I shook my head at him. This is his game. But that doesn't mean I can't master it. I gave him a seductive smile. "Are you scared that I might just beat you at your own game?" Jace let out a deep chuckle that sent tingles down my back. "Sweetheart, I'm here to remind you of one little thing." He pushed off the island. "And what's that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow cautious of his movement. Still seated on the counter, he walked between my legs. His hands grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to him. A soft gasp left my lips from his sudden movements. Not even once did he break eye contact. I felt my throat run dry from the intense look. "That even in this little game, you belong to me." **** Senior year for Leah Tate came around before she knew it and she couldn't wait to get started with her best friend, Kayla Greyson. Both were ready for a good final year of high school and excited to see what life after high school held ahead. But fate has other plans for Leah especially when Nate Rylan, Leah's childhood friend and first love, moves back into town. Still trying to get over her heartbreak and to show Nate she has moved on, Leah enlist in the help of Jace Emerson, the resident bad boy. Jace who is well know for his cold hearted demeanor and playboy ways agrees to help Leah, but for a price of course. A game with an inevitable ending, try to make the other person fall. Ultimately, Leah agrees to Jace's price and the façade along with the game begins. Of course nothing is easy, Leah finds herself intrigued by Jace. Danger, hatred and dark secrets all surround this bad boy. Is Leah ready to uncover what is ahead? Especially since she found herself in the center of it all. Highest Rankings🥇🥈🥉 #1 Fiction 12/31/2022 #1 Humor #1 Teen Romance #8 Romance #14 Teen Fiction

|| Featured FREE story with exclusive paid chapters - previously a paid story || When Haley discovers the truth behind Xavier, whose silence holds a deeper meaning, she sets her mind on making his life better one small step at a time. ***** Haley Rosamond is happy with her simple life, content under the wing of her father. Well-protected, she has no idea of the darkness surrounding Xavier Hunt, with his all-black attire and infrequent presence in school-accompanied by his bruises and scars. That is, until Haley catches a glimpse of Xavier's reality and is made to question everything she knows about family and life in general. The truth, she realizes, couldn't be more different from everything she has heard. Supported by her father, Haley sets her mind on helping Xavier any way she can, and what begins with tutoring sessions, free food, and random acts of kindness blooms into friendship and something a little more. But when Haley's admission into her dream college and another tragedy in Xavier's life threaten to undo everything she has worked for, Haley needs to decide if she'll stick by Xavier or simply be another person in his life that disappears. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston