Defiance Synonym

All Annabelle Gracia wanted was a quiet life. But after losing Mama—the only mother she knew, she poured herself into running their flower shop (the legacy Mama left behind), selling flowers and wrapping them into powerful portrait designs and around her aching heart. Sold into an arranged marriage to Antonioni D’Angélo, a ruthless billionaire mafia king known as “The Shadow King” A man who sees love as a weakness and betrayal as inevitable. Now, Annabelle is the price of a deadly deal, thrown into a world of power and shadows. She becomes a pawn in a dangerous game of secrets and betrayal all because of her father's accumulated debts from gambling, causing her to be trapped in a world of danger. But then, amidst Antonioni's ruthlessness, lies a feeling he has for Annabelle that he fought hard to control. Antonioni didn’t expect Annabelle’s fire, her defiance, or the way her quiet strength drew him in. Their nights are an intoxicating mix of pain, raw pleasure, and control. Yet, in her innocence and softness, she tries to shield herself from his cruelty. Antonioni finds something he thought the world had beaten out of him long ago—hope. As enemies and hurt close in from all sides—old rivals, betrayals, and hidden threats, Annabelle becomes more than a pawn in Antonioni’s world; she becomes his unexpected ally, and her courage steadies him. In protecting her, he learns how to protect himself from the deadly shadows within. Together, they must navigate a battlefield of purpose, blood and trust. Each battle forges them into something stronger. And when the truth about her past threatens to burn everything down, he must choose—will he cling to the darkness he's known forever? Or fight for the one he never deserved? Find out in the story.

“Don't tell me what to do.” I glared at him, my breath catching at the dark, hungry look in his eyes when he backed me up against the edge of the desk. “That's very ironic because I am the one who always gets to tell you when to come for me. So yeah, I'll tell you what to do and when I tell you to bend over the fucking desk, you fucking do it, Mrs. Sinclair.” He seethed huskily, spinning me around harshly so that my face got stuffed against the desk with his raging hard-on pressing into me. It fired up the dark thrill coursing through my veins and I did the one thing that betrayed the guard I was trying to put up. I fucking moaned. •••• After her ex-boyfriend ruined her life and crushed her heart into pieces by getting married to a renowned supermodel, Katherine Perez, the enigmatic artist decided to get her pound of flesh by orchestrating his kidnap on the morning of his wedding. Katherine was blinded but rage and wanted to stop the wedding by all means but things took a drastic turn when the team she hired accidentally kidnapped someone else. He wasn't just anyone. He was the head of the US Mafia. Christophe Sinclair. The devil in a suit. Katherine's defiance allowed her to believe that she could get away with the grave crime she committed but everything in her life took a turn for the worse when a Mafia Don who has never been fazed by any woman comes after her with everything he has. Caught in the web of a man who reminds her of every reason she chose to lock her heart away from the world, will Katherine allow herself to be vulnerable again after everything she lost?

Tyler never wanted an Alpha, especially not someone like Landon Hayes. At Ridgecrest Academy, Landon is at the top of the food chain—dominant, arrogant, and used to getting everything he wants. But Tyler isn’t like the other Omegas who fall at his feet. Defiant and independent, he’s determined to finish his year and leave without ever being claimed. Landon has other plans. The moment Tyler caught Landon’s eye, it was game over. Tyler’s quiet defiance and refusal to submit ignite something in Landon he can’t ignore. For the first time, Landon is chasing someone who doesn’t want to be caught. At Ridgecrest, the rules are simple: the strongest Alpha gets what he wants. And Landon Hayes wants Tyler. *** “You—” he starts to say, but his voice catches. I see his pupils dilate, his lips parting as he tries to push back against what’s happening. I let the red flash in my eyes, just for a second, enough to show him who’s in control here. It’s not about scaring him—it’s about reminding him of the natural order of things. The way this has always been meant to go. “Submit,” I growl. He whines. It’s quiet, barely audible, but I hear it. His body betrays him for just a second, his knees wobbling as his head lowers, shoulders hunching in instinctual submission. His eyes flick away, and I can see it—the brief moment where his will cracks. And god, it’s intoxicating. That split second of submission is all I need to know that he’s mine. He might fight it, but his body knows. His scent tells me everything I need to know. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks completely, before he’s begging for it.

EXCERPT "Madeline, you are still pregnant, aren't you?" I stared at her, she was still—unresponsive. "Madeline, the baby is still in there, inside your god-damned womb, isn't he, my voice rising several decibels." Still, no response. "Madeline!!!," I growled. I demand an answer. You are still with my child, right?" This time, she looked up at me, fear flickering in her eyes, and I could see the defiance there too. She responded with a negative shake of her head. I just laughed, a cold humorless laughter. I was mad. "I-i am so sorry alpha Konan," she stammered, her voice nearly a whisper. "I didn't mean for this to happen." I scoffed. Did she just say sorry? "Madeline, O Madeline!!!" "Sorry doesn't bring back my baby. it doesn't make up for your incompetence." "You did too much wrong things at once Madeline. You breached the contract Madeline, you lost my baby and took the ability for me to sire a heir because of your carelessness.... **** Because of an unintended one night stand sex with Alpha Konan, the newly installed cruel alpha of Oceanwolf pack, Madeline a servant girl lost her virginity and got pregnant for his child. Alpha Konan got to know about it and since a pregnancy was needed to establish his power in the pack, he decided to contract her to be his mate, and she got no say in it. The pregnancy they both depended on was lost and everything took a turn for the worse. Will Madeline be able to survive the punishment meted out on her? In this story, a web of love, loyalty and adventure is formed. Will the poor servant girl and the cruel Alpha be able to pull through, each answering the call of eternal unbroken love amidst all difficulties?

“I'd do it,”   a voice interrupted. “I'd kiss her.”   Laughter cut short like a needle across a vinyl. Heads turned. Eyes widened. There he was— leaning against the auditorium doorway, dressed in all leather black, clutching a helmet, exuding that dangerous calm was— Killian Lancaster— The school bad boy— The school rebel. The dream boy of every female. Boys wanted to be like him, girls wanted him as a boyfriend, teachers saw him as a nuisance who's hardly in school or attended classes but somehow aced all his classes. He's freaking hot with his tall lean intimidating height, coupled with his pretty face and his long jet black hair hanging on his shoulders to round off the ensemble. His water glass eyes that melted both boys and girls fixated on me. —- Brielle Everly has spent her life in the shadows—overweight, shy, and constantly mocked for her body. She’s invisible to the world, an outcast in her own school. But everything changes when she’s tricked into the lead role of the school play. And the worst part? She has to practice kissing scenes with him—Killian Lancaster, the untouchable bad boy wrapped in leather and mystery. But Killian isn’t just a rebel on a motorcycle. Beneath the smirks and defiance lies a secret the school knows nothing about—a truth darker than anyone could imagine. As their worlds collide, an undeniable pull draws him to Brielle—one he can’t explain, control, or resist. But when she discovers who—or what—he really is, will she be his salvation… or his downfall? Because in the end, Brielle isn’t just a girl he can’t ignore. She’s the key to breaking the curse that haunts him and his kind. The only question is… will she save him, or doom them all?

“Why are you like this, Axel?” she asked in a low voice, her tone slightly breaking. “Why won't you just leave me alone?” For a moment, something inside me stirred. I reached out slowly and placed my fingers under her chin, lifting her face. She tried to look away, but I wouldn’t let her. Tears pooled in her eyes, but she bit her lower lip stubbornly, trying to keep them from falling. But that tiny act of defiance… God, it did something to me. I wanted to pull her closer, to claim her, to make her mine and never let anyone else touch her. “One year,” I said finally. She frowned. “What?” “I want you,” I said clearly. “For one year, you’ll be my woman. In exchange, I’ll take care of you, your needs, your family’s protection, your brother’s freedom. Everything.” *** After catching her scumbag boyfriend in bed with her coworker, Olivia Brooks did what any heartbroken woman might… she drowned her sorrows at a club. One too many drinks later, she ended up in the arms of a dangerously handsome stranger. What she didn’t know was that the man she mistook for a gigolo was Axel Reynolds, a ruthless billionaire with a taste for control. Olivia tried to move on and bury the memory of that reckless night… until fate delivered a cruel twist. Axel Reynolds wasn’t just anyone—he was her step sister’s soon-to-be husband. Now, trapped between guilt and desire, Olivia wants to hide the truth. But Axel has already found her, and the devil never lets go of what he claims.

BOOK #6 - WRIGHT-PETROV SERIES After her father's death, Kamilla lost her association with her father's employer. The Petrov family. Everything else followed. People she considered friends, including her boyfriend, turned their backs on her. She was outcasted by the same people previously groveling to please her. Overnight, she becomes a nobody. An easy target for the hypocrites of society. Nonetheless, she endures. She is far stronger than anyone realizes. However, someone thought she needed protection. "Why are you doing this, Mr. Samuel Petrov? I do not need the frivolity of your world. And please do not give me that lame excuse about being my father's friend again," she shows her defiance by meeting his calm gaze with her sharp angry one. "Believe me, Kamilla, you will not want to hear my reasons." Samuel bore her with an ominous look, attempting to dismiss her. "What reasons, Mr. Petrov? Does it include watching me sleep in the middle of the night? Or your huge one down there having a hard-on whenever you see me in my flimsy nightgown?" with regained boldness, she sassed while pointing at the bump of his pants. Samuel raised a brow in response to her brazenness. "It's just the tip of the iceberg you are seeing, Kamilla. You do not want to know the rest of it," his voice turned icy cold as he gritted every word. "I'm no angel, Samuel Petrov. I can smell your desire since day one, baby" A suggestive sultry smile carves her lips. "Fuck you, Kamilla. Don't call me baby" she was no longer surprise when he swiftly pulled and pinned her on the couch. "It's dangerous" His ragged hot breath fanned her face, and a rock-hard thing was wedged between them.

I stared down at the contract, a wave of defiance bubbling up in me. I turned back to him, meeting his gaze head-on. "I never asked for your help," I said, "I would've found a way to save my mother on my own. You may think you own me, but I'd rather die than marry you." A slow smile crept across his face, a smug, knowing look that sent a chill down my spine. He knew exactly what I was thinking, as if my resistance only entertained him. "Look at me," he commanded. I reluctantly turned back, locking eyes with him. His face had shifted, his expression darkened, and for the first time, true fury was etched in his eyes. "I’ll count to ten," he said, "If that contract isn’t signed by the time I reach ten, I’ll make the same call I made to pay those bills. Only this time, the instructions will be different. Your mother... your sister…they’ll both be gone." He took a breath, settling back as if the threat were a mere matter of routine. "So… ONE!!" I swallowed hard, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Could he be bluffing? No, I'd seen him kill before, seen how casually he turned life and death into sports. "FOUR," he counted. My hands started to shake. What could I do? If I signed, I'd be bound to him forever, trapped as his wife. But if I didn’t... my mother and sister’s lives hung in the balance. "SEVEN." I closed my eyes, fighting the panic rising in my chest. He wouldn’t do it, I told myself. He couldn’t be that monstrous. But even as I thought it, the doubt crept in. I wasn’t sure. Then, he hit "TEN" himself

He slid a paper across the table, his eyes cold. " Sign it." She blinked, confused. "Why?" "It’s our marriage certificate." He spoke as if discussing the weather. "I’ve already signed it. Your turn." Siya froze. **Marriage?** To a man like him? Her? A whore. Pregnant. She looked up at him, pleading. "I-I can be your maid. Do anything. Just… don’t hurt my baby." Her voice trembled, careful, trying to bargain with the devil himself. But Abhimanyu’s gaze was relentless, unmoved. His tone cut like ice. "I want you to sign it right now." Her heart hammered in her chest. "But… how… why me?" She stuttered, breaking. "I don’t want to marry you." She stood, defiance shaking her body. The word **marriage** tasted like ash, reminding her of someone she loathed beyond reason. Abhimanyu leaned in, his smile devoid of warmth. "You **will** marry me. Or…" The room fell silent, thick with the unspoken threat. **The world knows** what he is capable of. "Plea.se," she whispered. Her voice was barely a breath. Siya’s legs screamed to run. But there was nowhere to go. His voice low, lethal. "Listen to me, TweetyBird. If I can save you, I can ruin you too.' His eyes darkened. "Sign it. And you’ll be mine." "Why me?" Her voice broke. ************ Siya laid on the bed on her fours, her hands tied together with a handcuff as Abhimanyu thrusted slowly from her back. He changed their position making her completely under his mercy. As the sun rose in the sky, he uncuffed her. "Scream my name!" He groaned going faster than before. But his pace didn’t slacken at all. He had turned into a needy beast, who was ruining every ounce of sanity left in Siya. *********** ***********

ALICE RILEY “I like you; you’re a wonderful girl. But your stubbornness? I can’t deal with that. Unless you change—” Before he could finish, I said goodbye and walked out. Just a week into dating, and all he could see was my so-called obstinance. Honestly, dating wasn’t my thing. Men admired my looks, sure, but my mind? That was a different story. A few dates were all it took for them to brand me as headstrong or argumentative. I was okay with that. I had no intention of changing myself to fit someone else’s expectations. Then came Vivian Scott, the enigmatic CEO of Scott Group. He was unlike anyone I’d met before. Why wasn’t he running for the hills like the rest? Did he actually think he could tame me, bend me to his will? VIVIAN SCOTT I had everything a man needed to make women swoon—looks, power, status, and wealth. Becoming the CEO of Scott Group at a young age had made me responsible, but it hadn’t dulled my appetite for fun. Whenever I encountered a beautiful woman, I knew exactly how she’d react. I never missed an opportunity to tease and charm my way into her good graces. It was all harmless fun—short-lived and never serious. That was until I met Alice Riley. Alice was gorgeous, no doubt, but it wasn’t just her beauty that intrigued me. Her sharp wit and unyielding attitude set her apart. She wasn’t like the women I’d known before. Unfortunately for her, she thought that throwing up walls and flaunting her defiance would keep me at bay. What’s more thrilling than conquering the impossible? I was determined to bring her to my track! __________ Cover Image Credit: Image by Freepik