Straight Bait

When her mother marries a billionaire, she’s dragged into a world she never asked for… private jets, elite academies, and a mansion that feels too big to breathe in. But nothing prepares her for him. Her new stepbrother. The school’s most dangerous playboy. The boy every girl wants… and every parent fears. The one person she must avoid if she wants her life to stay peaceful. But the moment their eyes meet, his gaze burns into her like a claim. At school, she tries to keep her distance. He pulls her closer. She hides from the rumors. He wraps an arm around her waist and whispers one word that changes everything: “Mate.” Suddenly, she’s the target of every jealous girl in the academy, trapped between school drama, a possessive stepbrother she can’t resist, and a bond she never believed existed. She only wanted a fresh start. Instead, she walked straight into the arms of the one boy she can never have… And the only boy who refuses to let her go.

Her father's murder was just the beginning. Sold to the Italian mafia as punishment for a betrayal she never committed, Violet Fernandez finds herself imprisoned by Vlad Romano—ruthless heir to a criminal empire that shows no mercy. But the captor who should be her nightmare becomes her unlikely ally when Vlad discovers the truth: Violet was merely a pawn in her father's dangerous double life. Together, they uncover that her father died protecting explosive secrets—information that could bring the cartel to its knees. Now, marked for death and hunted at every turn, Violet and Vlad are forced to flee into shadows where only the most dangerous survive. With each desperate escape, the line blurs between captor and captive, between hatred and a forbidden desire neither can deny. As bullets fly and passion ignites, Violet must decide: is Vlad truly her savior, or is he leading her straight into a trap where there is no escape? Just when freedom seems within reach, a devastating revelation changes everything... "CAPTIVE HEARTS" — Some chains are made of steel. Others are forged by desire.

On the day my sight returned, our family doctor, Anna Leone, stood right in front of me and mouthed to my husband, Don Marco Vitale, "Double the lubricant tonight. I promise it'll send you straight to heaven, my Don." Marco pressed a gentle kiss to my eyes. Then he turned away and replied with the same silent lip movements, "You little tease. That mouth of yours—and the one below—I'm crazy about them both." The two of them exchanged a knowing smile, convinced their secret was flawless. What they didn't know was that not only had my vision fully recovered—I was also fluent in lip-reading. My gaze drifted to the bottle of lubricant sitting brazenly in the wall cabinet. I said nothing. Instead, I quietly sent a single text message: [Papa, I've decided to come home.] In three days, I would vanish completely. All I would leave behind for them would be the hollowed-out fortune of billions—and that bottle of "lubricant" I had replaced with high-strength industrial superglue.

I grew up in a glass tower—protected by badges, blinded by lies. My father, the Commissioner, built walls around me so high I never saw the darkness creeping through the cracks. Not until one reckless night led me into the Inferno Club… and straight into the arms of Chicago’s most dangerous men. Three kings rule the shadows. Each more lethal than the last. Each is determined to claim me. Jaxon shatters me and puts me back together with his hands and his hunger. Maddox weaves riddles and seduction until I forget my own name. Ronan strips away every mask I wear and demands surrender I never knew I could give. They think I’m just another spoiled rich girl playing with fire. But I’ve been burning since the day my mother died—and now I’m ready to show them exactly how dangerous a caged viper can be. In Chicago’s underworld, love is a weapon. And I’m learning to wield it like a queen.

“Shoot me, butterfly, do it,” Russo said with a smirk, and Chloe’s grip on the firearm faltered. “Who says I can't?” She retorted, hoping her hesitancy wasn’t showing on my face. “You love me, butterfly, but if you are going to do it, look into my eyes.” He replied and Chloe chuckled. “Your problem is that you trust everyone to much.” Chloe smirked before looking straight into his eyes and taking the shot. ____ Everything changed for FBI agent, Chloe Bells when she walked in on her husband cheating. Her barely surviving marriage fell apart, and Chloe was losing herself fast in the quicksands. When the FBI offered her a chance to catch a break, she took it happily. One of her hardest undercover missions was to bring in one of the most feared men in the world, Alessandro Russo. It shouldn’t be hard for Chloe to transition into Alissa, the street fighter who needs a job, but nothing prepared her for the consequences of working closely with the crime boss himself—consequences like falling for him and going against her undercover instructions!

Since I was a kid, my parents drilled it in—you're gonna be a Corleone girl, Giovanni Corleone's property. "This is just an alliance. Don't expect anything more." That's what he said on our wedding night. So I played the part—quiet, polished, dutiful. Then year three hit, and suddenly Giovanni couldn't keep his hands off me. Every night, something new. I thought maybe—finally—he felt the same way I had all along. Then I caught him kissing his stepmom. Funny. Just the night before, he told me kissing me made him sick. "I've been practicing with her—for your sake." So yeah. All that heat? Just rehearsal for her. So I ran. Took back my life—and our unborn daughter. The Don lost his mind looking for me. Begged me to come back—with the kid. But I would not stop for him anymore. I turned and walked straight toward the stage that was always mine.

When a mafia princess wanted to live a normal life, a marriage proposal totally changed her. She embraces life being the wife of the CEO, Bryce Hamilton. Hopeful for a happy family of her own, Fabe Everette realizes that a contracted marriage is like pointing a gun in your own head. Only you are too afraid to pull the trigger. But things got out of control when love hit her like a bomb. Fabe endures all the hardship of being his wife, mistreated and belittled by her husband's family. In hope for Bryce to love her back, the way she learned to love him. But after two years of marriage, Bryce filed for divorce for not giving him a baby. His inheritance depends on it, and it's part of their deal. Fabe raveled in her own foolishness and left. "Loving you is my hell! And I don't want to burn again," Fabe looked straight into his eyes and walked away. She has fooled once and never again. Where the game of rejection and revenge wins, will love prevail in the world of guns?

Lila Montgomery ran from her past straight into a lie. The city gave her polish, power, and a perfect fiancé. Then her father died—and the outlaw empire she abandoned called her home. Waiting at the center of it is Jacob North. Her brother’s enforcer. Her father’s blade. The man who’s loved her in silence for years and looks at her like she’s already his favorite sin. Jacob is danger wrapped in devotion. Every glance dares her to fall. Every touch promises ruin. But there’s another choice. Marco Moore, the family’s calm, brilliant lawyer, offers her something Jacob never can—safety without fire, love without blood. With Marco, she could walk away clean. With Jacob, she burns. When her fiancé’s betrayal detonates and enemies close in, Lila is forced to choose between the man who would destroy the world for her… and the man who could save her from it. Two men. One crown. And a desire that refuses to be tamed.

I was the greediest stand-in in high society, and my motto was simple. As long as cash kept coming, my dignity could take a back seat. For Frederick Jameson, I played the role of his obedient pet, so when his true love accused me of stealing her necklace, I just bowed and apologized. With Samuel York, I served as his lab rat, testing drugs meant for his sweetheart's condition until they left me with a bleeding ulcer. And for Theodore Xander, I acted as a scapegoat, getting pushed out to take the blame of extortion for his crush. They all assumed I was hopelessly in love with them, even forcing me to sign a confession at their joint engagement party. That was when the system's voice chimed in, "Host, the portal home is now open." I wiped the blood from my lips, splashed my wine into their faces, and grinned brightly. "Game over, losers!" Right in front of everyone, I leaped straight into the sea. Later, word spread that the three big shots scoured the entire ocean just to find my body.

His eyes remained warm as he gazed at me. "I will do anything for you, don't ever forget that." He moved closer, gently tucking the rose behind my ear. "I promise you a future.." "Since when did my future switch from being a threat to being a promise?" I couldn't help but cut in looking straight into his eyes. He got paused for a moment as remorse flashed in his eyes. --- Elaine had given three months to their fateful marriage. Though it was an arranged more like forced marriage, Elaine had given her all to make it work. Only Cannon didn't reciprocate her efforts, let alone her feelings. He got blinded by anger and only used Elaine as a pawn to get his revenge. But it all changed when returning home, Cannon found the divorce papers with Elaine gone from his life__ --- Sequel of the book "Married to My Sister's Boyfriend" This one can be read as a standalone story but would be better if you check out the first one before this...