Lovely Lies
Makynzee has spent all of her life being dependent on people who've always disappointed her, especially her abusive mother. Everyone lies to her - her sister, her uncle, even her beloved father. When her mom strips her of her one true love, gymnastics, she's determined to find and maintain her independence. There's only one little problem...money. She sets out to find a job as a dancer at a gentlemen's club, but finds, the club owner Kalil, instead.
With his looks, money, and charisma any woman would be crazy not to want him and Makynzee's no different. Falling for him fast she soon discovers some things just aren't adding up and Kalil may not be the man she thought he was. He wants to be with her and provide for her, but can he protect her?
When a love-struck fan becomes obsessed and begins attacking and stalking Makynzee she questions Kalil's ability to be her protector. Makynzee has no idea who he is, where he came from, or why he's here, but he's determined to have her even if that means eliminating everyone she knows and loves. By any means necessary, right? She belongs to him and he's claiming what's rightfully his, no matter the circumstances.
When secrets are revealed, they threaten to tear Makynzee apart and chaos becomes her constant companion. Will she be able to escape this insanity or will she become a permanent victim?
Read
Chapter: Chapter 41She sat in a corner at the front of the room and watched them, but didn’t yell at them anymore. She just corrected them if they messed up and blandly encouraged them when they need it. I sat next to her and she spoke before I could.“I’m fine Jay. Shouldn’t you be at home picking out baby names or nursery themes?”I was pretty sure I was pregnant, but I was too scared to go to the doctor by myself. I was sure Mak would have me pissing on a stick soon. “I’ll just name her Bitchy after her aunt,” I said and she snorted. “I didn’t even say anything.”“You didn’t have to. I can hear your thoughts.”“Then what am I thinking?”“You want me to let it go. No worries, I’ll send Kaeden on his merry little way once he brings KJ here.”I could accept that. “What made you think he was cool to stay with KJ?” She may not have realiz
Last Updated: 2022-02-21
Chapter: Chapter 40“What are you doing?” she asked as she tried to pull her arm away. He must have tightened his grip because she grunted then balled her fast and popped him in the stomach. She snatched her arm away she yelled, “Get off me! How’d you get in here and where’s Kalil?”I couldn’t discern the look on her face. It fell somewhere between terror and anger. Kaeden still kept quiet and it dawned on me how creepy that was. He reached for her again and she ducked around him before running towards the stairs as she screamed my name. It took everything in me to not go to her, her fearful cries tugging at every protective instinct in me. Kaeden caught her around her waist and picked her up. She kicked and went crazy in his arms, screaming and digging her nails into him. He hissed, but didn’t let her go. How was KJ sleeping through this? I’d told Kaeden not to let Mak get anything in her hands to use as a weapon, but that must’ve slip
Last Updated: 2022-02-21
Chapter: Chapter 39The next hour and a half went by in a flash. I wasn’t too far from my mom’s house and I want to call her, but she had enough issues with Stanley. KJ was glued to me and hadn’t said a word since Kaeden was here. I was worried about him, wondering if he was in shock. He had a fit when the EMT’s tried to check him for injuries, so they did the best they could with him clinging to me and his face buried in my neck. Michael never left my side, taking what Kaeden said extremely serious. I rambled off answers to questions from the cops and they left me alone. However, they gave Michael the third degree. They went at him hard about the missing tapes, but he stuck to his story: A guy tried to take KJ, but by the time he came out the store to help another guy had already showed up. The guy started shooting just as Michael grabbed us. We hid inside until the cops showed up.My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. Kalil shouldn’t have been here by now. It wa
Last Updated: 2022-02-21
Chapter: Chapter 38I told him okay and hung up. KJ fell asleep just that quick and I shook my head in wonder. I stopped at the next gas station only to be told I’d have to come inside to pay. I contemplate taking my chances on driving home, but I hadn’t exaggerated when I told Kalil I wouldn’t make it. I didn’t want to wake KJ, so I locked him inside the car, pushed the auto start and ran inside the store.I’d only heard the alarm for Kalil’s car once and even then there’d been so much going on that I didn’t remember how it sounded. When I heard an alarm going off as I paid I looked up, worried that KJ would wake up without me there and be scared.“Holy shit,” the clerk said as my breathing stalled. I clutched the counter to keep myself upright as I stared in horror at the sight before me.“Your son!” the clerk shouted just as I screamed and ran for the door.Nyeem had broken the window and was pulling
Last Updated: 2022-02-21
Chapter: Chapter 37Makynzee I wasn’t sure why, but I needed to see my mom. I missed her. Maybe if I saw her again I’d get past this ridiculous feeling of uncertainty. The house seemed different when I pulled up, eerie. It’d been nearly a month since the wedding and she’d called or texted everyday. Sometimes I’d text back, but I mostly ignored her. I wondered if I’d made the trip for nothing, but saw I hadn’t. As KJ and I walked up the steps to the door, it opened and she was there, a quivering smile and glistening eyes, greeting us.She hugged me and said, “I’m glad you came. I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”I didn’t hug her back. She looked down at KJ and he hid behind me. I took her in as she bent at the waist to speak to him. Her shoulders drooped and her eyes looked empty. She looked t
Last Updated: 2022-02-11
Chapter: Chapter 36Kalil The house was quiet when I headed upstairs. KJ was snoring and he’d kicked his covers off when I peeked in on him. I put them back over him then headed down the hall. Mak laid in the fetal position with the comforter and sheets pulled up around her neck and over her ears. It wasn’t even cold in here. She stirred as I pulled them off of her, but didn’t wake. She wore a red tank top and lime green boy shorts. I loved her body. Her birthmark covered her butt and the top part of the back of her thighs. It was darker than the rest of her body and she said it makes her two-toned, so she hated it. I thought it made her different, so I loved it. While I watched her—in a non-creepy way—her eyes popped open and she looked up at me. She was paranoid even in her sleep and I knew it was because of Nyeem. When I found him, he was dead. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” I said. I really did. She g
Last Updated: 2022-02-11
Cyan
Ve·tur
/vetr/ /vɛːtʏr/ /veːtʊr/
Faroese, Icelandic, Old Norse
noun meaning winter
Groomed to be pure perfection in the eyes of a never-satisfied mother, Cyan struggled to find her place within her clan. She knew her responsibility to them, but she had yet to deliver. They accepted her, failure and all, they still loved her. But love and acceptance are futile in the eyes of time. And time is something she can’t take for granted because soon, it will run out.
Refusing to tempt fate, and for their own selfish gain, those closest to Cyan betrayed her in the worst way possible. Secrets. Lies. Absolute deception. She didn’t break though. She snapped.
And when she snapped, time no longer mattered because she would end them all.
Read
Chapter: Chapter 15“This all looks absolutely amazing, Helen. You’ve truly outdone yourself.” I barely managed to contain my eye roll. Two hours of mingling and all of it has consisted of these simpering suck ups. Yes, the ballroom is gorgeous, but why wouldn’t it be? It’s filled with my ideas. My mother may have implemented it all, but I was the visionary behind it. And I didn’t need praise from the likes of this wide mouthed idiot disgustingly stuffed into a gown two sizes too small. My mother smiled and thanked her before the next one popped up and offered her condolences. “Phil and I wanted to let you know that we’re praying for the full recovery of Soaré. I hate that she suffers so much. You’d think with modern medicine she would be able to live a better life.”
Last Updated: 2021-10-21
Chapter: Chapter 14Sol I stood near the entrance of one of the many gazebos dotted throughout the garden and listened as my parents voiced their concerns over Soaré. It was always her they fretted over. Her and her abysmal weakness. Especially August, he was the worst. Even now, he sat silently at their table, eyes staring blankly into space with worry creasing his handsome face. My resentment for them grew by leaps and bounds as the transition approached. If they weren’t so hung up on my sister, they’d realize and acknowledge that Sumar belonged to me. I’d be able to handle it, control it, better than she ever could. “Falcon, if this doesn’t work I don’t know what I’ll do,” my mother fussed, her hands wringing in her lap.&nbs
Last Updated: 2021-10-20
Chapter: Chapter 13SoaréFor the first time since she appeared I took in her outfit. I’d been so busy comparing our physical similarities, I hadn’t realized that she not only wore those ridiculous heels, but also a shimmering burnt orange cocktail dress with golden yellow accents. I gripped my fists tighter and forced myself not to glance down at my skinny jeans and t-shirt. I also lamented the fact that the dress was the sexier cocktail version—the exact same color, shimmering, opalescent material and all—of the evening gown I’d chosen to wear for the transition. I’d spent weeks picking the material, designing the dresses, and having it made just for me by a designer that I’d had to travel to meet with. All that time and effort for nothing and I knew Sol had done it just to spite me. The vitriol that I wanted to spew at her was sour as I swallowed it back down.“Of course, Sol. Whatever you’ve picked
Last Updated: 2021-10-14
Chapter: Chapter 12Su·mar /sumar/ /sʏːmaːr/ Icelandic, Old Norse noun meaning summer Soaré My fingertips grazed lightly over the fresh cut blades of grass. I hadn’t seen the gardeners in weeks, but I knew they’d been working nonstop to get the garden to its current glory. Eyes closed, I tilted my head back against the bench I sat cross-legged in front of and inhaled deeply while letting the sun bathe me in its glow. The fresh bloom of floral fragrances permeated the air, blooms with little to no rhyme or reason outside of the fact that some had bloomed in the spring and others were eagerly making their debut upon the cusp of summer. If I opened my eyes, I’d see the white flowers of the apple blossom trees, scattered with bright pink buds, here and there. I’d see the bright oranges, yellows, and dark pinks of the bird of paradise plants. Directly behind me and shading the bench I perched against stood a
Last Updated: 2021-10-14
Chapter: Chapter 11When Valen had said he wanted to take care of me, he really meant it. He’d held me cradled in his arms as we sat atop Brennan’s back, nestled between his huge dragon shoulders. We’d soared through the sky, the view breathtaking and exhilarating. I rode a freaking dragon! “Brennan, take us to the front of the palace,” Valen instructed. I was sure there’d been no way for Brennan to hear Valen’s low murmur, but after another swoop and stream of fire, Brennan landed in the courtyard, in full view of nearly the entire clan. Still cradling me, Valen jumped from the dragon’s back and landed without jarring me. Konah, carrying Dallon, alighted next to him, his burnished wings snapping closed behind him before disappearing completely. The air shimmered behind us and moments later Brennan flanked us. “Your queen,” Valen spoke. He didn’t shout to be heard. He didn’t need to. A cheer went through the crowd before they began to kneel or curtsey, their heads bowed
Last Updated: 2021-10-05
Chapter: Chapter 10I could immediately tell when Valen took over. The need to mutilate everyone, but me dissipated, if only slightly. “Little fox, show me now,” he insisted. Just as I opened my memories to him, a hand gripped my jaw. I’d been so focused on speaking to Valen that I hadn’t noticed what had been happening around me. Kormen loomed over me, his eyes burning with outrage. “What were you doing just now?” he demanded, his fingertips digging painfully into my face. “Son, you must gentle yourself. You will hurt her,” his mother spoke. “I do not need her face to produce an heir,” he countered. “She did this. I
Last Updated: 2021-10-05
Unapologetic
Taylor Williams didn’t grow up with the loving parents, white picket fence, and a dog. She’s struggled to get where she is and knows that with all she's endured, life can only get better. At 28 years old, she hails as one of the country’s top divorce lawyers and is ready to slow down and start a family with her husband. The only problem is he's shut her out and has treated her like everything but a wife since the night he came across her and his boss in a compromising situation. In spite of her innocence, she's determined to make it up to him.
Isaac Warren is bad business; the kind of bad business that requires focus and determination in order to stay alive. It’s also the kind that caused him to shut himself off from serious relationships after the brutal murder of his fiancé three years ago. Now his cold exterior keeps everyone at bay except those he considers family. He doesn’t have room for anything more than the occasional tryst, especially not with the highly acclaimed lawyer he’s accidentally stumbled upon.
When their paths cross, the attraction is undeniable no matter how much they try to fight it. Their denial of each other pushes Taylor into devastating situations and as the life she worked so hard to achieve spirals out of control, she decides to take matters into her own hands because it's impossible that the hand she’s been dealt is meant to be played alone and you know what they say about karma, right?
Read
Chapter: Chapter 25TaylorI’d called Julian at least twenty times, but he hadn’t answered. I needed answers and he needed to give them to me. My heart told me that there was no way he would willingly put my life in danger like this, but my mind told me otherwise. If Isaac knew then Julian had to have known. And if he knew, I would kill him. No, death would be too much mercy for him. I didn’t quite know what I’d do, but dammit he would definitely suffer. If he knew and still risked me, I wanted his fucking heart on a stake and I wouldn’t rest until I got it.This shower was supposed to help me relax. I’d been kidnapped again by Isaac, but I didn’t fight him this time so I guess it couldn’t be called kidnapping. He’d left a towel and told me clothes were on the bed for me. I took my time getting dressed, trying desperately to clear my thoughts of murdering Julian, Aaron trying to weasel his way back in, and mos
Last Updated: 2022-01-31
Chapter: Chapter 24AaronTaylor hadn’t answered or returned any of my calls and neither had Leah. I could accept Leah. Taylor was an entirely different story. She never ignored me; never shut me out. Even when I deserved it the most, she was still always there; still willing to please. To not have that now seemed foreign. Her no longer wanting me, no longer willing to have anything to do with me didn’t work for me. Not to mention it hurt like hell on crack. Unacceptable. Seeing Izza’s car in the driveway when I get to her house was even more unacceptable. Why is he even still alive? He should have been dead a long time ago. I should have known Bryan’s help would be worthless. I steeled myself for the confrontation that I knew would be inevitable and knocked on the door. When no one answered I repeatedly push the button for the doorbell.Knowing he was here didn’t prepare me for him actually answering the door. Anger, embarr
Last Updated: 2022-01-19
Chapter: Chapter 23BlakelyTaylor hadn’t said a word since we made it to the hospital. Mimi had already checked her for injuries three times, but still refused to release her until Isaac got there. How does one man have so much power over so many people? Damon disappeared an hour after we got here. He left me his car keys and strict instructions to go to his house when we left.“Are you feeling any better?” Mimi asked Taylor as she checked her blood pressure for the fourth time.“There’s nothing to feel better about. I told you I was fine when you got here. All I had was a headache and that’s gone,” Taylor responded.Mimi’s response was on the tip of her tongue, but she stifled it when Izza appeared. Where the hell did he come from?“Finally! Can I leave now? I didn’t really plan on spending my day at the hospital,” Taylor said.“You’re bleeding,” Mimi
Last Updated: 2022-01-19
Chapter: Chapter 22TaylorIsaac refused to let me go anywhere other than in his car. He didn’t even care that I actually drove to the restaurant or that police cars were approaching as we stood there arguing about me riding with him. For some insane reason I really didn’t want him to go to jail, so I reluctantly got in his car. How he would handle the witnesses and all the people he pissed off was his problem.“How was your weekend?” he asked as he drove away.I stared out the window. I was sure he didn’t just destroy an entire restaurant to ask me how my weekend was.“Are you still ignoring me?” he asked, disbelief coloring his tone.“Isaac, I had you pegged for a more rational person…quite possibly a sociopath, but at least rational. Now I see how wrong I was,” I said.“Really?! A sociopath?! You don’t think I’m capable of all emotions?” he asked.
Last Updated: 2022-01-19
Chapter: Chapter 21Taylor I’d already ignored a number I didn’t recognize twice from my cell phone, when Blake got a call from Damon. Aaron had been calling me since Friday night, so I assumed it was him until Blake had said otherwise. “So, Izza wants you to answer your phone,” she said after she hung up with Damon. I actually contemplated answering then decided to turn it off completely. I’d had enough of men for one weekend, especially ones who couldn’t make up their minds. Our food finally arrived and Blakely continued making fun of my disastrous night with Julian. “Only you could attract someone like him,” she said with a laugh.
Last Updated: 2022-01-19
Chapter: Chapter 20Mimi It'd been two days since I'd seen Taylor out with Julian. For the life of me, I couldn't see what she saw in him. I mean, sure, he had that whole tall, dark, and handsome thing going on, but he just didn't fit her. The only conclusion I came to was that she was just hurt. Izza and Aaron had pushed her to this by constantly abusing her emotions. "If you're going to keep sulking over this, you might as well tell him," Ricco said. "What are you talking about? I'm not sulking over anything," I scowled as I looked at him. He sat at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper and waiting for me to finish cooking. Michel and Gigi sat with him, eating cereal because they were too impatient to wait for food. Brats. "Mom, something's on your mind, or you wouldn't be burning the bacon and ruining the eggs," Michel said. "Shit!" I frowned down at the charred slices of bacon. Bastards were fine two seconds ago. "Mom
Last Updated: 2021-11-18
Chapter: 6. Alien?The next day, still skeptical and wanting to gauge her ability to actually hit head-on, I had Bailey work with the heavy bag. She was able to hit, but didn’t have much strength behind her jabs. Somehow, she had fantastic technique. Before I could point that out to her, she stopped hitting the bag, turned to face Cade and Mark, and pulled her wireless earbud from her ear. Apparently, that was her thing. One earbud hooked to her shirt, the other on her right ear so she could hear her music. Don’t Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers and Daya was one of her favorites. “What’s Cade doing?” “Focus sparring. Mark wears the focus mitts—the gloves—but generally keeps the palm, which is the flat side, from showing. Cade has to focus on pretty much everything because the only time he can hit is when Mark shows the flat side of the mitts. He can’t hit anything else. His attention slips, and Mark could just hit him or even throw elbows, knees, or kicks.” As I explaine
Last Updated: 2021-11-19
Chapter: 5. Quick LearnerDominic Cade stood next to Petra with one hand on her stomach, literally humping her leg while she grins like a fucking idiot. Van humped the floor while Law and East both rolled their hips against the wall. Fucking bastards. I shook my head and looked back to the class, now all focused on the spectacle at the door—except Rochelle. She found the padded flooring more interesting than anything. "Should we just ignore them?" Little man asked? "Please do. Eyes on me, and we'll get started for real this time. I'll be pairing you up soon and coming around to monitor, but first, I need a volunteer to show you what we'll be working on."Four of the women took steps back, letting me know they actually needed to be here and we should focus on them. The little man winked and smiled before folding his arms across where his chest should be – he was skinnier than Rochelle. Damn shame. I was going to assume that wink was a figment of my imaginat
Last Updated: 2021-11-14
Chapter: 4. Little MouseMy mouth opened and closed as I tried to force words out. None are forthcoming, and I was sure I only succeeded at looking like an idiot. The one who asked who I was reached forward – probably to grab the container, but did I mention the bloodthirsty pack of wolves? I let out a yelp and backpedaled only to come up against another body. That stupid squeak came out again as I tried to move forward, but hands gripped my shoulders, halting my movements. I was two seconds away from tossing the containers and hoping to cause a feeding frenzy – because they’re wolves – when I heard his voice right next to my ear. “What’s in the containers, little mouse?” I whimpered. Instead of the human language, I’d been reduced to squeaks and whimpers. He chuckled at the sound, and Jesus help me, my knees threatened to buckle. How could his laugh have this effect on me? I’m turned and forced to look up at him. His hands rested low on my hips, much lower than a friendly touch, long finger
Last Updated: 2021-11-14
Chapter: 3. Junk-Juice Bailey Rochelle? I’d silently questioned myself as I pulled the cake pan from the scorching heat of the oven. A cloud of hazelnut steam hit me square in the face, mingled with the scent of the still baking butterscotch. Whoever created double ovens was a pure genius, and I thanked them in times like this when I was nervous and needed to bake to clear my mind. The reason behind my nervousness? It'd been over a week since the day I went to the gym. Today would be the first time I showed my face again, and all I could think about was that I told them my name was Rochelle. Well, that wasn't all I could think about, but it was a pretty big issue since my name was, obviously, not Rochelle. When I was in third grade, I'd decided Rochelle was so much better than Bailey, and from that day forward, that's what I would be known as. For two weeks straight, I wrote my name as Rochelle on al
Last Updated: 2021-11-14
Chapter: 2. Hive MindDominic “You think I’m going to hurt you?” I tried to keep the growl from my voice, but I couldn’t. Everything about this girl irked the fuck out of me, for some reason. Why would I want to hurt her and why in the hell was she so scared when she sought me out? She shrugged in answer and although she tried to cower away, she didn’t physically try to get free. Now I was upset and confused. Either she was scared or she wasn’t. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to let you go and you’re not going to run, okay? You’re going to tell me what you’re doing out here and why you’re alone.” She frantically nodded her agreement and I let her go. She kept her eyes trained on the ground and that bothered me even more. “How’d you get here?” “I walked, from the bus.”
Last Updated: 2021-10-25
Chapter: 1. Doll FaceDominic I should have felt bad about it, but Jax had demanded that he be my sparring partner, so as I let my weight pin him down, I didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy. He bucked his hips, screaming his frustrations. “You done yet, pussy boy?” I taunted. His anger would make him stronger; so, since I’m such an upstanding citizen, I’d help him out by pissing him off more. “Fuck you, Nico. Get off me!” “Get me off you, pretty boy.” Nothing got him riled up like us commenting on his looks. He was like a girl—on steroids. I slapped at his face to get him going some more. “Come on, Jax! Get the fuck up before you mess up your makeup,” Van yelled in mock outrage, banging
Last Updated: 2021-10-25
LOGIN
