Tasting Darkness Jessica Hall

Jessica Thorn was raised to marry a man she doesn’t love. A future Luna bound by duty, trapped in a life already chosen for her; until her father assigns her a personal guard. Kaelen Vane is everything he shouldn’t be. Cold, dangerous, and off-limits. And her mate. The bond is undeniable… but Kaelen refuses it. He keeps his distance, and acts like wanting her is a sin he refuses to commit. But when her wedding is rejected by the Moon Goddess, one truth is exposed: Jessica already belongs to someone else. Now the man she was meant to marry wants revenge. Secrets begin to unravel. And the line between duty and desire starts to break. Because no matter how hard Kaelen fights it… he was never meant to let her go.

After she and her little sister were captured by the city's most feared mafia lord Jessica Callum must do everything to survive and get out of the mafia's world. Unfortunately, he didn't plan to let her go and he tricked her into believing she had a chance to leave, she wasn't the one who made a deal with the devil but she was his price. His personal slice of heaven. And no one gives up heaven. Her uncle gave her up as collateral and he intends to keep her even if it means manipulating her to give in. With her life on the line, Jessica would do anything to survive. What happens when she starts giving in to the temptation? With trouble lurking on every corner will she survive the obstacles or die trying?

"Say it!" He ordered "Lucas.." She whimpered at his knowing hand between her thighs. "Good girl" Jessica despised him, for ordering her around, he was almost everything she hated ..but oh his so sweet touch...

My husband's first love was scalded by boiling water. To punish me, he forced me into a customized steamer half my height, turned the heat to its highest setting, and sealed me inside. "I'll make you feel the pain Jessica suffered a thousand times over!" Trapped in the suffocating space, my breath came in ragged gasps. Heat seared my skin, and my body felt as though it would melt. I sobbed, begging him for mercy. "Please! I'm going to die!" But he didn't look back. Holding his beloved in his arms, he walked away. He even locked the door after he left the room. "Don't worry, you won't die. This is the only way you'll understand Jessica's pain." Despair swallowed me whole. I screamed, my voice raw, but the boiling water beneath me splashed up, scalding my skin, stealing even the strength to cry. He left the country with Jessica that same night. A week passed before he finally remembered my existence. "That wretched woman must have learned her lesson by now. Let her out." What he didn't know was that the water had long since boiled away, the heat had faded, and inside the steamer, my corpse lay rotting—swarmed with maggots.

When my father asked me to choose between the two Lewis brothers I had grown up with to get married to, I chose Joseph Lewis. He was the man I had secretly loved for 13 years. But on the day of our wedding, his stepsister, Jessica Lewis, leaped off the rooftop of the hotel. She left behind a letter written in blood, blessing Joseph and me with a lifetime of love and happiness. It was only then that I learned that the two of them had been secretly in love for years. At the wedding, Joseph lost control in front of everyone, declaring that he would no longer be concerned with any worldly affairs. I was left standing helplessly in place. For the rest of his life, he lived in guilt, keeping vigil beside Jessica's grave. I resented his deceit, yet stubbornly clung to our marriage, and we tormented each other for years. This went on until we were kidnapped one day. To save me, he perished together with the kidnappers. Before he died, he looked at me and said, "Evelyn, it was wrong of me to keep it from you. But now that both Jessica and I are gone, that should settle the debt, shouldn't it? If there's a next time, don't choose me again." Then, I reopen my eyes to see that I have returned to the day when my father asked me to choose my fiance. This time, I will firmly choose his elder brother, Theodore Lewis.

Just one second before Alpha Daniel’s fated mark burned into my skin, a sharp voice pierced the air at the bonding ceremony. “Stop!” Jessica, Daniel’s first love, stumbled forward, her belly swollen. “Are you all really going to let this vicious woman become your Luna?” she cried, pointing at me with trembling hands. “She’s been torturing me for months! She poisoned my tea, left knives at my door, and tried to force me to abort Alpha’s pup!” My mind went blank at her sudden, fabricated accusations. “What? I didn’t—” Before I could finish, Jessica lunged toward me. Acting on instinct, I raised my arm to block her, but she collapsed heavily to the floor. “My pup!” she shrieked. “Daniel, look! She’s trying to hurt us again! Call the enforcers to arrest her!” In the next heartbeat, Daniel rushed forward, shielding Jessica in his arms without hesitation. He looked at me, his gaze cold and disappointed. “Rosie, why couldn’t you just behave? This pup is our pack’s heir!” Around us, the elders exchanged dark, knowing glances, silently condemning me. With no way to prove my innocence, I was sentenced to three years in the nightmare Silver Prison. Whips, hunger, endless violence… Eventually, I learned what Daniel really meant by “behave”. But why was he the one who regretted it?

Jonathan Evan's - the heir and CEO of Lewis Tower was in love with his long - time girlfriend Jessica and planned to propose to her on her coming birthday. He dreamed of starting a family with her and pampering her with his love! It was a perfect plan and sweet! Unfortunately, his father decided to choose someone to marry him and it was not his girlfriend that he loved. Gertrude Cushe from the rival company's daughter and the woman she loathed the most. He can't stand Gertrude's presence! Seeing him is like a ball of fire wanting him to crush her. What would Jonathan do now that his magical dreamed life wasn't in his hands? Will he stand against his father and reject the marriage proposal or will he choose to marry his girlfriend instead? What life awaits ahead for Gertrude, Jessica and Jonathan?

As we make our way to the city hall, Paisley Doyle is struck by regret once again. After seven years together, this is the 11th time we've found ourselves at this crossroads. Every time we reach the city hall, she claims she needs more time to care for her sick first love and can't bring herself to marry me. Unable to hold back any longer, I finally decide to confront her. "If his condition never improves, does that mean you'll never marry me? Tell me, what do I even mean to you?" Paisley's temper ignites, and she snaps back at me without a second thought. "I promised to take care of him for the rest of my life! Can't you stop being so selfish? "Besides, we've been together for seven years. What does it matter if we're not legally married?"

Due to my outstanding performance, Mdm. Hall granted me flexible working hours. After a full night of entertaining clients, I had barely fallen asleep when a colleague’s call jolted me awake. “It’s already 9:30 a.m.! How could you be late again?” I patiently explained that I had worked late signing contracts last night. So, I would not be coming into the office this morning. However, my colleague scoffed. “Don’t think that being the top salesperson gives you free rein to skip work! “The heiress, Ms. Hall, is visiting the office for the first time today! “If you upset her, you’d better watch out. She’ll have you fired!” I pushed through my headache and searched my memory. The heiress he mentioned was Cadence Hall. If I was not mistaken, she was the woman who had been desperate to marry into my family.

Seven months to live. A fortune worth killing for. And one mistake that binds her to the most dangerous man she’s ever met. Freya Taylor was dying when she gave her heart, and nearly her empire, to the man she loved. Betrayed, humiliated, and discarded, she decided to spend what little time she had left tasting freedom… and sin. One reckless night. One paid stranger. One unforgettable surrender leads right into the trap of Atlas Cade. A Cold, powerful, untouchable billionaire who doesn’t chase. When Freya runs, Atlas hunts and when he catches her, he gives her an ultimatum. Three months with him or her father's empire vanishes into thin air.