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"Tell me to stop," he whispers, his voice hoarse, desperate. She looks up at him, her lips trembling, her pulse wild beneath his fingertips. She should say it. She should push him away. But she never could. "I can't," she breathes. And just like that, the lines between love and disaster blur. Because falling for Josh Carter was something she had no control over. From secretly crushing on him for years, to living with him in an unexpected turn of events, to being his pretend fiancé, just how crazy can things get. Especially when he gets obsessively addicted to her
Leah's POV
The world slowed to a crawl.
One second, I was walking to school, my headphones in, the cool autumn air brushing against my skin. The next, I heard the screech of tires, the sharp blare of a horn, and my body locked in place as fear paralyzed me.
I couldn't move.
The car was too close, moving too fast. My heart slammed against my ribs, my breath caught somewhere in my throat, and in that frozen moment, I thought-This is it. This is how I die.
But then-arms. Strong, firm arms wrapped around me, yanking me back with a force that sent me colliding against a solid chest. A rush of warmth. The scent of something deep, musky, expensive. A heartbeat, steady and calm, right beneath my ear.
I gasped, my body trembling, my hands fisting into fabric-his fabric.
"Are you okay?" A voice, deep and rich, laced with something unreadable.
I lifted my gaze, and-oh.
The world, which had been on the verge of crumbling, suddenly stilled.
He was beautiful. Devastatingly, unfairly beautiful.
Dark brown hair, just tousled enough to look effortless. A sharp jawline, strong cheekbones, piercing eyes-God, those eyes. A shade of hazel so intense it felt like they could see right through me. His lips were slightly parted, brows drawn in concern, and for a ridiculous second, I forgot how to breathe.
I swallowed hard, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I-"
Before I could get a proper word out, he was already moving, already stepping away like I was nothing more than a momentary inconvenience. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "You should be more careful."
Then, just like that, he turned away.
And I stood there, heart still hammering, pulse still erratic, watching as he walked off like he hadn't just saved my life.
Like he hadn't just knocked the air from my lungs with a single glance.
I stayed there for a long moment, my fingers still curled into the ghost of where his shirt had been, my mind replaying the deep timbre of his voice, the way his touch had burned through my uniform.
And then I shook myself. You're being ridiculous, Leah.
With one last look in the direction he had disappeared, I forced my legs to move again, my heart still struggling to settle.
.............................
My heart was still racing when I walked through the front door.
I kicked off my shoes absentmindedly, still replaying the morning's events in my head-the screech of tires, the strong arms that had yanked me back, the deep voice that had sent a strange shiver down my spine. Him.
I hadn't been able to stop thinking about him all day.
Not just because he had saved me, but because there was something about him-something commanding, magnetic, impossible to ignore. He had barely looked at me, barely acknowledged me, yet my mind was trapped in the memory of his hazel eyes, the way his hand had gripped my arm so effortlessly, the way my body had reacted to his presence like it had been wired to do so.
I shook my head. You're being ridiculous, Leah.
I exhaled and stepped into the living room, expecting to see my brother, Ryan, sprawled on the couch watching basketball or playing video games. What I didn't expect was him.
The same him I had spent the last several hours trying to push out of my thoughts.
Sitting on my couch. Laughing with my brother.
I froze mid-step. My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack.
What. The. Hell.
He looked different now. More relaxed. His posture was lazy, his long legs stretched out in front of him, an easy grin playing on his lips as he clinked a beer bottle against Ryan's. His hair was still tousled, but in a way that seemed intentional, like he had run his fingers through it a thousand times.
And then, as if sensing my presence, he turned his head.
And those hazel eyes-those same goddamn hazel eyes-landed on me.
For a second, time stopped.
I felt the floor shift beneath me, my breath tangling in my throat as the weight of his gaze pressed against my skin. Did he recognize me? Did he remember pulling me back from the street just hours ago?
His brows pulled together slightly, like he was trying to place me.
And then-nothing.
Just like that, his expression smoothed out, completely indifferent. Detached. Like I was just a stranger, someone not worth a second glance.
Like he didn't even remember me.
My stomach twisted into a hard knot.
"Leah!" Ryan grinned, completely oblivious to the internal meltdown I was having. "Finally home, huh? Come here, I want you to meet someone."
I already know him.
I already know the way his voice sounds
Mira Kingsley has spent years fighting her way to the top-only to be told she can't take over as Co-CEO of her family's company unless she marries Ryan Carter. Ryan. Freaking. Carter. Her childhood nightmare. The cocky, annoyingly brilliant CEO who spent years making her life miserable. Now, she's stuck in a one-year arranged marriage, just trying to survive boardroom battles, corporate gossip, and a husband who is way too good at playing the role. But there's a catch. Ryan has zero intention of letting her go. Especially since he's the one who secretly orchestrated the whole thing. With nosy billionaire friends placing bets, and Ryan being unreasonably attractive while doing husband things and trying to invade her personal space Mira is just trying to make it through the year. Ryan? He's playing the long game. ......... A slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, fake marriage rom-com with sharp banter, workplace power struggles, and a husband who is way too good at being a menace.
Born under an ominous eclipse, two boys-one of light, one of shadow-share a bond deeper than blood. Raised as brothers, they grow up inseparable, bound by friendship, love, and an unshakable loyalty. But destiny is cruel. One is fated to become the world's savior, the other its destruction. As dark prophecies stir and forgotten evils rise, the boys must navigate a world that fears what they may become. Their choices will shape the fate of all, but when the truth of their origins is revealed, will their brotherhood withstand the weight of destiny? Or will they be forced to face each other as mortal enemies in a battle that will decide the fate of the world? In a story of friendship and fate, love and loss, two souls are destined to rise-only for one to fall.
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?
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?”
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
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."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?