Christmas Dances

On the day before the Christmas holidays start, my wife, Irene Owens, intends to promote me and give me a raise in order to celebrate my feat of closing a hundred-million-dollar deal. But her assistant, Cody Harrington, purposefully feeds her some cake. Irene, who's known to be a germaphobe, doesn't show any trace of disgust as she subconsciously accepts the spoon, which is tainted with Cody's saliva, into her mouth. The employees begin cheering for them on the spot. Some ask if they are about to get married. Not only does Irene not refute those questions, but she also promotes Cody to a department manager on the spot. When a colleague next to me realizes how silent I've been, he nudges me in the side. "Hey Seb, you're the veteran employee who's stuck by Ms. Owens' side for so long. Why aren't you reacting to the news?" I merely sneer as I toss my share transfer agreement to Cody. "A promotion isn't enough, is it? You can have these shares as your wedding gift."

We're releasing balloons on Christmas Eve when Milton Jenning's lover deliberately sets off fireworks. They explode on me, burning me severely. My back, already torn and raw from skin grafts for her, becomes even more of a bloodied mess. However, I don't ask Milton for help. Instead, I shield a recently reunited heir of a wealthy family beneath me, risking everything to save him. In my past life, Milton kicked me in the back and told me not to stand in the way of him taking his lover to the hospital. "Is it funny to you to use a child as a cover, Larissa? Even if you're pregnant, you and your baby are just walking skin providers for Rita! I must've spoiled you—how dare you do something as heinous as this!" I was blacklisted by all hospitals and ended up dying while pregnant. My heart was filled with hatred as I breathed my last breath. When I open my eyes again, I see Rita Atkinson secretly aim fireworks at the night sky and set them off. I hear her laugh manically as she says, "You and your child can die together!"

One scorching night was all it took for the ruthless billionaire…Damien Voss to haunt Isabella Barnes' dreams. He took her body, shattered her trust, and vanished, leaving her with scars deeper than the secret she buried alone. Now, on a Christmas getaway meant to heal her, Isabella wakes in chains. Her captor? The same man who ruined her. Damien mistakes her for the daughter of his sworn rival and vows to break her as leverage in his brutal corporate war. But as days bleed into nights of dark pleasure and forbidden surrender, the truth unravels: he's been hunting those unforgettable eyes ever since that fateful night. And he has no intention of letting her go. Trapped in his luxurious prison, Isabella fights the pull of his possessive touch. But still, anger and pain burns in her veins... until his obsession awakens something twisted and intoxicating in her own soul. Once he claims her, escape isn't an option…she might not even want it. In a world of betrayal, deadly rivals, and unrelenting passion, will she shatter her captor when she discovers that he’s the same man that has haunted her dreams for years...or become his forever?

Ericka Matthews has been in love with her roommate for two years. The problem? Dominic Anderson made her sign a contract when she moved in: no romance allowed, or she's out. She's respected that boundary, hidden her feelings, and watched him from across the breakfast table every morning without letting on. Then Dominic kisses her. And immediately tells her not to kiss him back. Heartbroken and humiliated, Ericka decides to disappear. She has a backup plan, savings, and an apartment lined up. She'll be gone before he even notices. But when she collapses on campus and ends up in the hospital, Dominic is forced to confront what losing her actually means. The contract gets torn up. Confessions are made. And it turns out their mothers have been running a secret spy network dedicated to getting them together for three years. Now they just have to survive Sunday dinner with both families and Aunt Linda's unopened Christmas presents. A contemporary romance about two idiots who wasted three years pretending to be "just roommates," the meddling families who saw right through them, and the kiss that finally broke all the rules.

Harriet thought the worst thing she’d done this December was surrender to a stranger in a dark room one reckless night that left her shaking, breathless, and certain she’d never see him again. She was wrong. The next morning, she arrives home for Christmas only to learn her parents have rushed off on an emergency trip, leaving her alone to supervise the renovation of their house. Except… she’s not alone. Devon, the boy who grew up in their home like family, the “almost-brother” she hasn’t seen in years, opens the door older now, broader, too handsome for her peace of mind. And when he looks at her, she feels it in her bones. Because he isn’t just Devon. He’s the stranger from last night. The man who took her virginity. The man she swore she’d forget. Now they’re trapped in the same house for the holidays, two people who should never have crossed that line, pretending not to remember the way his hands fit her body, the way she whispered his name without knowing it was his.

When I was born, I was already a certified liar. That's a fact that everyone seems to agree with. The truth is, my mom, who's a scientist, has implanted advanced chips into me and my fraternal twin brother, Ryan Hartwell, when we were still babies. By right, as long as we lie or make mistakes, our mom will receive the devil signal from the chips. Then, she'll administer electrical shocks as a form of punishment. Ryan's chip often transmits the smiley signal. Even if he destroys our mom's research equipment and pins the blame on me, his chip still has the smiley branded on it. Meanwhile, when I reach home ten minutes later than usual because I had to help out a classmate, my chip transmits the scary devil signal. The next thing I know, I've already crippled to the floor from the intense pain caused by the electrical shock. At first, I'll still explain to Mom what happened. But she often exclaims, "Don't think you can pull off clever little tricks just like that gambling father of yours! The chip is ten thousands times smarter than you! The punishments will only be branded into your bones if the pain is searing enough! What I'm doing is saving your life!" After suffering from the pain countless times, I get brainwashed into thinking that I really am a liar and a troublemaker by nature. On the night of Christmas Eve, Mom comes to the attic to tell Ryan to join the family at the table for the Christmas dinner. That's when my asthma suddenly acts up, causing me to stumble and fall to the floor. "I… I can't breathe… Save me, Mom…" But Mom just coldly gazes at the devil signal that she has just received on her phone. Then, she dials the shock value to the maximum. "You don't have asthma at all! Ugh, you're kicking up another fuss just to attract attention! Seriously, you never change your ways!" After that, she takes Ryan's hand and leads him out of the attic. Soon, she slams the door heavily behind her. As I suffer from asphyxiation while on my deathbed, I can't help but think that Mom is right. After all, my chip has just transmitted the devil signal. Maybe the asthma attack really is just a figment of my imagination. I've always been a bad girl who loves lying to others, after all. When Mom finds out that this is the last time I've ever lied to her, she must be really happy, right?

️ DISCLAIMER — EROTICA CONTENT WARNING This novel contains 60%–70% explicit sexual content, dominant/submissive dynamics, supernatural intimacy, and mature themes. Reader discretion is strongly advised. ×××××××××× Edric Vale is broke, desperate, and out of options. With eviction days away and his sister dying, he takes a job at Luna Noir, a secret underground club that pays dancers a fortune. But the moment he steps on stage, Edric realizes Luna Noir is not human and neither are the hungry eyes watching him. His dance awakens something ancient, drawing predators to him… especially Alpha Leon Blackthorn, the cold, ruthless owner of the underground club and Alpha of the Blackthorn Wolves whose wolf reacts violently the instant he sees Edric. Leon sets the rules: Edric dances only for him. No touching. No flirting. No escape. Because Edric belongs to him, whether he understands it or not. But Edric refuses to be controlled. Until rival Alpha Luka Drazan discovers Edric’s dormant power and tries to claim him for a deadly ritual. Leon saves him brutally, then forces Edric into a contract marriage to protect him... and to keep him close. Soon Edric learns the truth: his bloodline carries magic that can break curses or crown kings, and every time Leon touches him, that magic awakens: hot, wild, and dangerously seductive. When Luka uses Edric's ex to kidnaps him to steal that power, Edric finally unleashes the force inside him. He is not prey. He is destiny. Now, with an ancient threat rising and a prophecy whispering his name, Edric must choose: Run from the supernatural world… or rule beside the Alpha willing to burn it down for him. But what he knows is that his power sings every time Leon touches him.

Brad: I hate my f*cking ex-wife. Joelle’s a piece of work, who flaunts her new boyfriend right in front of my face while demanding that our pre-nup be invalidated. But then revenge dances into view in the form of a beautiful blonde co-ed with a winsome smile and curves that go on for days and best of all, she’s Joelle’s daughter! Minnie may be young, but she’s old enough for what I have planned because the young girl is fertile, sweet, and heartbreakingly innocent. Yes, revenge will be mine because in the end, the alpha male always WINS. Minnie: I landed a valuable internship at my ex-stepfather’s company. I figure Brad won’t even notice me because he’s the CEO, while I’m just a lowly temp. I’ll hide in the corner like a shadowy mouse. But one day, Mr. Landry strides into the conference room, and those laser blue eyes find mine. He’s tall and powerful, with broad shoulders highlighted by a perfectly cut suit, and a wide chest that makes my knees go weak. Even crazier, the CEO says he has a special project for me that’s just going to be me and him. He shows me the tool he’s going to use, and it’s big, long, and mouthwateringly THICK making my knees go weak with need! Plus, this particular project is going to last nine months and I’ll emerge with my belly round and swollen as I give Brad the baby he desires!

Sarah has been dating her boyfriend for a year now and is waiting for him to propose to her. They were invited to a Christmas Eve party from his job. Sarah believes this will be the perfect setting for John to propose. However, during the party, she discovered John having sex with another woman. She confronted them both, but John became aggressive. Out of nowhere, a handsome stranger came to her rescue. The rest of the night, Sarah was drinking to erase the pain while the handsome stranger kept an eye on her to make sure she was safe. Sarah was so drunk that she wound up kissing the handsome stranger under the mistletoe, not knowing he was claiming her as his mate. The handsome stranger was determined not to leave Sarah and her drunken state at the party alone. He didn't know where she lived, so he took her to his penthousein the city. Sarah was the type of person who didn't believe in the supernatural. However, she finds out that this handsome stranger is not only her mate but also a werewolf. Will Sarah accept him as her mate, or will she run away scared? Only time will tell.

When Edna Crossby ditches the marriage registration for the fifth time, I block her contact number and social media accounts on the spot. If she's in any of the social gatherings, I turn down the invitations right away. I'd rather take the long route than walk past the cafe Edna frequents. If she attends a team-building session, I take the day off without hesitation. Even when Edna shows up on my doorstep with gifts in hand on Christmas Eve, I pretend that I'm not home at all. I don't answer any calls from her. I don't respond to texts she sends me. Just like that, I completely fade away from Edna's world. In the past, Edna used to be the focus of my life. My emotions fluctuated all the time because of her. When Edna flakes out on me for the fifth time, I finally snap out of my lovesick stupor. I don't want to live life like this anymore. Rather than getting abandoned time and again, I might as well live my life on my own happily.