After Hardin Novels & Stories

Aurora Hale believed the worst day of her life was the day her marriage ended. Betrayed, humiliated, and left with nothing, she thought she was finally free to rebuild her life quietly. But the moment her divorce became final, six of the most powerful billionaires in the world appeared in her life. Each of them knows her. Each of them has been watching her. And each of them claims they are here to protect her. Aurora soon discovers that her late father was not the man she thought he was. Hidden behind his quiet life was a secret empire built with the help of six powerful men. But the empire was never meant for power. It was built for one reason. Her. When a seventh billionaire, a man who betrayed her father and vanished fifteen years ago, suddenly returns from the shadows, Aurora realizes she is standing at the center of a dangerous game between the world’s most powerful men. Now enemies are watching. Secrets are unraveling. And Aurora must decide who she can trust among the six billionaires who claim her. Because the truth about why they protect her might be far more dangerous than the enemies hunting her.

I loved him long before I knew better. Derek Holland—the kind of man who could ruin your life and make you thank him for it. I gave him loyalty, patience, years of loving a man who only ever loved himself. He made me feel small, unwanted, replaceable. I stayed anyway. I believed one day he would choose me the way I chose him. But he didn’t. He destroyed me instead. So I did the only thing a woman with nothing left to lose could do. I married the one man Derek hated most. Ryker Holland. His older half-brother. The family scandal. Cold eyes, wicked mouth, and a grudge sharp enough to cut. Our deal was simple. Make Derek jealous enough to crawl back on his knees. Help Ryker take back everything Derek stole. It should have been easy. But somewhere between the lies, the fights, and the way Ryker touched me like he already owned me, I stopped knowing which brother was more dangerous. The one who broke me… or the one who makes me want to break all over again. Either way, we were one big happy fucking family. _Disclaimer: This story features morally complex, flawed characters with twisted motives. It includes themes of manipulation, deception, and emotional cruelty. Reader discretion is advised.

The heir to the New York mafia family, the Donovitch crime family, chose me as a potential fiancée candidate. But I refused to become his wife and the future Madre of the Donovitch family. Because in my previous life, he missed the desperate call from his childhood sweetheart on our wedding night. That led to the sweetheart being killed by a Mexican cartel in revenge. He vented all his frustration on me, using sulfuric acid to disfigure me, tearing off my limbs. He tormented me for five long years. Finally, he used the punishment method for a traitor to stuff me into a gasoline barrel and burn me alive. In this life, I will definitely change my destiny. He has a thing for his stepsister, so I'll let them have each other. But this time, that cold and arrogant man ends up crying and begging me to come back.

Kiera Campbell, a powerful heiress and the saviour of the Relish Group, thought she had it all when she married her secret love, Nicholas Relish, who later proved he still yearned for his first love, Cristal Duke. As Kiera's marriage crumbles amidst heartbreaking revelations and unwanted pregnancies, a tragic accident occurs, leading to Kiera's untimely demise. But destiny has an extraordinary plan for Kiera. Thrown back in time to a pivotal moment, she refuses to be a submissive wife anymore. Reclaiming her position as Vice CEO of the Campbell Group, Kiera embarks on a remarkable journey of self-discovery, rekindling her passions and embracing her independence. Jace Dalton, the captivating CEO with an enigmatic charm and an icy demeanour that masks a burning desire for Kiera, emerges from the shadows with a goal in mind. With a mysterious connection to her past, Jace sets a seductive plan to capture her heart in motion. Yet Nicholas' grip on Kiera remains unyielding, and his vengeful lover is out for blood. As secrets unravel and vengeance looms, Kiera must navigate a treacherous storm of emotions, confront her deepest desires, and seize control of her own destiny.

"Mrs. Sterling, are you sure you're ready to end this marriage of twenty years and give up the custody?" "Yes. File it. I’m done." I said calmly through the phone as I scrubbed at a stubborn grease stain on the granite island. For twenty years, I poured my entire being into this family. I managed the households, handled the children's education , and stood by my husband's side, supporting his rise in the syndicate without complaint. But my husband Alexander brought his young adopted sister Chloe to the interview, saying, "My success today is all thanks to my adopted sister." Even my own children looked down on me, calling me common and crude housewife. They had formed an alliance with his ever-present "auntie," the woman who seemed to think she was the true lady of the house. I signed the divorce papers and walked away, leaving them to become the "perfect family" they clearly wanted. But that when the family panicked…

The full moon hangs high in the night sky at 1:00 am. My mate, Alpha Chris Dalton of the Southern Gray Wolf pack has just returned from a patrol around the border. It has been three days since he last slept. He still smells of blood and rust from the times he had fought against packs of Rogues. When we're about to rest, Chris hears Emily Gibson's cries coming from his mind-link. "Alpha Chris, I think I smell a Rogue near my house. I'm so scared…" Chris shifts into a huge wolf and dashes out of our home without hesitation. He only returns the next day at dawnbreak, his exhaustion evident on his face. "Emily suffered from a fright last night, so I had to keep her company the whole night." When Chris notices the way I sit on the edge of the bed quietly without moving in to kiss him as usual, he approaches me in exasperation. Then, he wraps an arm around my shoulders before nuzzling his head against my neck affectionately, as though he were a huge dog who had made a mistake. "Emily is the mate of a Beta who has sacrificed himself for the pack, Selena. Not to mention, she's with pup at the moment. As the pack's Alpha, I'm obligated to take care of her. But I promise that I'll reduce the visitation times in the future, so please stop being unhappy with me, okay?" With red-rimmed eyes, I push Chris' arm away. "Alpha Chris, let's sever our mate bond."

The night I died, my whole family was busy celebrating my twin sister Elena's eighteenth birthday. Everyone thought Elena was going to die the next day. We're elves. My father worked as a clan guardian, and after Mom gave birth to Elena and me as twins, she stopped working altogether. We should have been a happy family. But from the moment we were born, Elena and I were bound by a witch's curse. Because Elena came into the world one minute before me, she took the full weight of it onto herself. She was never supposed to live past eighteen. From the day we were born, Elena was the family's treasure. Mom and Dad treated me like I owed her something. New toys went to her first. New dresses were always her pick. Every night, Mom would sit in Elena's room for at least an hour before she'd turn off the light. I always fell asleep alone. One night I had a nightmare and ran barefoot to find Mom. She was holding Elena and didn't even look up. "Go back to bed. Stop making a fuss." I kept telling myself: she's dying, of course they're kind to her. But every time I let something go, that splinter in my chest pushed a little deeper. Then the day the curse was supposed to take effect finally came, and naturally, that was the day my stomach cramped so badly I could barely stand. Mom and Dad didn't hesitate. They shoved me into the cellar and locked it from outside. I crouched on the stone floor with the smell of mildew everywhere and knocked on the door over and over. "Mom... Dad... my stomach really hurts, I can't even stand up... let me out, please..." One sentence came back through the door. "Your sister is dying tonight! Can you just give us one day? One day!" "But... Mom... I'm scared..." Nobody answered after that. The cellar went quiet. My eyelids grew heavy. My last thought was: if I were the one dying of a curse, would they come hold me too.

I am the most secret Principessa of the Sicilian "Shepherd" Mafia. For my safety, my identity was a closely guarded secret since birth. I lived in the shadows, leaving the outside world entirely ignorant of my true standing. On my wedding day, my mafia fiancé allowed his female bodyguard to feed my family's heirloom token to his dog. He mocked me for coming from some "backwater" family, claiming I wasn't worthy to be his bride. He even threatened to wipe my family off the map.. Looking this, I simply made a single phone call. Moments later, armored vehicles crashed through the estate gates, and our family’s chief Consigliere knelt me in front of the terrified crowd:"Principessa, your father sent us to bring you home." It was only at that moment that my arrogant fiancé finally understood. The woman he had humiliated was the sole heir to the "Shepherd" family that controlled the European arms trade. But it was too late for regrets.

40 stories. 40 fantasies. 40 limits. Dive into a world where desire knows no boundaries and pleasure has no rules. This provocative collection features fourty standalone dark romance stories that explore the forbidden, the intense, and the utterly irresistible. From the mysterious masked stripper who reveals her true identity to the man who's been fantasizing about her for months, to the "therapeutic" massage that becomes anything but professional—each story delivers scorching heat, dominant heroes, and heroines who surrender to their deepest cravings. Inside this collection: A gym instructor who teaches more than just proper form A tattoo artist whose needle isn't the only thing that leaves a permanent mark A bus ride that becomes the most intense experience of a virgin's life A gardener who cultivates more than just the lawn A massage therapist with unconventional "treatment" methods And 37 more tales of obsession, possession, and raw, unfiltered passion Warning: These stories contain explicit sexual content, dominant alpha males, intense situations, and heroines who get exactly what they secretly crave. Each story is a standalone with a satisfying conclusion. Perfect for readers who love their romance dark, their heroes possessive, and their steam level set to scorching. Tags: Dark Romance, Explicit Content, Alpha Males, Forbidden Romance, Short Story Collection, Steamy Romance, Dominant Heroes

Distressed by the evidence of her husband’s unfaithfulness, Emily found herself fallen prey to her best friend Maya’s scheme. Between her husband Louis’ distrust and the intensifying strife within her family, Emily found help from Damian, the heir to a multinational conglomerate. This is a story of two people who are skeptical about love but ultimately discover genuine affection for one another.