Kiss Stand

Their marriage was nothing but a bargain. Their love became a battlefield. When fallen heiress Layla Carter is forced into a marriage with Lucian Hilton, the cold and ruthless illegitimate heir of the Hilton empire, all she wants is to save her daughter’s life. Love was never part of the deal. But fate has a cruel sense of humor. The man who once abandoned her that night; the father of her child turns out to be her husband. The woman he thought he could control becomes the one who can destroy him. As old wounds reopen and buried secrets rise to the surface, their fake marriage turns into a dangerous game of passion, power, and revenge, where the line between love and hate blurs, and redemption might come too late.

While my boyfriend, Caleb Lawson, is in the shower, I grab his phone on a whim and drop a message in the group chat he's in with his friends. "Guess who I'm with tonight." I expect them to say my name, but their reply blindsides me. "That freshman who used to chase you when you were a sophomore? She's obsessed with you. She's definitely easier than your girlfriend. Want us to swing by tonight?" My gut tells me he's hiding more than an affair. Just as I start scrolling through his messages with the freshman, a notification from her pops up. "Caleb, I agree to the threesome. I'll do anything you want." Seconds later, another message appears in the group chat. "Just be careful this time. We don't need another body on our hands."

SOLD TO THE ALPHA FOR A ONE NIGHT STAND When he stepped into view, all my breath left me in one sharp gasp. His presence filled the room, an overwhelming force that took my breath away. He stood tall and confident, his black hair styled back, a few stray strands falling over his forehead, giving him a wild edge. His jaw was strong, a neatly trimmed beard only accentuating his chiseled features. He was devastatingly handsome, but it wasn’t just his looks that affected me, it was the aura around him, the power that radiated from every inch of his body. His eyes locked with mine, and an overwhelming sense of power washed over me. My heart pounded in my chest, racing like I had no control over it. This man wasn’t just anyone. There was something primal in his gaze, something dangerous and alluring. Something...otherworldly.

("You belong to me, okay? Once you think about someone else, you'll be punish!" - lord Stan Elthen Indelcio.) Si Stan Elthen Indelcio ay walang oras para sa pag-ibig dahil tanging paghihiganti lang ang nasa isip niya, hanggang sa nakilala niya ang isang magandang gangster chic na nagdala ng parehong liwanag at dilim sa parehong mundong ginagalawan niya. Gagawin niya ang lahat para lang mapasakamay ang sutil na dalaga. Hindi sigurado si Haidei tungkol sa mga motibo ni Stan nang kunin siya nito mula sa sariling grupong Ruffian upang magtrabaho bilang isa sa miyembro ng kanyang gang na Stygian. Ginawa ni Stan ang lahat para kumbinsihin si Haidei na mahal niya talaga ito pero isang hamak na playboy college student lang talaga ang tingin nito sakanya. Ang gusto lang gawin ni Haidei ay alagaan ang kanyang grupo, kaya napunta siya sa deal na panghabambuhay para sa mga gastusin at kaligtasan ng kanyang grupo, sinusunggaban niya agad ang pagkakataon. Hindi niya alam na ang pakikipagkasundo kay Stan ay isang kulungang imposibleng takasan. Unti-unting napawi ang kanyang ngiti, at ang kanyang tawa ay nalulusaw hanggang sa ang natitira na lang ay ang sirang puppet sa impyerno na nilikha ng kanyang personal na hangarin. Si Stan Elthen Indelcio, ang pinuno ng Stygian Beast, ay tumayong mag-isa para hanapin ang humamak sa Ina nito. Brutal, walang awa, at mapanganib, si Stan ay kinatatakutan ng lahat - maging ng mga halimaw na naglalayong patayin ang kanyang kaluluwa. The instant Stan notice what's happening, he took her under his wings, and even though he's all sharp edges and has threatening screams, she feel safe with him. Kung ang kaligtasan niya ay kapahamakan ni Stan? Ano ang gagawin niya? Hayaang mapahamak si Stan para sa kalayaan niya?

Tinaguriang most eligble bachelor in town, owned a multi billionaire company pero iyon nga lang wala sa vocabulary ni Archer ang salitang "Relasyon o Marriage" para sa kaniya laro-laru lang ang lahat. Hindi niya na raw kailangan ng babaeng makakasama niya pera lang ang mahalaga sa kaniya. Kung usapang tawag ng laman madali lang sa kaniya iyan dahil may pera siya. Nagbabayad siya ng mga babaeng pera lang ang habol at basta na lang binibenta ang laman para lang sa pera. Pero nagbago ang lahat ng iyon sa isang gabi ng pagtatalik nila ng isang babaeng bayaran, sa lahat ng babaeng naikama niya iyong babaeng iyon lamang na may butterfly tattoo sa likod ang kakaiba para sa kaniya. Hindi niya maipaliwanag ang pakiramdam ng gabing iyon. Kakaibang sarap ang pinaramdam sa kaniya na hindi niya kailanman natikman sa mga naunang naikama niya. Ngunit nagising siya nang wala na ito sa tabi niya at nag-iwan na lamang ng isang sulat bilang pasasalamat sa isang gabi na puno ng ligaya. Binalikan ni Archer kung saang bar niya nakuha ang babae ngunit bigo siyang makita pa ulit ito at hanggang sa kasalukuyan ay pinapahanap niya pa rin ito. Hanggang sa nag-krus ang landas nila ni Choleen, ang pamangkin ng isa sa mga katulong nila. Pinasok ito bilang katulong sa isa sa mga resort nila, Doon na nagsimula ang kwento nila, noong una ay akala niya nangbu-bwesit lang ito dahil sa mga sunod-sunod na kapalpakang ginagawa sa trabaho. Doon niya lang nalaman na wala pala talaga itong alam sa kahit anong trabaho at gawaing bahay. Sa tinatagal-tagal nakayanang pagtiisan ni Archer ang pagiging inosente ni Choleen. Ngunit isang madilim na sekreto pala ang nakabalot sa pagkatao nito, malalaman kaya ni Archer na ang babaeng matagal na niyang hinahanap ay nasa harapan niya na mismo.

She is the only one who can handle him until she learns that her father destroyed her… Carmen Vega thought her new job managing hockey’s golden boy, Chase Maddox, would just be a paycheck. What she didn’t expect was the sharp banter, the stolen glances or to fall for the man behind the Ice King mask. But when Chase discovers the father she had vowed never to forgive is the same man who ruined his childhood, their love turns into the most dangerous game; one where winning might mean losing each other forever.

Three years ago, Vincent's world fell apart when his soulmate, Majori, cruelly rejected him in front of everyone, choosing another man—his best friend, Brian. Heartbroken and confused, Vincent watched as the love of his life walked away, seemingly severing every bond between them. Now, Vincent has risen to power as the formidable Lycan King of the Blue Moon Pack, leaving his tragic past behind—or so he thought. Fate intervenes when he finds Majori once again, this time bloodied and broken, being hunted by a rogue pack. Torn between vengeance and the flicker of hope he dares not acknowledge, Vincent rescues her, only to imprison her in his own kingdom. But Majori is not the same carefree, mischievous girl he once knew. Hiding a dark secret that kept her away, she has suffered in silence, bearing the scars of a brutal past. As the tension between them rekindles the embers of their shattered bond, a web of lies, betrayal, and dangerous power struggles threatens to destroy them both. With old enemies closing in and Brian emerging as a formidable threat, Vincent must confront not only the truth about his mate but also his own tortured heart. As Majori’s health deteriorates and the stakes escalate, Vincent faces an impossible choice: let go of the past and fight for their future, or lose Majori forever. Yet, the biggest secret of all—the one Majori has been hiding for years—could turn Vincent’s entire world upside down and change the fate of the packs forever. In a battle for love, power, and survival, can Vincent and Majori overcome their painful past, or will the flames of betrayal consume them both?

To get their hands on money so that my younger brother can get married and buy a house, my parents take me to the family tribunal. They show up in ragged clothes, accusing me of being ungrateful and heartless toward my own family. If I'm found guilty, I will be sentenced to life imprisonment. All my assets will go to my parents and my brother. But if I'm not guilty, they will suffer the full backlash instead. I sit on the stand wearing a trendy designer dress and holding a limited-edition handbag. My face full of disdain, I say, "They can sue me all they want! I'd rather die than financially support them!" The court attendees are outraged and start condemning me one after another. But the moment the trial light lights up, everyone freezes in shock.

After I, Rosalie Ricci, was stood up 17 times, the mafia don, Daniel Marino, finally holds the perfect engagement banquet for me. In our second year together, we are ready to get married. But every single time, he has an excuse to hold our engagement off. He says he's busy with work, the timing isn't right yet, or that he isn't quite ready. I never blame him because I love him. I have loved him since our school days. In fact, I have loved him for seven whole years. This is the 18th time. I stand in the banquet hall wearing the gown he personally chose for me and watch as he slips the ring onto my finger. He kisses me with a passionate intensity he has never shown me before. At that moment, I believe that I have finally secured my perfect happiness after waiting seven long years. My happiness only lasts until the guests leave. As I step into the back garden, I see Daniel holding my twin sister, Leah Ricci, in his arms. He says in a hushed voice, "I announced my engagement to Rosalie 18 times. This time, you're finally back." That's when I realize that the engagement banquet that I have longed for is nothing more than a ploy by Daniel to draw Leah back to him. But when I decided to let them be together, Daniel panics.

"You left these in my rover," he stated, shoving my panties into my hand. "Thought I should return them to you." "Do you want a thank you?" I snapped, quickly tucking the fabric into my pocket before any of my crew could see.*****Theodora Walker never claimed to be perfect. Especially when it came to her love life. The ex-military gunslinger made a name for herself as a galactic freelancer. Handling jobs from hunting down monsters to finding missing girls on her spaceship, Peacemaker, with her closest friends and the best damn crew she could ever want.As the Captain, she never expected to catch feelings for her mechanic, Mads, and tried to overcorrect it by having a one-night stand with a stranger.Now faced with more complications than she can handle she has to find a way to navigate her heart while also navigating the galaxy.The Captain, the Mechanic and the One Night Stand is created by Claire Wilkins, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.