Elena Hart's life is a delicate balance of survival and dreams, scraping by as an artist while raising her teenage brother after their parents' untimely deaths. But when her brother makes a fatal mistake stealing from the notorious Moretti mafia family their fragile world shatters. To protect him, Elena strikes a desperate bargain with the ruthless and enigmatic Dante Moretti, a man who commands loyalty with a glance and fear with a whisper. Bound to serve him in a shadowy, dangerous world she barely understands, Elena vows to keep her guard up against Dante's unnerving charm and steely control. But Dante has secrets of his own, and Elena is more than just a pawn in his game. As their lives intertwine, the lines between captor and captive blur, sparking a dangerous attraction that neither can resist. When betrayal and buried truths come to light, Elena must decide how far she's willing to go for love, for freedom, and for the one person she swore to protect. In a world where power is everything and trust is a luxury, who will come out on top and who will pay the ultimate price?
The subway car rattled along its tracks, a screech of metal against metal reverberating through the stale air. Elena Hart clutched the strap of her worn leather bag, her other hand gripping the pole to steady herself against the erratic lurches. It was late-far later than she liked to be out-but the freelance life didn't allow for luxury, let alone security.
Her sketchpad was tucked beneath her arm, filled with the pencil strokes of a commission she wasn't even sure would pay her rent this month. The client was demanding, though the fee paled in comparison to her hours of effort. Still, it was work, and work was survival.
The train slowed, the overhead lights flickering. Elena glanced up at the garbled announcement of the next stop. She counted two more before she could walk the dimly lit blocks back to her apartment.
Her thoughts shifted to Jamie, her sixteen-year-old brother, probably still awake despite her warnings. He was always tinkering with something-an old laptop he was trying to resurrect, or the latest gaming console he'd somehow traded for online. She loved his restless energy, but it worried her too. There were rules to living in a city like this: keep your head down, don't draw attention, and for God's sake, don't owe anyone anything.
The train doors hissed open. A rush of cold air followed a pair of men in tailored suits as they entered. Something about them immediately set her nerves on edge. Maybe it was the confidence in their stride or the way their eyes swept the car with practiced detachment. They didn't belong here-not on this line, not at this hour.
Elena shifted her weight and looked away, pretending to examine the peeling advertisement above the seats. She could feel them though, their presence oppressive as they stood at the other end of the car. She wasn't sure why, but her stomach knotted.
Her stop couldn't come fast enough.
When the train finally screeched to a halt, she was the first to step out. The fluorescent lighting on the platform was as harsh as it was unreliable, casting shadows that seemed to reach for her as she hurried toward the stairs. Her heartbeat quickened, and she chided herself.
"Don't be paranoid," she muttered under her breath, the sound swallowed by the empty space around her.
But as she ascended the stairs to the street, her unease grew. The chilly November air nipped at her skin, and her boots clicked against the cracked pavement. She glanced over her shoulder.
No one.
Still, she picked up her pace, weaving through the sparse crowd of late-night pedestrians. Her apartment was only a few blocks away, and she told herself to focus on the light spilling out of the corner bodega up ahead.
As she reached for the handle of the store's door, a hand clamped over her wrist.
Her breath hitched, and she spun around, yanking free. A man stood before her, dressed in a sleek black suit, his face sharp and angular. He was taller than her by a head, his dark eyes unreadable.
"Elena Hart," he said, his voice smooth but cold.
Her name on his lips felt like a threat.
"I think you've got the wrong person," she replied, stepping back toward the door.
The man smirked. "I don't think I do."
Her stomach twisted. Who was this man, and how did he know her name?
"I don't know you," she said firmly. "Leave me alone."
Before she could take another step, he gestured. Out of the shadows, two more men appeared, boxing her in. The fluorescent lights above the bodega flickered, casting their silhouettes across the cracked pavement.
"Let's not make this harder than it has to be," the man said, his tone calm, almost conversational.
"What do you want?" Her voice was steady, though her heart hammered in her chest.
"Your brother," he replied, tilting his head slightly, as if studying her reaction. "Jamie Hart. Ring a bell?"
The blood drained from her face.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb, Miss Hart. It doesn't suit you." He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a sleek phone. He tapped the screen, then turned it toward her.
It was a grainy security photo of Jamie. He was in the back of a store, reaching into a cash register. Elena recognized the place-a convenience store a few blocks from their apartment.
Her world tilted.
"What-what did he do?" she stammered.
The man pocketed the phone, his expression hardening. "He stole from the wrong people. My employer doesn't take kindly to being crossed."
"Elena, right?" He took a step closer. "You're going to help us fix that."
Panic clawed at her chest, but she squared her shoulders. "I don't have anything to give you. We're barely scraping by as it is."
"You misunderstand," he said, his smile chilling. "This isn't about money. It's about loyalty."
Before she could respond, another voice cut through the tense air, smooth as velvet and steeped in authority.
"That's enough."
The men parted like the Red Sea, and a figure stepped into the light.
He was tall and imposing, his tailored suit fitting him perfectly, his dark hair neatly combed back. But it was his eyes that held her captive-piercing, calculating, and utterly devoid of mercy.
"Dante Moretti," he introduced himself, as though she should know who he was.
She did. Everyone in the city did. The head of the Moretti family, a man whispered about in dark corners and warned against in hushed tones.
Elena's knees nearly buckled. Whatever her brother had gotten into, it was far worse than she'd imagined.
When Amara Voss moves to the secluded mountain town of Blackwood, she's seeking a fresh start and a chance to heal. But the quiet town holds dark secrets, and her world is turned upside down when she encounters Lachlan Dane-a mysterious man with piercing eyes and a dangerous edge. Lachlan belongs to the Blackwood pack, a hidden community of werewolves sworn to protect their own. Drawn to Amara in ways he cannot explain, Lachlan risks exposing his pack's existence for the woman who stirs something primal within him. But Amara's presence in Blackwood is no coincidence. She is tied to an ancient prophecy that could save the pack-or doom them all. As tensions rise between humans and werewolves, Amara must navigate a world of forbidden love, deadly loyalties, and a truth that could change everything she thought she knew about herself. Caught in a battle between two worlds, Amara faces an impossible choice: betray her own kind or sacrifice the man who has become her everything. In Caught in Between, love is a dangerous game, and the stakes are higher than ever.
Sophia Bennett was once a rising star in the world of ballet, until a devastating accident left her wheelchair-bound and shattered her dreams. Now, trapped in a marriage of convenience to ruthless tech billionaire Elliot Thorne, she struggles to find her place in a world that values perfection above all else. Elliot didn't marry Sophia for love-he needed her to save his reputation. But the more he learns about her resilience and vulnerability, the more she stirs something within him he's spent years burying. Torn between the icy control of his empire and the fiery emotions Sophia awakens, he's forced to confront the cracks in his carefully curated life. When secrets from Elliot's past resurface-including a scandalous connection with a man who still haunts his thoughts-and an old rival threatens to destroy their fragile bond, Sophia must decide if fighting for Elliot's love is worth risking her heart.
When struggling artist Selene Rylan moves to the fog-shrouded town of Silver Hollow, the last thing she expects is to be thrust into a world of ancient power and forbidden desire. Drawn to the mysterious and dangerously handsome quintuplet brothers-each an Alpha of the legendary Silverfang Pack-Selene soon learns that her arrival has awakened a prophecy older than time itself. As the brothers vie for her heart and loyalty, Selene discovers she is no ordinary human but the reincarnation of the Moonlight Witch-a being destined to unite the fractured pack or destroy it forever. With tensions rising and a rogue faction led by the vengeful Damien Voss threatening to tear the pack apart, Selene must navigate a whirlwind of passion, betrayal, and power. But the closer she gets to uncovering the truth, the more dangerous her position becomes. Loyalties are tested, dark secrets come to light, and Selene must choose between love and survival. Five Alphas. One Luna. A bond forged in fire, blood, and the untamed pull of the moon. Will Selene save them-or doom them all?
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Everyone thought Lorenzo truly loved Gracie, until the day of their daughter’s heart surgery. To Gracie’s utter shock, Lorenzo gave the precious organ needed by their child to another woman. Devastated, Gracie opted for a divorce. Fueled by her need for revenge, Gracie joined hands with Lorenzo’s uncle, Waylon, and orchestrated Lorenzo’s downfall. In the end, Lorenzo was left with nothing and consumed by remorse. He pleaded for a reconciliation. Gracie thought she was free to move on with her life, but Waylon held her back in a death grip. “Did you think you can just walk out on me?”
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?"