The Ways We Hide

"Marrying Evander Salazar wasn't the biggest mistake I've made in my life. It was when I fell in love with him and let him take over my heart." – Chantria Venice Alquiza "Chantria Alquiza was the woman of my dreams, until her betrayal became my greatest downfall." – Evander Veturius Salazar Chantria Venice Alquiza was left with her parents' debt that made her spend half of her life hiding, trying to escape the loan sharks that her parents' borrowed money from. Because of it, she had no choice but to abandon her waitressing job at a very exclusive bar solely for the elites. However, no matter how hard she tried to hide, they would always find her in the easiest ways possible until she no longer knows where to go. Or that's what she thought. Because when a certain offer, which was disguised as an invitation letter, came her way, she was ready to accept it out of desperation. Until she found out that the offer equates to marrying the CEO of the Salazar Group of Hotels, Evander Veturius Salazar, the man of her nightmares.

I flinched as his breath fanned my face, my body trembled in his arms. This was the chance, but was I scared? His eyes affected me in so many ways, as they held grief, pain and regret. Our stare was our way of communicating. It was intended, emotional and agonizing. I was hiding the knife behind me, picturing the perfect place to stab him. His searing heat sent a gush of lust inside me. I shouldn't fall for that. This was a revenge plan, not a romantic show-off. "I'm engaged, and I have a child with him" I remembered, barely recognizing my cold voice which had become soft and weak. He let out a dirty smirk, lowering his eyes to my lips as we exchanged breath. "I know, but I can't stop myself from falling" he whispered, and before I could blink an eye, he captured my lips, twirling them to his taste. It was a long liquid kiss that made me wet so that I couldn't fight back. The knife slipped off my hand as my body yanked on his. We both dried up where we stood when her voice resounded in our ears. "Mom?"

I have been a keeper of many secrets since I was old enough to know what secrets were. No one knows the truth or the real me. No one knows about the abuse I suffer from my father behind closed doors. No one knows about the cuts and scars I hide from the world. To the outside world, I am your average teenager, but the truth is, I am a broken girl with no one to love her, to see the real sadness in my eyes. I keep it to myself because I want to. It is things I have hidden for years, and no one seems to notice. Until him, Ryland. The new boy in the town. The stranger who sees right through me from the second we meet. We are drawn to one another like a moth to the flame. The more I get to know him, the more I see I am not the only one fighting demons. To start with, he is a pain in my ass, but every day we grow closer, and we become what the other needs. A bond develops between us, one that becomes unbreakable. Neither of us realised that when two broken souls come together, it would be exactly what we needed to help one another heal. He shows me love, something I haven’t had since I lost my mother. I soon learn that just because you are broken doesn’t mean it needs to stay that way. Your past doesn’t need to define you. Possible Trigger Warnings: Physical abuse (It does happen, not often and not in too much detail). Rape, suicide, and self-harm are also mentioned. It doesn’t happen in the book, but it's discussed.

It's my seventh anniversary with Chase McGregor. I hide in his car's trunk while holding a pregnancy report. In my other hand, I hold a limited-edition watch that I've prepared for him. I want to surprise him and tell him we're about to have a child. To my surprise, I hear something that devastates me. "Chase, you're not really going to marry Daphne, are you? Lucille Gervais wants to marry you. As long as you do that, the North Sea's shipping routes, cargo operations, and drug trade will come under your control." "Help me set up a date with her. I'll break up with Daphne." My breathing hitches. I want to hear Chase object to this or show even the slightest bit of hesitation, but none of it comes. The pregnancy report slips from my fingers. I once thought he would be the father of my children; I thought we would have a happy family together. Now, my dream has been shattered.

"What are you hiding, Mr. Blackwood?" Julian closed the gap in a heartbeat, leaving no space between them. She gasped, forced to tilt her head to meet his intense stare. "I. Have. Nothing. To hide," he said, voice cold, his gaze never wavering. The air crackled between them, charged and heavy. Anger lingered, but something else—something sharp and undeniable—hung there, too, just beneath the surface. Neither dared to acknowledge it. •°•°•°•°•°•°•° With her father’s health fading fast, struggling artist Leslie Harrison feels trapped, helpless to give him the care he needs. In a desperate twist, she finds herself caught in a marriage of convenience with billionaire Julian Blackwood, a man who thrives on control and keeps his heart locked tight. But Leslie sees through his icy demeanor, sensing there’s more beneath the surface. As emotions get tangled and secrets begin to slip, their bond is tested in ways neither expected. Can Leslie help Julian face the shadows of his past, or will they pull him under?

This isn’t your typical medieval romance. My name is Penelope Ernaut, the first daughter of the Ernaut Dukedom. I once had it all—status, power, a future. Until one betrayal shattered everything. My pack fell. My bloodline crumbled. And I ran, dragging my sister with me, hoping we could escape it all. However, we didn’t. She left me. Just like everyone else. After dying in the hands of my sister who returned and my mate who saw me as a toy, I was giving another chance to live again and I came back to make them bleed... But I never expected the Lycan King. Dain Zevryn—His Majesty. To come into my life. He was cold, dangerous, and beautiful in all the ways that make you ache. To the world, we were nothing more than allies and business partners. But behind closed doors, I was his only sweet toy, stripped bare for his sinful duties. I thought this time I was taking control of my story. But the deeper I fell into his world, the more I realized—I didn’t escape the cage. I just stepped into a prettier one and would I ever escape it this time?

"Kali, what have you seen?" The other warriors crowded around Kali and I. They were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the captive. They had never seen such a being before. "Destruction looms over us all! He must be killed. The warrior must be killed." Kali rushed to get the blade but I grabbed her arm and stopped her. "No. In as much as we are a warrior tribe of women. We are not savages. We must investigate this." "Suprema Sequoia, please you must listen to me. No good can come out of this. Men can never be trusted. Their hearts are full of darkness and evil. They poison and corrupt the ways of nature. He must die!!!" I was confused. I could only grasp one strange word from all Kali had said. "Men? What do you mean by men?..." In a tribe of alpha female wolves born from the mystical waters of the Lunaria, Sequoia is born the Suprema of the pack, Mystic Shadow. All is well until they are attacked by male warriors. Sequoia is immediately curious of the new gender she and her other warriors have never seen and she is taken on an enlightening journey of love with their attackers Alpha. All soon falls to pieces with jealousy, greed and betrayal and Sequoia is now forced to make the choice between her new found love and the safety and continued existence of her pack.

"His body was sin and I was a sinner.To keep myself safe I hide in the world and let life move around me.My new partner, Nathan, isn’t safe. Far from it.The darkness coils around him, hidden by a shield created by a blinding smile. But those who live in shadows see past the façade we create.Even in darkness, there is light. A spark that ignites, then explodes.Every filthy word from his mouth, every possessive touch—I crave them, need them. Violent and passionate and everything I need to fill the void inside me, but one thing is missing.He can never love me.More than my heart is on the line, and I don’t know if I’ll survive our breach."

Demi Lockheart doesn't believe in love. Her whole life the one man she ever had contact with was her father. A man that treated her as if she was only a hinderance. Abused and feeling useless she would rather never fall in love. Scorned by love she doesn't give her heart to just one person. or any person truthfully. Shaped by her youth she grows up to be a in the entertainment industry, where she meets Porter. A man that was just enough to hide her wild ways, possibly taming her to be a respectable woman. Zaine was the only one that loved and accepted Demi as herself. By her side through it all. It hurt him when she left. He made decisions that weren't for the best, hindering his talent. Fast forward to her birthday party, surrounded by industry friends and her best friend, a gift that brings her past back to her present. Will the past finally win her heart? Will she go back to her wild ways and want it all? Or will she stick with the safe and unhappy path? Only time will tell. "How did it come to this? She looked in the mirror, seeing the grimace on her reflection. Her heart torn in pieces because of what happened. Victoria, her long-time friend came to pat her on the shoulders. There were no words that needed to be exchanged. The two of them had been friends since their elementary school days. They knew what the other was thinking without having to say it. Demi leaned her head against her shoulder staring at their reflection. A decision needed to be made. It had to be made but why was it so hard when all she really wanted to do was love and be loved in return."

Samantha Lee’s life was already a mess. A top cheerleader in New York, juggling school pressure and a rocky relationship with her single mother, the last thing she expected was to catch her boyfriend cheating—at a party, no less. One reckless night and too much alcohol later, she wakes up next to Tyler—the arrogant, straight-A hockey star who’s also her academic rival and personal nemesis. Things couldn’t get worse… until her mother announces she's getting remarried—to Tyler’s father. Now, Samantha is stuck under the same roof as the one guy she swore to avoid. He’s off-limits. Her stepbrother. The boy she can’t stop thinking about. As secrets grow harder to hide and sparks fly in the most forbidden ways, Samantha and Tyler must face the truth: staying apart might be the right thing to do… but falling in love might be inevitable. Sport Affair (His Little Dirty Secret) is a steamy, emotional rollercoaster of forbidden love, rivalry, and second chances.