nick joaquin short

"I want you to be our personal stripper," declared Killian, his voice deep and cold, slicing through the air and quickening her heartbeat. The intensity in their gaze made her knees weaken, a sensation hard to ignore. Nervously, she gulped, managing to stammer, "S-Sir..." Atlas, positioned behind her, added, "We'll pay you thrice what you earn in this club, sweetheart." His warm breath teased the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. She instinctively closed her thighs, aware of their eyes lingering on her nearly naked form. The offer was undeniably tempting, almost too good to be true. Killian Knight and Atlas De Luca, both successful bachelors in the city, were her employers in which she worked as their assistant, and the unexpected sight of them in the strip club where she worked as a dancer was nothing short of a shock. What added to the surprise was the outrageous proposal they were making! But, being the sole provider of her family, Claire find it hard to decline their offer. For her, money is everything, especially because of their family condition. Being with a sick mother and a brother battling with leukemia, Claire shouldered everything, and she in desperate to make a living. And so, Claire found herself agreeing. Be their stripper? That’s a piece of cake for her. Or so she thought. Fate takes an unexpected turn for Claire when she finds herself falling for the men she promised not to get attached to. However, avoiding two drop-dead hot bachelors proves to be a challenge, especially when fate seems to favor their presence. Becoming the personal stripper for the affluent and influential Killian Knight and Atlas De Luca, Claire finds herself entangled in a web of emotions she never anticipated...

Alice is heartbroken after her husband, Ethan, cheats on her with her best friend. As she tries to pick up the pieces of her life, she unexpectedly has a one-night stand with Jake Astor, the wealthiest CEO in the state and beyond. Ethan soon discovers that Alice has moved on in such a short time. He confronts her, demanding to know who the new man in her life is. Alice replies that he lost that right the day he signed the divorce papers. In that moment, Ethan sinks to his knees, pleading with her, admitting he made a terrible mistake by letting her go and asking for another chance. Alice firmly refuses, telling him she has moved on. Just when Alice feels like she’s starting to heal, she learns she’s pregnant. The news hits her hard, especially since she had recently slept with both Ethan and Jake. Confused and scared, Alice struggles with the question: who is the father?

Raised by a single poor mother, Abby knew falling in love with filthy rich billionaire Darren is a wasted emotion she must get rid of. But she was shocked to find out he felt the same way as her, their romance was short lived as Morgana (Abby's ex boss) will do anything to keep the two lovers separate. Abby was kidnapped, tortured and almost lost her life in an accident, but all evidence turned against her, she is now the culprit. Darren now hates her and thought she tried killing Morgana, she needs to earn back Darren's trust and love. Abby found out her family is actually not poor but quite influential, using her father's influence, Darren was forced into marriage with Abby, he detests her and will do anything to make the marriage a hell for Abby but Abby is set on her love for him...... Can love really over shadow hatred?

On Christmas people should be with their loved ones in the safety of their homes, but I don't have any loved ones, and I'm in the one place that I hate, where I swore never to come back, afraid that I'll get even more broken, and it seems that the more I try to get away, the more obstacles I encounter. "I know a shop not very far from here, and they have the best mechanics in town. If you want, I could come with you and give you directions, I'm heading that way anyway, and for your kindness, I'll make your biggest wish come true," Said the old crazy Santa that jumped in front of my car out of nowhere. "Can you teleport me from here? In another city, country, even on a deserted island? Anywhere but here?" I know that it wasn't nice of me to be sarcastic, but he's the reason why I have to prolong my say here. "No." His short answer was said in an amused tone of voice, but I don't find anything funny right now. "But that's just because that's not your biggest wish." He states it as a fact as if he's never been more sure of anything in his life. I bite my tongue and pray that I won't see the two people I used o love the most, and which now, I despise the most, the two people responsible for my nightmares and my broken being.

SYNOPSIS In a world where Lyra believed she had found true love with her mate who embraced her despite her disfigured face and Infertility, but a shocking scene happened which shattered her perfect life. On their fifth anniversary, Lyra found out that her mate has been having affair with her best friend, and in addition her mate cold heartedly murdered her grandfather and seized her entire world. Tragically, Lyra life was cut short by their actions, but fate took an unexpected turn her sworn enemy, a person she once despised, came as her saviour. In that crucial moment, Lyra discovers that her enemy might have been the only one who truly cared for her all along. Five years later, Lyra experiences a miraculous rebirth, fueled by an insatiable desire for revenge. She dedicates herself entirely to seeking justice and refuses to let go of her grasp on the tall and captivating Alpha, Ember Moon Pack, her former adversary.

Blurb: I'm pregnant for you Mr Zanders," I said and watched as he matched towards me, gripping my neck and lifting me upwards to the wall, his eyes blazed like a burning inferno as his grip tightened further,cutting me short of breath. " This cannot be my child, why? Because I'm impotent," he said and threw me across the room. When Aretha Ames, a young undergraduate of Zanders University, has a nightstand with Zanders Ares, she gets pregnant from their nightstand months later when she goes to tell him about it, from the fear of being sent out by the only family she has, she is met with the indifferent Zander who tells her it's impossible that she's pregnant for him because he's impotent. He sends her away with a billion dollars and tells her to never appear in from of him again. What happens when years later, Zanders sees the kids and sees the unexplainable resemblance to him? Does he claim them back and does Aretha agree to come back and let him take the kids as his?

“Really, one other will join us?” I got excited and curious which relative it would be. Cheryl, my best friend, had just invited me to her family home with only her parents for the Christmas holiday. “Yes, my uncle.” Cheryl replied. “Wowww!” “Wishing you don't fall for him when he arrives, he's arriving today.” I didn't take it seriously because that would never happen, I assured myself. But when Cheryl opened the door and her uncle walked in, my heart instantly froze as I looked up to see a tall, muscular, slim young man with short spiky hair. His face turned and the first person his eyes landed up turned out to be me. My fork fell off as my eyes came in contact with his sea-blue eyes. I jerked back, pulling in a deep breath. I caught Cheryl grinning from behind him. I told you! She seemed to say from her look. My eyes kept on following this gorgeous man who looked like the prince charming from my favorite Japanese Anime series. Beauty was an understatement for him. When I gave him greenlight to be my mate, he refused saying I should treat him as my big bro. But one day, he walked into my room with an unusual request, a secret that shook my heart and wolf all together. To escort him to the hotel where his wife was found cheating with another man, as revenge. Will this be the start of my dream relationship with him or his indirect way to stop me from dreaming further?

Second book in My Archangel Soulmate series ** Strong arms wrapped around my much smaller frame, comfortable warmth engulfing my tingling body, followed by the softest, sweetest touch of his lips against mine, moving in a slow, gentle kiss. My eyelids fluttered closed on their own accord, pressing myself even closer, my hand finding its way around his neck, burying my fingers in his short soft hair while the small sparks of bright light still danced in between us, mixing with each other. It felt so magical, so utterly ethereal, the way his entire being felt so close to mine, tiny pieces of himself tangling with mine, like small silvery strings those tiny pieces drawing us together, creating a supernatural bond.

“Take my last name and reck all the havoc you want, Ocean.” .. His last name alone was power, a commanding force, a force that makes even rulers bow... …. Aliyah Malvern’s life took a drastic change… a terrible one, when her step mother and brother revealed the truth about her birth, a dirty secret she feared and that was been her father's bastard child, her inheritance was also taken away from her leaving her poor. As if that isn't enough, her step sister snatched her boyfriend, a man Aliyah loved deeply and had envisaged their future together, alongside that, the whole campus was turned against her and in a short while she became the element of ridicule and bully. Drown in sadness and misery, she ended up having a one night stand with a stranger who turned out to be no other person than her ex's Uncle... Kingley Romero.. the world soughted after billionaire bachelor, greatly feared and overly mysterious. And also overnight she becomes the billionaire's wife an offer of revenge was placed right into her laps and she is sure taking it, till every one of them falls to their feet, begged, alongside worship her, she would not stop. The marriage was to serve purpose, he needed a wife, she needed revenge but then undeniable sparks began to fly, oppositions arises, but one thing is that the billionaire has vowed never to let her go, never! He would spoil and pamper so much till she becomes the envy of the world.

◤─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────◥ "Life is neither short nor long, it's now - that we know as life - it's twisted and cruel I'm its own way with trials coming up with every turn you make. No one knows how many seconds one will live let alone years. You never know" ◣─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────◢ His breath got stuck in his throat as he held the pen above the paper, his eyes searching the room in hopes of having at least a glance of her face. "Answer the maulvi" his father spoke. "Son" his mother pestered from his side. His eyes landed on Hiba's expectant ones. She looked from across the veil questioning his delay. He shook his head as he placed the tip of the pen on the paper, a single stroke formed on the paper but that very moment a frantic Ayan ran in the room. "Turn on the tv right now" he yelled making Hamza to oblige right away. "There had been an accident on the motorway car LEB-780 has been hit by a troller on its way out of the city, the hit has caused an explosion rendering the passengers severely injured and in critical condition-" "That's- that's the car maula bakhsh took to drop—" His ears numbed as the pen dropped on the floor, his heart stopped, his eyes stuck on the TV screen. "Bhai!" He ran out of the house and got in his car, the engine roared and soon he was on the road. ─────•~❉᯽❉~•─────