One look at the man sitting next to mom tells me everything I need to know. He is Aaron's dad. Mom is getting married to Aaron's dad. I had a one night stand with Aaron Coleman seven years ago and in the heat of the moment, after I left the motel he'd fucked me in, I spent the following week writing a fictional story about us. I'd entirely forgotten about that story until now. The story went ahead to become a New York bestseller the following year but nobody, besides Juliet, knows I'm the author. Aaron Coleman is about to be my stepbrother. He's the protagonist of a romance book I'd written and dumped years ago. And as I move slowly, towards the table to join the small party, I realize that the coming weeks is going to be worst than the past seven years of my life, combined. SEVEN YEARS AGO "It's almost like you're virgin," Aaron blurts out in disbelief as he slowly tries to move. His remark makes me feel defensive so I don't know when I get heated and respond in a sharp voice. "What if I am?" Aaron stiffens against me, his body hovering above mine. "That's going to be a problem, cupcake," he says in an entirely different voice that tells me I'm in danger.
Eva's POV
I stare deeply at the bubbles of my beer, zoning out despite the raucous atmosphere of the bar.
It's the last week of college. We'd had our graduation ceremony yesterday and tonight, all the seniors are in Caleb's bar, partying away the last miserable four years of our lives.
Whoever said college is going to be the best time of our lives only wanted money. They just said that to lure innocent teenagers, who will later become broke adults, to pay fees or take out loans to pay fees.
Thankfully, with mother's past divorces, which I'm not proud of, I am not in any debts.
For me, the last four years were just blank. I can't even remember any of my classes except for philosophy and literature which are my favorite subjects because I hope to become a writer some day.
I already write on websites and have loyal fans but I want to be published and recognized widely.
The thrill of signing autographs on a published book of mine is something I dream of all the time.
"Don't tell me you're zoning out in a bar!" Juliet, my best friend, remarks disapprovingly in my ears, shouting against the loud music.
I reel away from her, rubbing at my ears echoing with her voice.
"Shit, Juliet!" I reproach, mildly annoyed.
"What?" She giggles, seeming to be having fun. She pulls away the empty stool beside me and plops unto it.
The waiter comes up to her like a robot, smiling briefly.
"I will have a rum please," she bats her eyelashes at him and I roll my eyes. Juliet likes to get cute with men.
I, on the other hand, have never seemed to be attracted to anyone. I mean, I have the occasional crushes here and there but then, a guy would speak and I'd realize that I'd just been delusional.
That's why most of my classmates had boyfriends in college or highschool and I didn't.
And yes, I'm also a virgin. I'm not proud of it but I'm also not ashamed of it. There's nothing wrong with having no penetrative sex at the ripe old age of twenty-three.
Thank goodness for modern day alternatives. Archer, my trusty vibrator, is always capable.
The waiter resurfaces with Juliet's rum in a perspiring glass and she thanks him calmly, with no eye lash batting or gleeful giggles.
"So," she turns to me while sipping at her glass, "why are you being a brick? You should be out there," she gestures behind her to the dance floor, "meeting the hottie of your dreams. I thought you said you will finally pop the cherry tonight?"
I wince at Juliet's archaic expression as a heavy sigh leaves me.
Yes, I did say I'd use this opportunity of the get-together to finally let go but before I zoned out, I'd looked around the whole bar and realized that I didn't want to sleep with any guy here.
There are three guys I've had a crush on before and while one of them has been shooting me furtive, suggestive glances all night, I cannot bring myself to go over to him and tell him point blank; "I'd like to be fucked so I can stop thinking about it."
Juliet told me that guys are easy and they will happily oblige.
"Maybe I don't have to be in a hurry, my vibrators and dildos will always be here," I say cheerfully.
The two girls down the row of the bar turn to look at me and Juliet, wearing knowing smiles.
One of them winks and the other hides her giggles with a hand.
I think I may have shouted that a bit too loud over the music.
"Eva," Juliet's face turns serious, "girl, listen. It has to happen this night, trust me. You know most of the people here. In the real world, there are a lot more assholes. College is where the least assholes are."
My brows furrow in deep thought. I know she's right. I have had first row seats to the way my mom changes men every year.
Just when you think he's going to be the one, he decides to show his true colors and then leave her. Mom doesn't marry all her dates though, she's only married five and unfortunately for her, they weren't any different from the others.
But fortunately for me, I got to meet their children and we're still sort of friends even while our parents don't speak.
"Okay," I breathe out in resignation.
"I'll have to drink a lot though," I say to Juliet as I empty my beer in one gulp.
"That's the spirit," she grins, giving me a gentle slap on my shoulder. Her eyes sparkle as she shouts, "oh!! That was a good pun."
I shake my head at her.
"Don't get too drunk though, you know how boys are," she shudders with a grimace.
I chuckle lightly because coming from her? That means she's seen things.
I order two glasses of whiskey to revive my motivation for the night.
As I sip away, a grating voice reaches my ears, making me stiffen. My blood pumps fierce and hot in my veins as my eye twitches slightly, alerting me that the enemy is near.
"Tangerine!" Aaron Coleman shouts his stupid nickname for me.
Before he leans over my shoulders, I finish my second glass of whiskey, wiping my mouth forcefully and getting ready for battle.
Aaron Coleman is the one guy in my life I'll never have the hots for. From middle school to high school and then to college, Aaron has been a constant thorn in my flesh.
I thought it was all in my head when I was a kid but we grew up and I realized and painfully accepted that Aaron has always been out to get me
If he isn't trying to steal grades that are rightfully mine, by being the best in classes I cherish, then he's making fun of me or twisting my name into something inane.
When we arrived college years ago, it became Tangerine.
Before that, it was Evanescence, Vaseline, Halloween or machine. It's never been Evangeline, which is my full name.
Mom used to call me that a lot when I was a child and since Aaron was always tormenting me after school when mom used to pick me up, he overheard it and decided to twist it.
To everyone else, I'm Eva.
To my mom, I'm Angel on some days.
To Aaron, I'm anything but Eva or Evangeline.
My eyes sparking with unbridled irritation and dislike for Aaron, I spin the stool to face him, shooting him a glare.
"Tangerine, you don't want to see me?" Aaron gasps mockingly, dramatically lifting a hand to his chest as if he's been wounded.
What I hate about Aaron is that despite everything, he's handsome. I could say he's one of the best good looking guys in our senior year.
We did different majors but had a few classes together. Girls always stared at him. Some boys as well. And it wasn't any different in high school.
Wherever he goes, he's the star of the show.
That shiny blond hair of his that he manages to groom so well is currently styled in a way that some strands covering his forehead, giving him that eternal boyish look he possesses.
His straight nose is perfect and his full lips, pink and looking soft.
He takes all the attention wherever he goes and you can't be mad at him. He handles it so well, despite being a rogue and an asshole.
Another thing I hate about him is that Aaron had been my third kiss. It happened one drunken night.
Heat rises to my cheeks as I reject my brain telling me that I liked it.
I absolutely do not.
"Go away, Aaron."
"Aw, don't be like that," he ignores my harsh look and steps into my personal space, smelling all masculine and musky.
"You two should totally fuck," Juliet suddenly says and I turn around to look at her, my eyes widening with disbelief.
She chuckles innocently, shrugging and sipping from a bottle of beer I didn't realize she'd ordered.
"What? You may not like each other but everyone knows there's undeniable chemistry between you two."
I shoot her a glare. "I don't have anything for him!" I squeak.
"I didn't say the chemistry was coming from you," she replies with a distant look in her eyes, taking a sly glance at Aaron.
I turn to look at him and find him clenching his very hard and sharp jaw, his chest rising and falling with heavy breathes.
"Who the fuck do you think you are to suggest I want anything to do with Tangerine?" Aaron seethes at Juliet.
Something cold flutters in my chest, briefly stinging me and falling to my belly. It takes me a second to realize it's the feeling of being rejected.
I know I usually say that I don't want anything to do with Coleman but hearing him outrightly reject me, with irritation and indignation in his voice no less, tells me everything I need to know.
He may be a constant thorn in my flesh and is obsessed with tormenting me but it means he doesn't like me.
I guess the little girl in me had believed that stupid saying that boys liked to bully girls they liked. Aaron was just a bully who was fascinated with seeing me angry.
Bracing a smile that I hope doesn't reflect that he'd momentarily hurt and offended me with his comment, I say something that instantly comes into my mind.
"Then let's fuck."
Both Aaron and Juliet splutter at the same time, taken off guard.
Warning: 18+ content for mature audiences. Book Excerpt: Donovan's POV Her enchanting green eyes that were alive with passion the day I told her she could go shopping are pale with only despair dancing in them. "Oh, I'm quite aware of my duties as your wife, Mr. Castellano." My eyes darken at the formal use of my name. I've told her to stop doing that. It feels wrong. Like she doesn't belong to me. I clench my jaw as I wait for her to finish her sentence but her cold smile widens. "Ah, you don't like when I call you Mr. Castellano, right? Too bad. You can't force my mouth to say what you want to hear." Blood rushes to my groin as her words settle in the tensed air between us. Does she realize the gravity of what she'd just said? Does she know she'd moaned my name while I had her wet cunt in her mouth? Does she know how needy she'd been when she wanted me to take her even though she wasn't awake? And is she aware that I know how bad she wants me in her dreams while she pretends in real life to hate me? She glares up at me while I seethe, looking down at her. "It's Donovan," I say darkly, resisting the pull of her lips and maintaining my vision at her eyes. "Mr. Castellano," she retorts. My face draws closer, getting ready to give her a punishing kiss but a harsh sound fills the room and then I realize, belatedly, that I'd just been slapped as my face swings to the side, turning away from Eliana. Eliana slapped me. Luis Santario's daughter just slapped me. Just like her father had done many nights ago. Shame fills me but it's quickly trampled upon by hot, violent anger. How dare she? How dare the whore?! Her cheek instantly goes red with the imprints of my fingers. Blood trickles from her nose and her hair that was up in a messy bun scatters all around her face. Eliana's head remains bowed as the blood from her nose drips onto her white bedcovers. ***** Eliana's POV I know I'm signing my death warrant by provoking him like this but what else can I do when he's already planned to kill me? I could just as well make it easier for him to by getting on his nerves. If I don't push him away, I'm scared I'll start to blur the lines between my dreams and reality. The Donovan in my dreams is drastically different from the one in real life. If my plans to escape from this marriage don't work, I may end up dead or worst, in love with Donovan Castellano. And I'd rather die now than to fall in love with him and die later. *** Many years ago, Donovan Castellano went through something that irrevocably changed him for the worst, and Eliana's father was to blame. Years later, Eliana's father dies. Eliana doesn't know her father's dark past or why Donovan Castellano bought her and then married her. But she knows he's out for blood and wants to kill her, but how long will she continue to defend herself when the way he touches her and kisses her in her dreams is starting to blur the lines between reality and fiction? Will Donovan succeed in finally getting revenge on Eliana for what her father did to him and will Eliana succeed in resisting her possessive mafia husband's advances even when he says he wants her dead? Read on to find out.
His voice dropped a tempo as he spoke again. It was deep and almost seductive. "I don't think I've properly apologized for this mess I've put you in. But I've given it much thought, and I've concluded it's not working out. For me, it's not. So, I want to say that I'm sorry for everything. You did not deserve it. I shouldn't have given you any ideas if I didn't maintain my stand. We..." "It's fine. Apology accepted. I'm not mad. You told me before that you didn't date, right? You have casual flings like Julia and Janice. I get it...you don't have to apologize," Elsie said in a small voice, cutting Luca off. "And if you're apologizing because you want us to be cordial and friendly with each other, then I can try," she added, uncertainty tinged in her tone. Luca swallowed hard. He did not want anything cordial or friendly with Elsie. He wanted to consume her, ruin her, and show her what it felt like to be with someone like him. None of that was cordial or friendly. "Can't do that, Elsie," he said in a husky voice. "Uh, okay. That settles it, then. I'm just your employee, and you're my boss." "Fuck that," Luca growled before crashing his lips to hers and swallowing the remaining words he didn't want to hear. Elsie couldn't think, but her body could act. Luca struggled to get her to kiss him back. Her hand lifted on its own and landed on his cheek. Then she seized the opportunity to push him away as shock took control of his features. Hurriedly, she wiped her wet lips with the same hand that had begun to sting and hurt. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared directly into Luca's confused eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?" Her voice cracked. "Why won't you let me be? Why can't I just work for you? What did I ever do to you, Mr. Vanthross?" Elsie asked as hot liquid streamed down her cheeks. Hearing her call him Mr. Vanthross sparked something in him. Luca's expression turned cool and indignant. He scrubbed his face with his hand, sighing exasperatedly. "Mr. Vanthross?" He scoffed. "Can you stop calling me that?" He asked with a hint of threat. "What?" Elsie was stunned. Wondering where the conversation was going. He'd kissed her forcefully. Now, he's acting offended because she'd called him by his name. "It's been weeks, Elsie. Months since you called me Luca!" Luca suddenly exclaimed. "God. It's maddening," he said, taking a step towards her. Then, tentatively, his hand reached out for her. When Elsie didn't move, as she was still stunned and trying to understand the turn of events, Luca's hand caressed her cheek. "This lack of emotion. The way you spit out 'Vanthross' like it's poison. These past few weeks have been hell for me. I can't deny it anymore that what I feel for you is stronger than I'm used to. I don't think I've ever felt this way about a woman before," he continued, talking in a rush before Elsie shut him out again. This was the only opportunity he could use to explain how he felt. "I don't know how to prove it to you, but I'm not with Janice. I can't explain how complicated our situation is right now but know that I am not with her. There's nothing going on between me and her. Or even Julia. I haven't even spoken to Julia since the last time she was here when I told her it was over between us. I want to..." "Enough." Elsie cut him off. She didn't want to believe his words, even though they made her heart flutter with hope and something dangerously close to affection for Luca. "Whether you're with her or Julia is none of my business. I think it's best we maintain the current status of our relationship. Nothing good has ever come from an employer-employee relationship anyway. I appreciate your thoughts and feelings for me, but it's long overdue for us to...explore it," she finished. All of what she said was a lie, but Luca didn't have to know that. There was nothing more she wanted than to explore whatever feelings they shared together. But she was scared. Her mother's story was always at the back of her mind. She was terrified that she'd end up longing after a man that her heart would never forget for years to come.
She was hurt. She was bullied and made fun of. And the only hope that kept her going was finding her mate. She has always been weak. Weak to the world. Why? Because she was a lantern. She didn't have a wolf. That's what everyone thought about her. When she found her mate, he wanted her to be his slut and not a wife. She might be an omega, but it doesn't mean she will take disloyalty and betrayal lightly. So she did something that no one in history ever did. She rejected an Alpha. "I, Alexis Clark, reject Brandon Sterling, the alpha of Black mist pack, and consider myself a free soul until I decide so."; Were her last words before she left that torturous place and became a rogue. A rogue that everyone was fearing and finding. Why? Because she was the rogue that has become one of the biggest problems of almost all the packs in the country. She was Alexis Clark. A rogue that rejected an Alpha, stealth food, kill other rogues, and more than that was living with humans and studying with them. What will happen when her case is given to the world's most dangerous alpha, Sebastian Sinclair, who has taken it upon himself to punish this rogue. The one who hated rogues and omega to a level that was beyond understanding. Why? Because his mate was an omega, who betrayed him with a rogue before dying. How will Alexis tackle this alpha, in whose College she was studying and living under hiding for almost a year? What will Sebastian do when he finds out the new girl he had been talking to is none other than the rogue omega that he had decided to kill? "To love you with all my might was my only wish, but you were the only one who gave me endless suffering. So today, I promise myself to not fall for anyone."; A simple saying that both Alexis and Sebastian had vowed upon. Will they be able to find their love amidst all these problems?
WARNING! This book is not suitable for young readers or sensitive minds. Some parts contain graphic sex scenes, adult language, and situations intended for mature readers only! BLURB She saved herself for the man she thought would be her forever. She believed in love, in promises, in happily ever after. Until she caught her fiancé tangled in another woman's arms. Betrayal burned through her veins, leaving behind only one desire. REVENGE. And what better way to break him than to seduce the one man who could shatter his pride-his powerful, dangerously handsome billionaire uncle? He's older, untouchable, and completely off-limits. But she's willing to play dirty, willing to risk everything, just to watch her ex suffer. But what happens when the game turns on her? Because the moment she steps into his world, she realizes he's not just a pawn in her twisted little plan. He's a man who dominates, consumes, and makes her feel things she's never felt before. And the worst part? She might not want to escape.
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
Two years after her marriage, Ximena lost consciousness in a pool of her own blood during a difficult childbirth. She forgot that her ex-husband was actually getting married to someone else that day. "Let's get a divorce, but the baby stays with me." His words before their divorce was finalized still lingered in her head. He wasn't there for her, but he wanted full custody of their child. Ximena would rather die than see her child call someone else mother. As a result, she gave up the ghost on the operating table with two babies left in her belly. But that wasn't the end for her... Years later, fate caused them to meet again. Ramon was a changed man this time. He wanted to keep her to himself even though she was already a mother of two children. When he found out about her wedding, he stormed into the venue and created a scene. "Ramon, I died once before, so I don't mind dying again. But this time, I want us to die together," she yelled, glaring at him with hurt in her eyes. Ximena thought he didn't love her and was happy that she was finally out of his life. But what she didn't know was that the news of her unexpected death had shattered his heart. For a long time, he cried alone due to the pain and agony. He always wished he could turn back the hands of time or see her beautiful face once again. The drama that came later became too much for Ximena. Her life was filled with twists and turns. Soon, she was torn between getting back with her ex-husband or moving on with her life. What would she choose?
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."