. She looked at her daughter who was now sleeping peacefully in her arms and she sighed. “I will make them pay,” she said as flashes of lightning appeared in the sky.

"What am I to you? A trash picker?" I asked him sarcastically, looking at him from head to toe in disdain. "Lauren." he growled, clenching his fists tightly, glaring at me in disbelief. "Yeah, I know this is my name. You don't need to remind me, and please don't pop up in front of me like an unwanted ad in the middle of an interesting scene. You irritate me the most in this way." I scolded him, still with an ugly expression in disgust on my face. "So, now I disgust you, huh? Why didn't you disgust before when I." "Because I was a fool back then. I assumed a filthy rock as a gem and paid a heavy price for that." Before he could complete his sentence, I interrupted him, scolding him in a loud voice. His already widened angry eyes widened more in shock this time. I took a step forward while locking my gaze with him. "A scum like you who used me when he needed me and then slapped the divorce paper doesn't deserve even a glance from me, Gabriel. Never bother me again, or else what I will do to you, you can't even think about that." "Hey, babe. Why are you here?" I beamed when I heard his magnetic voice calling me from behind. I immediately moved towards him when Gabriel held my wrist. "You are making a mistake, Lauren," he warned me in a stiff voice. I yanked my hand from his grip and threw a disgusting gaze on him before walking towards the boy who treated me like a treasure. Gabriel’s devotion to his first love made me realize that loving myself is the only thing that can make me happy forever. I grabbed Vincent's arm with a beaming smile.

“Don’t moan too loud, angel.” Cassian’s voice was a husky whisper against Seraphina’s ear, his fingers moving deep inside her as her back arched helplessly against the wall. The air was thick, the danger sharper than the pleasure tearing through her body. Her husband was only a room away. “Be a good little slut for me,” Cassian murmured, lips brushing her throat, “or Lucian will hear you, and then he’ll know exactly who owns you.” Seraphina bit down on her lip, muffling the cry that threatened to break free. Her heart hammered in her chest - guilt, desire, fear - all colliding at once. It was madness, sin, everything she swore she’d never do… and yet she couldn’t stop. Not when Cassian’s touch felt like salvation. **** Seraphina thought she had married her dream man. Lucian Veyron, the dazzling billionaire who swept her into a fairytale romance, promised her forever. But after the vows, he became a stranger - cold, cruel, and determined to make her life miserable. Then the accident happened. Seraphina wakes in a private ward, nursed by gentle hands and soothed by a voice that calls her beautiful, a man who worships her body like she’s his only prayer. But he isn’t her husband. He’s Lucian’s identical twin - Cassian Veyron. Cassian is everything his brother isn’t - tender, protective, dangerously addictive. When she's stronger, they return home with Lucian confined to a wheelchair, Cassian moves into their mansion to help. Now Seraphina is forced to live under one roof with the husband who broke her… and the brother who makes her burn. Every glance across the dinner table is fire. Every secret touch in the hallway is temptation. Every stolen night feels like a sin she never wants to escape.

Betrayal--- I thought it was the worst pain I could feel, until I found out my husband wasn't just cheating on me with my sister... He had poisoned me to kill our unborn child so he could finally get married to my sister. 'Sign the divorce papers if you want to save your child , Rose' Wallowing in pain, I watched the man who had once sworn with his life that he loved me with everything in him. The man whom I've sacrificed everything for. My career, my dreams, my identity, and my heart. Was it in exchange for this betrayal all along? My heart twisted in my chest resentfully as tears blurred my vision. His betrayal cut deeper than a dagger, but my only thought at that moment was my unborn child. He was innocent. He didn't deserve to die. He deserved to live no matter the monster his father was. My hand trembled as I signed the divorce paper, my blood soaking every page that I turned. "I have signed the divorce papers, Mathew... Please take me to the hospital. I need to save our baby." I pleaded, my hand clutching my stomach tightly as pain shot through it. I was scared that I might lose my baby if I spent any more minute bleeding. He looked at me, without remorse, his arm wrapping around my sister's waist as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Why should I? Just pack your things and leave." And with that, he turned his back on me, walking away without sparing me another glance as if I didn't exist. As darkness came looming over, my strength slowly draining off, only one question echoed in my mind. Is this really the end?

Behind every forbidden glance or every reckless touch, is a secret too dangerous to resist. From the lecture hall to the royal court, from quiet bedrooms to gilded stages. Dark Seduction lures you into the shadows where lust, power, and obsession collide. These stories unravel desires told to deny, teacher and student, bodyguard and singers, lawyers and client, kings and maids, lovers turned enemies. Some sins are whispered. Others are screamed in the dark and All of them will leave you breathless. Indulge in eleven volumes of forbidden desire, where every chapter is soaked in heat, danger, and surrender. ********************* Isaac Hayes wasn’t just anyone. He was my cousin. My mother’s sister’s son. My forbidden crush. “I just—” My voice faltered, my lips trembling before I forced the truth out. “I just wanna taste you.” His gaze darkened. “You want my cock in your mouth, Snow?” he asked. My lips parted, and I felt my cheeks flame. But the need inside me was too strong. I nodded. Isaac’s mouth crushed against mine again, stealing my breath. I melted into it, whimpering softly as his tongue tangled with mine. His hand slid up threading into my hair until his palm gripped the back of my neck, holding me firmly. His lips lingered on mine for a second, then he pulled back just enough to whisper against them. “Say it.” “Tell me you wanna suck my cock, pretty,” he murmured, his grip tightening, forcing my head to tilt slightly. “I’ll let you.” My lips parted, my voice trembling but soaked with hunger for my cousin's cock. I wanted to choke on his cock so bad. “I… I want to suck your cock, Isaac.” “Good girl,” he rasped, the praise sending heat flooding through me. “On your knees, Snow.”

“Maybe I'll come back later. I'm sorry,” I said, tension strangling my voice. “No, please. Stay!” He said in a calm tone. I looked at him hysterically, and, like he had just recognised his own nudity, he smiled confidently. “I'll just put on something if you're uncomfortable.” “Uncomfortable?” I scoffed, trying to sound assuring. “No, I'm not uncomfortable. I've seen a lot of naked boys.” He shot a glance at me, sending a thrill running down my chest. “Boys?” He asked, closing the distance between us. He grabbed my left hand and placed it on his hard breast, his heart beating steady, a stark contrast to mine, which raced like an antelope running from a predator in a jungle. “Well… I've seen a lot of naked boys, but not a naked man…” I whispered softly, gazing and feeling lost in his starry eyes. ******************* Reina Grayson, the wolf-less Alpha's daughter, harbours a dangerous secret: she possesses a silver wolf. If her Pack discovers, she’ll be killed. When Alpha Van Killian, whom she was forced to marry, rejects her for her step-sister, Reina is poisoned and dies. Gifted a second chance by the Moon Goddess, she is reborn as Narah Smith. On her eighteenth birthday, she uncovers her true identity, but she had lost her wolf. She returns to her hometown, now living among her enemies as a common maid. As she navigates her past, she forms a bond with Alpha Van, who believes she’s his second chance mate despite being married to her step-sister. But with a vengeful heart and a determination to uncover the mysteries of her death, Narah must choose: embrace her fated mate or accept Alpha Zander’s proposal? Can she seek revenge on those who wronged her, or will she remain forever in the shadows?

I knock on the door, heart pounding like it always does when I’m about to see him. “Come in,” Justin’s voice calls—cool, smooth, and frustratingly calm. I take a deep breath and walk in, holding the folder tightly. “Here’s the report you requested, sir.” He doesn’t even glance at me. Just keeps typing, his expression unreadable. “You’re late,” he says without missing a beat. I clench my jaw. “There was a delay at the printer—” “No excuses, Joanna. Just do better next time.” Ouch. Professional and cold. As always. I nod, ignoring the sting in my chest. “Yes, sir.” I turn to leave, gripping the doorknob—just one more second and I’ll be out of this weird tension-filled office— “Wait.” I freeze. I turn around slowly. “Yes?” Justin stands now, walking toward me. In his hand, a familiar brown paper bag. He holds it out. “You didn’t have lunch.” I blink. “I’m fine.” “You skipped breakfast too. Eat.” I hesitate. “What is it?” “Chicken pesto. No onions.” My breath catches. He still remembers? “Why are you doing this?” I ask quietly. He shrugs, not meeting my eyes. “I just… remember things.” My fingers brush his as I take the bag. Warmth. Stupid warmth that shouldn’t still feel this familiar. Then, he looks at me—really looks at me. “You shouldn’t skip meals… wife.” Silence. My chest tightens. “Don’t call me that.” But my voice is too soft to sound convincing. I walk out before I say something I’ll regret. His words echo in my mind like a dangerous lullaby. Cold one second. Kilig the next. God… he’s still him. And that’s exactly the problem.

I’m trained to do one thing: kill. I was put into a school where the concepts of love and forgiveness were treated as weaknesses. When I graduated, they told me I’d be lucky to survive; now I’m the best of the best and the person who gets the job done no matter what. I’ve assassinated Presidents, housewives, Navy SEALS and more shifters than I can count. I have more kills than anyone in my business, so when a new order comes in to kill Alpha Gideon, I take it without a second thought. ​He’s a job like any other, but during my scouting, I see something I’ve never seen before. Alpha Gideon isn’t a tyrant or a bully; he’s kind to his Pack. I start asking questions, which is when everything goes to shit. My signal is found, and for the first time in my life, my target has me in his sights. I expect pain and maybe even death, but Alpha Gideon treats me like a welcomed guest; his warmth and kindness open up something inside of me that I didn’t know I had. I should kill him before he changes me completely. I tell him I’m cold and heartless, and he laughs. Loving a mark has never been done, but no matter what I do, every touch sets me on fire and with each longing glance, my past becomes a distant memory. I’m ready to put everything I was aside to stay with Alpha Gideon when the call comes in; my fellow assassins have been called. The bounty on Alpha Gideon has been doubled. I have two choices: protect the man who has opened up my heart or kill the target and get the job done.

A year ago, my life was simple. I was just Ariel Anthony…a regular college student, cheerleader with decent grades, daughter of a struggling baker, and recently appointed step-sister to a guy I barely knew. Nothing special. Then came the storm. Not just the thunderstorm that trapped me in Professor Grayson's apartment that night, but the storm that followed. The one that's still raging around me, that I created. They don't warn you about men like Luther Grayson in freshman orientation. They don't tell you how a single glance from the right person can make you question everything you thought you knew about yourself. About what you want. About what you'd risk to get it. They also don't warn you about guys like Ethan Cross, with his perfect smile hiding something dark. The kind of guy who's used to getting what he wants and doesn't understand the meaning of the word "no." And no one, absolutely no one…prepares you for what it feels like when the person who's supposed to be your brother looks at you with something else in his eyes. Mom once said I had a gift for making complicated situations worse. If she only knew. My phone buzzed beside me, and I glanced down to see Luther's name on the screen. My heart still jumps every time, even when I'm aware of what could happen if people learned about the two of us. I should ignore it. I should block his number, focus on my classes, help Mom with the bakery, and pretend none of this ever happened. But I'm already reaching for the phone. That's the thing about crossing lines… once you step over them, it's almost impossible to step back. And I've crossed so many lines now, I can't even see where I started.