Under Siege Crossword Clue

When Athena's father dies mysteriously, she ends up in a contract marriage with ruthless billionaire Levi Strauss-Jackson in a bid to investigate the mysterious circumstances. Trapped in a cold marriage of convenience fueled by ulterior motives, Athena unexpectedly falls for her callous husband while also finding friendship in his charming brother Samuel. Ensnared in an opulent but twisted world of secrets and conflicting agendas, the newlywed heiress soon realizes her investigation has also made herself a target. As buried truths claw to the surface, Athena discovers bonds can become shackles and new family ties may be fatal. To reclaim her power and ensure her survival, she must see through the smoke and mirrors of the Strauss-Jackson empire to uncover who the real enemy is while fighting her growing attraction to her new husband and his brother. But will the truth about her father’s death free her...or will it instead seal her own? In the glittering corridors of power and wealth, even wedding vows and blood pacts can be decisively broken.

Beginning 07/2023 book will be updated weekly, sorry for the break, personal issues... Veronica has always just stepped through the walk of life. Hating her gift as an empath, she has spent her life suppressing or avoiding it. She was never the prettiest or the most smartest, just average. Being to aware was her curse. Years as an occult studies research analyst, Roni has dreamed for the day the supernatural vail would fall. When it did, her family's world was upside down. Divorce, a mate, turning into a wolf... Will Roni crack under pressure? Or will she rise to the occasion? Can the wolf and the vampire keep from each other? How will she react when she finally learns the truth of where she comes from?

“I'm going to take you to the edge, kitten, and you're going to beg for more,” Axel whispered, his hot breath sending shivers down Amber's spine. Her eyes snapped open, locking onto his. The intensity in his gaze made her pulse race. She felt his fingers dig into her hips, pulling her against his hardened body. “Is that a promise?” Amber whispered, her body already screaming to be touched. Axel's lips curled into a sly smile. “It's a warning.” Amber's heart skipped a beat as Axel's hands slid up her back, unzipping her dress. The fabric slipped off her shoulders, pooling around her feet. She stood before him, vulnerable yet unafraid. “Tonight, you're mine, little kitten,” **** Amber had always wished to have her brother’s infamous best friend since she was in high school but is hurt because he only treats her like a little sister. When Amber got admitted to college and moved in with her brother, she is surprised to see that her longtime crush was under the same roof. Her brother leaves for an important business, and she is left alone with this hot devil. She knew this was her chance to get him, and she wasn’t ready to screw it. Axel had always loved Amber but knew she was off bounds because she was his best friend’s sister, but when she is left in his care, he began to lose control. From stolen kisses to steamy sessions, he knew he was in trouble when he became addicted to this little kitten. ~~~ The Badboy’s Little Kitten is a two in one series… BOOK ONE: Stolen Moments: My Brother’s Best Friend BOOK TWO: Whispers Of Seduction: We Meet Again, Little Kitten Bask in the steam because it only gets hotter!!! ©️Purple Ink 2024

Jamari spent her life living in her twin sister's shadow, only made worse when she found out she didn't have a wolf on her 18th birthday. When her sister disappears she learns a lot about herself and the destiny Fate has in store for her. She couldn't actually be the Wolf Queen? Could she? With the help of the Lycan King and Demon King, Jamari searches for the truth of her existence as an unknown threat threatens life in all the Realms. Will Jamari fulfill her destiny with the help of her mates, or will she crumble under the newfound pressure of being Queen?

Elara Hart, a top lawyer on the brink of becoming a partner, sees her career crumble under a scandal. Just when she’s about to give up, Damian Blackwood, a billionaire heir in a desperate race to marry before his 30th birthday, offers her an unexpected deal. With only weeks left and a reputation that scares off most women, Damian proposes a one-year, no-strings-attached marriage. For Elara, it’s a chance to restore her career; for Damian, it’s his only hope to secure his inheritance. As their arrangement begins, will they stick to their no-strings plan, or will they discover that the real gamble is falling in love? And what happens when the year ends, and the stakes are higher than they ever imagined?

"Please," I whisper as his teeth graze my neck, my body betraying every promise I made to keep him at a distance. "We can't—" "Can't?" His laugh is dark, dangerous. "Your wolf is screaming for me, Fin. I can smell how much you want this." His hands pin my wrists above my head, his body pressing mine against the wall. "Tell me to stop. Tell me you don't dream about my hands on your skin, my mark on your throat." His lips brush my ear, voice rough with need. "Tell me, and I'll walk away. But we both know you're tired of denying what's between us." Finley Bennett never expected to be Alpha of Forest Trails pack. But when her brother refuses the role, she's determined to prove a female can lead - even if it means burying her broken heart. Because the one wolf who was supposed to be her perfect match chose another, leaving her with nothing but duty to cling to. When Mountain Ridge's powerful Alpha arrives to discuss border threats, his sudden marking of her as his mate offers a second chance at happiness. But fate isn't finished testing her yet. Another cruel rejection leaves her wondering if she's destined to lead alone. As mysterious attacks threaten pack lands and ancient magic stirs, Finley must navigate pack politics, unseen enemies, and the return of her first mate. But something darker lurks beneath the surface - a hidden enemy whose manipulation could cost her everything she's fought to protect. With her territory under siege and her heart torn between two wolves who rejected her, Finley must decide: can she trust fate's choice a third time? Or will opening her heart again destroy everything she's built?

Molly absolutely loves Christmas. Candy canes, egg nog, mistletoe, the works. She can't get enough of it. And so it's only natural that she works at the local Christmas store, Christmas Wishes. But when the Scrooge-like Nicholas comes to town, looking to sell his father's business out from under him, it looks like Molly's dream job is disappearing. Worse yet, she's starting to fall for Nicholas, despite everything telling her not to. With one last chance to save the store, Molly appeals to the power of Christmas itself, attempting to convert Nicholas to seeing the beauty of the holiday. Can Christmas magic really make Christmas Wishes come true? Fans of Hallmark Christmas movies will be swept away by Christmas Wishes, a small-town standalone holiday romance with mistletoe and magic. Grab a glass of eggnog, sit by a warm fire, and enjoy!

I misbehaved. My knees ached from being planted on the aggressively cold floor for so long, but I would take the pain for as long as possible, if it meant gaining the Devil's forgiveness. I whimpered helplessly as the beast of a man pierced me with his cold eyes, ever so subtly patting his strong thigh twice. "D-daddy please-" My pleas were unfinished and went unheard as he continued to pick up the black paddle from his desk and roll up his sleeves. "Don't waste my time, angel." He muttered gruffly, the depth of his well matured voice making every fibre of my being to tremble. "Bend over daddy's lap and receive your punishment, princess." "Y-yes daddy." For her he'd slaughter a nation and drag many to Hell. The Devil has had his eyes on Vanessa since he met the innocent, untainted angel. His Angel. He'd do anything to keep her, to feel her impeccable skin under his impure fingertips, to kiss and stain the luscious lips of an angel with sin and to ruin her innocence and carve his name into her soul. And she's not just about to resist him. When an innocent, naive, little angel mingles with the step-father from Hell.

CASTELLO DI CARTE MAFIA CHRONICLES, BOOK 3 [Also known as LACERATION: THE GAME OF CHAINS] 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 Marrying a stranger is one thing. But marrying a stranger related to the man you thought you’d marry is a whole other thing. What would you do in a situation like this? I, for one, fainted at my engagement party and almost drank my off to get through the wedding night. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, my husband offered me a contract, and I signed it, seeing his eagerness to get rid of me. Spending an entire year under the same roof seemed like torture, especially when my dear husband kept making excuses to talk to me and to unnerve me. Yet I liked it. But he wasn’t mine. And his mistress had a lot to attest to that. 𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐒 Marriage for power. A wife ten years younger. And a tattoo. None of these was a part of my plan to thrive as a Mafioso, yet I didn't mind any of it. It was all because of that succubus. My ruination disguised as a beautiful woman, now my bride. I was a man known for my control and snide personality, yet neither helped me overcome my desire and need to taste her skin. When I finally did, I couldn’t have enough of it. The contract should've kept me away from her, should've helped me be the responsible adult and control my thoughts of her. All I wanted then was to tear that piece of paper that ensured our freedom after a certain point. I could never free her, knowing how damning it could be. There were just a few tiny problems. Her father. My past. Infiltrated enemies. And the damaging nightmares I had no control over.

On New Year's Eve, I waited at home with a box of sparklers, hoping Jake Thompson would come. Instead, an earthquake struck. Trapped under fallen debris, I prayed for his safety. Little did I know, Jake was putting on a grand fireworks display across the city for his high school sweetheart who had just returned from abroad. The whole town buzzed with excitement, wishing them a lifetime of happiness together. Meanwhile, I had lost my hearing in the disaster, with no hope of recovery. When I tried to break off our engagement and leave town, Jake stood before me, his eyes red-rimmed and pleading. I couldn't understand a word he said. I simply wished him, “May you always have a day like today, year after year.”