Jenny & Jay - Volume 1
Johnny Simmons thrives on competition-whether in the pool, in playful bets, or in charming his way through life. He's used to being in control, but when Jane Shepperd enters his world, she proves to be an unexpected challenge.
Assigned to his study group, Jane is sharp, unfiltered, and unimpressed by his usual charm. Their first real interaction is filled with witty banter, subtle tension, and a clash of personalities that leaves Johnny both frustrated and intrigued.
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Chapter 7
"Are we picking up anyone else?"
"Yes, our study mate. Paul invited her, and since it's raining, I'll drive her."
"Hi. Thanks for taking me," Jane said easily. Her shirt was new, but the pants were from this afternoon.
"You're the new girl, right?" Shannon asked.
"Yes." The usual brevity.
"Pretty Boy, what are we going to watch?" Shannon asked, dramatically stroking my neck. "Something cute, right?"
In the rearview mirror, Jane rolled her eyes.
"I don't know. We'll decide there," I said, uneasy about the whole situation.
Listening to the radio, we arrived relatively quietly, though Shannon occasionally squealed, "Oh, this song is so cute!" which irritated me by the end. I didn't dare look in the mirror during those moments-I wasn't curious about Jane's reaction.
We arrived and went up to the meeting point, as agreed-waiting for each other at a group of couches in front of the movie ticket counter. Jane greeted everyone and then quietly sat at the edge of the couch. Shannon started chatting with the other girlfriends. Aaron and the short-haired girl were already there, as was Daryl with his leather-clad girlfriend.
Paul showed up next, followed by a fragile, short young girl who resembled him.
"Hi," he waved, then stepped over to Jane. "Glad you're here. This is my sister, Susy. Everyone, this is Susan, my sister."
Jane stood up and smiled kindly, shaking hands with the girl. The others greeted her and then returned to their interrupted conversation. After Brian arrived with his cousin, we sat down to check out the options.
"I vote for the action movie," Brian shouted. He had come with his cousin today, who was visiting for a few days. She was about Amber's age-a fuller, short-haired brunette dressed in dark clothes.
"That's good for us too," we boys agreed unanimously.
"Oh no, we want to watch this romantic movie, right girls?" Shannon said loudly, and the girls, including Paul's sister, started nodding-except for Jane, who just raised her eyebrows.
"So, little girl, what do you vote for?" I turned to Jane. Susy sat next to her and quietly started watching.
"Well," Jane stood up from the couch, "since I came alone and you boys are in the minority, I offer a deal. I won't vote for the romantic movie if you agree to the space travel sci-fi."
"So we should vote for what you want?" I asked sarcastically.
"Yes, because it's the lesser of two evils for you," she said calmly.
"Well, then I vote for the romantic movie," I said suddenly. I couldn't let her win. "So no matter what you vote for, you'll lose."
"Alright, then let it be the romantic movie," she shrugged indifferently.
"Why does the new girl decide what we watch?" Shannon asked, confused. Some of the girls were just now piecing together the essence of the conversation.
"It wasn't her decision, kitty-it was mine," I straightened up.
"Okay, give me the money, I'll buy the tickets," Brian stood up.
Before the two of us got in line, I stepped over to Jane and said, "See, little girl, you have to know how to lose," I grinned smugly.
We bought the tickets, and I distributed them so that Shannon was on one side and Jane on the other. Brian looked at me, puzzled, but didn't say a word.
The girls lined up for drinks, but Jane stood alone to the side-she didn't buy anything. Susy and Paul stood together, Paul taking great care of his sister. Probably a family habit.
Paul came out of the line with two drinks and handed one to Jane.
"Susy changed her mind on the way and is drinking something else. I hope you'll accept this."
"Thank you," Jane smiled and accepted the cup.
We went in, and everyone sat in their place. We had bought tickets in two rows to make it easier to talk to each other. Brian sat behind me with his cousin. Aaron and Daryl were behind Jane, each with their girlfriend. On Jane's other side, Paul sat-his sister beside him.
The movie started, and Shannon took it very naturally that my drink was hers too. She leaned on me in the chair, stroking my neck throughout the movie. I didn't let her do more-I wasn't in the mood.
The movie was terrible. If I were at home, I'd switch it off after ten minutes, but here, I couldn't. The couple on screen suffered through an on-again, off-again relationship, and we were struggling in the auditorium.
Jane must have noticed my suffering because she quietly leaned toward me. Her subtle, sweetly tart perfume hit my nose.
"I don't know who lost, Pretty Boy," she winked.
I shivered from head to toe-but not from Shannon's touch.
I wanted to continue the conversation, but Jane gave no sign of it, just leaned back in her seat.
I struggled through the movie, occasionally watching Jane from the corner of my eye. It seemed like she had fallen asleep, but I wasn't sure.
Fortunately, the movie ended.
With comments like "Jay, you're dead next week" and similar farewells, the others left, and Jane stepped over.
"I see your date is still ongoing. Susy and Paul will take me home-I really don't want to intrude."
"You're not intruding-I'll take you home," I started to protest, but Shannon whined and interrupted.
"Pretty Boy, we still have plans for tonight."
"It was nice meeting you," Jane turned to Shannon. "See you on Monday."
She stepped over to Paul and Susy, and they left.
"Come on, let's go too," I said to Shannon, and we headed down to the car.
I drove her home in silence-I simply didn't want to talk. When we arrived at her house, I stopped, and she didn't hesitate before jumping on me. Normally, I wouldn't have objected, but today, I just wasn't in the mood.
"I'm home alone-come on, let's go inside," she said, sliding onto my lap.
"I'd rather go home today. Maybe another time."
Even I found my own answer strange, but I just couldn't take any more of her today.
"Fine, have it your way. But just so you know, I won't wait around forever-you're not that big of a prize," she said, offended, climbing off me. I leaned over to open her door.
"Alright, Kitty, then don't wait for me," I said, waiting for her to get out.
"Forget it!" she nearly screamed as I drove off.
I didn't care-the whole evening was ruined. I just wanted to go home to the peace of my room.
Well, that didn't happen.
I got home late, but Dad was still eating in the dining room.
"How was your evening?" he asked between bites.
"Shitty," I muttered, immediately realizing it was a mistake.
"Sit down, son. Let's talk."
His voice wasn't commanding, but I knew it was better to sit down.
"What happened?"
Amber and I had a good relationship with our dad. Since we were kids, he knew how to get us to talk if something was wrong. He never used it against us and didn't solve our problems for us. I think that's why he's considered a good professional.
"For the first time today, I didn't want to sleep with a girl, another one almost humiliated me, and I watched a shitty movie that I voted for."
"Why did you vote for a movie that wasn't good?" he ignored my swearing.
"Because I didn't want the new girl to win. We boys wanted an action movie, the girls wanted a sappy one. She-Jane," I emphasized her name, "was without a guy and suggested a sci-fi, saying it was the lesser evil."
"That sounds logical. And you voted for the sappy one so it wouldn't be what she wanted, right?"
"Right. It made me so angry that I kicked Shannon out of the car and came home instead."
"I understand, and I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll have another chance with Shannon."
"But that's the thing!" I snapped. "I don't care. She's so endlessly annoying. This has never bothered me before."
"After the movie, the new girl even had herself taken home by the new guy," I added as an afterthought.
"Well, yes, but there have been similarly annoying ones before," Dad laughed, ignoring the second part of my sentence. "Remember the dog expert?"
"True," I laughed. "That was really funny."
I once dated a girl who thought she knew everything about dogs and wanted to train Theodore. I had a good laugh.
"Laughter always helps-don't forget that. Good night, son," Dad patted my shoulder and headed up to his room.
He was right-I felt better.
I quickly pulled myself together and went to bed.
Dad could always cheer me up, but he didn't offer a solution.
Though, I didn't know what I needed either.
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7.5
Five years of a fake marriage to a billionaire.
Christi thought she was a wealthy wife-until City Hall told her the truth.
No marriage license. No legal rights. Nothing but a lie.
Her husband cheated on her for four years.
His entire family mocked her, used her, and planned to trap her with a baby.
She was ready to ruin them all.
Then a secret changed everything:
Her late parents were DARPA elites. She is the sole heir to $50 billion.
There's only one catch-marry Cornelius Gregory, Wall Street's ruthless paralyzed tycoon.
She signs the contract in an instant.
Freeze their accounts. Destroy the Rivera family.
The game is over for them.
And the queen has just arrived.
9.8
I was an arrogant, canceled reality TV star, trying to salvage my ruined reputation on a live broadcast.
But after I lost my temper and assaulted a cameraman, my furious grandfather chased me into our family's forbidden gallery, where I accidentally crashed into an ancient, sealed portrait.
The canvas shattered, and a terrifying woman with glowing golden eyes stepped out of the wall.
She was Cecil, the First Matriarch of the Marshall family. She caught a lightning bolt with her bare hands and crushed me to my knees with an invisible, suffocating pressure.
My grandfather, instead of saving me, groveled on the floor and abandoned me to her mercy.
"You are the disgrace that will end this family."
She hijacked my entire life, forcing me to act as her submissive baggage handler on my own survival reality show, broadcasting my humiliation to millions.
I didn't understand why this ancient monster was tormenting me. Why did she strip away my pride, treat me like a broken tool, and force me to endure the mockery of the very ex-girlfriend who had ruined my life?
But when those same cast members tried to corner me in the dark woods, Cecil stepped in front of me, her eyes locking onto the silver ring of the man mocking me.
"To catch the wolf, one must sometimes walk with the sheep."
That was when I realized she wasn't here to destroy me—she was here to hunt the parasites who had been secretly siphoning away my life force.
9.3
For years, Gabriela believed the man beside her would be the one she grew old with. They had loved each other since they were young, but in the end, all those years meant nothing beside a younger woman's smile.
Returning from a business trip, she uncovered his betrayal with brutal clarity. Still, she did not cry or beg. She took out her phone, recorded every damning second, and filed for divorce the moment she could.
Afterward, she rebuilt her life into something brighter, richer, and stronger, even marrying a powerful tycoon. As for her ex and his shameless mistress, they could rot together.
7.4
I was freezing to death in an abandoned cabin, desperately waiting for my fiancé to save me.
Instead, my phone flickered with a video from my adopted sister.
She was smiling as she confessed that she and my fiancé had orchestrated my kidnapping, and my parents' fatal plane crash, just to steal my family's trust fund.
When I called him with my dying breath, he mocked me for faking a PR stunt and hung up.
I died in the sub-zero blizzard, consumed by absolute despair.
But as a ghost, I watched my greatest business rival, the ruthless billionaire Collins, kick down the doors of my mansion.
He didn't just mourn me.
He shot my fiancé, trapped my sister, and set the entire place on fire, choosing to burn alive in the inferno just to avenge me.
I couldn't understand why the man I had publicly despised for a decade loved me so fiercely, while the people I gave everything to wanted me dead.
Opening my eyes again, I was back backstage on the night I won my Oscar, four years ago.
My fiancé smiled, holding out his arms to hug me.
I pushed him away in disgust, marched straight into the crowded theater, and kissed my billionaire rival on live television.
"Let's get married tomorrow."
This time, I would use him to burn them all to the ground.
9.5
Sapphyra
9.5
Sapphyra used to have it all: a super-genius husband, a superhero career, and a dragon side she actually got along with.
Then everything went to hell.
When the world faced a threat she couldn't punch, Sapphyra tried to sacrifice herself so everyone she loved could escape. But Wyatt, her husband with backup plans for his backup plans, refused to let her die. He trapped her inside a digital coma, planning to wake her when the world settled down.
That was 100 years ago.
Now Sapphyra has ripped herself free and woken to a ruined city, a broken world, and a body she barely recognizes. Her powers are locked away. Her dragon side is caged. And the Class System controlling it all? Wyatt put it inside her.
Because of course he did.
It only gets messier. Guy, the charming golden retriever-energy hero she met inside the coma, is real-and so are his feelings for her. Meanwhile, Wyatt separated his mind from his body, so now his consciousness follows Sapphyra around like a brilliant, possessive bad hangover.
And then there's Rupert Domingo, the madman who escaped her digital nightmare and now rules the ruined city like his personal kingdom. He knows what happened while Sapphyra slept, and he'll give her answers...
If she survives his game first.
To win, Sapphyra has to rebuild her city, untangle her powers, face Wyatt's sins, and decide what scares her more: losing herself to grief, or becoming the dragon Rupert is desperate to wake up.
8.9
My family's company went bankrupt, and my biological father was lying in the ICU, kept alive by machines that cost tens of thousands a day.
I thought it was just a tragic business failure, until I caught my mother in bed with my stepfather.
They had secretly transferred all our assets months ago, deliberately bankrupting the company and leaving my father to die.
To pay the hospital bills, my stepfather forced me to a private club, trying to sell me to a sleazy investor.
When I refused, he slapped me across the face, and my mother just looked at me with cold, dead eyes.
"Be realistic, Jaelynn. A woman's body is a tool. Use it to get what you need."
Later, right before my father's emergency surgery, my stepfather signed a Do Not Resuscitate order and froze the medical accounts.
"If you don't get on your knees and spread your legs for him, I will tell the hospital to pull your father's plug."
Standing in the freezing rain, covered in mud and blood, I stared at the astronomical hospital bill in my hand.
My own family had plotted to murder my father and sell me to the highest bidder. The betrayal shattered every ounce of sanity I had left.
I didn't cry or beg them anymore.
Instead, I pulled out a water-stained, gold-embossed business card.
It belonged to Dolph Valentine, the most ruthless billionaire in New York and my ex-fiancé's uncle.
If they wanted to destroy my life, I was going to sell my soul to the biggest monster of them all and drag them straight to hell.