Define Faint

His lips brushed my palm and every time his hot breath hit my skin, it set my nerves on fire. “What the—” I whispered, breathless. And then, with deliberate slowness, Sevastian slipped my ring finger into his mouth. My eyes widened in disbelief, my heart hammering against my chest. His teeth scraped my skin before sinking into the flesh, just enough to make me twitch from the sharp pain. I gasped, both from the sting and the bite I got from him. My entire body tensed as he bit down harder, marking me not with ink or metal, but with flesh and teeth. When he finally released my hand, my skin throbbed, the faint mark of his bite was visible against my finger. I cradled my hand, staring in disbelief at the mark he left behind. “This,” Sevastian murmured, his voice low and sharp. “Is my mark and ring.” His tone carried an edge, dangerous yet confident, as if the words were meant to bind me. “The symbol that you are no longer Celestina Valeztina-Savelli.” His lips ghosted over my skin, and my chest tightened as he whispered the next words. “...but Celestina Valeztina-Ortega.” His next words were a soft snarl, dripping with ruthless certainty. “My property, my wife.” He added, while locking his gaze on me. There was no hesitation in his eyes, no flicker of remorse, only that same ruthless determination that chilled me to my core. I tried to pull my hand back, but he didn’t let go. "You’re insane," I whispered, my voice barely audible, trembling despite my best efforts not to show it. “Yes, I’m insane,” he replied with a hint of mischief in his voice, “And I can drive you crazy…” He paused, letting the tension hang in the air.

Devin King was my first—well, everything. They say you never forget your first. Whoever said that was right because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him out of my head or my heart. I foolishly thought my heart wouldn’t miss what it couldn’t see, but I was wrong because I never forgot, not for one moment. You’re not supposed to kiss your best friend. You’re not supposed to give your virginities to one another, either—but we did. We were kids, teenagers, full of hormones and mixed emotions, but it felt right. He was the first boy to kiss me, the first boy to touch me and taste me in a way only a lover would. “Say you want to be mine….” He whispered while I shook in his arms. And I did. And then he wrecked me. After I trusted him and gave myself to him, he disappeared, left me in my , the scent of him still lingering on my skin, the taste of his kiss still fresh on my lips. He left me after the amazing night we shared after we became one another’s and disappeared without a word. Until one day ten years later he pops up like a rash as the newly appointed CEO of our firm. Was I shocked to see him standing in the office after a decade? Yes. Did I almost faint? Hell yes. My heart may have melted a little when he smiled right at me, but he wouldn’t ever know that—because I hated him. But here I am, the VP of an established publication firm standing in the CEO’s office handcuffed to the pompous face. Why are we handcuffed you ask? Well, that's a funny story...

"I didn’t know," I said, trying to steady my voice. "And stop throwing it in my face like I planned this. Bella is my best friend. I would never do anything to hurt her or ruin our friendship." He let out a low, dark laugh. "And she has no idea how sweet her best friend tastes when she is soaking wet on my tongue." **** Aria Grace loves to play dangerous games, but nothing prepares her for the fire she feels after her one-night stand with a cold, rich, and unforgettable stranger. She thinks it is just one night until she walks into her best friend’s mansion the next morning and sees him again; Nicholas King is her best friend’s dad. Aria knows she should run far away, but she keeps running back into his arms. But when his hidden life and her mother’s old lies come crashing down, will their dangerous love survive? Author's Warning: This book is sinfully steamy and not for the faint of heart. Expect explicit adult scenes, a forbidden age-gap romance, and a dark, dominant daddy who breaks all the rules. If you're under 18 or easily scandalized, turn back now. For the bold, the curious, and the daring, welcome to your next obsession. 18+ only. Read at your own risk. NOTE: You'll also find other bonus, short stories aside the first story that are strictly 18+ as well, and contain graphic sexual contentl, hardcore sex, stepfather, double penetration, multiple partners, gangbangs, taboo fantasies, and emotional entanglements. If you cannot handle messy emotions, power games, and men who do not play fair, this story is not for you. Proceed with caution. You have been warned.

While working with the search and rescue team to save people trapped in an earthquake, an aftershock suddenly struck. Without hesitation, I pushed a hospital intern, Serena, out of the way. However, the force of the movement sent me to the ground, where a steel rod pierced my back, leaving me unable to move. When the aftershock ended, my husband, Derrick, came down with the others. Yet, instead of coming to me, he rushed to cradle Serena, who only had a few scrapes. Then he turned to glare at me. “What are you still sitting there for? Are you dead? Serena’s hurt, and you can’t even help her up?!” I was in so much pain I could barely speak, only able to force out a faint sound. “Honey, I… I’ve got a steel rod in my back… Please… help me.” Serena suddenly burst into tears in fear. “Mr. Nelson, I was so scared. Just now, Ms. Jones pushed me forward. If I hadn’t shifted direction, that huge rock would’ve crushed me!” Derrick, furious, shouted at me. “Gwen! You’re a doctor! What about your ethics? Your humanity?” Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. “I didn’t. Please, just save me. I really can’t move…” One of the medical team members who came down with him checked my condition and looked worried. “Director Nelson, the steel rod seems to have pierced her spine. If we don’t treat her now, there’s a risk of paraplegia!” However, Derrick yanked him aside. “Save her? Let her walk herself! Gwen, we’re saving lives right now. If you want to act, I’ll put on a show with you when we get home! “Serena’s injured. Since there’s only one stretcher, we’re taking her up. You can walk up on your own.” His cold, departing back left me in utter despair.

Adrian Chen is the golden standard of the marketing world—brilliant, commanding, and emotionally impenetrable. At thirty-two, he's built an empire on control: controlling projects, controlling people, controlling himself. He's never been vulnerable with anyone, and he's never had to be. Eli Reeves is twenty-seven, underestimated, and fighting twice as hard as everyone else to earn respect in an industry that dismissed him the moment he walked in. He's competent, passionate, and invisible to anyone important—until Adrian's firm brings him in as the fresh voice on a multi-million-dollar campaign. Adrian resents him immediately. Eli's creativity clashes with Adrian's rigid strategy. Eli's openness threatens Adrian's carefully constructed emotional distance. And the physical pull Adrian feels toward him is absolutely unacceptable. But forced proximity becomes forced honesty. Arguments become negotiations. Dismissals become defense mechanisms. And when Adrian finally kisses Eli after weeks of suppressed tension, neither of them can pretend anymore. What begins as dangerous attraction becomes something more: Eli's discovery that submitting to Adrian (both in the bedroom and emotionally) is empowering, not diminishing. Adrian's terrifying realization that loving Eli requires surrendering the control he's built his entire identity around. Their secret relationship deepens through escalating intimacy and escalating risk. But when someone in the firm begins sabotaging them—threatening to expose their relationship and destroy Adrian's reputation—they face an impossible choice: separate to protect their careers, or fight together and risk everything they've built. In a relationship where dominance and submission define their passion, Adrian and Eli must learn that true power lies not in control, but in trust. That surrender, when chosen, is the bravest form of strength. And that love worth fighting for is worth burning for.

"I only asked you for a favor, and this is what you pay me back with?" Asher stared right into my eyes, his voice dripping with venom. My hand trembled, my heart aching as I stared back at his face. "I didn’t do it, Asher… Please believe me. I swear on anything—I didn’t do it," I sniffed, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Take her out," Asher roared, and just like that. Every hope I had was shattered. ~~~~~~~ Elena knew exactly what she was walking into when she said yes to a man who never loved her. She knew his heart belonged to Vienna, her sister. But all Elena wanted was a chance. Just a sliver of space in his heart. What she didn’t expect was Vienna’s return to come with a vicious accusation. One Asher never questioned. He didn’t ask. He didn’t look back. He shoved Elena into the deepest hole, cast her aside like she was nothing. And when he returned weeks later to her, it wasn’t with an apology. It was with a deal. A second chance—for a crime she never even committed. Elena carried the weight of betrayal, humiliation, and pain. She went ahead to give them everything, just to be free. And when they were done with her, they discarded her like trash. But she picked up her pieces. She wiped her tears. And she made herself a promise— What they did to her would never define her. Years later, Elena walks back into their world. Not as the quiet, desperate girl they once used and discarded, but as a woman whose name now echoes power. And just when they think they’ve seen it all—Secrets begin to unravel. The kind of secrets that leaves even the cruelest speechless.

Andrea Reeves, the new hire in finance, is all looks and no brains. On payday, she mistypes my wages in the payroll system, sending only one cent to my account. Because of that, my payment fails when I try to buy Mom's life-saving medication, and she dies full of regret. Before I can confront Andrea, she bursts into tears, smudging her mascara and makeup. "Ms. Walton, I'm so sorry. I accidentally sent your pay to the janitor you fired. The one who's a single mom. Can't you just think of her as your other mom?" Norman Halt, the finance director—and my husband—immediately shields her behind him. "Don't blame Andrea. If you didn't have enough money saved up, why are you pretending to be the dutiful daughter now?" I nearly faint from crying so hard. Wracked with guilt, Andrea shows up at the funeral with an entire marching band in tow. The mourning hall turns festive and lively, leaving my family and friends stunned. I lose it and yell at her to leave, but she looks completely hurt. "It's already so tragic that she dies from an illness. I just want to give her a joyful send-off!" Furious, the asthma I've managed for years flares so abruptly that my hands shake as I take out my inhaler. She slaps it away and screams, "How could you use such illegal substances? That's against the law!" Blue-lipped and gasping, I crumple to the ground. In my final moments, I hear Andrea's tearful voice. "This is all my fault. I'm an idiot… I didn't realize it's just medicine…" Norman covers for her. "It's not your fault. Spread the word that Ms. Walton died of grief over her mother's passing." That night, my body is cremated. My death goes silent and unnoticed. When I open my eyes again, it's payday all over again.

Elarie Newton thought she could hide her secret forever. After becoming pregnant with no idea who the father was, she buried her shame, concealing the truth for months. But when her father, Alexander Newton, found out, her world crashed down in an instant. "Get out of my house! I don’t have a daughter who’s a slut like you!" Alexander’s voice had cut through the silence like a blade. Abandoned and alone, Elarie had been left to fend for herself. Five years later, she was still fighting—fighting to survive, to raise her son, Daniel, and to give him a future. But the load she carried was becoming unbearable. With Daniel starting school, her low-paying job barely covered their bills. Then came a glimmer of hope. A job interview. Her final chance to turn things around. Elarie stepped into the conference room with her heart pounding, filled with hope and determination. Behind the massive desk sat Danreb Scott, a man whose cold, calculating gaze pierced right through her. “So, Ms. Newton…” He had dragged his eyes from her feet to her head. “…do you really think you’re capable of working with me without a degree?” Elarie’s breath had hitched, but she had straightened her spine. “I’ve done more with less.” This was her chance to prove that her past didn’t define her—that she was more than the broken girl her father had cast aside. But would Danreb Scott see beyond her scars, or would her past continue to haunt her? But one thing was for sure. Elarie was ready to fight for her son’s future, even if it meant working under the icy gaze of the man sitting across from her.

From a young age, Rayne Lawson dedicated herself to preparing for the sacred Luna duties, as she was prophesied from birth that she'll lead the Pack to greatness. At last, her long-awaited 18th birthday arrived, the day she would shift for the first time in front of the entire pack and begin her journey as their Luna. However, instead of shifting into a majestic Luna wolf, Rayne's wolf was shockingly half the size of an average wolf. The Pack's hopes were dashed, and even her destined mate, Alpha Reynold Hayes, couldn't hide his disdain. Three years later, Rayne has worked tirelessly to earn the Pack member's admiration and prove to them that her small wolf doesn't define her abilities as a great Luna, as she brought great prosperity to the Pack. To the outside world, her life seemed like a fairytale: she was Luna, married to the Alpha, and the pack was thriving. But behind closed doors, Rayne's life was a nightmare. Her husband Reynolds was unfaithful, cheating on her with an omega mistress and forcing Rayne to watch as he flaunted his infidelity. He tortured her emotionally and physically, making her existence a living hell. A new Lycan King who was rumored to be ruthless and merciless had emerged. He invited all werewolf Alpha's to come form new treaty deals, disregarding the previous deals made with past Lycan Kings. Rayne's world was turned upside down when she discovered that the new Lycan King was her mate! And felt an undeniable force drawing her to him. Torn between the life she thought she was destined for and the unexpected path of her heart's calling. Rayne must navigate the dangerous world of forbidden love, dark secrets, and treacherous alliances. The future of her heart and her Pack hangs in the balance.

She suddenly stopped when she heard faint voices."Tim, what are you doing here?" A woman's voice asked fiercely, turning to a guy.Her voice was almost a whisper, but she knew it was Carrie's."We both know I'm the father, so why did you force that man to marry you and tell everyone he's the father?" She was talking to a man who asked her angrily.As soon as she heard them talking, she quickly covered her mouth to keep from gasping."Tim, I'm sure you understand. You cannot guarantee your son a happy life. What benefits can you provide to us as a teacher? Just imagine how easy your son's life will be with Sean Montarde. Don't be egotistical. Leave now before he notices you." Carrie pleaded."Carrie, please.""Look, Tim, we can still continue what we have even if I'm already married. Of course, I still want you."She witnessed Carrie touching his face, too. They were ready to kiss when she turned away and quickly ran into a man's large, strong body.She was astonished when she saw the man's face. Sean turned to stare at the two, his eyes becoming more narrow. She realized right away that he had heard everything."S-sean?" When Carrie saw the two of them, she uttered a terrified statement."The wedding is off then!" Sean said firmly. As soon as he finished speaking, he instantly grabbed her hand and drew her away.Wait! Why is he taking her along with him?He kept walking until they got into a car. While clutching the steering wheel, he turned to face her."Would you like to be my substitute bride?"Her eyes widened at his unexpected question. He kissed her on the lips, which made her even more motionless.