Novels by Latifah Erni

As soon as the guard turned his back, Naomi was already on her feet. With a swift kick, she knocked the water bottle out of the man’s hand. Her second kick landed in his stomach, sending him staggering backward. Before the second guard could draw his weapon, Naomi hurled a chair at him, knocking him to the ground.The fight happened fast. Naomi moved efficiently, taking advantage of every opening. The first guard tried to punch her, but she dodged easily and countered with a blow straight to his throat. While he gasped for air, she turned to the second guard, who was now fumbling for his gun.With lightning speed, Naomi dropped to the floor and swept the second guard’s legs out from under him. Before he could recover, she drove a hard punch into his temple, knocking him unconscious.The first guard was still struggling to get up, but Naomi ended it with a strong kick to his face, sending him crumpling to the ground, out cold.Naomi was panting, bu

“If you have a grudge against Greyson, deal with him. Why drag me into this?” Naomi challenged, her fingers tightening around the small hidden knife.The masked man tilted his head. “Because you, Naomi, are the perfect bait.”He began circling the chair she was tied to, his steps slow and deliberate. “The entire Hayes family will come running for you—especially Greyson, who sees himself as your protector.”The light filtering through the heavy curtains barely illuminated the room. The old wooden floor creaked beneath his steps. Naomi watched his every move, trying to figure out who he was.“You don’t know him that well,” she said, trying to draw out more information. “Greyson is always calculated. He wouldn’t rush into a place like this.”“Oh, he’ll come,” the man said confidently. “I know how his mind works. He always puts himself on the line for people he believes are worth it.”He pointed toward the door. “Even now, I bet he’s searching for clues at your parents’ house.”Naomi’s ey

Naomi hid a small knife that she had intended to use to cut her restraints. It was a folding knife, less than four inches long, barely noticeable when held in her palm. After hours in captivity, she had devised several strategies. This tiny knife was her last card, carefully concealed within the folds of her clothing.Outside, a few people were talking. Their voices were deliberately lowered, making it impossible to make out their conversation. Then came the sound of a lock being undone, followed by the creak of a turning doorknob. The door pushed open from the outside. Three people stepped into the dimly lit room where Naomi was held.The room itself was shrouded in mystery. The stone walls were old, with peeling paint. A small window was covered by heavy drapes, blocking out all light. The air smelled of dampness and dust, as if the place had been abandoned for years.Naomi’s sharp gaze landed on the man standing directly before her. He wore a dark coat, and his long blonde hair cas

For a moment, Greyson frowned. He had caught a glimpse of worry in Mrs. Reed’s expression.He raised his voice slightly, trying to remain polite. "Mrs. Reed, I am Naomi’s brother. We’re very worried. Could you let me in?"He knocked on the door repeatedly.No response. No movement either.Greyson repeated his actions once more."Ma’am, if there’s a problem, you can talk to me. We can help each other."This time, the door creaked open slightly, revealing the weary and anxious face of the middle-aged woman. Her eyes scrutinized Greyson from head to toe, as if trying to read his thoughts. Traces of dried tears were still visible on her wrinkled cheeks."Come in," Mrs. Reed finally said, her voice hoarse.The simple living room was filled with an air of unease. Family photos adorned the walls, showcasing moments of happiness from the Reed family’s past. A few houseplants near the window looked wilted, as if mirroring the distress of the home’s occupants. Mrs. Reed sat in a chair facing Gr

Greyson grabbed his phone from the desk and quickly dialed Ivy’s number.The ringing repeated several times before Ivy’s firm voice answered from the other end."Grey? You finally called me," Ivy sounded exhausted."What happened to Naomi?" Greyson asked immediately, regretting that he had ignored all their calls.A heavy sigh came from the other end. "Naomi went to her parents’ house as planned, but after that..." Ivy paused. "She never came back, Grey. No calls, no messages, and her phone has been off.""What have you found out so far?" he asked in a calm voice."My people have been investigating," Ivy replied. "Naomi’s parents are clean. They’re just as confused as we are.""Any other leads?" Greyson asked again, walking toward the window.He gazed at the cityscape below."We’re looking into the man her parents introduced her to," Ivy continued, her tone laced with displeasure. "That man is on a business trip out of town. I’ve had someone follow him, but so far, nothing suspicious.

"His name is Matt Vegan," Jacob announced enthusiastically to everyone. "You must have heard of him. He's a famous actor."A brief silence followed. The faces on the phone screen exchanged confused looks."Never heard of him," Silvia was the first to reply, followed by nods from Ivy and Samantha.Jacob groaned loudly, furrowing his brows in disappointment. Matt was incredibly famous. Half the women in the country adored him. He stared at the screen in disbelief. But these women—either too busy or simply uninterested in entertainment news—claimed not to know him."Sorry, his name has never appeared in any financial reports I read," Silvia replied dryly."I don't like reading gossip magazines," Ivy added, crossing her arms defensively. "Besides, I have more important things to do than watch people act.""Same here. I have a lot of patients to take care of," Samantha chimed in."So, how do you know this Matt guy?" Ivy asked, her tone sharp and investigative. Her eyes narrowed suspiciousl