Testing Waters

The first thing he takes from me is air. A hand crashes over my mouth, ripping me backward into a darkness so sudden my mind stutters. My scream dies against his palm. My feet leave the ground. My heartbeat slams against my ribs like it’s trying to escape. “Stop fighting,” he says, his voice a low, controlled threat against my ear. Not shouted. Not rushed. Certain. I claw at his arm anyway. It doesn’t matter. “This is day one,” he whispers. He forces me onto my knees, my breath splintering in sharp, humiliating bursts. His fingers hook under my jaw, lifting my face so I have to see him.. cold eyes, steady rage, a man carved from hatred with a purpose. “You were born into the wrong blood,” he says. “And now you’ll pay for every sin it spilled.” His thumb drags across my trembling lips, testing, measuring. A reminder he owns every choice I have left. “You’ll beg,” he promises. “Not for mercy. For the end.” And something inside me sinks, cold and final. From this moment on, nothing is mine. Not breath. Not choice. Not time. ⸻ Luna Vitiello is the silent daughter of a devil. To the world, a pampered princess. In truth, a girl who has bled in silence for nineteen years. But the man who takes her doesn’t care. To him, she isn’t a victim; she’s the enemy. A living vessel for her father’s sins, a debt meant to be paid in pain. He thinks he’s breaking a spoiled queen. He doesn’t realize he’s crushing a girl who was already broken.

"Sign this. We're done." Aaliyah Monroe thought she’d found love with a rising billionaire, Henry Smith—until he blindsided her with divorce papers on their fourth anniversary, revealing her twin sister, Aurora, as his true love. Betrayed and cast out, Aaliyah drowns her fury in a nightclub, where she meets Orrin Hayes, a billionaire mogul who falls for her instantly. He offers her a deal– “Aaliyah, I’m smitten. You’re fire, and I want to burn. Marry me.” She froze as her heart tripped. “What?” “Not for love, not yet,” he said with his eyes glinting. “A deal. You want revenge on Henry and Aurora? I’ve got the power to crush them. Marry me, and I’m yours—my money, my connections, my everything. We’ll make them beg.” She stared, the whiskey clouded her head but not her judgment. The idea was insane, but it lit a spark. Henry’s face on that stage and Aurora’s smirk—they deserved to fall. And Orrin? He was a weapon, wrapped in charm and danger. “You’re serious?” she asked, testing him. “Dead serious.” He took her hand into his, gently. “I’m half in love with you already. Say yes, and we’ll shake the world.” She laughed, the sound was shaky but real. “You’re crazy. But… okay. Yes.” Aaliyah agreed. But there was one thing she was yet to inform this charming yet mischievous Billionaire suggesting marriage to her– she's carrying her ex husband’s child. Will she successfully use him to climb the ladder and get her revenge despite having a child for her ex-husband? Or will a second chance in love surface?

“Do you think locking me up here will make me yours?” I whispered, eyes burning with unshed tears. “I’m not a thing you can own, Alpha. I will never be yours! You have the deed to my body, but you’ll never have the deed to my soul!” He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering.“You’re right. I don’t own your soul. But I will make you mine in ways you’ll never expect. Besides, wildflower, you’re already mine in ways you can’t even understand.” ************************* When the new Alpha King’s regime was implemented, the whole werewolf world was turned on its head, and corruption, greed, and terror spread across the land. The old alphas fell from power along with all their packs and families. Verania Waters was no exception—as the daughter of an old alpha, she received the worst treatment. Raised by a woman who hated her, once she turned twenty-one, she was sold in an auction to the notorious Rasmon Olafur, dubbed the Cruel Alpha, to become nothing more than a tool for procreation. A breeder. Ruthless, cold, and commanding, he kept her locked in his mansion, where her only purpose was to give him heirs. However, as the days went by, Verania began to see glimpses of a man behind the cruel mask—one haunted by secrets, fear, and a dark past that shaped him into who he is. It called to her in ways she couldn’t explain. But the truth was far darker than she could ever have imagined. In this deadly game of deception and power, could Verania trust the Cruel Alpha? Or would the lie she spun trap them both in a world where love was the greatest risk of all?

My mafia husband, Vincent Santoro, was born a monster, incapable of loving anyone. But one day, I discovered he was hiding a ‘forbidden fruit’. A girl from the slums, Claire Murphy. Scarred by life, yet as beautiful as a wildflower growing through concrete. For a man who'd waded through blood his whole life, she was a fatal attraction he never saw coming. He thought he'd covered his tracks. He was wrong. At the Santoro family's annual dinner, I confronted him about Claire, tears streaking down my face. He just lightly frowned, then had his consigliere slide the divorce papers across the table to me. "Isabella. Sign it. The three North Side docks and the shipping lines are yours." I tore the papers to shreds. He just kept raising the offer. He had me thrown into the freezing waters of Lake Michigan. He blew up my family's distillery—the Romano family's legacy. Finally, he took my parents. Tied them in an abandoned warehouse and made one watch as he set the other on fire. "Sign, or watch them burn. Your choice." I begged him on my knees, but a roar of flames consumed the world— The heat seared my skin, the ash of my parents clinging to my face. "No... NO!" When I opened my eyes, I was back. Back on the day I first learned about Claire. This time, no tears, no drama. That night, I called my family in Sicily and set my escape in motion. But the moment I vanished from his world… Vincent Santoro went insane.

I am Nyx Jewel, an internally ill lady from the Human Region. After inheriting a vast fortune, with only Six months Span to live, I decided to spend it quietly while my fiancee took over the business, but that was the gravest decision I have ever made. He betrayed me with my stepsister, and my cunning stepmother says it serves me right. My relatives, who have always bowed to me, chuckled when I collapsed out of shock. When my life was withering away, instead of a doctor to be called, They tossed my body into the sea. Little did they know the Moon Goddess had called for me. The turbulent waters, as if guided by divine hands, carried my fragile form to the shores of a mystical realm, unknown to us Humans. *** I am Kade Majesty King, The last Cursed Alpha King of the Werewolf World. Our lineage was cursed to never know true love. That was why My father had died without a true mate. My Grandfather had done the same as well, as all King before him. But things changed after I took the heavy crown upon my head. The Moon Goddess had decided it was time to lift the curse. A mate will be created for me, but the timing remains a mystery. So, like a possessed man, I have waited on pins and needles just for my wolf to cry ' Mate '. Years passed, and depression set in. Then, on a stormy night, a body comes floating off the shore of my kingdom. My True Mate in human form, dying and heartbroken. She sought revenge against the man who had wronged her, and I agreed to help on one condition. That she would be mine.

A desperate young woman, Lucy, enters into a contract marriage with the cold-hearted CEO, Drey Jackson, to save her mother’s life. But as their lives collide, hidden secrets lie around Drey’s family, and a dangerous rivalry emerges to tear them apart. Stuck between love and loyalty, Lucy and Drey must navigate a treacherous path where trust is shattered, and survival becomes their only choice. Will they overcome the darkness, or will the price of love and power destroy them both? ******** “So, a contract marriage,” I said slowly, testing the idea. “What makes you think I would even consider something like that? And with you?” I asked, letting out a little laughter. She leaned in slightly, her lips curving into a small, confident smile. “Because it’s the perfect solution for both of us. You need the public to believe you’re happily married. And I need the money. We both walk away with exactly what we want—no strings attached.” I chuckled, feeling I was on the edge of it. “You’re a bartender. What makes you think you can play the part of a billionaire’s wife?” I chuckled darkly as my breathtaking face twisted into a Mona Lisa. “I can have you fired for this, you know.” She didn’t flinch, but I noticed her sweaty palms. She could lose her only surviving job if I wanted that to happen. It was obvious how desperate she needed money but I couldn’t just agree with her even if it was a good idea. “I think you’re misunderstanding me. I’m not some desperate woman trying to snag a rich man,” She suddenly snapped. She was only an inch away from me now, trying to avoid any direct touch. “We don't have to be in love.”

Liam closed the door behind and walked closer, step by step, striking fear in the girl. Nora backed away, her body hitting the icy wall. He stared at her, his deep cello voice resounding in the room.“Nora Shahan, have you forgotten what I told you three years ago? Don't provoke me. But time and time again you kept testing my patience.” He picked up her jaw harshly and continued. “Tell me, how should I punish you?” Nora met his eyes, which were filled with a coldness, making her hair stand on end. This was the real Liam, cold and heartless. She was foolish to think he had changed for the better. A pang of bitterness welled up in her heart and she closed her eyes, letting the memories from the past flood into her mind.-Three years ago, Liam had warned her to never appear in front of him and Nora had been well behaved, staying as far as away from him. Whenever he'd go north, she'd go south. Even when they were in the same class, she'd stay at the opposite end. But fate played a cruel joke on her when she got locked down at his place. He assumed it was one of her tricks to climb into his bed. But she was certain she has fallen into an elaborate trap. With his family using despicable means to destroy everyone around him, can Liam successfully get her out of that hell house? How will Nora survive living under the same roof with the person who's been nothing but a nightmare all her life while learning his darkest secrets that would entangle them together and bring their entire world crashing down with it?

Helena Cole, daughter of poor gardener Nicolas Cole, is forced into a contract marriage with Alexander Stone, the new CEO of Solara Helixia. Helena, who has always lived a quiet life, feels trapped in the marriage, but soon discovers that Alexander is not the cruel and heartless man she had believed him to be. As Helena and Alexander navigate the treacherous waters of their families' bitter feud, they begin to develop feelings for each other. However, their love that begins to build as a result of sharing the same roof is forbidden, and they must keep their relationship a secret from their families, lest they face the consequences. For Helena, the only family property left for her father would be taken away. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cole and Alexander's mother, Isabella Stone, continue to plot against each other, determined to destroy the other's life and property. As tensions between the two families escalate as Nicholas Cole fights to take back what is rightfully his. Helena and Alexander find themselves caught in the middle, struggling to keep their love alive while their families wage war against each other, she gradually navigates from being a weak young lady to a strong and powerful woman. Even though Isabella keeps oppressing Helena's father; he was determined to fight till his last breath. Helena and Alexander must make a choice that will change their lives forever. Will they choose love or family loyalty? Will they later Find out the main reason for their arranged marriage? Will they find out the secrets behind the deaths of Mrs. Cole and Mr. Stone? Will the internal enemies and obstacles behind all the troubles in their relationship be exposed? Find out in "AGAINST THE TIDES", a gripping and steamy billionaire romance novel that will leave you breathless until the end.

"I need you to smile, darling," Adrian whispers, his fingers digging into Isabella's waist as cameras flash. "Your father's business empire depends on it." The champagne in her glass trembles as Isabella forces herself to play the perfect mafia bride. She hasn't told him about the baby yet. Hasn't mentioned the way his eyes linger on the judge's daughter, Elena. Hasn't revealed that she knows about the poison they've planned for her "tragic accident." But Isabella Romano isn't going down without a fight. "Please," she whispers to Santa Muerte as poison burns through her veins. "Give me a chance to make them pay." Death has a price. Isabella awakens in the body of Valentina Salvatore—wife to Adrian's greatest rival and mother to twin girls who somehow see through her deception. She has 150 days to either claim vengeance or find true love. The clock is ticking, and Nicolas Salvatore, her new "husband," is proving dangerously easy to fall for. "You're not really her, are you?" Nicolas murmurs one night, his fingers tracing her jaw. "My Valentina never looked at me the way you do." But as Isabella navigates the deadly waters of rival crime families, she discovers Valentina had secrets of her own—secrets worth dying for. Now, with her father plotting a takeover, Adrian suspicious of her resurrection, and her borrowed body slowly rejecting her soul, Isabella must choose: the revenge she died for, or the love she never expected to find. In this dangerous game of second chances, some fates are worse than death. And some loves are worth dying for twice.

Dr. Alessia Russo's life is spiraling out of control. Drowning in debt and desperate to help her imprisoned brother, the brilliant ER physician makes a decision that will change her life forever. One moonlit rendezvous in a shadowy alley catapults her into the dangerous world of the Bratva, where loyalty is everything and one wrong move could be her last. Enter Nikolai Zhukov, the enigmatic and ruthless boss of the Russian mafia. With eyes that pierce her soul and a touch that sets her skin ablaze, Nikolai offers Alessia an irresistible proposition: become his personal doctor, no questions asked, in exchange for more money than she ever dreamed possible. As Alessia navigates the treacherous waters of the criminal underworld, she finds herself drawn deeper into Nikolai's web. By day, she saves lives in the ER. By night, she tends to bullet wounds and knife fights, all while trying to keep her moral compass intact. But Nikolai is no ordinary crime lord. Behind his cold exterior and calculated moves lies a man with hidden depths and unexpected vulnerabilities. As the heat between them intensifies, Alessia realizes she's not just risking her career and freedom – she's in danger of losing her heart to the very man she should fear most. With enemies closing in and loyalties tested, Alessia must choose between the safe life she's always known and the exhilarating, perilous future Nikolai offers. In a world where passion and danger collide, can their forbidden love survive? Or will the price of entering Nikolai's world prove too high for the good doctor to pay? "Code Black: A Bratva Billionaire Romance" – a heart-pounding tale of love, loyalty, and the thin line between right and wrong.