
Introduction
But everything changes when she meets Jax, the charismatic rival who also leads a gang and exerts a sinister attraction on her. As the feud between Damian and Jax escalates, Damian battles not only his enemy, but also the forbidden feelings that Celine has ignited within him.
Torn between loyalty to Damian and passion for Jax, Celine becomes a pawn in a deadly game of power, desire and secrets.
Chapter 1
DAMIAN
Fantastic... Now I also had to take in the brat. My stepsister. Yet another stupid woman who meant nothing but trouble. As if I didn’t have enough other worries.
Every night, as a gang boss, I made sure that order reigned on my streets. Scum who ventured into my territory came into contact with me without question, and most of the time it was a one-time experience for both sides.
The streets were mine. Nobody – absolutely nobody – got in my way. But there was: Jax. My mortal enemy and boss of the Slots... the gang that ruled on the other side of town. Jax was a guy who knew how to break the rules and cross the lines. He was tough. Stubborn and always trying to take over parts of my turf. He was my biggest worry at the moment.
But now? Now I was supposed to babysit for a brat I didn’t even know.
I leaned against the window frame and stared out. A taxi stopped at the curb. She was there.
Celine. That was her name.
The taxi door opened slowly, and then she got out. And at that moment, I almost got hit by lightning.
“Holy mother of fuck!”
I leaned on the windowsill with both hands while my pants felt tighter and tighter, as if there was suddenly too little space. My eyes didn’t leave her for a second, and the longer I stared at her, the worse it got.
There she stood – as red as sin itself and outrageously beautiful. Her long, silky hair fell over her shoulders like a firestorm, her legs seemed endless, and her figure... Slim like a model, with curves in all the right places. And then there were her eyes - green, piercing, catlike. She looked at me from afar, and it was as if she had sensed my gaze right through the glass.
I knew she was trouble, but how could I keep my distance when I could barely move without imagining what she would look like beneath me?
With a heavy breath, I shook my head, forcing myself to leave the window and head downstairs to the front door. The cool metal handle gripped my hand tightly, but my mind was racing as I tried to keep a clear head.
The front door opened slowly as she entered. The air seemed electrified, the room suddenly felt smaller, as if there was no more room for both of us.
When she took the first step into my house, the air seemed to change. It was as if every fiber of my self-control was suddenly on a knife edge. Her gaze swept across the room, uncertain, searching, but still confident, as if she had long since decided to stay here – as if she had made her way into my territory without wondering whether she was welcome.
“So, you’re Damian?” Her voice was soft, almost like a melody, provoking and teasing me at the same time. Her green eyes scrutinized me, cool and waiting.
I forced a nod, my eyes fixed firmly on her lips, which curled up into a small, almost smug smile. “Seems so,” I murmured, trying to sound neutral.
But every sentence I said to her felt like a battle against my thoughts. Because my imagination had long since gone haywire, pulling one image after another out of my deepest darkness.
Her green eyes flashed. She shook her red hair out of her face and pushed a fine strand behind her ear. “Nice to meet you,” she said dryly. “My mother has told me a lot about you...”
“And that was certainly not much good.” I couldn’t hide the sharpness in my voice and had to grin.
A sparkle flitted through her eyes as she tilted her head slightly and scrutinized me. ‘Well,’ she replied, ”I like to form my own opinion.”
She took another step closer, and I was sure she felt the tension flickering between us, like a dangerous game with fire. A scent of citrus and something darker, almost sinful, rose from her, and I felt it take hold of me like a fever.
“Is that all you brought?” I nodded to her small suitcase, which was ridiculously light next to her on the floor. A bit too little luggage for someone who was supposed to move here.
She shrugged as if it were just a formality. ‘I don’t need much,’ she replied, eyeing me challengingly. ”Besides... It’s not forever.”
An amused smile crossed my lips. “Good, because I’m not exactly the long-term relationship type.”
There was a momentary silence between us, and I could have sworn that there was something in the depth of her eyes that she was trying to hide. She took a step forward, almost too close, and I felt her gaze bore through me.
“You don’t look like you spend much time alone,“ she said in a voice that suggested more than she wanted to say.
“What is that? Curiosity?” I raised an eyebrow and noticed how my voice sounded deeper and more dangerous than I had intended.
Her eyes flicked to my mouth, then back to my eyes, and I could see the hint of a smile on her lips. “Just observing.”
She was toying with me. I knew it, and damn it, it turned me on. It was as if she knew exactly what she was doing to me, every nuance, every movement, the slight increase in her breathing when she looked at me. She was a challenge, and I loved challenges.
“Well,” I said softly, stepping a little closer so that I could almost smell the sweet-sour scent of her skin. ”Then keep watching, Celine. Let’s see what else you find out.”
She didn’t back down, which proved to me that she wasn’t afraid – or maybe that she was just too proud to retreat. Instead, she returned my gaze, almost defiantly. Her cheeks were slightly red, a hint of color on her pale skin that was all too seductive.
The tension between us grew, palpable, electrifying. It was as if everything around us faded away and only the space between us existed. Images rushed through my mind: her lips on my skin, her body beneath mine, her movements, her breath trembling in my ear.
“You know the streets aren’t safe around here... if you want to go out! “ I murmured, not knowing exactly why I was saying it. It was almost a warning, and maybe a part of me hoped she would keep her distance.
But she just smiled, as if my words were an offer and not a warning. “Safety is boring,” she whispered, pushing past me, pulling her suitcase behind her, without looking back.
I took a deep breath, trying to tame the blazing fire in my head somehow, while I turned away and followed her.
She carried the suitcase like a feather, light and casual, and walked through the house with such confidence that it seemed as if she had been here for years. I wondered if she felt even a shred of awe or if she was just... fearless.
“Your room is upstairs,“ I finally said, nodding in the direction of the stairs.
“Should I go up alone, or do you have the decency to show me?” Celine turned to me, and the mischief in her eyes was unmistakable. She provoked me to the limit without a moment’s hesitation.
With a slight growl that I couldn’t help, I climbed the stairs in front of her and heard her footsteps softly behind me. At the top, I stopped, put my hand on the doorknob and turned to her.
“Here. Your new home for the next few weeks.” Celine stepped closer, so close that I could feel her breath on my skin. Her eyes traveled past me and scrutinized the door before she looked back at my face.
“Can I come in, or do you want to impose a few rules on me first, gang boss?” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, and a challenging smile spread across her lips. I opened the door and took a step back to make room for her.
“Just the usual rules. Just stay out of trouble.”
“You should be careful, Damian.” Her voice was just a whisper, a challenging, provocative whisper. ‘With me... or I might get the idea to break the rules.’ A cold smile spread across my lips.
She walked past me and entered the room. My eyes followed her every move, watching as she surveyed the room. The white walls, the wide window through which the last light of the day fell, the large bed that stood almost invitingly in the middle. It was a simple room, without much frills – exactly what she was probably not used to.
“Pretty... bare.” She turned to me, crossed her arms and looked at me challengingly.
“Get used to it. You’ll find luxury elsewhere.”
She smiled as if my words only irritated her more. Slowly she sank onto the bed, supporting herself with her hands, and looked at me with a look that went right to my core.
“Seems sufficient for the night.” A blow to my chest would have been less intense.
The images in my head leaped around like wild sparks, and all I wanted to do was lean over to her, kiss that slightly open mouth, challenge that look and show that she wasn’t the only one who liked to play. But I forced myself to remain calm, keeping my gaze cool and distant.
“Then I wish you a good night Celine... If you have any questions... or need anything...” I paused, realizing that I was waiting for something, maybe for her to finally back away. But she did nothing of the sort. Instead, she straightened up and came so close that I noticed every scent, every warmth, every angle of her face.
I quickly turned around, paused briefly as I picked up the door, and looked back over my shoulder. “Good night, Celine...!”
“....One more thing,” I finally said, without turning around. ”Don’t forget that you’re sleeping under my roof. You’re on my territory...in my domain...and I make the rules here!!”
I closed the door before she could answer and leaned against it for a moment, taking a deep breath. This woman was dangerous – in every way.
Last Chapters
#49 GHOST
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#48 Bad Things
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#47 The First Time I met Marie
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#46 Allies
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#45 Shaded
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#44 Maries Massage
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#43 Return to the unknown
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#42 Shadows in the Light of the Lanterns
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#41 Looking forward to the twins
Last Updated: 1/16/2026#40 All's well that ends well?
Last Updated: 1/16/2026
You Might Like 😍
On Christmas Eve, I aborted the CEO's child
On Christmas Eve night, my husband brought his mistress home and demanded that I, his pregnant wife, leave with nothing.
On this day, I lost my husband and also lost the child in my womb...
I Loved You in Silence, You Betrayed Me in French
At my birthday party, my husband whispered to his mistress in French that he missed her. His voice was low, but I heard it all—the black lingerie, the bit about how pregnancy makes you more sensitive. His French clients around us were laughing. He turned and put his arm around me, claiming he was just helping his clients come up with sweet nothings.
He doesn't know I understand every single word. Just like he doesn't know that inside my body, I'm carrying his other surprise. And his mistress—she's pregnant too. Two wombs, one secret.
Confrontation would be too cheap. Tears are worthless. I quietly started cataloging the hidden networks my father left behind, activating the Swiss accounts.
In seven days, Zoey Smith will cease to exist. And what will my husband's reaction be?
When I Disappeared, He Regretted It
The moment the screen lit up, my entire world came crashing down.
The woman on the bed was Calista - that girl who grew up with us since we were kids. And that hand caressing her skin was wearing the wedding ring I had personally put on Matteo's finger.
"I've missed you so much..."
"You drive me crazy, baby..."
Those sweet words I knew so well completely destroyed me.
Everyone said we were the perfect couple, but who knew this marriage was built on nothing but lies?
Since he's so good at acting, I guess it's time I gave him a show of my own. I'm going to make sure everyone sees what this "perfect husband" really is...
The Family Sacrifice
I simply said one word: "Okay."
My parents and Gilbert were stunned. They rushed to have me sign the voluntary donation form, afraid I’d change my mind.
Some days later, they sent me to the operating room.
Dad said, "Yvonne will finally be saved. We're so proud of you."
Mom said, "After the surgery, we'll make it up to you."
Gilbert looked tenderly at Yvonne and said, "When you're better, where should we travel?"
What they didn't know was that the day I agreed, I'd just received my diagnosis, stage four cancer. Three months to live.
As I lay on the cold operating table, as the anesthesia began to take effect, I only wanted to know one thing:
If I die on this operating table, will they regret it?
He Never Loved Me, Until I Left
I put away the divorce agreement with a wry smile.
When he and my son completely disappeared, he finally panicked.
Three months later .
He knelt down on the streets of Chicago in despair, begging me to remarry him.
My six-year-old son looked coldly at his biological father and said, "Get lost, you bad uncle! You don't deserve to be my dad!"
He Thought I'd Never Leave
When he said he was being bullied, I believed him. When he kissed me on that rooftop, I thought he felt the same. When he asked me to transfer schools with him, I said yes without hesitation.
Then I heard him bragging to his friends: "She'd save her first time for me. Hell, she'd still be thinking of me on her wedding night."
The bullying was staged. The kiss meant nothing. He just wanted me gone—so his new girl could feel more comfortable.
He thought I'd beg. He thought I'd cry. He thought I'd never actually leave.
I left the country.
And ran straight into his stepbrother.
I Died While They Threw Her a Party
Their real daughter came home. She'd only been back two years. That's all it took to erase twenty-four.
When kidnappers grabbed us, I used my body as a shield. They beat me until something inside me ruptured. I was dying from internal bleeding, but no one could tell.
My parents wouldn't even look at me. "This is your fault! None of this would've happened if it weren't for you!"
"Get downstairs and apologize to your sister. If you can't, pack your things and get out."
They threw her a party at a downtown hotel while I died alone in my room.
I thought they'd be relieved. Maybe even glad. I thought they'd just move on like I never existed.
But when they finally learned the truth, they fell apart.
Bury Me in His Regret
The kidnapper pressed the gun to my temple and asked, "Choose your wife or your sister-in-law?"
Zachary didn't hesitate. "Let Valerie go," he said.
He actually chose to save his sister-in-law! In that moment, even the baby in my belly seemed to stop kicking.
Later, they locked me in the basement. Drugs to delay labor were pumped into my veins over and over. Zachary wanted to save the "firstborn son" status for his sister-in-law's child.
When warm blood finally soaked through my skirt, I dialed the number I knew by heart with shaking hands.
"Zachary," I whispered into the phone, "our child... can't wait any longer."
The Kidney That Killed Me
A few months ago, my sister was hospitalized with kidney failure. The doctor said she needed a transplant. My family's first thought was me—the backup daughter they'd kept around all these years.
When my husband Allen took my hand with tears in his eyes and said, "Only you can save her," I agreed without hesitation.
When the doctor explained the surgical risks and potential complications, I smiled and nodded my understanding.
My parents said I'd finally learned what sisterly love meant.
Even Allen, who'd always been cold to me, held my hand gently and said, "The surgery's safe. You're so healthy, nothing will go wrong. When you recover, I'll take you to Hawaii."
But they don't know that no matter how the surgery goes, I won't be around to celebrate.
Because I just got my own test results—I have terminal brain cancer. I'm going to die anyway.
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms
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."
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate
What? No—wait… oh Moon Goddess, no.
Please tell me you're joking, Lex.
But she's not. I can feel her excitement bubbling under my skin, while all I feel is dread.
We turn the corner, and the scent hits me like a punch to the chest—cinnamon and something impossibly warm. My eyes scan the room until they land on him. Tall. Commanding. Beautiful.
And then, just as quickly… he sees me.
His expression twists.
"Fuck no."
He turns—and runs.
My mate sees me and runs.
Bonnie has spent her entire life being broken down and abused by the people closest to her including her very own twin sister. Alongside her best friend Lilly who also lives a life of hell, they plan to run away while attending the biggest ball of the year while it's being hosted by another pack, only things don't quite go to plan leaving both girls feeling lost and unsure about their futures.
Alpha Nicholas is 28, mateless, and has no plans to change that. It's his turn to host the annual Blue Moon Ball this year and the last thing he expects is to find his mate. What he expects even less is for his mate to be 10 years younger than him and how his body reacts to her. While he tries to refuse to acknowledge that he has met his mate his world is turned upside down after guards catch two she-wolves running through his lands.
Once they are brought to him he finds himself once again facing his mate and discovers that she's hiding secrets that will make him want to kill more than one person.
Can he overcome his feelings towards having a mate and one that is so much younger than him? Will his mate want him after already feeling the sting of his unofficial rejection? Can they both work on letting go of the past and moving forward together or will fate have different plans and keep them apart?












