Page 319 of Hate Mates

Foster, Inc. Novellas

Jack Frost, CEO

Maisie never expected to take an internship with the man who hates her father, let alone pretend to be engaged to him to salvage his business deal. But the chemistry between her and Jack is anything but fake, and as they play the part of a happy couple, the sparks between them threaten to consume everything they’ve worked for.Jack, still haunted by the betrayal of the man he once considered his best friend, finds himself at a crossroads when Maisie enters his life. He needs her to secure a lucrative contract, but being so close to her—her father’s daughter—makes him wonder if the temptation of a taste of forbidden passion is worth the betrayal it would bring.

Monroe Strategic Capital Series

The Christmas Waffle*

Asher Monroe’s life is built on control, running a multi-million-dollar financial firm with precision and no room for distractions—until Candy Harper enters his world. Captivating, driven, and impossible to ignore, Candy quickly becomes more than just a game to Asher, and winning a date with her at a charity auction shifts everything. Candy never expected to fall for the no-nonsense CEO, but doubt clouds their connection when one unforgettable night leads to an unexpected consequence. With Asher believing the worst, Candy runs away, leaving both haunted by what they’ve lost. Can the truth bring them back together, or is it too late for them to reconcile?

*Coming in 2025

Paradise Club by K.M. Ringer

Trigger Warnings

1 Sex Club

2 Explicit Sexual Content

3 Degradation

4 Misogyny

ONE

Elin

Stuffing my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I rocked back on my heels as I looked up at the sign that read “Paradise” in neon red script. There was already a line around the corner or people waiting for security to see if their names were on the list. My father had owned this club, well, half of it, for the last twenty years, and it had become one of the most elite establishments in Trenton.

Taking a deep breath, I walked past the men and women, who glared at me for jumping ahead of them as I slipped behind the red velvet rope at the entrance. I smiled when Gerald, who had been a bouncer here for the last five years, simply nodded at me as I tucked my elbows in and slid in behind him. Music pounded through the entryway, where a secondary checkpoint was set up in front of another set of wide double doors. Nonmembers would check in as guests with the members who brought them on the right and would receive neon-yellow paper bracelets. Members would get their pins, which would be set to their preferred color for the night by our staff: red for unavailable, green for Dom, yellow for sub, and white for those who identified as neither. This pin would allow them on the thirdfloor, where private rooms would be charged to their account, should they decide to utilize them.

This place had been my father’s pride and joy. So much so, he’d chosen it and the Azzaro family over me, his own daughter. Yet when they had ultimately been the reason for his death, I’d inherited everything. Unfortunately, that had included being business partners with the tall, impeccably dressed, egotistical piece of shit leaning against the wall, his arms and ankles crossed as he smirked at me. Gavriel Azzaro, the Azzaro mafia family heir, aka the man responsible for my dad’s death.

“Hello, Ms. Perkins.” The woman checking in members greeted me with a smile, which I returned, letting her finish with the woman in front of her while out of the corner of my vision, Gavriel’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Good evening, Bri. I hope everyone behaves tonight.”

Curiously, her attention flicked to Gavriel before returning to me. “As always, ma’am.”

Knowing I couldn’t ignore the douchenozzle now tapping his foot impatiently any longer, I turned toward him, meeting his gaze. His shoulder-length, brown, curly hair was pulled back, but a few strands had fallen loose, framing his face, giving him a sultry look. I was sure it worked on lots of women, but not me. Striding up to him, I meet his hardened gaze, ignoring that I was almost a foot shorter than his six-five frame, and put my hands on my hips. He stood up straight, likely as an intimidation tactic, and his dark brown eyes bored into me for a long minute before they trailed down and slowly back up my body.

“Are you done with your inspection? Have I met your approval? Not that I really care.”

Another smirk lifted his lips before his eyebrow rose. “You couldn’t have come dressed more appropriately?”

“Ahhh, but I wore my good jeans for this fucking meeting, and you don’t like them?” I turned and stuck my ass out, pullingmy leather jacket tight as to show off what I thought was my best feature. “They make my ass look amazing.”

Someone behind me chuckled as he scoffed, “Oh, so you want to impress me? Well, listen here, kitten. I could have anyone in this building in a heartbeat.”

“First, don’t call me kitten.” I swung my arm out toward the door to where you would enter the main establishment with a large dance floor, plenty of seating, and a full-service bar. “Second, I don’t need a man’s, especially yours, approval of how I dress. I can look good for myself.”

He reached out and fingered the collar of my leather jacket. “And you think you look good in a pair of jeans, boots, cheap silk, and a knock-off leather substitute coat? You own a fucking sex club, kitten. You should dress like it.”

It was always like this. Over the years, he’d looked down on me. Treated me like I was not worth being dirt on his shoes. I took a deep breath and let it out harshly through my nose. “Again, I don’t need or want your fucking approval. Now, let’s get upstairs and start talking about the fucking club.”

Turning on his heel, he hurried into the hall. His long legs stretched the fitted navy suit he wore, and while I might have hated the man, his ass looked great in it. Watching him walk away was probably the best thing about him. He called for the elevator, and by the time I caught up with him, the doors were opening. We stepped in, and when the doors closed, my chest tightened at the memory of the last time I’d been in here.

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