After the death of Peter McKinley, the fate of the McKinley Inns was left in the hands of Peter's firstborn son, Alexander. Thrust into leadership, Alexander was determined to protect the legacy his father built from the ground up. But when he uncovered the company's seemingly unending debts and mounting pressure from creditors, he found himself drowning in financial ruin. Desperation clawed at him as he scrambled for a solution to save the family's name and keep the company afloat. Then came an unexpected offer-one that both intrigued and infuriated him. George Garrison, a young billionaire and hotel magnate, approached him with a proposal: he would buy McKinley Inns, settle its debts, and keep Alexander on as the face of the brand. But there was a condition-George wanted to marry Alexander's younger sister. The deal sounded like a lifeline, but to Alexander, it felt like a betrayal. His sister was in love with someone else, and the thought of trading her happiness for a business deal sickened him. Refusing to give up so easily, Alexander sought out other options, determined to find another way. Meanwhile, George Garrison, under pressure from his late grandfather's will, was required to marry in order to claim full control of his inheritance. The catch? He was gay-and had no desire for a wife or a marriage of convenience. He saw Peter McKinley's daughter as a solution, a name to satisfy the will. But when Alexander stormed into his office, angry and desperate, George found himself considering a far more intriguing arrangement-one that just might change everything.
01
Alexander's POV
I felt the wind brush my face as I watched my Dad's coffin on the ground. Somehow, a part of me wished everything was just a horrible nightmare and that mere seconds from now I would wake up. But every time I blinked my eyes, everything was still the same. The cold air, the sound of whispers, the priest's voice in the background-it was all too real. And as sad and hurtful as the truth was, I had to accept it.
He was gone.
The man who raised me, who built a legacy from the ground up, who carried the weight of our family after Mom left-was gone.
I turned to the side and saw different people from the media with all their cameras pointed toward our direction like we were some kind of attraction. And I knew today every media outlet out there had us as their headline. I could already see it happening in my head.
"Today, a funeral is being held for Former CEO Peter McKinley of McKinley Inns, who recently passed away due to cardiac arrest. Peter's million-dollar company, as stated in his will, is now handed down to his firstborn son-Alexander McKinley."
Yeah. That's how they'd say it.
No mention of the kind of man he was. Just numbers and titles. Just another breaking news story.
I looked over to my side and I could see my sister sobbing into her boyfriend's chest. I was glad she had a shoulder to cry on. God knows she needed it. I did too. But I guess I was better off being on my own and grieving in silence. It was easier that way. Less explaining to do.
I walked over to my sister and instantly, she turned to me and gave me a tight hug.
"It's going to be alright, Katie. We will be alright," I whispered to her as I rubbed her back softly.
"I miss Dad already," she whispered, and the sound of her sobs slowly started to escape her.
"I know. I miss him too."
And I don't know how I was going to live my life knowing I would be missing him every single day.
I continued to rub my sister's back as I looked up at the sky, wishing my father was in a place where he was happy. He was always a busy man. Too cramped up in his job as he led a real estate company, and yet he always made time for Katie and me. Even without a mother by our side, he really was the best father anyone could ever ask for.
When my mother had left us when I was eight, he had stepped up and took care of us. I know now how hard it must've been, and I am nothing but grateful for how he did it. He never remarried, never even dated again-not that we knew of. It was like after Mom left, he poured everything he had into being our dad and building McKinley Inns into what it became.
And now that he's gone, I don't know what to do with what he had worked so hard for.
I was just fresh out of Harvard Business School. I was supposed to spend the following years working under him. Learning the dos and don'ts, understanding the ins and outs, figuring out what I would do if I were to inherit it someday.
But no one expected someday to arrive earlier than planned. Everything seemed to have happened so fast. One minute I was walking out of a meeting, and the next, I got a call from my father's secretary saying he was rushed to the hospital. And before we could even say our proper goodbyes, the old geezer had left.
And as much as I hate goodbyes, saying my goodbye to him when he was still alive is something that I could only dream of having.
I miss you, Dad. So much.
The priest's voice faded into the background as my thoughts drowned it out. I barely heard the final words of the service. I didn't even notice when the crowd started to disperse. Only when Katie pulled back from our hug and wiped her eyes did I snap back into reality.
"Are you going to be okay?" she asked me, her voice still trembling.
I nodded. "Eventually. You?"
She gave a small, sad smile. "Eventually."
We both knew it was a lie, but it was a lie we needed to believe in-for now.
People kept coming up to us. Business partners, extended family, board members from the company. They all had the same look of pity and polished condolences. "Your father was a great man." "He'll be missed deeply." "If there's anything we can do..."
All of it blurred into a single, meaningless string of words.
I didn't want to hear about how great of a man he was. I already knew that. I lived with that man. He was the one who taught me how to ride a bike, how to tie a tie, how to think like a leader. He wasn't just the CEO of McKinley Inns. He was my dad.
I looked toward the limo waiting for us. The driver had been discreet, standing a good distance away, but I caught his glance in the rearview mirror. Even he looked sad. Dad had this way of leaving an impression on everyone-no matter who they were.
When Katie and I finally got into the car, the silence was heavy. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, remembering the last phone call I had with him.
It was a week ago.
He called to tell me how proud he was of me for finishing my degree.
"You're going to do amazing things, Alex," he said. "I know it."
I laughed and told him he was getting sentimental in his old age.
He chuckled back and said, "I'm not that old."
I wish I had known that would be our last conversation. I would've told him so much more.
We arrived at the mansion-our family home. It looked the same, but without him in it, it felt hollow. Like the heart of it had been ripped out.
Everything was exactly how he left it. His shoes still by the door. His coat on the hook. His favorite mug in the kitchen, probably still with a trace of coffee left in it.
Katie went upstairs to lie down. Her boyfriend followed a few minutes later, leaving me alone in the living room.
I sat on the armchair Dad always used.
The silence was deafening.
I stared at the fireplace, the one he used to light during the holidays. Every Christmas, he'd insist on wearing that ugly red sweater Katie got him when she was ten. He said it was tradition.
Now traditions feel like something that belong to a different lifetime.
The housekeeper brought me tea, but I barely touched it. My phone buzzed with new emails, probably from the board, or lawyers, or worse-reporters.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't bring myself to think about the company right now. McKinley Inns was his dream, his baby. Now it was mine. Whether I liked it or not.
The weight of it all felt crushing. How was I supposed to fill his shoes? How was I supposed to keep it all running when I hadn't even been trained for this yet?
I thought about the letter the lawyer gave me earlier, handwritten by Dad and sealed in an envelope. I hadn't opened it yet. I wasn't ready. Maybe later tonight. Maybe tomorrow. I don't know.
All I knew was that I missed him more than I thought possible. And I didn't know how to carry this life without him.
But somehow, I would have to try.
For him. For Katie. For McKinley Inns.
For myself.
Emma had always thought of herself as untouchable. With her sharp tongue, enviable beauty, and spoiled rotten demeanor, she had managed to stay several steps ahead of anyone who dared to challenge her. But somehow, Will Knight-cocky, impatient, and slightly dimwitted-had managed to kidnap her and her best friend not once, but twice. How? She was still trying to wrap her head around it. The first time had been a chaotic mess. Will had bungled the plan, getting caught halfway through, and yet, somehow, he still managed to pull it off. The second time was almost laughable. Emma had expected a more elaborate scheme, but instead, Will had used his brute force and complete disregard for any semblance of intelligence. It was absurd, really. He had no finesse, no strategy, and yet here they were, locked in his uncomfortably shabby hideout for the second time. "Seriously?" Emma muttered, pacing the room, hands on her hips. "How does someone this clueless get away with kidnapping?" Will shrugged with that stupid grin of his. "Dunno, guess I'm just lucky." Emma shot him a withering look. Maybe luck had something to do with it, but she had a feeling there was more to Will than met the eye. Perhaps he wasn't as dimwitted as she'd thought. That idea made her stomach twist in an unsettling way.
Keagan is the definition of bad boy. College man with a body that could make even God moan and an attitude to put the devil to shame. He walked campus halls like he owned them-tattoos inked across golden skin, smirk cocked like a loaded gun, and eyes that dared anyone to look away first. Between classes and drinking parties, sex and boys, Keagan had it all. He didn't chase love-he devoured it in the dark, left it breathless, and moved on before morning. Until Jamison. Small, skinny, anti-social. With glasses too big for his face and sweaters that hung off his shoulders like afterthoughts, Jamison barely existed in Keagan's world. Quiet, forgettable... or so everyone thought. But there was something in the way Jamison looked at Keagan-like he saw straight through the leather and lust. Like he wasn't afraid. Keagan should've ignored him. Should've kept walking. But something about that awkward little ghost of a boy stopped him cold. Curiosity, maybe. Hunger, definitely. Because suddenly, Keagan wanted more than a body to ruin-he wanted to see if someone like Jamison could handle the heat. The question wasn't if Keagan would break him. The question was... would Jamison beg for it?
Thea Gibson lived a perfectly ordinary life. By day, she served drinks at the local bar, earning just enough to pay the rent and keep her bills from piling up. She wasn't one for extravagant spending, preferring quiet nights at home with her nose buried in the latest paranormal fantasy novel. It was easier to get lost in a world of mythical creatures and epic battles than face the real one, where she tried-and often failed-to suppress the awkwardness that followed her like a shadow. Most nights, she relished her solitude, but that didn't stop her best friend Shae from dragging her to parties. "You need to get out more!" Shae would say with that infectious energy that made it impossible to say no. Thea would end up surrounded by strangers, nursing a drink in a corner, wishing she could escape into the pages of her book instead of pretending to enjoy herself. The only bright spot? Detective Josh Cooper. He was always there, with his captivating smile and those deep eyes that seemed to see right through her. Thea had a secret crush on him. But that was all it was-a harmless fantasy. That all changed one fateful night. The bar was quieter than usual when a figure appeared in the doorway. The air seemed to crackle with electricity as Thea stared at him. He was tall, his presence undeniable, with a calm confidence that seemed at odds with the tension in the room. Before she could even process what was happening, a group of monstrous creatures-Titans, she later learned-charged toward her. Panic surged in her chest. But before they could reach her, the man was there, moving with blinding speed, his hand raised. A bolt of light shot from his fingers, and the Titans disintegrated into smoke. "I'm Hermes," he said, voice smooth as silk. "Messenger of the Gods. And you, Thea, are a reincarnated deity with a destiny you've yet to remember." The words felt surreal. Thea opened her mouth to protest, but the world around her seemed to shift, and suddenly she wasn't sure what was real anymore. "What are you talking about?" she demanded. Hermes smiled, the corner of his lips curling up with a mysterious knowing. "You're about to find out. The Titans are free. And it's up to you to send Cronos back to Tartarus." Thea shook her head in disbelief. "This is insane." "You're not the first to refuse the truth," Hermes said, his tone soft, but unwavering. "But you will be the one to stop him." Everything she'd known, every bit of normalcy she clung to, crumbled in that instant.
Young aspiring writer Norah Jacobs needs to escape. In just two weeks, her life has been turned upside down. Her brother, a brilliant but deeply corrupt lawyer, is incarcerated for murder. His name, once synonymous with success, is now dragged through the mud by the media. And as if that weren't enough, his former partner-a man as dangerous as he is relentless-now lurks around her home, throwing half-threats her way, making it clear that her silence comes at a price... The peace she had been desperately trying to hold onto crumbles. So, Norah makes a radical decision: she packs her car, abandons her apartment, shuts off her phone, and disappears. Her destination is Bellvale, a small coastal town, far removed from the chaos she left behind. But in Bellvale, calm is only an illusion. Soon, Norah realizes that this secluded corner of the world harbors its own darkness. Strange whispers in the woods, too many piercing gazes, and an unsettling feeling of being watched... She finds herself drawn into an ancient power struggle, one between creatures she thought were only found in fairy tales. And she quickly learns an undeniable truth: no matter how hard you try to run from your problems... they always find a way to catch up.
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
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.
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
Anya Petrova has always lived life her way-strong, fearless, and in control. But when she's bought by Viktor Romanov, the most dangerous man in Moscow, everything changes. He says he owns her now, but Anya has never been one to bow to anyone. Viktor wants more than her obedience-he wants her to give in to him completely. But Anya is not the kind of woman to back down, and the tension between them is as dangerous as it is irresistible. Viktor is used to getting his way, and Anya's defiance only makes him want her more. But she's not someone he can easily control. The more she fights, the deeper Viktor falls, and soon, what started as a battle for power becomes something much more dangerous. But Viktor doesn't know everything-Anya has secrets even more dangerous than his own. As desire clashes with control, they're drawn into a world of secrets, betrayal, and a passion they can't deny. But with enemies everywhere, trusting each other might be the most dangerous risk of all. Warning: Mature content, blood, fights, and explosions.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Julia and Evan were the perfect couple-or so she thought. But everything changed when Evan abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her heartbroken and unable to tell him she was carrying his child. Years later, Julia has built a life for herself and her son, Andy, while Evan has risen to unimaginable wealth and success. Their paths cross again at a chance meeting, but Julia soon discovers Evan has moved on with someone else. Julia is done with the pain. She's fought battles alone, raising a son who deserves the truth about his father, even if Evan doesn't deserve her forgiveness. When Julia told Evan years ago she had something to say, he didn't listen. Now, it's time for him to listen. But is it too late to reclaim what he lost? "We should break up," he'd said, the words cutting through her like glass. The pregnancy test in her pocket stayed hidden, just like the child they would never share. Now, it's Evan's turn to hear the truth-and to face his deepest regret.