Bonus X

Veronica, a musician in a band, finds herself on a sticky wicket when she realizes that the man of her dreams—Théo Reynaud—is an elaborate masquerade to his danger-seeking alter ego. As she tries to stay relevant in the music scene, she battles depression and bouts of anxiety while dealing with a dysfunctional long-distance relationship. Théo is a fashion model striving to make a good living in the cutthroat industry while moonlighting as an informant. After a vindictive crime boss endangers his family, he is tasked to complete his final assignment to keep his loved ones out of harm's way, and be with the woman he loves. ▬▬▬▬▬▬ genres: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE, CRIME, DRAMA ▬▬▬▬▬▬ This is a work of fiction. Places, characters, dialogues, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination, or are used fictitiously. This story contains profanity, sexual themes, drug usage, and some violence intended for mature readers. Read at your own risk. [DISCLAIMER: The author does not own the original images on the book cover.]

"คอยดูนะ กูจะทำให้สายรุกหน้าหวาน กลายมาเป็นรับให้ดู" คำพูดสุดแสนท้าทายดังออกมาจากปาก ของเจ้าของคาสิโนหนุ่ม โดยที่เขาไม่รู้เลยคำพูดสุดแสนจะมั่นใจนั้น จะทำให้ชีวิตของเขาเปลี่ยนไปตลอดกาล "เวรเอ้ย!!"

“พี่ไม่คิดที่จะชอบเธอหรอกนะ! พี่ไม่ชอบคนอ้วนน่ะเข้าใจไว้ด้วย ลองคิดดูสิว่าจะหน้าอายแค่ไหนที่ต้องเดินคู่ไปกับคนอ้วนๆแบบเธอ พี่ทำใจยอมรับไม่ได้หรอกนะ”

I was the real son of the Lane family, lost and left outside for 27 years. A year after I was brought back, I helped the Lane family’s company break into overseas markets, tripling its annual sales. However, at the end of the year, even the outsourced janitors got a 13th-month bonus, while the fake heir gave me just 250 dollars. “The company made money, sure, but there are expenses everywhere. You’re just a low-level salesperson. All you do is talk. You should be grateful you got that much.” I could not swallow it, so I went to argue with my biological sister, the general manager. She did not even look up. “Clive didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t have much education and no core skills. You were never qualified for management bonuses.” My parents did not care either. They were too busy planning which country to take the fake heir to for the holidays. I did not argue or make a scene. I just turned around and called Lane Corporation’s biggest rival. “A salesperson who brought in 30 million dollars in the last year is looking to jump ship. Interested? I don’t have any other demands. I just want to see Lewis Corporation go under as soon as possible!”

“คุณปล่อยฉันไปเถอะ…ฉันจะหาเงินมาใช้หนี้ก้อนนั้นให้เอง" “ฉันมีวิธีที่ดีกว่านั้นอีก” นัยน์ตาหวานวูบไหวระริก ไม่เข้าใจสิ่งที่เขาต้องการจะสื่อ “มันเอาน้องฉันจนท้อง ฉันก็เอาน้องมันคืนบ้าง เธอว่าเป็นไง”

"From now on, whenever you call me ‘Daddy’ in public, only you and I will know the true meaning behind it," said Gabriel Bloodfang. Every time I call him Daddy, only the two of us understand the truth hidden behind that word. To the world, I’m just a human girl saved by Alpha Bloodfang. To the Pack, I’m nothing more than a lucky adopted daughter. But to me, Daddy is everything, he’s my first love and my forbidden desire. One look from him makes my blood tremble. One touch from him ignites a fire that no law could ever extinguish.

"I swear I will kill you, Darkaldie Halcremide!" She swore, hatred in every word she uttered. "And I will find every attempt pleasurable, Astra." * Astra, picture perfect, a young priestess so perfect that her position as next head priestess was certain. Certain until he crashed into her life, Darkaldie Halcremide. He is her downfall. Her ruin. Crushing her pack and usurping the throne in a single day, Astra's life and future comes to an end and she seeks nothing more than death but Darkaldie craves not her death, but instead, his dark, filthy soul craves her pure, untainted soul. He is determined to get the perfect priestess to break and to crave but if there be anything Astra now craves, it is the death of Darkaldie Halcremide. She would go to any length for her sole craving, his death. And yet, what Darkaldie wants, Darkaldie gets. A struggle, a tussle. Cravings clash, lust stir, secrets lurk. Astra is TAKEN but Darkaldie's life, she vows to take. TAKEN - A Rogue King x Priestess Romance.

After spending the past month working overtime and burning the midnight oil every day, I finally closed a business deal that's worth 50 million dollars before the company's annual dinner. My boss, William Lewis, begins giving away the end-of-the-year bonuses with a wide smile on his face. "The finance director helped our company save three million dollars worth of taxes. He will receive a villa by the river as a gift." "The head of IT led the team and solved various difficult problems. He shall receive 200 thousand dollars in cash." "Lily Lane, the receptionist, has always shown a great attitude whenever she greets the clients. She shall receive a Hermes bag." When it's my turn, I wipe the sweat off my palms before accepting my bonus. But upon opening the giftbox, I see three entrance tickets to the local zoo instead. "You must be sick of receiving commissions all the time as the sales director. Why don't you take advantage of this holiday to spend some quality time with your family?" On the way home, I dial a number. "Mr. Skylar, there's a problem with the 50-million-dollar contract. Let's discuss it later."

Bunso sa magkapatid si Carmelita. Madali sana ang buhay niya dahil nakapagtapos na ng pag-aaral sila at tanggap na ang kanilang pamilya sa kanyang lolo at lola, pero habang na sa sinapupunan palang si Carmelita may marka na ng isang sumpa ang kanyang pagkatao. Sa edad na labing-walo tatalab ang sumpa. Sumpa na makakabago ng paningin ng ibang tao sa kanya at ang kanyang paningin sa sarili. "Carmelita, Ganyan na ba talaga ang tingin mo sa akin? Do I look that desperate for a child?"

My name is Christian Thompson, and once upon a time, I was the best striker in European football. That was until he came along—Ashford Ryder, young and carefree, 10 years my junior and the new shining star. I hate him. At least that's what I tell myself. Not just because he's taken my spot, but because he's everything I've struggled all my life to be, and not to be. He's vibrant, he's happy, and the worst of all, he's openly gay. I'm not homophobic, quite the opposite—I've lived in the closet all my life. All my life, I've had to hide who I am to please the people around me. European football hasn't always been this accepting of gay men, and I'd squeezed myself into a box to fit in with what they wanted of me. It isn’t that hard when you think about my family who'd rather disown me than have an openly gay son. So imagine how I feel when the world decides to be more accommodating to people like Ashford Ryder when they shoved me in a box. It's not so easy to hate the happy-go-lucky striker, when he does everything to get close to me, despite my insistent hatred for him. He's like a thorn in my side—a hot, sexy, blonde, 5ft9 thorn I can't stop thinking about. But when one day I lose my cool around the popular striker and land myself in bad press, I end up needing his help. It's supposed to be easy. Spend some time with Ashford Ryder, and show our fans that we can work together—it's what I need to do to save my career. But no one tells you how hard it is to hate someone you spend every waking hour dreaming about.