Flinch Synonym

Warning... or Invitation? That choice is yours. This isn’t a fairytale. This isn’t about sweet kisses beneath cherry blossoms or soft smiles under the stars. No. This is raw, This is reckless, This is “Burning Embers: Scorching Tales of Desire” A collection of BL short stories carved from lust, laced with obsession, and kissed by chaos. Each chapter stands on its own, a world where strangers become addictions, roommates cross lines, enemies blur into lovers, and the line between want and need snaps without warning. These men don’t fall in love. They fall into temptation. They crash into each other like lightning against the sea, loud, unforgiving, and beautiful in their destruction. You’ll find no gentle romance here. Only the ache of fingertips brushing where they shouldn't, the weight of glances held too long, the gasp before the plunge. This is for the ones who know love isn’t always tender. That sometimes, the most unforgettable stories are the ones written in bruises and longing. This is for those who crave stories that leave a mark, who don’t flinch when desire gets messy, when hearts bleed a little before they beat as one. Not for the faint-hearted. Not for the clean-handed. This is for the bold, the brave, the ones who dare to touch the flame even if it burns. So turn the page. Step into the fire. But don’t say I didn’t warn you--- Because once the embers catch, they never go out.

"You're cheating?!" I thundered, my voice shaking the walls. Jonathan scrambled off the bed, panic splitting his face. But Tara? She didn’t even flinch, she was calm—like I hadn’t just caught her with my boyfriend. I wanted to believe my eyes were deceiving me, but the truth was clear. Jonathan, the man I loved, was cheating on me with my best friend! The gift bag in my hand felt heavier now, a cruel reminder of why I had come. We were supposed to celebrate our one-year anniversary. Instead, I discovered not just his betrayal—but his true intentions. To him, I was never more than a means to an end; a way to give him a child. Desperate for money to save my father’s life, I signed a contract marriage with a stranger. But I never expected that stranger to be Jonathan’s uncle.

“I think you’ll find out soon enough, Seraphina, that I’m not one to take no for an answer.” I don’t flinch when he steps closer. My eyes shut against their will as I tried to swallow the anger running through my veins at his words. “Certainly not orders from daddy's gi—” Slap! ***** When Seraphina is forced into a marriage with Lazaro to secure peace between their feuding families, sparks fly—both of desire and destruction. Lazaro doesn’t believe in love, only in possession. Seraphina refuses to be owned. As enemies close in and secrets unravel, the line between hatred and hunger blurs. -----

“Five million dollars may have bought my chains, but it didn’t buy my loyalty — and it definitely didn’t buy my heart. I never dreamed my life would come down to a transaction of hundred million dollars. But my father’s betrayal puts me at the mercy of Adrian Costa, the ruthless Sicilian, head of Cosa Nostra whose name makes the mafia world quake with fear. Including me. He bought me in an auction and then made me his wife. Saying no to him is not an option. He is dark and dangerous. I have done underhanded work against him using my hacker identity, CIPHER. I have to escape his gilded cage before he finds out my alt identity. Each of our battles ignites a deadly game of power and lust. As secrets unravel and Adrian’s enemies close in, I find myself faced with the ultimate dilemma: Will I fight for my freedom, or will the king I hate become the one man I cannot live without? ***** “You think you can outrun me, Elena? You're wearing my ring on your finger.” I don’t flinch, meeting his gaze with defiance. “So what? I don’t belong to you.” He leans in, his lips brushing against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “You don’t, yet. But I can make you. Do you want that?" I swallow hard, my pulse racing. “Don’t flatter yourself.” Adrian chuckles darkly, his hand lingering on my waist. “Trust me, I’m not the one who needs to be flattered.” ***** # Dark Mafia Romance #18+ #Hacker Female Lead and Italian Mafia Lord # Touch her you die #Marriage contract # He falls first #Fast Paced #Strong FL and ML #A Not so cute Pet (Oh he is cute. Don't go by his looks) #HEA

Bri Ryeong has everything—power, wealth, control. What she doesn’t have is closure. When she walks into a velvet-lit club and finds the woman who once made her teenage years a living hell dancing under a different name, she doesn’t flinch—she plots. Zara has no idea who the mysterious, commanding woman in the tailored suit really is. All she knows is the way Bri watches her—like she owns her. Like she could ruin her. And the worst part? Zara wants her to. What begins as a game of power and lust spirals into a dangerous slow-burn of seduction, secrets, and emotional warfare. But when obsession turns tender and the lies start to catch up, Bri must face the hardest truth of all: The only thing more terrifying than falling for your former bully… is realizing you were never the one in control. Dark chemistry. Emotional tension. Heat with teeth. Welcome to a love story built on broken rules and burning restraint.

A desperate young woman, Lucy, enters into a contract marriage with the cold-hearted CEO, Drey Jackson, to save her mother’s life. But as their lives collide, hidden secrets lie around Drey’s family, and a dangerous rivalry emerges to tear them apart. Stuck between love and loyalty, Lucy and Drey must navigate a treacherous path where trust is shattered, and survival becomes their only choice. Will they overcome the darkness, or will the price of love and power destroy them both? ******** “So, a contract marriage,” I said slowly, testing the idea. “What makes you think I would even consider something like that? And with you?” I asked, letting out a little laughter. She leaned in slightly, her lips curving into a small, confident smile. “Because it’s the perfect solution for both of us. You need the public to believe you’re happily married. And I need the money. We both walk away with exactly what we want—no strings attached.” I chuckled, feeling I was on the edge of it. “You’re a bartender. What makes you think you can play the part of a billionaire’s wife?” I chuckled darkly as my breathtaking face twisted into a Mona Lisa. “I can have you fired for this, you know.” She didn’t flinch, but I noticed her sweaty palms. She could lose her only surviving job if I wanted that to happen. It was obvious how desperate she needed money but I couldn’t just agree with her even if it was a good idea. “I think you’re misunderstanding me. I’m not some desperate woman trying to snag a rich man,” She suddenly snapped. She was only an inch away from me now, trying to avoid any direct touch. “We don't have to be in love.”

I never thought a day would come when I would need to betray the person I loved the most, but here I am, biting my lip I looked over at him, and my heart ached: What am I doing? Why am I doing this? Can't I just run away with him? No, I can't I pressed the power button on my phone thrice. This is happening, this is so fucking happening. In less than a moment, the cop was standing outside the room we were in. He looked at me as he looked around. " Fuck, come we have to run," he whispered, holding my hand in his. Moving ahead, but I didn't. Raising an eyebrow, his eyes stared into mine. " I called them," I could see the heartbreak in his eyes. "Why?" He asked. " Because it's the right thing to do," "You know we are leaving, whether you agree or not," his voice was dark as I stared into his eyes. "Don't make me do this to you," he said, grabbing my throat. I didn't flinch, he could never hurt me. The pressure on my throat increased, but I tried to keep it down, trying not to show it in my face. "Don't push me," he roared. "Please..."

"I trust you princess, but if you ever betray me..." he said, his voice ice over fire, "I won't kill you. I'll make you wish I had." She didn't flinch, instead a nervous smile etched across her face. ~~~~~~ She was born into privilege. He was forged in blood. Their love was never meant to exist until it ignited a war. Fresh out of college and on the verge of launching her dream fashion brand, The Bella Versailles, Isabella Moretti is living every girl's dream until her powerful father reveals that their family is under threat, and she must hide. Furious and craving one last night of freedom, Isabella sneaks into her father’s exclusive nightclub and ends up in the arms of Nikolai Volkov, a dangerous, ruthless leader of the Russian mafia and her assigned protector. Trapped on a private island with him, Isabella’s defiance clashes with Nikolai’s control. But what begins as sparks turns into fire, and Isabella finds herself falling for the one man she’s been ordered to betray by feeding his secrets outside. And when Nikolai discovers the betrayal, their world comes crashing down leaving Isabella pregnant, heartbroken, and in the hands of an enemy who wants her dead. Will their love survive the empire that tried to destroy them both?