Secrets Stories

"I ruined her." This realization brings Marcus Holden to his knees, but it might already be too late. Thirteen years ago, Marcus walked away from Celeste, convinced she betrayed him. She didn't. Celeste let him believe the lie, thinking she owed him. It destroyed her. Now, fate has put them in each other's crosshairs-and neither is willing to back off. Marcus is harder, sharper, and still holding on to old grudges. Celeste is determined to rebuild her life, tenaciously guarding her secrets. She could stay away. She should stay away. Still, Celeste is many things, but a coward she is NOT. So when Marcus issues a challenge, she accepts. A job offer: Succeed, and reclaim the life she lost. Fail, and lose everything again. Working together pushes them closer. Buried beneath years of anger, lies and silence... the spark between them ignites again. This time, the stakes are higher. Marcus's family is ready to tear them apart. A dangerous enemy is back-this time, out for blood. And the skeletons in Celeste's closet? They refuse to stay hidden. Every thread of deception unravels until the indebted CEO stands on the precipice of disaster: Save Celeste, repay his debt to her-and lose everything. Protect his empire... and lose Celeste-forever. The past is coming to collect what is owed. And this time, it might just claim...everything. THE MENDED HEARTS SERIES Book 1: The Unseen Bride (Keith & Ella) Book 2: The Indebted CEO (Marcus & Celeste) Each book is a complete standalone with guaranteed HEA.

After a car accident leaves Kaden Bretton temporarily blind, Isla Moore struggles to break up with him while disguised as his girlfriend, who died in the crash. ***** Isla Moore has been in love with Kaden Bretton since he taught her how to slow dance on her sixteenth birthday. Now, four years later, she jumps at the chance to help him after a terrible car accident leaves him temporarily blind -- by agreeing to break up with him while disguised as his girlfriend, Evangeline, so he never has to find out she died in the crash. But will she be able to stick to the plan even after he starts falling for her? Or will the truth about her identity and the reason she lied to him destroy their chance at forever? ***** Cover by @lydiahephzibah.

He just wants her booty, but she'll end up stealing his heart. ***** After pirates kidnap seventeen-year-old Ana in a case of mistaken identity, the orphaned housemaid prepares for the worst. Instead, between a shipwreck, mutiny, and her growing feelings for her captor -- the dashing Pirate King of the Caribbean, Alestair Kincade -- Ana soon realizes the secret she keeps is far from the most dangerous part of her new life. But playing the wholesome daughter of a Spanish admiral among rag-tag buccaneers isn't easy either, and to avoid both discovery and the gallows she'll have to learn to rely on more than just her wits and her charm. But is Alestair Kincade really on her side? Or will his protection and his love both disappear the moment he learns the truth? Book Two of The Pirate King Series is called SCUTTLE (formerly The Reluctant Pirate Queen) [Now an audiobook from Hachette, Powered by Wattpad] [word count: 90,000-100,000 words] PLUNDER (Book One in The Pirate King Series) © 2014 by R.S. Kovach. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced without the author's written permission. Cover designed by Ren T

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** Jake Bryant, a disgraced Chicago detective, inserts himself into the police investigation of his murdered best friend to protect the woman he loves - his friend's widow. ***** Jake Bryant, a former Chicago PD detective, rushes home after his best friend is killed. Determined to find the murderer, he starts his own investigation into Tom's death. However, the case is complicated by the involvement of a motorcycle gang, drugs, and Jake's feelings for Tom's widow. But Jake has bigger problems when the police set the killer free- who then decides to silence Tom's family as well. Now Jake is faced with the ultimate dilema. Does he trust a broken system to protect Tom's family? Or does he seek his own brand of justice? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Sometimes you just might have to die to live again. ***** When art historian Reine Baldwin meets Gabe Moran, a charming journalist, she has no idea their blossoming love will shatter her comfortable life. But a series of clues lead Reine to discover that she's not alone in knowing that she was born centuries ago and-worse yet-there are many things she apparently doesn't even remember. Reine has to face a forgotten past and a forgotten ex-husband (the handsome billionaire Max Baldovini), who-like her-is immortal and cannot truly die. Should she trade her ordinary life with Gabe for the love of Max, a man who's worshipped her for half a millennium? The choice should be easy, until Reine starts to remember things that Max is desperate to make her forget. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

Fight For Her is now published as a Wattpad Book! As a Wattpad reader, you can access both the Original Edition and Books Edition upon purchase. Scarlet has it all-status, money & a loving quarterback boyfriend. Why then can she not keep her eyes off Elijah, the school's outcast hiding a dangerous secret? ***** Scarlet Tucker attends Royal Eastwood High: a high school where money determines social status. She is top of the ranks as her family owns the biggest chain of auto shops in the Midwest. Her boyfriend, Jack, stands on the pedestal right beside her as a three-time state champion quarterback. But more and more, Scarlet feels disenchanted with her life and her friends. She wants more than the superficial conversations they have--she wants to be heard. When Scarlet runs into Elijah Black, the school's most bullied outcast, not only is she mesmerized by his kindness, good looks, and his ability to listen, but sparks fly, ones that neither of them can control. Scarlet can sense, however, that Elijah is hiding a dark secret. What she unearths is even wilder than she could have imagined. And soon, their lives are dangerously intertwined in a race against time. Can they both survive and make it out alive? Content warning: This story contains scenes depicting violence, which may be triggering for some readers. [PUBLISHED w Wattpad Books: March 9th, 2021] [TRAILER: @aflyingwhale]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** When Jake Bryant's daughter is kidnapped for ransom, he's forced to gamble with her life in order to discover which of his enemies has taken her hostage and to what end. ***** Jake Bryant's daughter, Sam, is in trouble. Her all-star quarterback boyfriend gave her pills to help her study for a test, but the pair are caught on school grounds with the unprescribed drugs. Since Sam's grandfather is a district court judge, she gets off with a slap on the wrist. Austin isn't as lucky. But with Austin's precious future at stake, his brother attempts a Hail-Mary pass by kidnapping Sam for his release. Can Jake rescue her before time runs out, or will they both pay for her mistake with their lives? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Stay With Me is now published as a Wattpad Book! As a Wattpad reader, you can access both the Original Edition and Books Edition upon purchase. In this sequel to She's With Me, tensions are high as secrets are unraveled after Aiden's arrest. Amelia and Aiden are strong, but even the strongest can sink under the weight of heartbreak and loss. Will they make it out of this mess together, or will the drama get the best of them? ***** It's winter break, which means Amelia, Aiden and their friends can finally enjoy a vacation at the beach house after all the drama they've been through. But misfortune seems to follow them wherever they go. As truths and lies are spilled and emotions revealed, their vacation becomes more explosive than relaxing. And on top of that, Aiden's biological father is back in the picture, but not in the way Aiden, or any of his friends, could have ever imagined. As events escalate like a ticking bomb, Amelia and Aiden have to figure out a new way to survive. Content and trigger warning: This story contains violence and mentions rape and drug use. Book Two of the With Me series.

A genetically unique but emotionally lost teenager must figure out who she is within her mixed-up, warring world of Shifters and Wolfstalkers. ***** It wasn't Maddie's choice to be born a half-breed, half Shifter, half Wolfstalker -- a hunter of Shifters -- and it wasn't her choice to keep her identity a secret. But after trying to attend high school like any normal sixteen-year-old, things quickly spiral south when her Stalker uncle finds out about her and catapults her out of anonymity and into the awareness--or possibly the crosshairs--of The Order of the Wolfstalker. Maddie must think fast and figure out a way to keep herself and her family safe, or risk losing everything. Including her life. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

Two years after Nathaniel Swift left for America to forget the woman he loved, he learns she's engaged to another man -- and returns to England to win her back. ***** Lord Nathaniel 'Nate' Swift is hopelessly in love with his best friend's younger sister, Charlotte Wilde. However, Nate's rakish ways, their ten-year age difference, and his best friend's objections soon make it very clear that a marriage could never take place. So Nate does the only thing he could: he travels to America and tries to forget about the woman he loves. But after two years in the New World, forgetting Charlotte proves to be impossible, and he's quickly pulled back to England after hearing of her engagement to another man. Determined to make up for past mistakes, Nate swears to stop the impending wedding and win back Charlotte's heart at any cost. But is he too late to show her the truth he's known all along -- that they're meant to be together, forever? [[Word count: 70,000-80,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Bandy

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. The past always resurfaces . . . Five years after almost drowning, Olivia Cathart returns home to Caldwell Beach determined to face her fears and take some risks-not just by swimming but by opening her heart. Hoping to rekindle her friendships, she's excited about a carefree summer with her best friends Keely and Miles. But life in the sleepy town has changed, and no one and nothing is as it seems. When a series of startling crimes threaten Olivia's fragile state, she is plunged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Her only solace from the chaos is West, Miles's disowned and ruggedly handsome brother, but even he can't answer the question on everyone's minds-is Olivia really in danger or is it simply all in her head?

Emma and Vivian spend their summer at a new camp to help out a friend, only to discover that it's a dating camp and they both have to pretend to be single! ***** Emma and Vivian, having spent their first year of college living together, agree to spend their summer at Gwen Black's latest camp. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding (and Gwen's aggressive advertising), the entire camp is using Emma as a mascot because she's "single". Emma and Vivian decide to let the situation play out to help Gwen, finding a new thrill in keeping their love secret. Soon, though, things get out of hand as they start making each other jealous, and someone online is working to destroy their relationship (and the entire camp)! Can Emma save the camp, her reputation, and the only relationship that's ever mattered to her? (Sequel to Camp Mapplewood: original version.) [[word count: 40,000-50,000 words]]

While falling in love with a drug kingpin, Tikera must prove she can survive in his dangerous world - and convince him their relationship is worth fighting for. ***** After dropping out of university and setting her sights on traveling to Europe, twenty-three-year-old Tikera Copeland is desperate for a job. So when she innocently applies for a gardening position and immediately gets hired, she's shocked to discover that her "real" job will be tending to a bunker full of thriving, (definitely) illegal weed plants. Intrigued by this world she knows nothing about, Tikera agrees to stay, but her growing feelings for "The Boss" -- the mysterious drug kingpin who owns and grows the plants -- quickly complicate things. He's falling for her too (and she knows it, even if he won't admit it), but breaking through his icy exterior won't be easy. And with thieves, vengeful hitmen, and rival kingpins threatening them at every turn, will they even survive long enough to find their happily ever after? [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

Kelly just wants her business to succeed, and getting involved with a bodyguard is not part of her plan - but he is the only one who can keep her safe... ***** Kelly Harris is determined to make her antiques business a success. She won't let Tanner, a bodyguard who likes first edition poetry books, interfere with her life. But winning a mystery box at an auction changes everything. With Tanner working alongside her, they decipher the code in a forgotten journal, uncovering a young girl's journey to freedom and a powerful family's secret. Working for a high-profile security company, Tanner has seen the worst that humanity can do. He doesn't believe in love. But when disaster strikes, he finds himself doing everything he can to keep Kelly safe - even if that means letting her into the most vulnerable part of who he is. Leeanna Morgan is a USA Today Bestselling Author.

After a disastrous first season in London, Rose Wilde finds herself torn between two men who love her -- but who both hide secrets that could ruin her. ***** Rose Wilde has always considered herself plain, especially when compared to her beautiful older sister Charlotte, and has practically given up on the idea of being romanced. But when American hotelier Derek Montgomery comes to revolutionise her little, sleepy English village of Ascot, Rose starts to revisit the idea of falling in love. However, Derek brings with him many secrets and obligations, some that might prohibit him from pursuing Rose -- and push her into the arms of her friend, Michael Cornell, the Marquess of Juniper. Will fate allow Rose and Derek to marry for love? Or will she indeed become the reluctant marchioness? [[Word count: 70,000 - 80,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Bandy (The Reluctant Marchioness is the sequel to The Coveted Countess, but can also be read as a standalone)

After the accident, Noah Archer built a wall around himself. But Riley Dawson is curious about him, and she's determined to meet the man behind his defenses. ***** Riley Dawson has always noticed Noah. He was the most popular guy on campus, until he lost his parents in a car accident. Now he's withdrawn and silent. Mustering up the courage to give her condolences, the two end up talking, and Riley grows determined to help Noah find himself again. Every time she coaxes a smile from him, she can feel the ice around his heart melting. But Riley knows that Noah's loss is still close to him. She's opening up her heart, but can Noah do the same? He's got so much to lose, but now, so does she. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Griffin Tomlin is dead. And Clara's sister killed him . . . Four months after the murder, the entire town of Shiloh is still in shock. For Clara Porterfield, the normal world has crumbled around her in a million chaotic pieces. Now Clara lives in a new reality, where her sister awaits trial for murder, her mother obsessively digs in a dead, frozen garden, and her father lives and breathes denial. At school, Clara is haunted by her classmates' morbid curiosity-and all of the unspoken questions they won't ask. But none of them knows what she knows . . . Now Clara's sister wants something from her-the one thing in all of this that Clara isn't ready to face: the truth about what really happened that night. Because this story didn't die with Griffin Tomlin. There's another story that needs to be told. And sometimes, the lies we're told are nowhere near as deadly as the lies we tell ourselves . . .

Alison's sister disappeared filming a reality show, so she goes undercover as a contestant, discovering that in some cases reality tv is all too real. ***** Alison's sister disappeared while shooting a Survivor-style reality series, so when the show gets a reboot, Alison gets herself cast as a contestant. Arriving on the island, none of the organizers seem to be giving her straight answers. Forced to manipulate the situation to stay on the show, she starts an uneasy alliance with the handsome and physically capable Travis. They even act like they're falling in love, hoping their romantic appeal will keep them on the show. But as more challenges take place, and contestants go from being injured to dying in front of the camera, Alison and Travis realize that something is wrong. They have to win this game, or they won't make it off the island alive. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

After Denton foils a terrorist attack at an Intergalactic sporting event, he finds himself racing to save his homeworld from a plot of betrayal and revenge. ***** When Denton Staxx, a special agent with the Orbital Security Services, discovers the Intergalactic Olympic Games have been targeted by a terrorist attack, he rushes to Earth to try and stop the event before it's too late. But what he discovers on earth is far worse than he imagined, and Denton is quickly pulled into a galaxy-wide conspiracy that takes him from one solar system to another in the search for a mastermind that will stop at nothing to get his revenge on the richest man in the universe -- regardless of the innocent people who die along the way. [[Wattys' Shortlisted]] [[1st place, Month Elimination Awards, Sci-Fi Category]] [[Best Plot Development, Iced Tea Summer Bash Awards]] [[Best Adventure Scifi Story, The Ooorah's SciFi Awards]] [[1st place, Rebel Awards, Sci-fi Category]] [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** After a great loss, Jake Bryant finds himself in Las Vegas. To fill the void in his heart, he searches for a woman's missing daughter and finds more than he bargained for. ***** Two years after his daughter was kidnapped, Jake Bryant meets a woman in desperate need of help. Seeing the opportunity to redeem himself, Jake probes Las Vegas's seemly underbelly to find the pimp responsible for abducting her daughter. But navigating Sin City's sex trade business proves tougher than Jake thought, and he finds himself digging his own grave at gunpoint. Can Jake find a way to escape? Or will his mistakes lead to more death? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]