Stepping Up

His smirk deepened and he took another step toward me. “I want to fuck you.” His voice dripped lower, “As a dancer, you should be used to this by now.” I shook my head quickly, panic rising in my chest. “Yes, I do know. I mean, that’s what I’m meant for.” “Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?” He said, stepping closer. “I don’t have all night.” Before I could part my lips to answer, his hand gripped my thigh and lifted it. The fabric of my dress bunched up, exposing the fine lace of my panties. I gasped, trying to move away from him, but his other hand moved to the back of my neck, holding me in place. His mouth crashed into mine, claiming my lips with a hunger that left me breathless. Suddenly, I felt his hand slip under the elastic of my panties, his finger grazing my sensitive flesh. I whimpered into the kiss, trying to resist, but the sensation was too overwhelming. He deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring my mouth as his finger moved further, sliding inside me with ease. I moaned in protest, the sudden intrusion causing a sharp pain as he broke the kiss, smiling wickedly. “Shhh…” he murmured, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. He knelt, his hand still holding my leg up. “I’m going to need you to open those thighs for me,” he ordered, his tone dark and mocking all at once.

Betrayal begets the darkest shadows, within its grasp, wealth transforms into a tool for revenge. Victoria Hamilton, once a privileged heiress, faced a terrifying death orchestrated by her family, leaving her legacy in the hands of deceitful kin. Fate, however, is inclined to rewrite cruel tales, and death is not always final. Reborn as Lily Turner from an humble background, Victoria carries the flames of revenge, armed with intelligence and fueled by ambition. As Victoria now Lily embarks on an unwavering journey to rebuild the empire stolen from her in a past life. Guided by an unyielding desire for justice, Lily navigates the vicious world of business, rising from the ashes into a formidable force. Memories of the past propel her forward, and scars become her stepping stones to triumph. "The Rebirth of a Scorned Heiress" unfolds as a tale of vengeance as Lily Turner, once an abandoned heiress, will stop at nothing to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Will her empire be the sweetest revenge, or will the haunting shadows of the past persist?

On the day of his funeral, I discovered that my fiance, Zachary Gray, had come back to life. His friend says teasingly, "You sure know how to stage an act, Zachary. Your fiancee cried so much over your fake death that she almost went blind!" Zachary smiles indifferently and says, "Stepping into marriage is like taking one foot into the grave. Of course, I have to have some fun first." I stand in the shadows and watch him bend down to kiss another woman. He then points at the tombstone I had carefully and painstakingly carved for him, laughing until he can't catch his breath. Watching him, I feel like an utter fool. I take out my phone and call my father. "Dad, since Zachary is dead, our engagement is null. Let's pull out of the collaboration with the Gray family's company."

Clara Nolan thinks she has her life all figured out until the threat of a lay off at work looms over her. She is determined to keep her job as a reporter at all costs even if it means stepping on everyone in her path to success. All she needs is to break the biggest story the town has ever heard. But in a town terrified of the very people she's after, will she have any support to expose a dark secret? * The last place Lincoln James Bancroft wants to be is in Sunrise Cove, a town that he equates to tragedy after the loss of his mother. But he knows better than anyone else that when the patriarch of the Bancroft family calls, there is no option but to respond. * What has brought the Bancrofts back together after the terrible tragedy that claimed the life of Georgia Bancroft? Where will Clara Nolan draw the line when she finds herself in a rough entanglement with the most powerful family in town?

I was never meant to be ordinary—I was meant to be his. In my pack, turning sixteen means shifting into your wolf for the first time, finding your mate, and stepping into your happily ever after. But when I turn sixteen, my world and everything I've ever known shatter before me. The ordinary life I knew becomes something I never dreamt it would be. My wolf isn’t what she should be. My mate isn’t who I thought he would be. And I… I’m not the girl I thought I was before. Secrets are buried deep in blood and moonlight, but now they are surfacing. And every secret I uncover pulls me closer to the fate that killed others before me. This isn’t the love story I was promised as a child. This is the love story that could destroy me and everything I hold dear. This isn't the fairytale everyone else has. This, this is a death sentence.

Five years ago, Maya Carter walked away from billionaire CEO Ethan Blake, leaving behind the love of her life and the secret she swore to protect. Now, fate throws them together again when Maya lands a job as the new marketing manager at Blake Enterprises, unaware she’s stepping right back into the arms of the man who never forgave her disappearance. Ethan has built an empire out of control and precision, but one look at Maya shatters everything. She’s more confident, more beautiful… and hiding something. When he discovers that the secret she’s been protecting is his son, his world explodes. Anger turns to obsession. Guilt turns to love. And soon, both of them must face the truth, the past never really ended. Can two broken hearts rebuild trust after betrayal? Or will the billionaire’s pride destroy the family he never knew he had?

The second Zoe reset her life and landed back at the Elite Match Gala, she swapped her token with her half-sister's. No hesitation. Because in her previous life, Connor had married Zoe, but she had died helpless and unloved. It was only on her deathbed that Zoe finally knowed the truth: Connor had loved her sister all along. Now, Connor grabbed the bouquet meant for Vicky, eyes lighting up."Vicky, you're it for me. My one and only." Then he turned to Zoe—and the warmth vanished. "Zoe, you've always been like a little sister to me. Don't even think about stepping into Vicky's place." That hit like a slap. Cold, sharp, humiliating. Everyone thought she was pathetic. But this time, Zoe wouldn’t beg for his love. She would bless them instead—marry the man her father had chosen for her, and never look back.

Outcasted and lost Willow Addison has no idea what to do. Unable to go home she finds herself in the middle of the forest and confused about how she got there. She is blocking a deep dark secret that could mean her life. Luke Ashton is young, charming and extremely gorgeous. When Willow first comes in to his families land he feels an immediate pull to her. He feels everything she is feeling and immediately wants nothing but to help her and be near her. But when an ancient enemy threatens everything he will fight to keep her safe. The only problem is she knows nothing about her true heritage and how special she really is. Can he help her find herself before it is to late? Is she meant for him or is he just a stepping stone for her to reach her greatness? Join Luke and Willow in their journey against this ancient enemy and to finding Willow's true place.

Lizzy is trying to escape her past. Shielding herself from the dangers that may lead to her death one day. She has managed to keep a low profile and be safe for the last five years. But after a stupid video goes viral, she is not so sure anymore. Now, she is terrified all the time. Panics at the sight of men in dark suits and black cars. Even the thought of stepping out of her home fills her with dread. What would she do when a certain dangerous man from her past is done with the game of chase they have been playing? What if now he is desperate for a confrontation? And has a proposal that she might not refuse? How would she answer all the questions she left behind after escaping the world from which no one ever returned alive? The Perazzo Series: Book 2 [Standalone With Spoilers] NOTE: This book contains mystery and suspense elements, and not all the questions will be immediately answered.

Adrian Cain has no past. At least, not one he remembers. He woke up at eighteen with a name, a guardian, and a carefully constructed identity that led him to build one of the most powerful tech empires in the world. Now, as the CEO of CainTech, Adrian is feared, admired, and emotionally impenetrable, his past locked behind clinical amnesia, sealed files, and a steel wall he doesn't dare breach. Until the suicides start. After two employees from his most classified division die under suspicious circumstances, trauma counselor Sera Vaughn is brought in to assess the psychological impact on staff. But Sera has her own reasons for stepping into CainTech, her older brother vanished fifteen years ago, and the only lead she has left is a face in an old photograph: Adrian’s. But his name back then wasn’t Adrian. It was Daniel Ward. As Sera begins digging into Adrian’s history and as Adrian’s carefully managed psyche begins to crack, long-buried memories start surfacing: a mysterious basement, whispered codewords, and a girl calling his real name. What neither of them knows is that they were both part of a covert experiment known as Project Phoenix, designed to erase identities and rebuild human obedience from the ground up. Together, they uncover a trail of lies, altered files, and fractured lives along with a chilling truth: Adrian may have been programmed to forget what he did… and who he destroyed. Now hunted by the people who created him, stalked by a version of himself he doesn’t remember becoming, and drawn to a woman whose trust he doesn’t deserve, Adrian must face the darkest corners of his past before they both disappear into it. Because some memories don’t stay buried. Some were never meant to.