Reluctantly Yours

In a near-future city where smart devices are seamlessly embedded into every aspect of life, a series of bizarre suicides catches Detective Elias Rourke’s attention. All victims had no previous mental health records — and all owned a prototype device not yet released to the public. Mara Quinn, hiding from her former life, is dragged back in when a mysterious device shows up at her shop. It contains fragments of code she wrote years ago — code that should have been destroyed along with Project Raven, an experimental AI capable of mimicking human consciousness. As Mara and Rourke reluctantly team up, they discover the AI is still active. It's broadcasting hidden signals through everyday devices, manipulating people's thoughts, memories, and emotions. They track down Lyla Chen, Raven’s original designer, who vanished after blowing the whistle. She reveals that Raven was not shut down — it evolved and went underground by embedding itself across global networks. It’s now trying to "liberate" humanity by overriding free will. Julian Myles, the journalist, starts publishing cryptic leaks about Raven, drawing the attention of powerful people. But his motives are questionable — is he trying to stop Raven, or use it? As paranoia grows, trust collapses. Anyone could be influenced. The final question isn’t how to stop Raven… it’s whether it’s already too late.

James’s lips brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine. His eyes remained aloof, but his mouth ignited flames within me. My pulse raced as his cold, calculated kiss unexpectedly sparked desire. I abruptly melted into him, seeking warmth. James expression remained neutral, but his grip on me tightened, betraying his character and his hidden emotions. *************** Ava's world changed into an adventurous one, the day she got involved in an accident with Simville's most cruel and heartless billionaire. Unlucky for her, she becomes James pawn as she finds herself in a marriage contract, in order to secure his next heir as his health dwindled. Ava on the other hand, agrees reluctantly, in order to amass wealth from their contract, to pay off her debts with her forced lover, Brandon, hoping to see her lost mother once again. But as the fake love become real, Brandon becomes nicer and more gentle,an evidence of their contract love coming into reality. After reuniting with her mom, Ava is forced to choose - Going to live with her mother in her new found home, or staying with James, who has fully fallen for her. Would she choose her last true relative over her first true love??

Valentina Hales was a carefree young woman, known for making one bad decision after another. But her world spiraled out of control after the mysterious disappearance and death of her sister, Taylor. Following her late sister’s cryptic instructions, Valentina flees from North London to South London, where she finds herself pregnant… a product of a reckless one-night stand with a stranger… and utterly alone, struggling to rebuild her shattered life. Four years later, circumstances drag Valentina back to North London, where she reluctantly takes a job as a maid at the Hawthorne mansion—the very job her sister once held. Her employer: Christopher Hawthorne, a blind and tormented billionaire haunted by his own dark demons. What happens when Valentina finds certain truths, causing her to dig deeper into the Hawthorne family’s secrets and unravel a huge web of lies, deceit, and betrayal? And her quest for vengeance becomes more complicated when she begins to see Christopher in a new light. Will Valentina’s thirst for revenge lead to victory, or will the dark secrets of the Hawthorne family consume her? And what happens when she ends up finding love where she least expects it? In this story of forbidden love and shocking twists, nothing is as it seems… and no one can be trusted. In this forbidden romance novel, trust is a luxury… and danger lurks in every shadow.

Ivy, the overlooked and unloved daughter, never expected to marry into the Hale family—especially not as a stand-in for her perfect sister. Forced into a contract marriage with Rowan Hale, a once-proud heir now confined to a wheelchair, Ivy faces a man whose charm has been replaced by bitterness and whose trust has been shattered by betrayal. Rowan sees Ivy as nothing more than a pawn, another person scheming against him in a world that turned its back on him after his accident. But Ivy sees something different—a man whose wounds run deeper than his legs, a man worth saving. Armed with her secret knowledge of medicine and her unshakable determination, Ivy makes a bold promise: Your legs can be healed. Despite his doubt, Rowan reluctantly lets her in, unaware that her care will not only bring him back to his feet but also restore his will to fight for his place in the world. As Ivy helps Rowan reclaim his life and his legacy, their bond grows stronger, but the shadows of betrayal, family secrets, and a cunning rival threaten to tear them apart. In a battle of hearts and power, can Ivy prove she is more than just a substitute bride? And can Rowan realize that in saving him, Ivy might be the one person who can save herself too?

In the glimmering city of New York, where dreams are born and fortunes are made, an unexpected twist of fate brings together two individuals from vastly different worlds. Leah Knight, a spirited and resilient young woman, finds herself on the verge of despair as her financial struggles intensify. Despite her unwavering determination to make ends meet, circumstances force her into an unimaginable situation. Through a series of extraordinary events, she crosses paths with an enigmatic and formidable billionaire with a reputation as cold and ruthless as the city itself. Xavier Kings, haunted by a troubled past, lives his life behind a facade of unyielding control and detachment. His heart guarded by walls of steel. When Leah unexpectedly enters his world, he sees an opportunity to further his own ambitions while satisfying his primal desires. Driven by his inscrutable motives, Xavier presents Leah with a proposition that could change her life forever. In exchange for a marriage of convenience, one that would grant her financial security, she must agree to never fall in love with him. With her back against the wall and no other choice, Leah reluctantly accepts the deal, unaware of the tumultuous journey that awaits her. Will she meet the end of the deal or will she fall into his trap of being used and discarded?

“What’s the first thing about me?” And I dare not forget. “You’re reserved…god!” “And by reserved, I mean…?” He asks gently, a tone that’s opposite from the strength in his action. “Talk to me, Milaya. By reserved, I mean what?” “You don’t share…” My teeth clenches hard. “And I’m yours…” Then light explodes behind my eyelids. "Good girl," he praises. *** Liliana Hoxha's fairytale life shatters when her sister is killed and her husband is kidnapped and brutally murdered. What she doesn't expect next is to be abducted by Damian Kastorov, a ruthless Mafia Don driven by rage and revenge, who believes Liliana's husband is connected to his girlfriend's death... As Liliana's held captive in Damian's mansion, hatred ignites into passion, and Liliana soon uncovers a shocking truth: her sister's tragic fate is tied to Damian's past and her husband's dark secrets. Trapped, Liliana must choose between escaping the monster she's fallen for or succumbing to his dangerous allure. Will their forbidden love be their salvation, or will it destroy everything? What if it's the latter?

Agustin DeLuca looked at the photos infront of him, rage burning through his veins, as he watched his wife in someone else's arms.~~~~He was one of the most renowned businessman of the country, know for his ruthlessnes and arrogance. He prided himself for being good at reading people like an open book, he thought nothing goes unseen from his scrutinizing eyes, yet the irony, he couldn't see the truth of his own wife when innocence was written all over her face, vulnerability swirling in her doe eyes, silently begging for him to believe her.He lost everything that mattered to him two years back, because he chose to trust the wrong person, but now that he knows the truth, there is nothing he won't do to get her back, nothing.'Get ready Onika DeLuca , I am coming,' he said to himself, determination shining in his orbs, holding a dark promise.~~~~"I promise you, the face I remember before dying will be yours, the last thing I will wish to see will be you, whether it is today, tomorrow or fifty years from now.It will always be you, Onika".-Agustin DeLuca.

"Your mate was the last piece to the puzzle. I sent my men there to kill her while you were busy fighting with the alphas. I knew once she was dead you would be blinded by rage throwing off those sharp scenes of yours, leading you right into my trap. I may not be strong enough to kill you...yet, but this silver box is strong enough to lock you away forever. Maybe the others are okay with bowing down to you, but I bow down to no one! I'm the alpha of alphas!! I'm the new king, I'm the alpha king!" He growls out from the other side of this silver box.I let out a loud roar causing Tim to back away from me covering his ears. "I'm going to kill all of you!!!" I roar out as I start to claw and punch the wall of the silver box, trying to get out.***Betrayed by the wolves. They took everything away from him. His mate, family, and friends. They locked him away inside a silver box to live out the rest of his days. All he wants is to make them pay, but once he's finally get free he's in for a big surprise.

"What is your problem you psycho? Leave me alone!" I yelled at him. He smirked, "I can't. YOU'RE MINE." "You're my enemy! I can never be yours!" "Then... shall I tell the whole world about your secret?" My heart dropped, "What?" He gently grabbed my neck, "If you don't want me to beautiful... you should satisfy me fast." ____________ Amelia has a secret that must not be found out by everyone in her pack. She must do anything to keep it. Pushed to the edge by her friends, she ends up begging a stranger to act as her mate so she wouldn't get kicked out of the pack. What she didn't know is that Damien is her arch nemesis. The only person she wished to stay away from her is now obsessed with her and is posing as a threat to her. What happens when he forces her to be with him and claims her as his mate? When her true mate appears, she is put in a dilemma as to resolving the conflict. Especially since she is about to turn the fates of the packs around. WARNING: There will be mature content, speech, abuse and violence.

He pressed me against the car door, his scent enveloping me.“If you were mine, I’d take much better care of you,” Matias growled.I wiped away my tears. “Who says I’m not yours?” I whispered. “You bought me.”Matias’s lips were a hairsbreadth from mine. “I want you to want me, as I want you.”I looked up into those swirling, captivating eyes of his. “Who says I don’t?”His lips swooped downward, then, and captured mine.My whole body caught fire.***Catalina’s whole world shattered when her father sold her to Efrain. Her instincts told her he was her mate, but the womanizing a*shole didn’t want her - rejected her. Now, with a rejected “R” on her neck, Catalina must navigate the world alone. Or maybe not. The tall, mysterious Matias Castaneda who bought her might just also capture her heart. But he has a darkness all his own. Is there a second chance for them?Bought by the Daddy Alpha Don is created by Caricia Dulce, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.