Shema97 Functional Active Mask

"You've come to kill me detective?",He whispered against her skin as he gently grasped her arm and turned her to him. Jude swallowed a gulp and looked up at him. His eyes were a cobalt shade of blue behind the mask, daring,cold and... terrifying. "And you've come to me to be killed?", She replied in a hushed tone, gathering a lot of nerve and taking a step closer to him. His eyes roamed over her, lingering on the curves of her body, the dress, before returning to her eyes. She didn't want to admit it to herself that she had developed a thing,some sort of feeling besides hate for him. The Maestro. The most dangerous man in New Haven. She had made it a habit, risking her life for a flicker of hope, clarity and some sort of peace. The memory of being against a wall,with the edge of his dagger at her throat and his body pressed against hers still lingered. He was devastating and she couldn't get him out of her head. She needed answers; to have some knowledge of what happened. Did he know? If she tried hard enough, could she get him right where she want and extract the information she needed? Or was she was just trying to fill the gaping hole in her heart? You're going to get yourself killed; the Lieutenant had said to her over and over. But it was a risk she was willing to take. Perhaps this was just another cruel twist the universe had in store for her. Jude thought she had gotten used to it but that was her just lying to herself. The universe wasn't cruel,it was brutal. And it was yet to show Jude what it had installed just for her.

“The only daughter of Alpha Jeffrey, always hiding behind a mask, huh?” Melvin smirked as he reached to pull it off. “Don’t you dare. I’m not one of your playthings,” Ariana snapped, struggling against the ropes that bound her hands. Melvin’s piercing gaze locked onto hers—the only part of her face visible beneath the mask. “Don’t play smart, girl. You’re mine now.” As the ruthless son of the strongest werewolf and leader of his pack, Melvin had never met a challenge he couldn’t break. But capturing Ariana—Alpha Jeffrey’s only daughter—during a brutal battle was only the beginning. Ariana wasn’t the kind of girl to bow to anyone. With her fierce spirit and a reputation for keeping to herself—except for her best friend, Justin, a ruthless bad boy with a thirst for blood—she was a force to be reckoned with. Now, trapped in enemy hands, she refuses to surrender. But in a world where power is everything, will she escape… or will she become the prize Melvin refuses to let go?

Blurb;    Reena Walters was possibly the worst spy to have ever existed. Recruited by the FBI to infiltrate the stronghold of a dangerous man, Reena decided that seduction was the way to go. Dressed in the ridiculous yet most alluring way possible, Reena Walters succeeded in infiltrating the dungeon like mansion for the biggest and most exclusive ball of the year. Armed with her glittery mask that helped her blend in with several others, Reena finally got her hands on a Thorne brother and did what she knew how to do best, seduction, and charmed the secrets out of him by winning a game of wits. Unknowingly to her that the dominant and ridiculously attractive silver eyed man beneath her was none other than the younger Thorne rumored to be crazy and volatile, and worse, he was playing a game with her, a game she was not aware of. Charming the secret codes and location out of him, Reena continued on her mission, shaking off the nagging feeling that it had all been too easy. Finally getting her hands on the highly sought after flash drive, Reena could not resist the urge to blow an obnoxious kiss to the face of the startled yet crazy eyes that stared at her in the dark. And that split second was all it took for a dangerous obsession to take root and grow in the mind of the older Thorne. Caught like a bird between two dangerous men, Reena must place all her stakes in one game by recklessly choosing the one she deemed lesser of the two evils, but what she did not know yet, and what she would soon learn was that hell was not hot at all, it was freezing cold, and yet burned hotter and brighter than an inferno.

"What happens when the life you wake to isn't yours?" I woke up from a coma with no memory of the past two years, only to discover I had been mistaken for my identical twin sister. Now I am trapped in a marriage contract with billionaire, Damon Stones, a man famous for his ruthlessness and merciless act. As I am forced into his luxurious world, I uncover dark secrets, my sister's deceit, Damon's hidden vendetta, and a mysterious figure threatening to ruin us all. In a world where truth is scarce, I am forced to wear a mask of lies and the greatest deception might not be that of my twin sister but the one I am hiding from myself.

He thought he had his life figured out—until the boy he buried in the past walked back in. Dorian Keene was once the golden boy of high school—famous, feared, and cruel. And Caspian Vale? Just the quiet nerd with a birthmark... and a target on his back. But beneath Dorian's bullying lay a truth he couldn’t face: he was terrified of how much he wanted the boy he was supposed to hate. Years later, Dorian’s world is in shambles. Penniless, grieving, and sick, he lands a miracle job—working under a Tech Mogul who turns out to be none other than Caspian. Only this Caspian is powerful, untouchable... and very much engaged to a woman. Dorian tries to keep his distance. Caspian, for all appearances, is straight. But fate has a twisted sense of humor, and buried sparks are reignited—this time under the harsh light of adulthood, secrets, and slow-blooming desire neither man can afford. As Dorian’s hidden illness grows deadlier, and Caspian's mask begins to crack, a single kiss will force them to ask: Can a man who thought he was straight handle the truth of who he’s always been... before it’s too late?

After discovering her boyfriend in bed with her male best friend, Kaia Wallis spirals into heartbreak, only to find unexpected comfort in the arms of her late father's enigmatic friend, billionaire Xander Kendricks. What begins as a one-night escape turns into a calculated fake relationship to protect Xander’s reputation and keep Kaia safe from her past. But the line between pretend and passion quickly blurs. As Kaia and Xander struggle with desire, secrets, and guilt, betrayal creeps in from all sides. A deranged ex, a jealous fling, and a scandal hungry media threaten to destroy everything, especially when Kaia’s young daughter is abducted in a terrifying twist that exposes a deeper conspiracy. With time running out, Kaia must confront the haunting truth: the real enemy may not be a stranger at all. And when the final mask is ripped away, what she uncovers shatters everything she thought she knew about loyalty, love, and the man she trusted most.

**Innocence is a mask** Camila has known loss all her life—first her parents, then her childhood friend, and now… maybe her peace of mind. Determined to honor her grandfather's dying wish, she walks into a world far more twisted than she imagined—a world where promises turn deadly and family ties are not what they seem. A powerful marriage alliance. A tragic birth. A betrayal that changes everything. When secrets long buried begin to resurface, Camila is forced to question those closest to her. Love, loyalty, and truth begin to blur. And just when she thinks she's found someone to trust, another shadow rises from her past. In a world where allies wear masks and enemies hold your hand, will Camila uncover the truth in time—or will she become part of the mystery?

Synopsis of The CEO's Reluctant Bride Elena Carter never imagined that a single contract would turn her life upside down. When her father’s failing business leaves her drowning in debt, she is forced into a marriage with Damien Sterling—the cold, ruthless CEO of Sterling Enterprises. To him, love is nothing but a weakness, and their marriage is just another business deal. Determined to regain her freedom, Elena swears to resist him at every turn. But the more she fights, the more she finds herself entangled in his world. Beneath Damien’s icy exterior lies a man scarred by the past, and as sparks fly, lines blur between duty and desire. Will Elena break through Damien’s walls and discover the man behind the mask, or will their contract-bound marriage end before love has a chance to bloom?

Camille Hart was just another broke interior design graduate until Julian Thorne, a ruthless billionaire with a dangerous obsession, offered her a twisted deal: become his mistress and live in luxury, under one condition—no feelings allowed. But when Camille falls for someone else, Julian’s cold mask cracks—and the man she thought she could outsmart shows just how far he’s willing to go to keep what’s his. As their toxic game escalates into a war of control, seduction, and secrets, Camille must decide: will she escape this madness with her heart intact, or will she become the one thing she swore she’d never be? He bought her body. Now he wants her soul. But Camille Hart doesn’t belong to anyone.

Evelyn Rose never imagined her first taste of forbidden pleasure would come at a masquerade ball, hidden behind a mask and lost in the arms of a stranger. But one night with Sebastian Kane, a billionaire CEO, addict, and master of control, leaves her craving more than just his touch. Sebastian doesn’t do love. He does domination. Sex is his escape, his weapon, his addiction. And Evelyn? She’s a temptation he can’t resist, a flame he’s desperate to consume. Their chemistry would ignite a dangerous game of power, pleasure, and obsession. A scandal that could destroy them both. But even as the world tries to tear them apart, Sebastian and Evelyn can’t deny the raw, primal connection that binds them. Not until….. Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, morally complex characters, and a love story that will leave you in suspense.