Three Simple Rules Nikki Sloane

Sloane Mercer has made it her mission to test every limit Professor Dalton Avery sets. Sharp-tongued, fearless, and irresistibly defiant. She turns his lectures into a battlefield of wit and willpower. Dalton prides himself on control. Of his classroom, of his reputation, and especially of his desires. But when Sloane pushes one time too many, the tension between them finally ignites. What begins as a battle for dominance becomes something far more dangerous. An illicit affair burning with passion, power, and the threat of exposure. The closer Dalton gets to losing himself to her, the more he realizes he never had control at all.

Ever since my mom gave birth to her second child, everything in the household is tied to drawing lots. Everyone has to draw lots in order to decide whose favorite food will be served for each meal. We have to draw lots to see who among us gets a hug from our parents. Every time, I end up drawing the short end of the stick, so everyone automatically assumes that my younger sister, Anabelle Madden, gets the better lot. She easily reaps my parents' love without having to do anything at all. Whenever I feel like crying because of the injustice, Mom will scold me instantly. "I bought the lottery box because I was worried that you might feel upset about this. I'm doing this just to be fair to both of you. "If you want something, you have to be the one deciding who gets what. Your father and I won't interfere with your decision at all. Since you can't draw the better lot, that just means you have bad luck." Hence, I keep practicing my lot-drawing skills every day, hoping that I can eventually draw the better lot in order to obtain my parents' love. But for ten years, I never get to draw the better lot. Not even once. On my birthday, Anabelle wants to go to the amusement park, so Mom tells us to draw lots once again. I secretly glue two short lots together before giving it to Mom in an attempt to get her to stay with me. Instead, she slaps me and berates me for being a disobedient child who cheats in lot-drawing. Then, she leaves the house with Anabelle. When I fall to the floor, I feel the short sticks piercing through my neck.

THE PLAYBOY AND THE GOOD GIRL Mixing business with pleasure can be dangerous but also quite sexy. “Playboy” Liam Right works for one of the best insurance companies in the States. His skillfulness and professionalism are well appreciated by his boss and rightfully so, he’s in line for a huge promotion. Unfortunately, only married men get such promotions. So, for the next three months, Liam needs someone to play the role of the dotting fiancée. And it’s quite urgent to find this perfect “someone” since his boss wants to meet the “future Mrs. Right”. Chef Maxima Davenport has returned to New York to fulfill her goals: become one of the best chefs in the country and create her own “empire”, starting from a small catering business. She needs a perfect place big enough to take her first steps. The solution to her problem comes from Liam, her best friend’s brother and the one Maxima has loved since she was fifteen. So, Maxima agrees to help him but a few rules of this fake engagement must be followed religiously. No kissing or touching unless it can’t be helped. No sex... Definitely no sex. No fooling around while they are in the privacy of Liam’s apartment. But can they really follow these simple rules?

He was the Master of Golden Liberty who everyone was scared of. He was also the famous and elusive divine doctor. He returned to the city silently, but the Millers despised him, and even his fiancée wanted to call off the engagement.  Everything started with a broken engagement…

SLOANE HOLBROOK is a thirty-five-year-old copywriter whose only commitment is to sarcasm, but every major holiday turns her into a single, pitiful spectacle for her judgmental family. Her solution? JACKSON, a charming, commitment-phobic Australian golf coach who needs a distraction just as badly as she does. They forge the "Holidate Pact" a year-long contract to be each other’s flawless, platonic plus-ones for every major event, with one rigid rule: zero feelings. But when a New Year's Eve kiss designed for public consumption feels startlingly real, Sloane and Jackson realize surviving the holiday calendar is easy; surviving the relentless, rule-breaking, undeniable attraction might be impossible. They signed up for a cynical transaction, but what happens when their fake relationship becomes the most honest thing in their lives?

The good girl, do no wrong employee who always plays by the rules finds herself in a place she never imagined. Life goes from simple to complicated in the blink of an eye. The new handsome, ruthless, demanding boss catches everyone's eye. But could he really be attracted to her. Could she allow herself to break the rules and risk it all? Or could his secrets threaten to end everything before it ever starts?

Sloane "The Black Rose" Volkov is the most efficient cleaner for the New York Syndicate—until she is ordered to eliminate Julian Vane, a high-level fixer who knows too much. But Julian isn't a stranger; he’s the man who saved her life ten years ago before disappearing. When the hit goes wrong, they are forced into a lethal "fake marriage" to stay alive, hiding in plain sight within the very lion’s den that wants them dead. As the line between their ruse and their reality blurs, Sloane must decide if her loyalty belongs to the family that raised her or the man who is teaching her how to feel again. In a world of silver bullets and silk sheets, the only thing more dangerous than their enemies is their desire.

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'

Steven Lambert claimed my mother almost killed his wife and daughter, branding me as a sinner from birth. For twenty years, he and his family tormented me in the name of atonement. I was forced into a cruel marriage with the vile Caleb Carpenter in Cindy's place, only to suffer a tragic end. Only then did the Lamberts realize I was their daughter. Yet all this time, the very existence they believed to be a sinner enjoyed their bottomless affection and adoration.

I used to be so happy with my husband, Ian Shaw, until his first love got too drunk one day and was taken away by five strange men for an entire night. To protect her reputation, he told everyone that I was the one who was kidnapped that night. Everyone criticized me, calling the baby in my belly a child of shame. I questioned Ian hysterically, but he said nonchalantly, "Ruby isn’t married yet. People will laugh at her if the news spreads." I looked icily at the man I had loved for six years, shock taking over as I realized he had probably never loved me back.