Sold for $1 To The Hawthorne Brothers
Three women, three brothers, a single, crumpled dollar bill.
Alina's world shatters the moment she's auctioned off-and claimed by the powerful Hawthorne brothers.
Thrown into Adrian Hawthorne's cold, dangerous world, she becomes his to control... his to protect... and, terrifyingly, his to desire. He's ruthless, possessive, and hiding secrets that could destroy them both. But the deeper she falls into his world, the harder it becomes to tell if she's his prisoner-or something far more dangerous.
Because the Hawthorne brothers don't just take.
They keep.
Viviane has spent her life surviving, so when Julian Hawthorne "buys" her freedom, she knows better than to trust it. Men like him don't save people-they collect them. But Julian isn't as simple as he pretends to be, and the deeper she's pulled into his world, the more dangerous it becomes to walk away.
Especially when she realizes she might be the only thing he's ever been willing to fight for.
Lena doesn't belong to anyone-and she intends to keep it that way. Brilliant, guarded, and hiding more than anyone suspects, she enters Lucien Hawthorne's world on her own terms. But Lucien doesn't play fair, and he doesn't let go.
When her past comes crashing back, Lena is forced to face the one thing she's been running from: trusting someone who could destroy her... or save her.
Three women. Three choices.Stay. Fight.
Or burn it all down.
Because being sold was only the beginning.
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Chapter 15
"Was that all it took?"
I'm still pinned underneath Adrian, and I'm not sure if I'm breathing anymore. He's so close that every inhale feels like taking in a lungful of him. His eyes twinkle as he clicks his tongue. "Perhaps I should've tried this a long time ago. It would've saved me the trouble of having to deal with your sass."
"Sass?" I wheeze. "I've done everything you've asked me to do. I allowed your bodyguards to chaperone; I have to sleep close to the wall so I don't...touch you. I don't think I'm being mouthy, Mr. Hawthorne."
His fingers brush against my wrist as he moves, and slow heat trickles down my spine. "The phone," he reminds me. The bed dips, and I instinctively adjust, moving my leg.
Wrong move. My dress has ridden high. The fabric of his pants grazes my bare skin. I swallowed hard as my nerves hum and my skin tingles. My lashes flutter nonstop as my chest inflates like a helium-pumped balloon.
"It was supposed to be a communicating device," he murmurs, "not a freebie. The boy you gave it to sold it for a fraction of its worth."
"I told him he could-"
I stop, my head cocking sideways. "How did you know about that?" His henchmen were outside the building, and Julian hadn't shown up then.
His mouth curves slowly. "I know everything, Alina."
"Then you know I don't appreciate being sprung on without prior notice. I already got sold once, against my wish," I retort, the words rushing out before I can stop them.
"Your father had a debt to pay, Alina. And he paid it with you," he tells me. "You should be mad at me, not him."
I am.
Mad at my stepfather. At myself. At Adrian Hawthorne, with his smug face. I shimmy up the bed, propping my upper body on my elbows as I stare at him, unblinking. "You bought me. You could've forced him to work for you...had him sign an agreement. Yet, I was the one you wanted. Someone who wouldn't complain, who you could control."
"Is that what you think I wanted?" His voice drops into a low timbre as his gaze darkens. "A slave? A servant?" His thumb glides over my chin as a low, humorless chuckle slips out. "The dress on you has my price tag, Alina Wilson. My brother sent me the bill as soon as you were done shopping."
"I watched you when you walked into the party-until you ended up at the bar. Your yellow dress the center of attention. You were the wet dream of every single man there tonight and for the life of me-" he grits his teeth, dragging a hand through his hair, "-I couldn't stop my thoughts from straying."
Adrian rakes a hand over his face as he pushes away from me, cursing under his breath. I remain on the bed, my thoughts scrambled. His thoughts...was he thinking about me?
"It's impossible for you to be my slave, Alina," he rasps, sitting on the edge of the bed. He doesn't look at me. "Because you have a way of getting under my skin. I should be able to dismiss a servant, ignore them. Hell," he chuckles mirthlessly, "forget that they even exist."
"With you?" he glances over his shoulder. His eyes land on mine with a stormy expression that burns through me. "I plan everything. I had to bribe my brother to watch over you. Why would I care if you mean so little?"
I can feel my heart thumping, slamming my ribcage as something alive, slick, unwelcome, coils inside me. "I don't know," I say hoarsely. "You said my father owed a debt, and he sold me for it. Maybe I'm worth more than a dollar to you. You told me I was your business."
That's all I am. The truth hits me like a bucket of ice dumped over my head.
He's the kind of man who doesn't let go of what belongs to him. He doesn't like me. He's not attracted to me-I'm an object. Property. A tool.
My chest aches as I climb off the bed, crossing my arms to hide my wardrobe malfunction. "You don't see people, Adrian. You see things to own. I-" I shake my head as my voice breaks, "-am something you own. That's why you can't ignore me."
"I-"
The ache sinks deeper, squeezing my chest until it feels like I'm going to pass out. "I should go," I mutter. "I don't think you want to sleep in the same bed with me after I've had too much to drink. I get touchy," I smile thinly. "Goodnight, Adrian."
I turn, begging my shoulders not to fall, for the tears that I've cried one too many times tonight to give me a break. At least until I'm alone.
I don't hear his footsteps as they pound behind me.
Adrian grabs my wrist, spinning me around. His mouth crashes on mine, swallowing my gasp as he crushes me to his chest. My hands hang helplessly as my thoughts blank out completely. A surge floods through my chest, down my spine, curling deep in my stomach.
My fingers twitch, like my body is trying to grab onto something, but it's too much-too sudden. The heat in his body, rushing into mine...his smell, clouding my senses, drugging me.
He pulls as quickly as he kissed me, panting softly. "Does this look like I don't see you?" he rasps thickly. "Tell me, Alina. Tell me you have no idea what's going through my head."
"I-"
He cups my chin a little roughly before I can respond, his other hand resting on my back. His teeth nip my lower lip, and I feel a pulse throb between my thighs in response. "He should've gotten you black," Adrian whispers against my mouth as his tongue slides between my parted lips. I whimper as my back arches into his touch, silently begging for more. I can taste the whiskey he drank on his breath, and it pulls me under, like a crashing wave. "Something ugly."
His hand slips down my ass, cupping it.
My knees buckle as his lips roam down my neck, kissing my skin, biting me gently. A broken whimper slips out as I reach for his shirt, sinking my fingers in...needing something to hold on to.
"I'm glad the dress is ruined," he says as he raises his head, smirking at me. "Because now I can take it off myself without feeling guilty."
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9.4
Michael Carter is an undercover FBI agent on a mission to take down ruthless mafia king Fernando Ramírez-the man he believes killed his sister. But getting close to Fernando means playing a dangerous game, one where seduction and power blur the lines between enemy and lover.
When Michael uncovers a shocking truth, his thirst for revenge turns into a fight for something far more dangerous-his own heart. Now, torn between duty and desire, he must decide: destroy the man he swore to take down or surrender to the one thing he never saw coming.
Love has never been more lethal.
9.1
My husband, Dante Moretti, the feared Underboss, signed the divorce papers I slipped him without a glance. Too busy texting his true love, Sofia, he was blind to the annulment decree ending everything. The Reaper couldn't see the death of his own marriage.
For three years, I was Elena, his silent wife, the "Caged Canary," cleaning his messes while meticulously planning my escape from our loveless world.
He dismissed me for Sofia's every whim, publicly shaming me after a past love letter was read, then abandoning me again for her fake crisis.
That night, he violently shoved me against a wall, leaving me bleeding and concussed, rushing instead to protect Sofia. Discarded and injured, my invisible love became a weapon against me.
His crushing blindness, the cold realization I was a mere placeholder, fueled a profound injustice. How could he be so lethal, yet oblivious to his wife, favoring the one who betrayed him?
With chilling resolve, I uploaded Sofia's confession, initiated a massive financial transfer dismantling his empire, and staged my own death. Under a new identity, I fled to San Francisco, ready to build my power, far from his bloody, deceitful world.
7.7
I worked three double shifts at the garage just to buy a velvet-boxed cake for my wealthy girlfriend, Arleen.
But when I pushed open the VIP room door, I saw her lover kissing her bare leg.
She didn't push him away. Instead, she laughed and swirled her martini.
"I only forgot Finn because I knew he would stay. He is a poor boy from Queens who follows me around like a loyal dog."
Later that night, her lover intentionally crashed a Porsche to scare me, sending a piece of jagged metal into my skull.
Lying in a growing pool of my own blood, I watched Arleen crawl out of the wreckage.
She didn't even look at me. She threw herself at her uninjured lover, screaming for a medic.
"He just got scraped by a piece of plastic. He is faking it. Deal with Jaquez first!"
When I woke up, I wasn't free. Arleen had locked me in a private hospital wing with 24-hour security, planning to isolate me and keep me as her broken, captive toy forever.
My blind, pathetic devotion finally froze into absolute disgust.
I looked at the heart monitor next to my bed and grabbed an IV needle.
I severed the sensor wire to trigger a flatline, slipped out the fire stairs while the nurses panicked, and burned my identity to ashes.
This time, I was going to disappear to London, build my own empire, and watch hers burn.
8.1
Red Moon
8.1
Blood Moon – Story Description
Blood Moon is a dark, thrilling tale of forbidden attraction, supernatural rivalry, and the fine line between predator and prey. Set in the seemingly ordinary Silver Hollow College, the story unfolds in a world where vampires and werewolves secretly coexist alongside humans, each hiding their true powers while battling their own instincts, rival clans, and the pressures of legacy. In this shadowed world, every glance can hide a threat, every conversation can carry hidden meaning, and every full moon can unleash the beast within.
At the heart of the story are Catrine Nella, a powerful young vampire, and Edwardo Zee, a disciplined yet conflicted werewolf. Catrine is sharp, cunning, and deadly, raised under the constant pressure of her ambitious step-sister who insists she feed on human blood to grow stronger. Catrine's natural talents in both magic and combat make her a force to be reckoned with, yet she struggles with morality, identity, and her own desire for control. Edwardo, on the other hand, is torn between his instincts as a wolf and the manipulations of his ruthless step-brother, who demands that he become a killer to claim alpha status. Edwardo wants to be a true alpha, not through bloodshed, but by protecting others and leading with honor-an ambition that sets him apart from his family and makes him both a target and a misfit among his kind.
The story begins with a violent, electrifying encounter between Catrine and Edwardo in the forest during the full moon. Both are drawn by their own impulses-Catrine performing a vampire ritual, Edwardo struggling to control the wolf within-and the resulting clash is fierce, brutal, and unforgettable. This first meeting ignites a dangerous rivalry, with each recognizing the other's extraordinary abilities while also sensing something forbidden and magnetic between them. Though enemies by instinct and heritage, the connection they forge amidst conflict sets the stage for a tension-filled enemies-to-lovers narrative that drives the series forward.
As the story unfolds, Silver Hollow College becomes a battlefield not just of physical strength but of intellect, cunning, and emotional power. Catrine and Edwardo test one another constantly-through subtle glances in class, tense encounters in crowded hallways, and increasingly dangerous confrontations in the forest. Each battle pushes them further, revealing vulnerabilities and strengths, and slowly transforms their relationship from animosity into fascination, grudging respect, and eventually, desire. Amidst this, both characters are confronted with the pressures of their families. Catrine's step-sister threatens her with weakness if she does not feed on human blood, while Edwardo's step-brother pressures him toward ruthless dominance, creating a constant tension that challenges their morality and tests the limits of their powers.
At its core, Blood Moon is a story about choice and identity. It explores the struggle between instinct and conscience, power and restraint, hatred and attraction. It examines what it means to be strong-not just physically, but emotionally and morally-in a world where strength often comes at the cost of humanity. Through fast-paced action, supernatural intrigue, and the slow-burning, dangerous pull between Catrine and Edwardo, the story blends romance, suspense, and fantasy into a gripping narrative. It is a saga of blood and moonlight, of predators and secrets, of rivalry and passion, and of two young supernatural beings whose lives are forever intertwined by fate, desire, and the power of the Blood Moon.
9.6
I was only three and a half years old, living in a damp basement and beaten daily by Enoch Pruitt with a heavy leather whip.
"Get up, you useless waste of space!"
He always told me I was a stray he had picked out of the garbage.
But during one brutal beating that nearly stopped my heart, time froze, and a glowing figure called The Chronicler appeared.
"You are not an abandoned orphan, Clare. You carry the blood of the highest gods."
He revealed that I was the stolen daughter of the ultra-wealthy Barrett family.
Then, he showed me the horrific ending of my previous life.
I had died right here on this bloody dirt floor.
My real parents and three brothers went completely insane with grief, turning into ruthless monsters who destroyed themselves and the entire world to avenge me.
Meanwhile, the Pruitt family kept torturing me, locking me in a woodshed and feeding me moldy bread.
The memory of my bones breaking and my real mother's agonizing screams crushed my chest.
Why did I have to suffer like an animal while my true family tore the world apart looking for me?
This time, I refused to die in the mud.
I accepted my divine blood, my eyes glowing gold as I summoned a bolt of purple lightning to strike my abuser.
I just needed to survive the night.
Because my real father's heavily armed convoy was already tearing up the mountain, ready to burn this hell to the ground.
8.6
Alia bought her four-million-dollar Manhattan townhouse in cash the day before she married Jerel.
For three years, she worked eighty-hour weeks as a top architect to build their life, until an anonymous text shattered her reality.
It was a high-definition photo of her husband kissing his junior partner, followed by an eight-week ultrasound.
Alia didn't scream. She went home, only to find her mother-in-law throwing IVF brochures at her, screaming that she was a selfish, barren workaholic for not giving the family an heir.
Jerel played the perfect, gentle husband, wrapping his arms around her and urging her to rest.
But later that night, Alia caught them on a secret call with a lawyer.
They were plotting to blindside her with a divorce, claiming his minor financial contributions entitled him to the property, aiming to kick her out with a measly fifty-thousand-dollar settlement.
They wanted to steal her hard-earned home to raise his pregnant mistress's child.
Alia's jaw tightened until her teeth ached. She had paid for every single inch of that estate.
Did they really think her dedication to her career made her blind, weak, and easy to destroy?
She didn't shed a single tear.
Instead, she walked into the office of the city's most ruthless private equity billionaire and struck a dangerous deal to lock away all her assets in an irrevocable trust.
Days later, when Jerel handed her the settlement with a fake, sympathetic smile, Alia poured cold black coffee directly over the ink.
"Tell Tiffany she is never stepping foot inside my house," Alia said smoothly. "I'll see you in court."