Blurb : Brenda Walker has spent her life trapped-first in a toxic family, then in a loveless marriage to a man who sees her as nothing more than an ornament. Weak, pitiful, and broken, she has resigned herself to a life of silent misery. That is until she meets Tony DeLuca-a cruel billionaire with a sinful touch and a dangerous past. Tony is everything Brenda isn't-powerful, dominant, and willing to take what he wants. When their worlds meet, he awakens a fire inside her that she never knew existed. But desire comes with a price. As Brenda's transformation starts, she finds herself entangled in a dangerous web of betrayal, blackmail, and revenge. With enemies lurking in the shadows-her vengeful husband, a deceitful sister, and Tony's obsessive ex-Brenda must decide: will she surrender to fear, or rise from the ashes to claim the love and power she deserves?
Chapter 1: A Caged Life & A Dangerous Glimpse of Freedom
Brenda's POV
I hardly recognized the woman who was reflected in the mirror. My hair was perfectly groomed, my makeup covered up the fatigue that had become a habit, and the elegant black gown fit my frame perfectly. All I saw was nothingness, when I should have felt lovely.
"Brendan, are you deaf?" Daniel's icy tone brought me back to the present. His image in the mirror was as menacing as ever as he stood behind me, adjusting his cufflinks. "Tonight, I begged you to keep quiet. Don't make me look foolish.
I nodded like the submissive wife he desired, swallowing hard.
He whispered, "Good girl," and walked out of the room.
The aroma of pricey champagne and power permeated the air when we arrived at the great event a few minutes later. Daniel's hold on my arm tightened as soon as I stepped inside.
He gritted his teeth and commanded, "Smile," as a group of businessmen walked up.
Standing by his side while he talked to the men, laughing at their jokes and talking about transactions I didn't care about, I forced a grin. However, then-
Daniel hardly gave me a look as he presented me to Brenda, his wife. "She is good at appearances, but she doesn't add much to business conversations."
I felt the heat creep up my neck. Even as my chest constricted, I managed to force a courteous grin onto my lips. The men laughed without trying to disguise their laughter.
I ought to have spoken up. I ought to have spoken up for myself. However, I didn't.
"Dear sister, please stop looking so upset." A voice said quietly in my ear, sickeningly pleasant.
Camilla.
My younger sister smiled and held a glass of wine when I turned around.
"You're so silent all the time. Daniel hardly noticed you, which makes sense. She tilted her head and sipped her wine. "Were you aware that he arrived here tonight with another person?"
I felt my gut tighten. "What?"
Her eyes were bright with laughter, yet she gave me a pathetic look. "Brendan, you truly are pathetic."
Camilla was telling the truth.
I caught an appearance of Daniel speaking into a woman's ear from the other side of the ballroom. She was beautiful, tall, graceful, everything I wasn't. She leaned against him and touched his chest when she laughed.
At my sides, my hands clenched into fists.
I wasn't shocked. Daniel's affairs had never been concealed. He knew I wouldn't do anything about it, so he didn't have to.
Leaning into me, Camilla spoke in a mocking tone. "You'll remain feeble forever. As he parades his mistresses in front of you, you will always be the lady in the background.
Something broke inside of me.
I didn't feel depressed for the first time in years. I was angry. Anger, pure and simple.
I turned without thinking and left.
The air felt sharp against my hot skin, and the rooftop balcony was silent. I closed my eyes and rested against the railing.
I detested my existence. This marriage was something I detested. I detested the fact that I had allowed myself to become this submissive, mute shadow of a woman.
"You appear to be organizing an escape."
A smooth, deep voice cut through my mind.
I snapped around, gasping when I saw the man standing a few feet away.
He was tall, powerful, and broad-shouldered. He exuded authority with his piercing look and sharp jawline, and his dark suit was expertly cut.
He moved closer and said, "Are you?"
I paused. "Who are you?"
"DeLuca, Tony." He never looked away. "And you?"
"Brenda."
His mouth twitched a little. "Brenda." He uttered my name as if it had significance.
My heart was beating because of something about him. He was different from Daniel. I had never met anyone like him.
He studied me and stated, "You don't belong here." "You have no place in a cage."
I tensed up. "You know absolutely nothing about me."
"I'm not required to." He spoke in a deep, captivating voice. "Your eyes show it to me. Despite your cries for liberation, you are unable to accept it.
Emotions roiling, my chest lifted and sank. "And what do you recommend?"
His lips formed a slow, knowing smirk. It depends. Are you prepared to let go of your fear?
A familiar, steely grip pulled me back before I could react.
Daniel.
He scowled at me while digging his fingers into my wrist. "What in the world are you doing?"
The poison in his voice made me wince. "I was just-"
"Making me look foolish?" I flinched as his hold tightened. "You're already flinging yourself at another man after I turn my back for a single second?"
My mouth dropped open to object, but Tony's voice broke the silence.
"Release her."
Daniel's face darkened as he turned to face him. This is my spouse. Keep your distance from it.
Although Tony remained still, his presence was oppressive. There was a menacing glitter in his eyes, yet he didn't appear angry.
"I didn't speak to you." His eyes strayed to me. "I was conversing with her."
My breath caught.
"Brendan, will you allow him to speak for you?" Even though Tony's voice seemed serene, it made me shudder. "Will you allow him to continue to dominate you?"
I had something to say. I intended to defend my interests. However, the words refused to escape.
Daniel laughed. "She is aware of her role."
Tony smiled. "We'll see how long you allow him to think that."
I was left speechless, confused, and shaken as he turned and left without saying anything more.
His words reverberated in my head as I saw his form fade into the throng.
Will you allow him to continue to dominate you?
I had nothing to say.
Not quite yet.
Blurb: Aurora "Rory" Thompson is a fearless journalist with a knack for uncovering the truth. In the bustling streets of modern-day New York City, her latest investigation thrusts her into the shadowy world of Julian "The Bull" DeMarco, a charismatic and ruthless Mafioso with a reputation for controlling everything and everyone around him. What begins as a quest for justice soon becomes a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Drawn to Julian's magnetic allure, Rory finds herself trapped between her ambition and the perilous pull of his power. As she digs deeper, Rory uncovers secrets that could shatter the underworld –and her sense of morality. With rival families, law enforcement, and betrayal lurking around every corner, Rory must navigate a web of danger and deceit. When Julian's true intentions come light, she's forced to confront the ultimate question: will she risk everything to expose the truth, or will she succumb to the darkeness that threatens to consumer her?.
"I reject you! I will never accept you as my Luna!" These were the cruel words Melissa heard from Kane, her fated mate and the powerful Alpha of the Ambersy Pack. As the daughter of a shamed Alpha, Melissa has suffered a life of abuse and humiliation, treated worse than a slave. Kane's refusal shatters her, but one night of passion binds them in a way neither can forget. Betrayed by her family and pushed into a loveless marriage, Melissa's life falls into darkness. When tragedy hits, she flees, determined to leave behind the pain and loss. With the help of a rogue friend, Melissa learns she is more than just a helpless omega. She is the last daughter of a wolf goddess with unthinkable strength. Years later, a joint threat takes Melissa back to the Ambersy Pack, where she faces Kane once more. This time, she is no longer the weak girl he once rejected. As secrets unravel and enemies close in, Melissa must decide if she can forget the past and trust Kane with her heart again. In a world of betrayal, revenge, and forgiveness, will Melissa rise to claim her fate and find the love and happiness she deserves?
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.