Backward Lunge

..Saw my hubby, but I was in another woman's body, and this time he wasn't my husband, his uncle was. ~ A voice suddenly cut through the silence. “Oh my goodness, you're finally awake Mrs. Blackwood!” Mrs Blackwood? That was.. I tried to speak, but my voice was a mere whisper. The nurse, a kind faced woman with a warm smile, helped me sit up and handed me a glass of water. As I sipped, fragments of memories began to resurface. A car crash.. screams? and Kenneth's face? But why couldn't I put two and two together? "Can you help me to the toilet?" I asked the nurse, my voice still weak. The nurse nodded and assisted me out of bed and my legs trembled beneath me as I walked, unaccustomed to bearing my weight after such a long time of bederiding Once in the bathroom, I stared at the mirror, expecting to see my own reflection but the face staring back at me was unfamiliar, younger and prettier. A jolt of fear immediately coursed through me. Who was this person? "Mrs. Victoria Blackwood?” I heard the nurse call out from behind and it dawned on me.. that name belonged to Alexander Blackwood's wife, my husband's uncle! A wave of panic washed over me. What was happening? Why was I in this body? I stumbled backward, the nurse catching me by my waist. "Steady Mrs. Blackwood. You're still recovering." But I wasn't recovering. I was lost. Trapped in a stranger's life.

Book Two of the Luminary Quartet Veronica's life was thrown into turmoil with the beginning of the war and the abrupt loss of her parents. One night of bliss was all she had been granted as compensation before her brother’s best friend absconded without a trace the next morning. Yet, the wheels of fate had already been set in motion, forever changing the course of Ronnie’s life as she struggles to rebuild her future in the South on her own. Ryker had been pushed around his whole life, up until that tragic night that he had fled his home without a backward glance and somehow found himself in the middle of the Northern Province with no recollection of how he had arrived there. Still reeling from the loss, only the effervescent emerald eyes-of who he learned much later was his mate-was able to break him out of the haze that had taken hold. One night was all he got before she became just another ghost that haunted him from his past, but all bets are off now that Ryker is finally returning home to reclaim his rightful role. Tension mounts as secrets are spilled and the elders treachery is further exposed in this riveting sequel to 'Mated to the Alpha of the North.' *Note: While the main characters all receive their HEA in each individual story, I would not recommend reading them out of order due to the overarching storyline that continues throughout them all. ****Warning**** This book is intended for adults 18+ only. There is mature scenes and adult language included. Please read at your own discretion.

The first time Rafael betrayed me, he threw the woman from his club at my feet. His eyes were bloodshot as he told me to take my pick. My love for him was a sickness, so I forgave the transgression. For the second betrayal, I had the dancer sent out of New York, warning her never to set foot on the East Coast again. On the night of our engagement party, sealing the union of our two families, Rafael pinned me against the walnut desk in the study. His eyes burned with rage as he demanded: "Where is Nina? She's carrying a Mancini heir." "It was a mistake. You can take your anger out on me. Nina is naive; she doesn't deserve this. I'm begging you, just let the child be born safely. I swear I'll never see her again." "You're afraid of childbirth. This gives you an heir without the risk." "Listen, Alessia. You are the future Donna of the Mancini family. When that child is born, it will know only you as its mother. I swear on my life." He forced me backward until shards from the vase I'd knocked over cut into my skin, staining my silk dress with blood. I looked at him and smiled, then gave him the address of a safe house in Brooklyn. He slammed the heavy oak door behind him. Shaking, I pulled out my encrypted phone. "You were right about him. Is your offer still on the table?"

His steel gray eyes pierced into hers, and Rose felt like he become luring her into his daJA abyss. She took worried steps backward, however she didn't understand that he cherished the chase and derived pride from looking her run.She knew she couldn't run nor conceal from him, but there has been no different choice. He without difficulty cornered her in opposition to the wall, trapping her there. considered one of his arms snaked round her tiny waist, and the other caged her among himself and the wall. "tell me what you need, Rose," he stated, his hot breath fanning her neck. The moonlight cast a shadow on him, making him appear to be the satan he was. "What I need is to tug you to hell in which humans like you belong," she seethed. He let out a raw, deep giggle that had her insides twisting."And you suspect you will go away hell after dragging me there? interesting," James chuckled. "i'll ensure you might not get out of there. i'll make certain you have got nowhere else to run however my arms. My call can be the handiest factor you can pronounce as it might be the simplest element you think about, and whilst that occurs, you will be absolutely mine, Rose," he stated sinisterly. Trapped among love and struggle, Rose need to sail through if she intends to protect the humans she loves.

“Is that a threatened kitten?” he asked, amused, What? I snapped at him, pissed, “No, Asshole. If it were, you would already be dead,” I added, feeling the bolting rage rising within me. “Oh…” he smirked as he traced my jaw with his thumb, “I’m starting to like you more and more,” he said with a devilish grin, I froze in place, “Oh really? Well, too bad, ‘LUCIAN,’ cause I don’t give a fuck,” “Hahaha, you’re hilarious Mira,” he spat out as he took a seat on the mattress, I moved backward, staying far away from his reach, His eyes remained on me with every step I took. I turned angrily, “Is there something you want, husband?” And asked irritated, “Yes, in fact, there are a lot of things I want. But why don’t you start by explaining to me about the call just now and what you meant by ‘your man?’ huh?” he asked, and this time I could see the seriousness in his eyes, even when he tried to hide it. *** What will Mira do after four years of returning home, only to find out that she was traded off by her own father? A secret they kept hidden from her. Contracted: Love in the Shadow" Narrates a story filled with family betrayal and a passionate romance that totters at the edge of danger and desire. Will Mira Dolman be taken over by the darkness within her, or will she find the strength with love by her side to overcome the challenges that threaten to break her?

"Wh.. who?" Before Jane could even repeat her words a dark silhouette started taking slow steps towards her, like a predator to its prey. The light from the night lamp fell on his sharp features making them clearer gradually. " Ad...Adrian...you!" Gulping hard she started taking steps backward unknowingly. " Why don't you love me, Jane?" His slurry voice gave a clear indication of his drunken state. " Adrian please, we can talk things out. Please listen to me...pl... please." Jane was terrified to her core when she realised he wasn't in his senses. Looking directly into her eyes Adrian smirked. Not his normal one. His face was showing disappointment, anger, rage, and one more thing. Amorous lust. His desire to claim her was so strong that anyone could see it through his eyes. ......... What happens when two people poles apart meet for the very first time? Spark flies, vibe generates, magical, right? But too bad of all of these are just one sided. Nothing will ever be the same when 28-year-old billionaire Adrian Alan Johnson meets 21-year-old Jane White for the very first time. Join the roller coaster ride of Adrian and Jane where passion will be stronger than ever, Love will blossom, the heart will be broken, jealousy will burn the soul, hatred will be born and something more and more intense will start spreading its web. Will it be able to take place in the other person's heart? Or will end up causing the ultimate catastrophic destruction?

All the relatives knew I had a "backward cousin." For my birthday, she gave me a grocery-store pound cake. When I ran a marathon, she presented me with a pair of worn-out canvas sneakers. At my graduate school acceptance party, she even sent a funeral wreath of white lilies with a sash that read "In Sympathy," wishing me an early departure to the afterlife. In my previous life, I slapped her so hard she tumbled down the porch steps. My brother took her side and plotted revenge, falsely reporting to the university that I had cheated on my SATs. My admission was revoked. "You're so modern. You know how things work," he sneered. "Plenty of people take a gap year. Just apply again." My father also defended her, cutting off all my financial support. "You've had so much schooling. You're so educated," he said coldly. "Support yourself." Alone in a city eighteen hundred miles from home, I fought to survive. I called my brother and my father again and again—only to be blocked. I delivered food while renting a room and studying to reapply. At my lowest, my hands were raw and cracked from frostbite, scrambling for delivery shifts at four in the morning just to earn a small bonus. Worn down by the cold and exhaustion, I suffered cardiac arrest at twenty-three and collapsed in a snowdrift in that unfamiliar city. No one ever came to claim me. This time, I chose to let it go and accepted the wreath with a gracious smile. To fully integrate myself into this family. After all, what is a moment of pride compared to a lifetime's inheritance?

“I know you want me.” Damien said in a deep hoarse voice. I turned to look at him. “I can never want a ruthless man like you.” “Your eyes are telling a different story Alison.” Damien said, taking a step forward. I took a step backward but Damien had stopped me, his hands traveling across my dress. My breathe hitched in my throat as his hands paused. “Your body is saying a different story.” Damien leaned closer. “You can’t resist me Alison.” “I—“ my voice cracked. At that moment I realized he was right. I wanted Damien Santos. Right now. In his room. *** Alison had it all—wealth, love, and a perfect life—until her conniving stepsister, Mabel, destroyed everything. Framed for infidelity,Alison’s husband throws her out of the house, leaving her penniless and homeless. Just when she hits rock bottom, Alison crosses paths with Damien Santos—a cold and ruthless mafia boss who rules the highlands. Unaware of who he truly is, Alison’s brief exchange with him takes an unexpected turn, placing her under his dark, protective shadow. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a web of secrets and lies. As Alison uncovers the truth about Damien’s identity, she realizes their meeting wasn’t accidental. Dark revelations from her past resurface, tying her fate to his in ways she never imagined. Can Alison reclaim her life, or will she lose herself in the dangerous world Damien has pulled her into?

The first thing he takes from me is air. A hand crashes over my mouth, ripping me backward into a darkness so sudden my mind stutters. My scream dies against his palm. My feet leave the ground. My heartbeat slams against my ribs like it’s trying to escape. “Stop fighting,” he says, his voice a low, controlled threat against my ear. Not shouted. Not rushed. Certain. I claw at his arm anyway. It doesn’t matter. “This is day one,” he whispers. He forces me onto my knees, my breath splintering in sharp, humiliating bursts. His fingers hook under my jaw, lifting my face so I have to see him.. cold eyes, steady rage, a man carved from hatred with a purpose. “You were born into the wrong blood,” he says. “And now you’ll pay for every sin it spilled.” His thumb drags across my trembling lips, testing, measuring. A reminder he owns every choice I have left. “You’ll beg,” he promises. “Not for mercy. For the end.” And something inside me sinks, cold and final. From this moment on, nothing is mine. Not breath. Not choice. Not time. ⸻ Luna Vitiello is the silent daughter of a devil. To the world, a pampered princess. In truth, a girl who has bled in silence for nineteen years. But the man who takes her doesn’t care. To him, she isn’t a victim; she’s the enemy. A living vessel for her father’s sins, a debt meant to be paid in pain. He thinks he’s breaking a spoiled queen. He doesn’t realize he’s crushing a girl who was already broken.

For years, no one had been able to activate the last dragon's heart. No one except a poor young thief. ___ She only had one job–stealing a precious stone. Yet it landed her with an overbearing dragon. ___ Locked and chained, Scar suddenly awakened when his heart palpitated for the first time in decades, coming face to face with a young girl cradling his heart. In his vengeful attempt to get it back, they activate the spell binding him to her. Now not only was his heart stolen, but he was also enslaved. Scar vowed to kill the girl once the bond was broken. The only problem is no one had ever successfully broken a dragon bond, nor would it allow him to harm its new master. ___ "Oh... um ... sorry. I didn't mean to…um.. pry. I'm... gonna go now." I stuttered, inching backward from his penetrating gaze, glancing around for a way out. "I don't know who you're, but I do know you're not here willingly. Seeing as you're chained and all." Silence. "How about I set you free, and in return, you get us out of here?" Silence. Maybe he couldn't talk, so I did the only thing I could. Grabbing the keys, I fumbled with the heavy chains of his cage. His gaze finally shifted to the wooden box I dropped on the floor. "Fancy, isn't it?" I said. "I've never seen anything like it before. But then again, I'm not familiar with expensive stuff." A deep rumble rattled from his throat, freezing me in place. I glanced up at him wearily. "Run." And then he was charging towards me. ___ Tropes: Enemies to lovers. Hidden identity. Reverse harem. Betrayal. Revenge. Arranged marriage. Contract. Escape with pregnancy. Forced proximity. ___