Smiles Softly

"Betrayal is a sin, flower," He murmured near my ears, his arctic orbs whisking the warmth of my flesh against his. A course of harrowing singeing fire drifted down my body from the swell of my breasts to my heated core. My nerves screaming with torturous touch of his skin against mine, I couldn’t think for he had me confine in his arms. Brutally, he swept his tongue under the rim of my ear whilst my breath hitched and my tears become uncontrollable. The blood seeped through the cut I gifted him with as he inflated every bit of my scent I had to offer. His filthy tongue leapt across my lower lip with hellish slowness. The bond tempted me to submit to him. "I do not yearn to hear your cries, Katarina. Worship me with your moans." He commanded and I closed my eyes tightly not wishing to swim in those ocean pools of his. Their intimidating tone of his made me want to submit fully to him, to hand over the reins of my soul in his fists. Tears streamed down my face. "F-Forgive me, Xerxes." I stammer softly unable to face his wrath for I knew he was just playing with me, toying with my emotions before he punish me for deeds I've done. Xerxes cruelly grasped my wrists whilst locking them above my head so he could fully discern my naked flesh. "Forgive you?" He mocked, his eyes holding mine into a captivating grip as he licked his lips. "You let another male touch what belonged to me, tell me, flower, why must you test me like this.” I gulped unable to meet his gaze. He chuckled dryly. “Spread your legs, Katarina. The nectar I’m craving is between your legs.”

“I should’ve known you weren’t as reckless as me,” he says quietly. “You’re Elliot’s little girl after all.” “I’m not a little girl,” I snap. “I’m twenty-five.” “And I’m almost twice your age, Natalie,” he says, almost like he’s giving up. “But that didn’t stop you from coming to me.” In a second, he has me pinned against the wall. His hands trails up the sides of my body. “Do you want me to stop?” he whispers, his breath hot against my neck. “I waited for you that night,” I whisper, my hand sliding up his chest. “I imagined us doing all the things you implied you’d do.” He groans softly, a low, guttural sound that vibrates through his chest. “Did you touch yourself?” he asks in a whisper, his eyes closed. My other hand moves lower, trailing down his body until I brush against the hard evidence of his desire. I feel his breath hitch, and I smirk, knowing what I’m doing to him. “Yeah, but it was your hands I was feeling.” On the brink of her second wedding anniversary, Natalie Jones uncovers a devastating betrayal—her husband, Michael Cooper, embraced passionately with his mistress. Confronting him in a dimly lit restaurant, Nat exposes his scheme to marry her for her father’s fortune and storms out, her heart shattered but her resolve unbroken. Ric Steward, on the other hand — billionaire and philanthropist — never expected his evening to ignite with scandal. When he sees Natalie—radiant, powerful, and on the edge of a breakdown—he’s immediately captivated. Their fiery, forbidden attraction is challenged when Ric learns she’s the daughter of a longtime friend. But that doesn’t stop Nat. It only makes her want Ric more…

The boy group shaking New York City to its core. The Three Golden Voices of New York. **GOLDEN ECHO** Jaxon (the magnetic leader with a voice that could melt steel), Kai (the playful rapper/vocalist who hides sharp pain behind his smiles), and Ryu (the quiet storm with deep, powerful vocals that anchor every harmony). Together, they’re unstoppable. Magnetic. Their blended voices could send shadows running and shatter stadiums. Fans scream their name like a religion. But everything fractures when *he* crashes into their world. Jaxon finds himself falling — hard, recklessly, maddeningly — for Kai’s boyfriend. The man who never asked for any of it. **Leonard Clifford**. Multi-billionaire. CEO of Clifford Enterprises. Cold as arctic steel, built an empire on ruthless control, and commands rooms without raising his voice. Respect follows him like a shadow. Desire does too — but he keeps everyone at arm’s length. He doesn’t chase. He doesn’t bend. Until Jaxon’s gaze locks on him at the wrong (or right) moment, and something cracks in that icy armor. Without trying, Leonard shatters the trio’s bond. Best friends become strangers. Secrets claw their way into the light. Jealousy burns hotter than spotlights. Lust and love tangle until no one knows what’s real anymore. One stolen glance at a mall perfume counter. One accidental rescue. One whispered “Shorty” that hits like a spark to gasoline. From sold-out arenas to penthouse secrets, the ride is messy, intense, forbidden. Friends to enemies. Enemies to something dangerous. And love that might destroy them all — or save them. This is gonna be filthy, heartbreaking, and fucking electric. Jump in if you're ready for angst, steam, betrayal, and two men who shouldn't want each other... but can't stop

Adrian Royce, once a commanding force in the business world, now hides in the shadows of his fears and a wheelchair. Cynical and broken, he’s forced into a marriage with Serena Cooper, a fiery young woman whose dreams are as big as the struggles she’s endured. A healer at heart, with her grandmother’s ancient remedies and an indomitable spirit, Serena has known heartbreak and betrayal—but never defeat. From their first meeting, sparks fly—not of passion, but of sharp words and clashing wills. “You think I want your money?” Serena snaps when Adrian accuses her of being a gold digger. “No, Mr. Royce. I want a college seat.” Reluctantly, Adrian lets her into his life, and Serena’s presence becomes more than just physical healing. Her selflessness and quiet resilience begin to chip away at his icy walls. Despite himself, Adrian starts waiting for her each evening, sharing meals he once ate in solitude, his heart unknowingly opening to her warmth. As their contract of necessity shifts into something deeper, Serena finds herself captivated by Adrian’s rare smiles and the vulnerability he hides behind his sharp tongue. Serena, who vowed never to trust again, feels her walls crumble under the weight of Adrian’s gaze. His touch sends shivers down her spine, his presence a constant reminder that she isn’t alone. And yet, she fears the same pain that has haunted her past. But as emotions rise, so do the challenges—old flames, family betrayals, and scars from their pasts. Can Serena overcome her fear of losing someone she loves again? Will Adrian be brave enough to fight for her? The Cure Is You, is a heart-stirring tale of resilience, betrayal, and the healing power of love that will leave you breathless until the very last page.

**They wanted to choose my husband. So I bought one instead.** --- "You'll be meeting your soon-to-be husband at the next family dinner." Aunt Melissa's words hit like poison. I choked, shock stealing my breath. Family dinners at my grandparents' estate were already hell—arguments shattering crystal, curses wrapped in concern, smiles hiding knives. But this? This crossed every line. Who the hell did they think they were, choosing my husband like I was some pawn in their twisted game? *That's never happening.* I built Phias Empire from the wreckage of my inheritance, clawed my way up from the car crash that killed my parents twenty years ago. I survived being trapped underwater, survived my family's hatred, survived my cousin Sophie's lifetime of cruelty—always my shadow, desperate to eclipse me. I didn't survive all that to let them control who I marry. Then I saw him. David Kane. Six-foot-three of devastating perfection, commanding my manufacturing floor like he was born for it. Dark hair, ice-blue eyes, a body that made me forget how to breathe. A contractor. The branch manager's son. Nobody important. *Perfect.* My family wanted to force a husband on me? Fine. I'd bring them one—on my terms. A contract so airtight no one could question it. And God, I wanted him. I couldn't wait to see Sophie's face. Couldn't wait to watch their plans crumble. They forgot who I am. I'm Sophia Ashford. I don't play by their rules. And I'm about to make the most dangerous deal of my life.

Kathalina Ruiz never believed in fairy tales. Her mother's dying wish bound her to enigmatic CEO Thirdie Stone in an arranged marriage she accepted out of duty, not romance. Yet somewhere between quiet nights and fragile smiles, Kathalina fell deeply for her distant husband only to keep her love locked away, too afraid it would never be returned. For three years, their marriage balanced on politeness and silence. Then one stormy afternoon shattered it all. Kathalina walked into Thirdie's office and found another woman-half-naked-sitting on his lap. Without demanding an explanation, she signed the divorce papers he placed before her, his gaze as cold as the ink that sealed their separation. What she never knew was that Thirdie's betrayal was a lie... a desperate act to protect her from the dangerous threats circling his empire. Heartbroken and grieving, Kathalina fled abroad. From the ashes of her pain, she rebuilt herself into a celebrated jewelry designer, admired for her elegance and independence. But fate had other plans. Years later, her mother's lawyer makes a revelation she has inherited a vast fortune and controlling shares in Stone Corporation. The life and the man she tried to escape are waiting for her return. Back in the city where it all began, Kathalina comes face-to-face with Thirdie once more. Old wounds resurface, secrets linger in every shadow, and danger draws closer than ever. Now, she must decide to protect her heart from the man who once broke it or uncover the truth he buried......a truth that could change everything she thought she knew about their past. A story of love, sacrifice, and second chances, The Stones We Keep asks.....is it ever too late to believe in a love that never truly died?

In a world filled with different supernatural beings, the world passed through a chaotic period until a few representatives from each supernatural race came together to establish a peace treaty. This day was known as the Great Reform and all beings, including humans became one. With years of established peace, life goes on normally for a young beta werewolf, Andrew. He belongs to a pack with a highly decisive and cruel Alpha. so cruel that he only acknowledges strength and doesn't hesitate to finish off anything that's a threat to him or annoys him. He ends up killing his own Luna, the woman Andrew once loved, and makes it known to his pack as an indication that no one will defy him. Andrew lives his life without problems and does his missions very well, until he finds his mate. Seeing his mate almost get married makes his blood boil, but what could he do? Diana Norman never knew that after she was sold off for marriage with happy smiles, her life would turn for the worst. She had always been the best daughter, getting almost anything she needed but after her sister was born, everything she thought she had was taken from her like a piece of cake. Thinking that her life would collapse, she came in and rescued her at each moment. She finally knew that in this world, there was still happiness for her. Everything happened so quickly: one moment she was with her younger brothers, the next she finds herself in front of a toxic werewolf, his eyes scanning her like some fresh meat to devour. How can she change her fate when it has already been decided by her parents, whom she thought loved her the most?

When Rocco Morelli, a mafia don, finds me, it's when I'm working as a stripper at an illegal bar, pleasing the men around me with sultry smiles and provocative dances. He throws his jacket over me and grabs me by the jaw, saying, "Come home with me." From that day onward, I fell in love with Rocco. After doting on me for five years, he proposes to me. Yet, in the month leading up to the wedding, he suddenly disappears. I launch a frenzied search for him before eventually seeing him in a jewelry boutique. With his arm wrapped around the dolled-up woman beside him, he picks out a 20-carat wedding ring. That woman is Emilia Leone, who is my father's illegitimate daughter. He stares at her, his eyes filled with affection. "I'll prepare the grandest wedding ceremony for you." "What about Cassandra?" Emilia asks with a coy smile. "You proposed to her, too." Snorting, Rocco replies scornfully, "Can't you tell? That's just my way of toying with her. Her older brother nearly took your life. Now that he's gone missing, it's only right for her to suffer the consequences in his place. "On our wedding day, I'll abandon her at the altar and marry you instead. She'll become the laughingstock in all of Langshore. Only you, the daughter of the Leone family, the largest mafia family, are worthy of me." The wedding day arrives, and I skip out on the ceremony as well. At Rocco and Emilia's wedding ceremony, I broadcast 99 photos of Emilia fooling around with other men. He panics and tearfully begs for me to return to him, but I take the gun my brother hands me and point it at his head, saying, "Actually, I'm the real daughter of the Leone family."

Mara Quinn is used to walking into places she shouldn’t—because the truth never waits in well-lit rooms. One late-night meet behind a bar goes wrong, and she sees something no one is supposed to witness: a man’s eyes flashing gold, bones shifting, a wolf where a man stood. She runs. The pack’s Alpha doesn’t let her. Gage Blackwood catches her in the dark, tilts her chin up like she’s a problem he can’t ignore, and delivers a sentence that feels like a threat and a promise all at once: “You’re mine until I decide you’re safe.” Except “safe” doesn’t mean free. It means locked inside a packhouse full of wolves who watch her like prey… or leverage. It means rules she never agreed to and a rival who smiles too easily and whispers that Gage will cage her forever—unless she chooses the right side. Mara refuses to be bullied into silence. If they want to keep her contained, she’s going to make herself useful. She demands answers. She digs into the crime she witnessed, she discovers the ugly truth: the blood spilled that night wasn’t random—it was part of a pack purge that went wrong, and the traitor is still breathing. The worst part? Gage’s “protection” wasn’t supposed to bind them. But a single drop of his blood on her tongue snaps something ancient awake—something that shouldn’t exist. Something the council will kill for. Now the Alpha who tried to control her is fighting the bond he never wanted… and the hunger he can’t shut off. Because Mara isn’t just a witness. She’s a secret and the mark she carries might be the one thing that topples a pack—or crowns her in it.

Loud music is playing, some students are dancing and other are chatting. The few one who are alone are dispersed observing the others. My eyes scan the room for Liam. Fortunately, I see him standing at the entrance with Lucas, Mateo, Levi and Mason. My legs drag me to their direction and he smiles as he sees me. His friends pushed him to me and he looks like he hesitates for a while before walking up to me. Without a word, he grabs my hand and pulled me away from the noise. Now we’re standing in the boys changing room. Before I speak, he gently cups my face. His forehead is touching mine as his eyes flash in the evening light. My heart races and I look away shyly but he lifts my chin up with his finger. I admire his beauty,drowning in the rush of love and awaiting a toe-curling kiss. I hear his words; “Don’t be silly. You’ll never be my type.” Followed by a chuckle. My blood runs cold as my brain draws a blank *************** Liam Hunter, the name that could make your knees turn jelly. He had it all the looks, money and everyone’s dream girl, Beatrice. He was the school’s basketball team captain. Every girl was dying to spend even a second with him, well except her. His charms didn’t work on her and she seemed oblivious to his existence. Everything changes for Liam when he is dared to date Zara for a month and then dump her. It all starts as game, a mind game for Liam. But what happens when the heart gets involved? What will Zara do after learning the truth? Will she get over her love for Liam and go back to herself?