Payoff Chapter 13 Early Novels & Stories

Ava Addams never had the luxury of a normal childhood. Orphaned and raised on the streets, she learned early that survival meant doing whatever it took. At nineteen, she built a life for herself as a stripper—dangerous, unpredictable, but finally hers. For the first time, Ava believed she was in control of her future. Then one night changed everything. Giving her heart—and her innocence—to someone she never should have trusted awakened feelings she didn’t expect… and consequences she couldn’t escape. Just when Ava begins to believe life might finally be turning in her favor, a man from a past she thought she’d buried appears at her doorstep with a demand that could destroy everything she’s fought to build. Now Ava must face the truth she’s been running from. Because her past isn’t finished with her yet. And her “sweet life” is about to become her darkest nightmare.

The day I got out of prison, my girlfriend—who I hadn't seen in five years—pulled up in a Maserati to pick me up. In the passenger seat sat a guy in his early twenties, athletic build. His face looked a little too much like mine did when I was younger. Selene told me not to make a scene. Not to want things that were never mine. She said with her status now, she could have as many pretty boys as she wanted. Right now, she only had one. Apparently, he was my replacement. So I shouldn't be so narrow-minded. After all, a guy like me—fresh out of prison with a record—wasn't even in her league anymore. I stared at Selene, a little dazed. She wasn't wrong. But she seemed to have forgotten why I went to prison in the first place.

ISABELLA HART doesn’t believe in love. She watched it destroy her father and take her mother, and she learned early that the safest heart is the one you guard. DANTE MORETTI trusts control above all else. A billionaire who built his empire on discipline and silence, he knows betrayal can’t be ignored....and love is the riskiest gamble of all. Their arranged marriage was meant to be safe, and utterly controlled. But living under the same roof blurs the line between duty and desire. Arguments flare, touches linger, and the walls they built around themselves start to crumble. Then the past returns, bringing secrets, lies, and a betrayal that threatens everything they’ve ever trusted. Now Isabella must decide if guarding her heart is worth losing him...and Dante must learn that control cannot fix what fear has broken. In a world ruled by power and deception, desire may be the only truth strong enough to survive.

Cassy is a fierce female Alpha born into a well-known New Orleans family of dominant male alphas. She shifted early to mark her mate Teddy and save his life. Now forced to wait to complete the bond until her birthday, they battle the intense pull and desires. As the months passed, resisting the fierce craving to claim her mate grew nearly impossible for Cassy. Teddy, the Beta of the neighboring Bayou pack, remains steadfast. Partly because he wishes to honor her in every way possible, and partly because he doesn't want her five Alpha brothers to kill him. If that wasn't reason enough, the Moon Goddess rewards those she forces into such trials. They just have to wait. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This is the second book in the "Midnight on the Bayou" series. While it can be read as a standalone, starting with book one provides more context. I love you all. Thank you for pushing me to continue this story!

Shah Zain was holding her with one hand while opening his shirt button with the other hand. Meanwhile, he didn't let Minal separate from him for a moment. "Shah Zain please, it's not right time, it's too early." She was trying hard to control her unsteady condition, but who was listening to her? "Nothing is early Minal.... and today you can't stop me..... because today you himself come close to me." He picks her up in his arms and lays her on the bed. He bends on Minal while saying that. Feeling his lips on her neck, Minal feels like losing herself. "Shah Zain please....." For the last time, she tried to free herself from his hold. But Shah Zain again stops her from uttering anything. He just wants to feel Minal's closeness with himself. He wants to say how much he loves her.

Selena Isolde never believed in love. Raised in the shadow of a toxic marriage, she learned early that love was a weakness—and survival meant distance, control, and silence. All she wanted was a quiet, stable life, until she walked into an interview and met Marcus Lycaon. Her boss. A Lycan Alpha Prince. A man whose presence feels like a command her body instinctively obeys. What begins as a dangerous attraction soon pulls Selena into a hidden world of power, dominance, and ancient laws she was never meant to touch. She believes she is human, until her body starts betraying her. Strange symptoms. Uncontrollable reactions. A bond she can’t explain. As secrets unravel, Selena’s true nature threatens to shatter everything Marcus stands for, his throne, his people, and the future of the Lycan Empire. Bound by desire. Trapped by fate. Marcus must choose between the crown he was born to wear… and the woman who could destroy it.

Smart, independent, and possessing a flawless face reminiscent of a Greek goddess, it turns out that these qualities have little impact on Glara's domestic life. Navigating the ship of marriage for 5 years did not make her life smooth. Her return from Japan brought a new chapter in her life. Intending to surprise her husband and child, Glara was instead shocked by her husband's behavior. She was insulted and discarded by both her husband and his family. Unprepared for the surprise she received, Glara could only surrender and chose to follow her husband's words. Not yet done with the surprises from her husband, Glara also discovered another shocking fact about the health of her only son. Glara's only son requires serious medical attention. Economic constraints bind Glara, forcing her to make decisions she had never imagined. Will Glara successfully overcome every obstacle in her life?

What happens when the love of your life becomes your greatest regret? When the choice you made to protect your dreams turns into the haunting shadow of "what if"? Falling for my billionaire Ex is a story that dares to explore those questions. This isn’t just a tale of exes reunited. It’s about two people—flawed, complicated, and human—who must confront the raw truth of their choices and the scars left behind. Elliot and Susan’s journey is messy, heartbreaking, and full of longing, but it’s also a testament to the power of second chances. Expect tension. Every meeting, every word they exchange carries the weight of a past that neither has forgotten. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so are their wounds. And as they step into each other’s worlds again, you’ll feel the magnetic pull of their connection just as they do. Explicit steamy and euphoric scenes starts from chapter 49... see you there. Love it, add to your library

Mia Rodgers was a pampered young girl who had a seemingly perfect life, but when tragedy strikes and her parents are brutally murdered. Mia's world crumbles around her. The pack, quick to point fingers, frames her for the crime and she finds herself at the mercy of her own people. Abandoned by her friends and rejected by her mate, Luke, Mia is forced into servitude. But when she escapes and crosses paths with a charismatic vampire and a fierce werewolf, a new chapter in her life begins. Together, they form an unlikely alliance and set out to uncover the truth behind her parents' deaths. As Mia delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a web of deceit and betrayal that stretches far beyond her pack. With vengeance in her heart and the weight of the world on her shoulders, Mia must fight tooth and nail to bring justice to those who wronged her family. But will her thirst for revenge consume her, or will she emerge victorious and reclaim her rightful place in the pack?

By year's end, I'd closed a huge deal and snagged a $2.5 million bonus. The company even sent me on early maternity leave—nice perk for being eight months pregnant. Pauline found me lounging on the couch. "Why aren't you at work?" I cracked a joke. "Got fired. Guess I'll be stuck here playing housewife." Her response? A slap across my back. "Then get off and do the laundry! You're having a girl, not a son, and you think you can sit around like some princess?" My husband, Logan, walked in right then. He just pulled her into the nursery. Feeling hurt, I switched on the hidden cameras I'd secretly installed. I thought maybe he'd defend me. Yeah, no. What I uncovered? It was so much worse. Twisted secret after twisted secret.