Icy Path

**EXCERPT** He rasped, his teeth grazing my earlobe. "I'll make sure you're addicted to the way I fúck you until you can't breathe without wanting me inside of you." Jesus Christ. He was going to kill me at this rate with his words... ⫷◍◍◍◍◍◍◍◍◍⫸ Lilith has perfected the art of disguise. She is an ambitious college student balancing her family’s needs by day. By night, she transforms into Raven—a mesmerizing dancer in a club where secrets reign, and the most feared man in the room, Giovanni, watches her every move. Giovanni's ruthless reputation is undeniable, but beneath his icy demeanor lies a deeply complex soul. When he hires Raven to uncover his rivals' darkest secrets, Lilith seizes the opportunity. The payout could change everything for her family—if she can handle the risk. One reckless night intertwines their fates in ways neither expected. As she ventures further into his world, every lie and secret draws her closer to disaster and a desire she never saw coming. If Giovanni uncovers her true identity, he’ll claim her in ways she never imagined—or destroy her in the process. *MATURE CONTENT AS THE CHAPTER PROGRESSES*

One night before our engagement, Darren Finch insisted on throwing a singles party aboard a cruise ship. He made it clear I wasn't invited. But in the middle of the night, I got a call saying he'd fallen overboard. Panic overtook me. Feverish and disoriented, I stumbled to the deck and dove into the sea without a second thought. The night waters were icy, sapping the strength from my limbs. As I was pulled back onto the deck, shivering and soaked, I heard laughter ring out from the crowd. Carrie Specter, Darren's childhood sweetheart, stood above me. She gave a soft, lilting laugh. "Seeing how far you're willing to go for Darren... I can finally hand him over to you without worry." At that, Darren wrapped an arm smugly around her waist. "Carrie, you really do know me best." "I told you," she beamed, "Paula would pass your test." I let out a cold laugh, slipped the engagement ring from my finger, and flung it at his face. "No, thanks. I wish you two eternal bliss. Just don't ever drag me into your drama again."

“I won’t be erased. Not this time.” Anya Petrova never asked to inherit a fortune—let alone a war. For years, the down-to-earth preschool teacher built a quiet life for her daughter, Zoe, far from the icy world of billionaire empires and old European bloodlines. But on her 25th birthday, everything changes. Her late father—powerful shipping magnate Nikolai Volkov—names her in his will. The catch? She must live for one year in the penthouse of her cold, infuriating half-brother, Dimitri Volkov, ruthless CEO of the Volkov empire… a man she secretly knows far too well. Because five years ago, at a masked gala, Dimitri was the stranger who left her breathless—and unknowingly made him the father of her child. Now, forced into a dangerous game of legacy and lies, Anya must navigate the treacherous world of old-money elites who will stop at nothing to erase Zoe’s claim to the Volkov name. But Dimitri is no longer the cold enemy she feared—and together, they uncover secrets darker than either imagined: an ancient blood feud tied to Anya’s mother, and a rival family prepared to strike in the shadows. The stakes? Everything. Zoe’s future. Anya’s heart. A fortune worth more than gold—one built on love, truth, and a family worth fighting for.

Mia's life has been a relentless struggle—caring for her ailing mother and battling crushing debt. In a desperate bid to save her family, she signs a chilling contract, pledging herself as a "pet" to Jasper, a ruthless Mafia boss with a shadowy past. Bound by his strict rules and thrust into perilous missions, Mia becomes entangled in his dark world, even fulfilling his forbidden desires. But as their icy relationship thaws, Mia's world is turned upside down when she undergoes a shocking transformation—she’s a werewolf, the daughter of a powerful Alpha with a vendetta against humanity. Her father demands she embrace her heritage, take his place as leader, and honor a sinister betrothal. Yet fate has its own plans: Jasper, the enigmatic man she’s sworn to hate, is her destined mate. Torn between two worlds, Mia must choose—will she accept her true nature or fight to cling to her humanity? Can Jasper, a man hardened by betrayal, surrender to the idea of being mated to a werewolf? Or will their turbulent pasts and the dangerous forces around them tear them apart forever? Dive into this gripping tale of love, betrayal, vengeance, and romance where the lines between loyalty and desire blur, and nothing is as it seems.

"I assure, all those who dared to mock me will soon regret it, especially you, my dear ex-husband!" Samantha Swan, a 24 years old young woman, orphaned and working as a waitress, found herself pregnant by Marcus Johnson, a billionaire known for his arrogance, ruthlessness, and icy heart. Her life turned into a living nightmare when she was coerced into marrying him for the sake of their unborn child. She never experienced love, only enduring abuse at the hands of Marcus and her mother in-law, until one fateful day when she could bear it no longer. She made the courageous decision to escape, even though she was pregnant. She had reached her breaking point. Realizing that she would rather be a single mother, raising her child alone, than endure the pain inflicted upon her by her husband and mother in-law under the same roof, Samantha took a leap of faith. One day, as fate would have it, she collapsed on the road, only to awaken in a grand and opulent mansion, standing before a bearded and elderly man seated in a wheelchair. "Glad you're awake, my daughter," he said with a smile. From that day forward, Samantha discovered that she was the long-lost daughter and the sole heir of the Trillionaire, Zeus Monte Verde.

Abandoned in the pouring rain, Aleira Tan was left to pick up the broken pieces of her life while carrying her unborn child. For five years, she endured heartbreak, judgment, and the struggles of single motherhood—until a mysterious man once held an umbrella over her head and vanished into the night. She never expected to see him again. Now desperate for a fresh start, Aleira applies for a job at Montenegro Group—one of the country’s most elite companies. But nothing prepares her for the shock of discovering that her new boss is none other than him—Brent Montenegro. The cold, powerful billionaire who pretends not to recognize her… but whose eyes betray a different story. Strict. Mysterious. Untouchable. Brent hires her without explanation, keeping his distance—but always watching. Their unspoken tension grows with every encounter, and soon, secrets from their past begin to surface. Behind Brent’s icy exterior lies a man fighting his own battles—and Aleira might just be the light he never knew he needed. But can a billionaire torn between family expectations and buried emotions fall for a struggling single mom? In a world full of secrets, status, and silent stares… Will love find a way to rewrite their fate?

"Come to me." He sneered, sniffing her throat as she flinched. "No I won't." "Why?" "Because I hate you." She spat at him and he flinched, retreating back with a curse. * * * * * "He will fall in love with her, but she will hate him. She would be the lowlest of beings but he would crave her touch. She is his antidote, his cure, that he can never have. He will be a blasphemy to his generation, she would be the one to redeem him. He is the cursed one." * * * * * Adolph Caeser is the largest wolf of his kind. A born werewolf, and Alpha of his pack. To the outside world, he is a billionaire, a playboy and a womanizer. To those who know him, he is the Alpha and leader of the Keanu Clan. For years, he has been searching for his mate. Moon have risen and risen, years and days have gone, but he has not met the one. On an icy trip to Alaska he meets a battered lady, he takes her in without knowing she is a witch. She and she alone has the answer to the pain he has held in his heart. She alone holds the key to his curse. She alone knows where the long awaited one is.

Claire Darlington’s life was shattered when her husband betrayed her, taking everything—her marriage, her company, and her dignity. Determined to rebuild, she reinvented herself, creating Erebos Pharmaceutical and raising her young son, Liam, in secret. Four years later, Claire’s life is stable but complicated. A devoted suitor, Edward, courts her warmly, while a mysterious, cold billionaire, Christopher Anderson, enters her life unexpectedly. The past, however, is not done with her. During her years of reinvention, Claire discovers a shocking secret: the last time she underwent fertility treatment, the hospital accidentally used Christopher’s sperm during an implantation procedure, making him the father of Liam. As Claire navigates her thriving business, single motherhood, and romantic tension, Jason and Sasha discover her identity and plot revenge, ultimately kidnapping Liam. Forced to confront her fears, Claire must orchestrate a daring plan to save her son, reclaim her life, and exact poetic justice on those who wronged her. Caught between Edward’s warmth and Christopher’s icy, magnetic presence, Claire faces not only danger and betrayal but also the undeniable pull of the father of her child.

Not having much of a choice Jane Walker was forced into a path due to circumstances. She realized life wasn't so pleasant when she was not in control. Jane attempts to assemble her once-perfect, now disrupted life after losing a constant in her life. The struggle that came with grief seemed to consume her. Loneliness began to make sense. A new journey of endurance begins as she entangles fate with Niklaus Salvatore; a man that without realizing changed whatever she thought she knew, a man that possessed the power to either ruin her more or be her salvation.

Avalon Taylor is the daughter of one of the most decorated hunters that graduated from the Hunters Academy in over a century. She hopes to be able to live up to her fathers legacy, but when she turns 18, and graduates herself, her life is turned upside down. She is thrown into a world of demons, and her destiny becomes entwined with another. The Prince of Darkness, Lucas Caine. A demon not to be trifled with. Will she be able to unravel the secrets of her parents past, or will her destiny lead her down a path which there is no coming back from. Follow Avalon and Lucas on their journey in the underworld...