Ayla Monroe, a talented art restorer in Chicago, keeps her life quiet and focused-until a late-night job lands her face-to-face with Nikolai Antonov, the ruthless heir to the Antonov Bratva. When Ayla becomes the only witness to a brutal betrayal inside the Russian syndicate, she's forced into Nikolai's world for her own protection. But what starts as a cage soon becomes a burning attraction. As enemies close in and secrets unravel, Ayla and Nikolai must choose between survival and surrender-to danger, love, and each other.

The Second Book of The Under Series {First Book; Under Oath} "Then show me. Strip." Danielle Carter wasn't innocent, nor was she trying to be. Orphaned too late in life to be chosen, and too young to survive on her own, she drifted through the foster system until she aged out at eighteen. Life didn't offer her a safety net, so she made one herself. Chicago taught her quickly how to survive-how to move fast and how to use her body to keep food on the table and a roof over her head. She became a stripper because she had to. And for a while, it worked. By twenty-three, Danielle had already lived a life most people would rather not imagine. Fast money. Faster nights. But, Eventually, she realized the truth-what paid well also buried girls young. So she ran. New York was supposed to be her reset. A clean start. A chance at normalcy. A real W-2 job. But how do you enter "normal society" when your resume is empty and your only experience is stripping? Doors stayed closed. Weeks passed. Money thinned. Then, finally, one door opened. Roman Volkov. Cold. Distant. A Russian self-made billionaire whose global finance empire moves money and assets across borders-clean on paper, dirty beneath the surface. His reputation keeps people careful. His assistants never last. Until Danielle. She's used to men like him. Powerful. Dangerous. Accustomed to being obeyed. When no one else can handle his tone, his demands, his presence-she can. And Roman notices. What begins as just a job turns into something charged. Long nights. Lingering tension. Hunger. Bianca tells herself she's survived worse. Escaped worse. But Roman Volkov is a different kind of danger. Desire doesn't stay contained forever. As boundaries blur and attraction darkens, Bianca finds herself pulled into a world where ambition and temptation collide-and where walking away may cost more than she's willing to lose.

Aaliyah Johnson is in her final year at Magnolia State University, where she's balancing a scholarship, an art degree, and the pressure of not knowing what comes next. Elias Carter, the university's baseball captain, seems to have everything figured out, except his own heart. When mutual friends and a poetry club bring them together, sparks ignite in the most unexpected ways. She's brilliant and blunt; he's disciplined and mysterious. But between classes, practices, and the expectations of everyone around them, connection becomes the one thing they can't plan for. From strangers to friends to something far deeper, their story grows with every season, rooted beneath a magnolia tree that sees it all. Autumn brings sparks: "I'm curious about you, but I don't even know why yet." Winter, closeness: "You calm me when I didn't realise I needed calming." Spring, love: "I've known for a while... I just didn't want to ruin it." Summer, uncertainty: "Even if everything changes, you've changed me already." Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the images used both on the cover and throughout the story.

❝Come on beautiful, how long are you going to pretend that I'm not the reason for that❞ His eyes glide down my body and stop at my thighs that had mindlessly pressed themselves together. "When you stop pretending I'm not the reason for that" I gesture towards his legs this time, his thighs parted and the hard erection showing through his pants. I can't help but clear my throat at the print. He stands up, with no shame. Not even trying to cover or adjust himself, he only walks towards me as I sit on the chair in his office. With the nudge of his foot, he parts my legs so he can step between them, lifting my chin with his index finger and I meet those enchanting eyes. He leans closer to my ear and his hand finds its place on my thigh, causing my skin to become warmer. "I'm not pretending beautiful, I will happily admit you're the one that gets me this hard any day." Grace Kennedy is smart, beautiful and kind. She's studying to become a doctor one day but before she can afford all the expenses, she works with her mother in her family's bakery. Mariano is a man of charms and far too handsome for his own good. Emerald green eyes that could be mistaken for the actual jewel itself. His entire life revolved around his four year old daughter and his younger brother. Grace couldn't ignore how shy she felt around him as she grew to see him even more. Doing her best to keep the charming man at arm's length, it was hard to do when he knew exactly how to rile her up. She was his Beautiful Addiction. Extended Description in Introduction!

He lied to his family-said he finally had a girlfriend. Now he needs his paralegal to step into the role for one weekend. She's confident, composed, and done dimming herself for anyone. He's controlled emotionally unavailable not out of fear, but by choice. A man who keeps his life clean, contained, and untouched by anything he can't command. But pretending to be a couple puts them too close, too often. Shared looks, accidental touches spark too sharply. What began as a simple lie turns dangerous- because the feelings they're faking are starting to feel like the most honest thing between them.

Synopsis: Her parents raised her to save lives. He was born to take them. At twenty-three, Dr. Evangeline James has her dream job and a haunted heart. One of Manhattan's youngest pediatric surgeons, she spends her days stitching up children and her nights keeping her demons in check. Raised under her parents' strict Southern roof-with gospel in her ears and shame stitched into her spine-Evangeline ran to New York for more than ambition. She came for air. For control. For secrets. She never expected to find him-a man bleeding to death behind a dumpster in the freezing cold, clutching a gun like it was a lifeline. One look into those brutal, obsidian eyes and Evangeline knew: this man was not a victim. He was a threat. And somehow, she still brought him home. He said his name was Lorenzo DeLuca. She knew it belonged to a monster. Not just a mafia prince-but the heir to the DeLuca empire. A man carved from violence and baptized in blood. A man who's used to getting what he wants-and now he wants her. Lorenzo is sin in human form. dark silk, loaded guns, and soft-spoken commands. He makes promises that sound like threats and touches her like she's already his. He says he'll protect her from his world-but his world is made of bodies, betrayal, and war. And Evangeline? She's no saint. What begins as a mercy spirals into a dangerous obsession. He's possessive. Unforgiving. Addicted. And the deeper Evangeline falls into Lorenzo's shadows, the more she questions everything-her morals, her loyalties, even her own pleasure. Because nothing about this is holy. Nothing about him is safe. But God, she craves him anyway. And she might not survive what loving him will cost.

Imani Robinson is 22 and used to surviving on her own. Stripping pays the bills, but the stage is the only place she lets anyone get close. In her world, love is a luxury, trust is a risk, and men are just customers. Silas Greene is 25 and born into violence. As a ruthless mafia lord, his name carries power, fear, and a trail of bodies. He doesn't believe in love-only loyalty, control, and consequences. But when Silas sees Imani, he doesn't just want her. He needs her. He doesn't care about the rules. She doesn't want to be owned. Too bad neither of them gets a choice. this story contains explicit sexual content, strong language, and emotionally intense scenes. please read at your own pace and comfort level. this is your final content warning moving forward.

India learned early how to survive by paying attention. Growing up in a small, rough city taught her when to speak, when to soften, and when to protect herself. She carries those instincts into corporate spaces that were never designed with her in mind. Alex has never needed to adapt. Power comes naturally to him. Raised in legacy and expectation, he leads with quiet authority, keeping his emotions tightly controlled and his personal life even more so. When their worlds collide, attraction becomes something neither can name without consequence. Identity, power, and unspoken desire blur the lines they've spent years maintaining.

I'm going to jerk off while I eat you, baby," Zae said before licking his lips. "And," Stefan said, low and firm, " you're going to jerk me off." I smiled shyly and nodded. Stefan adjusted the seat slightly. Once everyone was comfortable, I relaxed and released a deep breathe. "I'm getting thirsty again," Zae said, eyeing between my legs like a piece of fried chicken. "Then satisfy your thirst," I replied, adding a hint of seduction to my voice. ________________________________________ Ugly. Different. A freak. That's how nineteen year old Kaelani felt. Her home? A nightmare. Her aunt? Worse. And the world outside? Probably just as unkind. So she kept her head down, her heart guarded, and her hands busy-cleaning other people's messes for a living, while convincing herself no one would ever see her. Then they showed up. One charming, teasing, impossible to ignore. The other bold, confident, with a scar that makes her pulse quicken. And suddenly, Kaelani's carefully invisible world isn't so invisible anymore. Two men. One girl. Unspoken rules. Quiet obsession. And desire that waits... _______________________________________ Read at your own risk! Triggers inside!