Her Strength, Her Bane
Deyoti Falowo · Ongoing · 43.7k Words
Introduction
Three years ago, Joslyn Patel met a man whom her best friend had described as "sex on legs". Three years ago, Gabriel Reid met a woman whose smart mouth he'd hoped was as good at blowing as it was at retorting—it had been way more than he'd imagined, by the way.
Three years ago, sparks were ignited, their intertwined fate was set in stone and they had a night to remember.
Fast forward to two years later, Gabriel now has a girlfriend so he definitely shouldn't be thinking about the woman from that explosive night but he can't help that the memories were now imprinted on his mind... and perhaps another part of him.
Fate would have it that when Gabriel finally meets the best friend his girlfriend wouldn't stop talking about, she happens to be Joslyn, the mystery woman from two years ago. Tension brews between the two but nothing can be done about it.
Skip to the present; Gabriel is now single again and nothing stands between him and finally getting the woman he's spent three years wanting, but what happens when not long after he begins his chase, his divorced mother introduces a man her age as her new fiancé.
What happens when the man turns out to be Joslyn's father?
After all, a taboo relationship makes it all the more hot and exciting.
Chapter 1
Excerpt
❀ ❀ ❀
“You’re my best friend's boyfriend, Gabriel.”
Gabriel's steps faltered until he came to a stop, tilted his head and turned around to face Joslyn again. “Ex–boyfriend,” he corrected.
“Whatever. It still changes everything between us,” she shrugged and started fiddling with her water bottle, suddenly feeling timid beneath his scorching gaze.
Gabriel shook his head, walking back towards her. “It changes absolutely nothing, Joslyn. Not if you don't allow it.”
She looked into his eyes, her sweet honey-hued orbs colliding with his swirls of green and blue that reminded her of the Mediterranean ocean. The color harmony couldn't be more explosive.
Joslyn cleared her throat and averted her gaze from the magnetic pull of his eyes. Forcing herself to stand tall, she adopted a posture of confidence and resolve—a stark contrast to the storm of emotions raging inside her. Gabriel's nearness sent a wave of weakness through her knees, but she refused to let it show.
“No matter what, I won't betray Sigourney. It’s an unspoken rule between friends to never date each other's exes. You're off limits, Gabriel.”
“In that case, if we're gonna state the facts then it's Sigourney who's violated that rule between you two because you and I met first, didn't we, Joslyn?”
“That— That's different. She wasn't aware. We all weren't.”
“Oh yeah? Well I'm still saying this: fuck such rules. Whether they're unspoken or in the damn constitution, I don't give a fuck about that crap. And I am not off-limits, darling. Lapointe can't decide that for me. Only I can.” Gabriel moved even closer, backing her up against the wall of the hallway. “I want you, Joslyn. And I always get what I want,” his voice turned husky.
“T–That doesn't apply to me.” Joslyn stuttered, struggling but failing to keep her voice steady.
“I always get what I want,” he repeated firmly. At this point, their chests were touching as they both panted, equally breathless from the heated atmosphere between them.
“Why bother fighting it?” Gabriel asked softly, raising his hand to caress her face. He hooked her short silver hair behind her ears so he could feel her smooth and silken skin tingle and flush under the mercy of his mere touch.
“Your eyes, your lips, every part of your body, is begging for my touch, baby.” He whispered, trailing his other hand down her exposed arm, feeling the goosebumps surfacing on her skin.
“Just admit it. You're just as attracted to me as I am to you, Joslyn. You want me as much as I want you. Maybe even more.” His warm breath fanned her face, making her eyelids droopy.
His baritone voice carried the perfect blend of depth and huskiness, an intoxicating allure that wrapped around her like a siren’s song. It was temptation itself—akin to the devil murmuring sweet nothings into her soul, coaxing her closer. Every inch of Gabriel exuded seduction, and Joslyn was slipping, slowly but surely, into his grasp.
“I don’t,” she croaked before hurriedly clearing her throat. Gabriel smirked, fully aware of the effect he had on her. “Did I ever admit that?” Joslyn retorted, although deep down, she knew her protests were pointless. Every denial, every argument—it was all futile and they both knew it.
Gabriel's gaze shifted to Joslyn's mouth, taking in her unintentional pout and before he knew it, his hand still cupping her face inched closer to it. “Your lips,” he started, his calloused thumb grazing her bottom lip and tracing the delicate curve of her Cupid’s bow. His gaze remained riveted on the mesmerizing sight as he added, “need not speak the words your eyes so clearly confess, love.”
❀ ❀ ❀
C O P Y R I G H T
This book is solely a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, incidents and/or occurrences are products of the author's imaginations, and have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual person(s), living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental.
Her Strength Her Bane © 2023 by Laramie.
All rights reserved. All parts of this book/publication are restricted to being reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form(s) or by any means — including but not limited to electronic, photocopying, mechanical, recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the author/publisher. The only acceptable exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
A B O U T
Her Strength, Her Bane is a romance book set in the contemporary world (cited as the city of Vancouver, Canada), between a billionaire CEO, Gabriel Nicholas Reid and the flight attendant, Joslyn Leann Patel, who he'd been chanced to meet at a club one night.
The story takes effect as a one-night stand trope kinda book but it advances into something more when the fates of both leads are woven in more ways than one and subsequently, later in life, they're set to meet more times.
I N F O R M A T I O N
Her Strength, Her Bane is set in three time zones namely: two years before the present (that is, the club night), a year before the present (that is, Gabriel and Sigourney dating and Joslyn's and Gabriel's official introduction to each other courtesy of Sigourney) and lastly, the present times which spans the rest of the book. It was imperative that insights on their past were given, therefore it had to be written before the book officially began and I hope that by this explanation, clarity is brought to the readers, so as to prevent any instances of confusion.
Another thing to note, this is a fictional book, and so a number of things aren't real and have only been coined from the author's imagination—and some of the things that ARE real, have been fine-tuned for the sake of the plot. An instance of this is Joslyn's job as a flight attendant and the details of it, such as her break/time off period. My knowledge on air-hosting/flight-attending is limited to what I got off the Internet, and so I'd tweaked a couple of things to suit the plot of my book. Please, keep this in mind.
Lastly, the first few chapters were written years ago which means they are... cringe-y at best compared to the newer and more recent chapters. I haven't gotten around to editing them yet but I will in due time. So if you can manage to get through them and look past their flaws, I can guarantee you'll enjoy Gabriel and Jos's story!
W H A T T O E X P E C T :
> Vulgar language.
> Mature/sex scenes.
> Some level of angst.
> A taboo relationship.
> A possessive alpha male.
> A feisty, sassy & independent female lead that might make you want to pull your hairs out, lol.
> Reverse grumpy × sunshine.
> Slow burn sorta romance novel.
> Good but imperfect grammar guaranteed.
(I'll try to make it as error-free as possible but I don't promise that there won't be a few slip-ups here and there.)
> Sweet and swoon-worthy scenes are also guaranteed.
Without further ado... I give you HER STRENGTH, HER BANE.
Last Chapters
#28 Chapter 27
Last Updated: 1/30/2026#27 Chapter 26
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#26 Chapter 25
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#25 Chapter 24
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#24 Chapter 23
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#23 Chapter 22
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#22 Chapter 21
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#21 Chapter 20
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#20 Chapter 19
Last Updated: 1/24/2026#19 Chapter 18
Last Updated: 1/24/2026
You Might Like 😍
Bound By Power, Torn By Love
She regards him as her only salvation, but he regards her as a pawn for revenge. When two enemies dance on the sharp knife, what will be the final outcome?
Rise of the Banished She-Wolf
That roar stole my eighteenth birthday and shattered my world. My first shift should have been glory—blood turned blessing into shame. By dawn they'd branded me "cursed": cast out by my pack, abandoned by family, stripped of my nature. My father didn't defend me—he sent me to a forsaken island where wolfless outcasts were forged into weapons, forced to kill each other until only one could leave.
On that island I learned the darkest edges of humanity and how to bury terror in bone. Countless times I wanted to surrender—dive into the waves and never surface—but the accusing faces that haunted my dreams pushed me back toward something colder than survival: revenge. I escaped, and for three years I hid among humans, collecting secrets, learning to move like a shadow, sharpening patience into precision—becoming a blade.
Then, under a full moon, I touched a bleeding stranger—and my wolf returned with a violence that made me whole. Who was he? Why could he wake what I'd thought dead?
One thing I know: now is the time.
I have waited three years for this. I will make everyone who destroyed me pay—and take back everything that was stolen from me.
Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice
Her escape leads her to Alpha Rowan, the commanding leader of the Blackwood Pack, who offers shelter, protection, and an unexpected chance at a new life. But Rowan’s fierce and jealous fiancée sees Lyla as a threat, and the pack’s charming Beta is drawn to her quiet strength.
As a dangerous attraction simmers between Lyla and Rowan, they begin to unravel a dark web of secrets that implicates Kaiden and threatens both their worlds.
With her hidden power awakening, Lyla must navigate treacherous loyalties, face the alpha who shattered her, and decide: Will she follow the destiny fate forced upon her, or claim the love and strength she has chosen for herself?
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms
I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.
On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...
Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.
George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.
His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"
Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.
When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.
"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"
George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"
"I'm afraid that's impossible."
Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
The Vampire Prince's Hybrid Bride
Mated to Her Alpha Instructor
Weeks later, our new Alpha combat instructor walks in. Regis. The guy from the woods. His eyes lock on mine, and I know he recognizes me. Then the secret I've been hiding hits me like a punch: I'm pregnant.
He has an offer that binds us tighter than ever. Protection… or a cage? Whispers turn ugly, darkness closes in. Why am I the one without a wolf? Is he my salvation… or will he drag me to ruin?
The Alpha's Stripper Mate
"What?" It was out of my mouth before I could stop it. I did not wait for him to answer me, I walked toward him.
"Dance on my lap."
My head screamed at me to turn around and run. But my whole body responded to his command.
"Yes, Alpha," I pulled my dress over my body, it dropped over my head and fell to the ground behind me. I was left in nothing but my matching bra and thong. My hands covered my chest on reflex.
"Let me see."
My hands dropped to my sides.
I lowered myself into his lap, facing him. His eyes peered into mine, and I could feel his hot breath fan my face. His dick responded to all my moves, hardening against my now-moist vagina. I swallowed hard, allowing my lips to part in a ragged breath. His hands trailed up to my waist.
"No touching."
At the tender age of eleven, JoJo Wyatt was forced to grow up far sooner than she should have. Born to a cruel father and a weak mother, she quickly realized she had to become the breadwinner for herself and her sister. Nothing else mattered to her, not even the hottest men. In fact, she despised them. After one horrific night, she swore never to have any contact with the male species again. That was, until she started working for him as his stripper.
Meanwhile, Alpha Lake Rush, thirty, was the most feared Alpha in the country. Burdened by his own share of life's struggles, he had learned only to be cruel and reckless, rejecting not one but two mates. But what happens when he discovers yet another mate, and she turns out to be his stripper?
The CEO's Unspoken Love
Before I could answer, he moved closer, suddenly looming over me, his face inches from mine. I felt my breath caught, my lips parting in surprise.
"Then this is the price for speaking ill of me to others," he murmured, nipping my lower lip before claiming my mouth in a real kiss. It began as punishment but quickly transformed into something else entirely as I responded, my initial rigidity melting into compliance, then active participation.
My breathing accelerated, small sounds escaping my throat as he explored my body. His touches were both punishment and pleasure, drawing shudders from me that I thought he felt reverberating through his own body.
My nightgown had ridden up, his hands discovering more of mine with each caress. We were both lost in sensation, rational thought receding with each passing second...
Three years ago, to fulfill the wish of his grandmother, I was forced to marry Derek Wells, the second son of the family that had adopted me for ten years. He didn't love me, but I had secretly loved him all along.
Now, the three-year contractual marriage is about to end, but I feel that some kind of sentiment has developed between Derek and me that neither of us is willing to admit. I'm not sure if my feelings are right, but I know that we can't resist each other physically...
The mafia princess return
The Contract Wife: Marriage Of Malice
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
I didn't tell him to stop.
Instead, my fingers curled into his shirt, clutching the fabric as though it was my only anchor. Something in him snapped—something he had been holding back for too long. His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn't tender, but hungry, desperate.
I gasped into him, his hand sliding up to cup my jaw, holding me as if afraid I might vanish.
"You drive me insane," he breathed against my mouth, his lips trailing to my throat. "I can't lose you, Ella. Not you."
My head fell back, a soft sound escaping me as his fingers memorized my waist. My anger melted beneath his desperation.
"James..." I whispered, more plea than protest.
His hand caught mine, fingers threading together tightly. "I'll bring him back. I swear it. Just... don't turn away from me. Please."
The word please—low, ragged, almost broken—undid me more than anything else could have.
Ella never imagined she would marry the man she had secretly loved for years in such a way.
When her brother Theo faced twenty-five years in prison for massive embezzlement, the ruthless business tycoon James Lancaster offered her a deal: marry him in exchange for her brother's freedom.
This wasn't a fairy tale proposal, but a carefully orchestrated revenge. Because in James's heart, Ella was the culprit who had killed his sister Cecilia. He wanted her to pay the price—to atone with a lifetime of suffering.
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
