Dared

CASTELLO DI CARTE MAFIA CHRONICLES, BOOK 2 [Also known as POSSESSION: THE GAME OF CLUBS] 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 What is worse than being forced to marry a man you’ve never even met? Drinking with a man who’s off-limits and sleeping with him to prove a point. After one drunken mistake, I swore to never entertain him again. But the next time we met, things did not go as expected. He was the enemy, one I should've known better than to involve myself with, but I couldn’t resist his unbreakable allure. was not the only reason. It was the way he softly whispered sweet words into my ears and the way he held me. It was the intensity with which he looked at me and made me feel desired. There was one tiny problem. His marriage was in four months. To the woman who called me her friend. 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 They say there’s pleasure in tasting the things you cannot have. Forbidden has its own mind when deep-rooted inside someone. I never knew the depth of these words until I saw her. She was the brightest pink rose in a sea full of white ones. She was covered in thorns, a boundary only I dared to cross because I had nothing to lose. Only, she wasn’t mine, nor I, hers. Every moment we spent together reminded us of the reality meant for us. Some sacrifices are made for the greater good, but what good comes from leaving behind the one thing you never had and have finally found? She surrendered herself to me. Until the end of our agreement. So what if one of us wanted more in the end? What if the one was me?

Can a cursed Alpha find salvation in a broken omega? When at eighteen, Chantelle’s childhood crush chooses her as his mate, she never dreamt things would go wrong. After five years of being mated to the Alpha of her dreams, Chantelle is unable to conceive and gets ridiculed as a barren woman. While she desperately tries to bear a child, her mate impregnates her stepsister and kicks her out of her pack. Hearatbroken and destitute, she runs into her predestined mate; the cursed Alpha Valens. Of all things to inherit, Valens has inherited his father’s curse. Driven by the curse, he invades packs, desperate to meet his mate and curse breaker. Then he runs into Chantelle, his salvation. One night is all it takes; one night between two strangers. When Chantelle wakes the morning after that pivotal night, she picks her shoes and flees, terrified of the man whose bed she dared to share. For Valens, he wakes the next morning to see colours for the first time in decades but the woman responsible for his colourful world has fled his side. In a panic, he sets out to find her, going as far as declaring her wanted. After five years of trying for a child, Chantelle is pregnant. She goes from a woman mocked for being barren to an expecting mother, from a destitute wolf to the cursed Alpha's curse breaker. Her life changes in the blink of an eye but with a jealous sister, an ex claiming her child and a foe masquerading as a friend, how long can she enjoy her new status? A relationship between two people who see the world differently is bound to be rocky but can the alpha and his omega find even ground?

Fiona Garbera was forced to face a harsh false ideology that love was never enough at her early age. She grew up with the mindset that love only makes one weak, judging by her parents failed marriage. Watching her father age with a sadness that years couldn’t erase made her swore never to give love a chance until hell freezes over. But a drunk one night of sexual bliss with her new boss Colt Harper who fate made them meet again became a threat to all her years of discipline against love. Colt Harper wanted more than a night with her, he wanted her heart and was determined to change her misconception about love and this brought a crack to the walls she had built as a defense against love all her life. Fiona was caught in a dilemma of either holding on to her walls of insecurity to be at the safer side or give into the undeniable attraction between them and stand a chance to risk her heart being broken or mended forever. She had to make a life changing decision as she realized that she couldn’t stand the chance of missing out on sharing the rest of her life with the one man who had taught her that love was a beautiful emotion. Fiona was done with running away from her feelings and the uncertainty that she feels comes with love because of the trauma she had as a kid as a result of her parents failed marriage. She dared to believe that a night with her billionaire boss could lead to happily ever after as she found a partner to deal with whatever crests and troughs life threw at them and she lived happily ever after in love as she chose love over fear.

**One girl. One mission. One deadly secret coursing through her veins.** Hilda Alegre thought escaping her abusive father was the hardest thing she'd ever do. She was wrong. Sold to a powerful criminal organization, the naive Filipino girl becomes their perfect weapon—not through training, but through a single injection that turns her blood into poison. One remote command, and she becomes a walking death sentence. Her target? Aron Nicastro, the crime boss's own son who dared to defy his father and disappeared into the shadows. But infiltrating the world of exclusive art galleries and elite criminals isn't easy when you've never left your rural village. Disguised as a street vendor, Hilda must get close to a man dangerous enough that his own father wants him dead—all while hiding the lethal secret pumping through her heart. **The rules are simple: Complete the mission. Don't get caught. Don't fall in love.** **Because in her world, one wrong touch could kill them both.** As mysterious protector Art watches over her and handler Gabriel struggles with his conscience, Hilda discovers that the deadliest weapon isn't the poison in her veins—it's the growing connection she feels to the very man she's supposed to destroy and the who need to protect. In the criminal underworld, trust is fatal, love is a luxury, and innocence is the most dangerous weapon of all. **Some missions are worth dying for. Some people are worth killing to protect.** **But when you're literally toxic to love, how do you choose between your heart and your life?**

He was infamous for changing women like they are clothes, trying them on for a day and once he lost interest, be will throw it away. However, you can only count in one hand the women he loved. Precisely one. His first love, first pain and first and last heartbreak. While he had never fucked anyone, almost but not quite, until he met Luna. For him, love is a waste of time, women isn't a necessity and they only want him for his wealth, looks and power. They never wanted who he truly is and it's absolutely fine. Alas, when someone drugged him and ended up rolling in the bed with a woman he thought was paid to fool him, he was enraged. But the first thing the woman demanded wasn't to marry her, instead, she wanted him to stay away after the one undeniably satisfying night he ever had. Soon he learned that she was not a cheap woman, but the illegitimate daughter of a powerful family and people wanted to get rid of her. It was no secret that the last woman who tried to climb on his bed almost died and so no one dared to do it again. He was a tyrant and had a licentious behavior but it didn't mean he was stupid. Thinking of a way to solve his problems, he straight up went to her and proposed a contract. He was rejected at first but soon after being reasonable, they reached to an agreement. It was a huge surprise when the hot tyrant and the licentious rake announced his marriage. But it was all just the beginning. They never had an idea that a simple deal would change everything and she had never believed that she could reform the hottest rake alive. TBC

Barging in his room secretly like this in the middle of the night is enough reason to be accused of treason. Not to mention, I even dared to touch him just now! I could hear his footsteps getting closer, causing me to bend my back forward and lower my head even more. My heart beats in anticipation the moment his feet stopped in front of me. I refused to even breathe. Ever so closely, he leans down to whisper on my ear. "Unless you want me to bend you further and take you from behind, I suggest you stand straight already, Luna Leaxandra." ****** Leaxandra Pisce's arranged marriage with the Alpha of the Wolves pushes her to attend the mating ball held in Lycan's domain and make fantasies with any other man in hopes of cancelling the engagement. Although, instead of hoping to enter the bed chambers, she was lured towards the cell of a convict and had resulted in taking responsibility by becoming his redemption for that night. Years later, the incident, Leaxandra, suffers from severe memories lost and, instead, has been devoting her life as the Luna of the Wolves by becoming the Alpha King's wedded wife Her loyalty was chained in recognizing the Lycans as her greatest nemesis. But what happen when the very convict she had spent a night with seven years ago turns out to be Caius Raedan - the Lycan King who's been laying low and yearning for the lost wolf whom he believed was his claim? How will Leaxandra face him? Would she even recognize him in the first place? Moreover, with his familiar touches awakening her lust, will she even maintain her stand once he surrounds her with the temptations of him?

With one of the best college grades and her degree in medicine, Emma Newton’s next plan is to move to Abuja to pursue her dreams. Her goals in life were easy; get a great job at a private hospital, pay back all her family's debts and make her parents proud. That was before her father got very sick in front of her eyes and is fighting for his life. She reluctantly moves to Abuja with one major goal at the top of the list; Save her father from dying. Alex Lightwood is the CEO of the billion dollar technology company; Pearl mobile, and one of the top business moguls in Abuja. He's also one of the hottest men in the city. But what no one knows is the pain he carries in his heart from mourning the death of his wife and first love. Because of that, he has become cold hearted and ruthless. His wife left him with their three kids but he can't stand to look at them because they remind him of her so much so he hires nanny after nanny to take care of them. However, his mischievous and ill mannered kids have sent away all THIRTY nannies he's hired. That's when he realizes he needs major help. Fate causes Emma and Alex’s paths to cross and he offers her a job to be 'His Caretaker’. Desperate for the money to save her father, she accepted. To Emma Newton, Alex Lightwood must be the coldest, insufferable, arrogant and bipolar person she has ever come across. But, to Alex Lightwood, Emma Newton is the only girl who has ever dared to look him in the eye and question him. Will they let love win or their egos?

Him: I'll do anything to be with her. Since the day I saw her those are my thoughts. Every fucking seconds she's on my mind. I tell you she's a witch. My witch! I grunt at my own thoughts. I don't know what spell she has casted on me but I'm whipped and I love the effect she have on me. I don't know what's this feeling but I know one thing that I want her. I don't believe in love. I guess it's attraction that's pulling me towards her. I'm definitely not a manwhore or womenizer but this girl is attracting me in a way that no one has ever dared too. I won't say she's the most beautiful girl in the entire world but yeah she's so damn perfect and beautiful to me. The first few times I tried to ignore it but the more I tried to ignore it the more she's pulling me towards her. But what say she's not even glancing at me. I guess I have to do something that would make her look at me. Her thoughts should be surrounded by me and for that I have to do something. If only she knows the things that I wanna do with her. She will run away from me but like hell I would allow that to happen. Wait and watch baby girl soon tomorrow you will be mine. You're mine to fuck, mine to hold and mine to do every single thing!! Only mine!! I will lock you in my cage forever' See you soon baby girl.

My brother was a twisted, paranoid psychopath. When I was ten, my parents were murdered. Both my legs broke off while I tried to save my brother. I became his only family and also Achilles’ heel. Those who mocked me as a crippled would have their bones broken, and anyone who tried to hurt me would be smashed into a pulp. As he reclaimed our family’s fortune, he became “the Devil” in Amberwater, a man no one dared to offend. Yet, he alone spoiled me like I was a little princess. Everyone knew that Lucas’s sister was untouchable. He had sent me abroad to receive the best treatment. The day that I could finally stand up again, I received an invitation to my brother’s engagement banquet. “Veronica, we’re going to have a new family member soon.” I heard that his fiancee was the daughter of a wealthy family. She was gentle and virtuous. I dressed beautifully to meet her and planned to give her the jade bracelet that my mother had left behind. However, she had me kidnapped and taken to an abandoned construction building. “You lowly little witch. I’ll rip that face of yours since you’re such a seductress. I’ll see how you’ll steal my man now!” She crushed my mother’s heirloom, broke all my limbs, and ripped my face off. Then, she ordered a dozen men to torment me to death. In the end, she stuffed me into a gift box and sent it to my brother. “Dearest, this is your wedding gift. Do you like it?”

In the heart of New York City, the NYPD never sleeps—and neither do its secrets. Detective Jocelynn Sanchez is all sharp edges and silence. Closed off, cold, and constantly on guard, she’s built walls few have dared to climb. Her time at the academy left her scarred, thanks to a group of recruits who made it their mission to break her spirit. Now, years later, she’s forced to join a new unit—led by none other than Andrei Smirnov, friends with the men who put her through hell. Andrei has always wanted to work with Jocelynn, though she has no idea. Unlike his friends, he saw her strength back then—and admired it. Her arrival on his team feels like fate. But earning her trust proves harder than expected. She barely speaks, avoids everyone except her one friend, and seems to carry a past she’ll never share. Still, Andrei is patient. An open book with a big family and an even bigger heart, he slowly begins to break through Jocelynn's defenses. And in doing so, he discovers the truth: she’s not cold—she’s protecting herself. Jocelynn sees that Andrei isn’t like the men who hurt her. He’s kind, steady, and genuinely wants to understand her. But there are secrets she won’t risk exposing—not even to him. Like the fact that her godfather is their precinct captain, or the real reason she cut ties with her family. As cases grow more dangerous and their bond deepens, Jocelynn must decide if she can finally let someone in. Shadows in Blue is a slow-burn detective romance about trauma and trust, told from both perspectives.