Smoke And Steel

"You wanted me to fail," she yelled, her voice shaking with rage and desperation. "You wanted me to prove you right." "No." My voice was a low, feral growl. "I wanted to know if you'd stand your ground. And you did." You stood your ground, held my life in your hand, and chose to keep it breathing. That was all I needed to see. Her defiance was a thin wall, her trembling betraying her. "This doesn't make me yours." I leaned in, my lips a hair's breadth from hers. The scent of her… of wood smoke and sweat, and something wild and unmistakably Lyra… filled my senses. "You already are," I whispered against her lips. "Even in your hate." *************************************** Lyra, the last warrior-heir of Ravengarde, detests Kael, the cruel enemy alpha who murdered her family, burned her castle, and claimed her as his ruthless spoils. Imprisoned in his domineering Shadowfen Keep, her rage is a burning blaze, battling the forbidden, wild linkage that brings her closer with each bitter glance and each jealous touch. She promises to kill him, break free from his shadow magic, even as his control ignites a deadly, forbidden desire in her. But when Lyra learns the horrible truth… that the betrayal that had destroyed her clan was not schemed by Kael, but by her own ruthless bloodline in a lust for power… her world shatters. Every sadistic phrase, every brutal touch she endured under Kael's command now bears an abject truth: the enemy that she had sworn to kill was, in reality, protecting her, and is now very likely the only one who can save her from a much darker fate than his claim.

'Let go of me Asher.' I yelled at him trying to escape from his steel like grip. 'No Myla, I'll never let go of you, not now, not ever. I love you Myla, can't you see that?' I stared at him shocked at his confession. I dreaded this moment all my life yet it was happening and I'm not sure how I would be able to escape this time. I clenched my fist. I have to do this, I have to let him go. 'I'm not your mate Asher. You have a mate out there waiting for you to find her.' He swallowed hard and for a moment I thought that he was going to say something but then changes his mind, instead, he pulls me by the hand and leads me away from the crowd to his room. Myla craved nothing but revenge to an extent where she was willing to die as long as she achieve it, well not until she met the her beloved, Asher. though she can only love him in secret as she knows that her life was a curse to her and the and the people around and she'd die anyways. But what happens when he stares at her with affection, adoration and...love? And then he says, 'I love you Myla, and I want nothing else in this world other than to have you, your heart, body and soul.' She whimpered biting her lips...

At first, I believed that the worst thing that could happen was my father abandoning me in that store, but I was mistaken. I was kidnapped, sold, and betrayed by the only man I trusted: my father. And I was bought by Lucian Moretti, my childhood love, Luke, who I thought was gone. "Do you remember me, Jules?” His voice was velvet over steel, low, threatening, and hauntingly familiar. Julia hadn't heard Lucian Moretti's name in almost a decade, since the boy next door disappeared without a goodbye, leaving her with only a stolen summer and a thousand unsolved questions.  Now he was no longer the boy I used to know. He was Lucian Moretti, the man who had just taken control of her life.  Julia is lured into the shadows to settle a debt she never owed, and she ends up confined in the home of the city's most feared mafia don.  BCaptivity is just the beginning.  Lucian isn't just after her body; he's seeking the truth that she is unaware she is concealing. This truth has the potential to destroy his empire.  Their reunion is not nice; it is nasty.  His smile is not tender; it is poisonous.  And what games are they playing?  It concludes with one of them kneeling. But in the dark, the line between revenge and passion blurs, and Julia is unsure if she is his prisoner... or his obsession.  Lucian desires more than just retribution; he wants "her." This time, he won't let go.

` It was a cool, breezy and stormy night. Rain came down in sheets, as a dark figure stood before a house. The house was pretty ordinary, white with blue shutters; it didn't have more than two bedrooms. It looked like a cozy little family home with flowers and shrubs lining the front lawn, and then the smell from the pellet stove smoke invaded his nostrils. He took a deep breath and pulled out an old, rusted compass from his black trench coat. It looked like it could have been from the 14th century, the small, brass disc was dented and the Victorian designs were faded. He studied it as it pointed east, towards the small house. He looked the house over carefully, looking for the best entrance, before proceeding towards the side to gaze into the window. Inside you can see the small kitchen; the brand new, all black appliances off set the linoleum floor. Cabinets filled almost every wall of the small space that made it look more crowded than it should have been. The kitchen opened to a larger room which seemed to be used as a living room and a dining room all at once. The whole house looked crowded, with the furniture in the living room all touching except for a small gap to walk through and the dining room was so close to the sofa, it could have been sitting on it. He stepped back into the shadows as he watched a young couple enter the kitchen. The wife was tall and slender, had strawberry blond hair formed around her face accenting her jaw-line and her deep blue eyes stopped your heart as you got lost in them. Her fair complexion was silky and complimented her soft face.

A wild night of reckless and careless thinking, what could possibly go wrong? -----☆----- 19-year-old Jake Miller isn't your typical everyday guy, he doesn't drink, smoke, party nor does he like girls. In fact, he's an antisocial butterfly whose wings were clipped at childhood. But what happens when his new roommate asks him to accompany him to a party? An accidental kiss with a stranger was definitely NOT on his list. The kiss rocks Jake's world and he's left questioning everything he ever thought he knew about himself and his interests. 24-year-old Liam Morgan, smart, handsome and always prepared and the next CEO of a renowned empire. He thought he had his life all planned out: he'd have the perfect wife, perfect home with his dream job as CEO and most importantly, never be like his father. But then everything took a turn for the worst and he's left to re-evaluate his life. He doesn't know what to do anymore and in a moment of self pity, decides to have a wild night out. While in his drunken state, Liam accidentally kisses a total stranger not knowing the domino effect it would create. Their encounter leaves Liam questioning himself and his values. Fear and obsession soon find themselves following hard after Liam. His first chance encounter turned him into someone he vowed never to be like. With secrets cutting deep, can Liam be the guy that Jake deserves or will their chance encounter remain only but a burning memory in Liam's mind, to look but never touch? To have but never truly be yours?

"Stay awake," he ordered softly, deadly. "Stay, or I swear I’ll fuck you alive right here just to keep your heart beating." *** She signed her submission. Now she has to surrender her soul. Aria Valente is the picture of perfection, billionaire heiress, tech mogul, mafia princess. But beneath the steel facade lies a secret desire to surrender in a world where control is an absolute necessity for survival. To submit. One night at the infamous Crimson Vault BDSM club, she meets a masked dangerous man who makes her knees weak with one command his name is Dominus. Their chemistry is dangerous, their sessions addictive so she agrees to become his submissive under a strict contract. He never shows his face. He gives no name. Only rules. Only touch. Only pleasure. She is summoned by her family and finds out that she was betrothed at birth to the Don of a powerful Moretti mafia this is meant to merge bloodlines and end an old vendetta. Refusal means losing her shares, her company, her freedom. She vows to destroy the union. Until she meets her future husband ,Nero Moretti, the youngest, most feared Don in Italy. And when she sees him she freezes. Because Nero… Is Dominus. Now bound by blood, lust, and secrets, Aria must play his game or lose everything. But what if she doesn’t want to win anymore?

I swore vengeance long before I swore the law. The night my twin sister’s future was stolen, a promise was carved into my soul—to dismantle the empire of Alexander Stone, the ruthless leader of the Xander MC. Not with fists or bullets, but with patience, precision, and the law he thinks he’s untouchable from. Now I walk in his shadow. To him, I’m a sharp-tongued lawyer with a backbone of steel—the woman he thinks can shield him from justice. To me, he’s nothing but a target. Every word I speak, every smile I fake, every late-night meeting in smoke-filled rooms is just another thread in the trap I’m weaving around him. But vengeance has its own dangers. Somewhere in the blurred lines of loyalty and deception, I start to feel the pull of the very man I came to destroy. His voice lingers, his touch burns, and the closer I get to ending him, the closer I fall into something I can’t control. He doesn’t know my secret—yet. But when the mask falls, when he realizes the knife has been in my hands all along, it won’t just be a reckoning. It will be war. And in this war between justice and desire, I may lose more than my sister’s revenge… I may lose myself and I don't know if I'll destroy him... or if he'll destroy me first.

I sold my body to a Werewolf King to save my sister's life. The contract was simple: I become the silent, obedient wife of Kaelen, the most ruthless Alpha in the city, for five years. In return, he pays for the cure that will save her. He is a monster of ice and power, a king who rules from a skyscraper throne. I am just a human, a pawn in a game I don't understand. He thinks he owns me. He lays down the rules with a voice like frozen steel: Don't touch me. Don't ask questions. And never, ever look me in the eye. But the first time his skin brushes mine, a searing energy erupts between us. His cold control shatters, and for a single, terrifying second, his eyes flash with feral gold. He shoves me away like I’ve burned him, his snarl echoing through our gilded cage, "Get out!" Now, I'm trapped in his world of deadly pack politics and ancient magic. He's cruel, distant, and yet his gaze follows my every move, burning with a possessive fire that contradicts every word he says. I’ve just discovered the dangerous truth he’s been hiding: I am not just his purchased bride. I am his fated mate. And the powerful enemy hunting us has just found out that the key to destroying the Werewolf King… is me.

Seven years ago, I broke his heart to save his life. I just didn't realize he’d grow up to be the man who owns mine. Ethan Hawke wasn't always the "Ice King of Manhattan." Once, he was just the boy from the wrong side of the tracks who promised me the world. But I left him in the middle of a winter storm, taking a secret with me that changed everything. Now, he’s back. He’s no longer that boy. He’s a billionaire predator with a memory like a steel trap and a heart made of frost. When my father’s debts come due, Ethan is the one holding the check. But the price isn't money. It’s me. The Deal: Move into his penthouse. Wear his ring. Play the happy fiancée until Valentine’s Day. The Catch: He hasn't just been waiting for me. He’s been watching me. As the line between his revenge and his obsession blurs, I realize the "Dirty Secret" isn't the fake engagement. It’s that even after all the pain, his touch is the only thing that makes me feel alive. But when the gala lights go down, I have to decide: Can I love the man who is determined to ruin me? And more importantly... what will he do when he finds out the secret I’ve been keeping for seven years?

“I don’t want you. I hate you.” Those words from her only son slice deeper than any blade. Sarah returns from the hospital expecting love, only to find her place at the family table stolen. Her husband, James, stands arm in arm with Tiana — his late brother’s widow, while her son clings to the other woman’s waist, rejecting his own mother. The betrayal does not end there. After a confrontation with Tiana, she woke up in an abandoned building, her hands tied, and mouth taped. Beside her was Tiana too. Tied. James stood, his confused gaze darting from Tiana to Sarah. And then came the baritone voice from one of the kidnappers: “One life. One choice. You can only save one. Choose!” Sarah turned, seeing how Tiana was communicating with the kidnappers with her eyes. She struggled to let James see the truth; that this was all a setup. But she couldn’t. Her mouth was tapped. But then, like a match striking steel, James’ voice came brittle and final. “Tiana.” He chose his ex over his own wife. Over the mother of his child. Sarah was abandoned in the warehouse. Immediately they left, the warehouse exploded, covered in flames. And Sarah’s screams and cries inside, filled the night. Did Sarah survive the fire outbreak? If she did, can they stand her revenge when she finally returns?