'I had not expected to breed you, little girl.' He said, his voice emotionless but his eyes were hot with lust,' You were just a plaything to be used till I tired of you, But there was no way I would let any child of mine grow up as a bastard.' My breath caught in my throat at the sheer cruelty, the heartlessness of his words. Was that all I had been to him? The young innocent woman and the older, heartless Mafia Boss who cannot have enough of her. A story of desire, a story of lust Above all a story of LOVE.
Chapter 1
The evening was calm. Dusk settled over the valley gracefully, like a soft shawl tenderly wrapped around the shoulders of the mountain peaks that surrounded the tiny monastery which lay half-hidden on the slopes of the mountains.
I smiled as I straightened up, having rocked my twins to sleep. Almost two years old now, my son, little Piers drifted off to sleep almost immediately. My daughter Ria, was the stubborn one, who went to sleep unwillingly. I tucked the cotton sheet around her plump little body, dropping a kiss on her golden curls. A real fighter, I thought fondly.
Like her father, said a small voice inside me.
I sighed and stood up, wearily. This had become my home, this little monastery tucked away on the hillside of the Himalayas. The orderly, serene life of the Buddhist nuns and their unconditional acceptance had been a balm on my sore heart and when I gave birth to the children, the nuns had nursed me with tender care.
Yet the thoughts of Gaston, the man I had loved so fervently and the father of my twins, remained with me all the time. Even though we were thousands of miles apart, he remained in my thoughts all the time. Every second moment, I thought about him. Of course, looking at the children with their ice-blue eyes and mops of blonde hair was enough to make me think about him easily enough.
Those ice-blue eyes when they had raked over me, the powerful outline of his shoulders as they loomed over me as he had claimed me countless times; I even longed for his harshness, his cruelty, I thought, my eyes welling up at the very thought of the man who had been my much older and experienced lover, the father of my beautiful children although there was a huge catch there.
Gaston St.Claire had no idea that they existed.
It had taken all my courage to run away from him, to slip away into the crowds, leaving everything he had gifted me in that careless fashion of his, the little flat in the suburbs, the expensive trinkets and baubles that I had cherished, taking them, foolishly enough imagining them to be a sign of true love. I winced as I thought of what a gullible fool I had been...
The sky had bled into shades of pink, violet and orange in turn as I stared, lulled into a peacefulness, where the distant sound of birds flying home trilled through the air.
Gaston had been a don in the real sense of the word but I had ignored what he did, uncaring about how he managed such a lavish lifestyle; he kept me insulated from his world as well. But looking back now, I realised that I had been burying my head in the sand to avoid facing the truth. Gun-running and drugs, I had discovered while listening to the snippets of conversations over the phone as he lay with me after we had shared a passionate night of lovemaking. He would lie with an arm thrown carelessly around my shoulders stroking my bare skin absently while I snuggled up to him, relieving the intense bouts of lovemaking. It had shocked me at first but since I was on the fringes of his other life, never accompanying him anywhere outside the house, I was content to live in my bubble.
Every girl dreams of taming the bad boy, in this case, a man almost twenty years older than me! At the young age of eighteen, I was also under the same illusion, poor fool that I was!
When I realised that I was pregnant, I had been over the moon. Until I found out that he regarded me as just another plaything, a woman to be toyed with and discarded when he tired of the novelty...
Today the life I led in the monastery was safe and tranquil. Yet, in some hidden part of my heart, I had hoped that he would come looking for me. But as the days had become months and now it was almost two years I had gradually come to realise that I had, after all, only been his plaything of the moment. That the love, the hope I had carried in my heart was in vain...
I loved this time of the day because I could spend some time in peace, away from the demands of my twins, resting after a day of work.
In the stillness of the evening, while the nuns were at prayer, chanting, I sat quietly on the still-warm stone steps outside the monastery temple, facing the dense forest.
The gentle mountain air should have calmed me but when the image of the man who been my life, came to my mind's eye, I squeezed my eyes shut and felt the heat rise in my body. As though he was still beside me, physically. The pale blue eyes glowed with passion. His hands...
My eyes flew open.
This was wrong. I should stop torturing myself.
It was when I was alone that I allowed myself to think of him, every evening, asking myself what he must be doing, wondering who was spending the night in his arms, in his bed...and the pain still felt raw.
Even after a year and seven months.
*
I worked as an administrative assistant to the head priestess of the tiny Buddhist monastery, tucked away in the foothills of the majestic mountains. My job was simple, helping with the correspondence. It was an unpretentious life, without being in any related to the world of the wealthy in faraway USA where I had grown up, learnt so much of life.
Where I had first learnt to love passionately. Where I had had my heartbroken...
I shrugged my shoulders in resignation. I was secure now in the serene hills, my children were looked after...
*
The soft patter of bare feet on the stone floor caused me to turn around in some surprise. Rarely was I required to attend to any task after dusk. It was already time for supper.
A young nun stood in the doorway, her pretty pink face glowing as she smiled shyly at me.
"What is it, Sonal?' I asked gently for I recognized her as one of the young girls who often helped in the kitchens.
"Memsaab," whispered the young girl" someone has come to meet you."
Meet me?
I frowned in puzzlement. Who would come to meet me? It had to be about the small conclave to be held in town next week. All the arrangements had been made; I had personally spoken to the organisers but perhaps some things were remaining to be attended to.
I sighed and stood up. Perhaps, someone who wanted to discuss the arrangements for the monks who were visiting next week, their stay in the monastery further up on the hills, I thought as I followed the girl.
Wrapping my long heavy hair into a makeshift braid and tried to mould it into a messy bun at the base of my neck, I set off down the silent corridor, indicating that she need not accompany me.
I caught a glimpse of myself in one of the ornate mirrors outside the hall as I made my way along with the walled courtyard, the stones warm under my bare feet.
The image that stared back at me wasn't very flattering. Short, barely 5 feet tall, with a generously rounded figure. My body was half-hidden in the simple maroon robes that covered me, long black hair swinging in a braid as I walked. Although I had turned nineteen seven months ago, the events that had made me flee the US and the birth of my twins had honed wisdom in me. I felt older, wiser.
Brian Gaulle, the French man who was now a good friend of mine, never seemed to tire of pointing it out to me.
I felt a blush rise in my cheeks as I thought of Brian, earnest and affectionate. A devout Buddhist who had rejected his western way of living and now spent his time writing and teaching here among the serene mountains, he had made his interest in me plain. He wanted to be more than just a friend but I was wary of admitting another man in my life. True, my twins liked to spend time with him and at twenty-four, he was definitely a younger person I could laugh with, share my problems with...
But...my foolish heart still ached for the harsh, dominating older man I had run away from.
Liam O'Grady is a powerful loan shark and realtor, a man mixed in crime and an underground fighter, a King. Between them, his half-brother Finn St Just and he run the city of Hunter's Wood, with the strength of their muscle and money power. The brothers are Dominants and they enjoy subjugating the women they take. And they have the habit of sharing a woman. But the jaded Liam knows that something is missing. Like a breath of fresh air, innocent young Bianca Cruz turns up at their doorstep, asking for help. The nineteen-year-old is trying to get her family free of the clutches of the evil Dean Nelson, who was also responsible for the death of her father. Liam agrees to help her, for he is intrigued by the young woman who is untouched and other-worldly, an innocent who appeals to his jaded self. He along with his brother propose a deal with the desperate young woman. They will help her; they will even restore her father's beloved bakery and hand it over to her. But the price is this: She will be their willing submissive for a year. & Does she cave in and accept their terms? And what will happen during this year to the girl who has no experience of men? Worse, what will happen to her at the end of the year?
"You f*cking WH*RE!" roared Gaston St. Claire, my husband. Bringing his face closer to my terrified one, he snarled, in a lower voice filled with anguish and fury, "So it was true, eh? You were sneaking behind my back, spreading your legs and spreading your legs for other men, huh?' I shook my head, trying to focus, trying to plead, the shock spreading through me slowly. What was he talking about? I had no idea how I had gotten there-to that seedy-looking room-or how I had ended up beneath Stan Cummingham, naked and semi-conscious. Other men? What did he mean? Why didn't he believe me? April and Gaston St. Claire, the Mafia Don, have been wed and blessed with eight children. Their lives have had their fair share of ups and downs. But there's worse awaiting poor April! Bree Hampston, Gaston St. Claire's long-lost sister, turns up! She turns the Mafia Don against his faithful wife... Does she succeed? Or does April finally make a stand?
Damien Lindberg, the heir to the Lindberg Coven of Warlocks, is stunned to discover that he has fathered a son from a one-night stand, of which he has no recollection. His woman turns out to be young Miranda O'Neill, who is fierce and furious when he turns up in her life, daring to claim her and his son. She is hurt and bitter, for she had searched for him after the exquisite night of love they had shared. And while the two lovers try to fight not only their passions, for there is a deep, unpredictable sexual chemistry between them, they also have to face other threats, sinister and menacing in nature, from within the Coven, from the world of Dragons, and from the murky world of jealous rivals, all of which lurk outside the periphery of their volatile passion, which holds them anchored to each other. Will they finally be with each other and find true love? Or will the forces that want to keep the star-crossed lovers apart, finally win?
I moved to kiss him and he captured my mouth, his tongue probing me as I moved blindly, his fingers teasing me. “Please,’ I whispered quivering with need and then I moved as he slid his thick fingers in and out of me, his mouth on mine. Helpless, I came, a mass of nerves and wetness as he carried me to the heights, his fingers playing with me, teasing me. I threw my head back, sobbed and screamed his name as I felt myself shatter into a thousand pieces of myself. With a coarse expletive, sounding like a man who had reached his limit, he raised me slightly and shifted, positioning himself and rammed into me fiercely. I moaned at the suddenness, the force of his thrusts as he rode me mercilessly. Thank goodness I was on the pill now, I thought wildly as he pounded me relentlessly and I cried as I came again. And again. Loving him. Branded by him... * This book is the last of the Mafia Don trilogy but it can be read as a standalone as well. April and Gaston love each other although he is almost twenty years older. Besides steamy, erotic encounters, their marriage is also filled with ups and downs, including two out-of-wedlock children, a kidnapping, killings, and suspected affairs. In this book, Gaston's illegitimate son enters the picture and disrupts their lives yet again. Will these star-crossed lovers survive? or will they separate or worse, will April die?
Gaston St.Claire, the Mafia Don from the previous book is out to get his old enemy, Dmitri. Dmitri has vowed to destroy his family, particularly the woman he loves, his wife April He embarks on a way to kill th mn but in the process, his wife misunderstands him. He turns to his old flame, a woman who is now a noted porn star . April is torn between her love for her husband and he bewilderment at his actions. Meanwhile, Schwartz meets Sophia, whose sister was lured into the porn movie business and has disappeared. The two of them are attracted to each other but Sophia fights the attraction. How things spin out of control involving Gaston and April, Schwartz and Sophia forms the story line.
Melissa is a widow; she is just 22 years old with a two year old son. Her lover , who she had not married, dies of a heart attack. His ex-wife turns up with her fiancé, and throws Melissa out, penniless. The fiancé, Trsitan Lord, is a ruthless advocate, a millionaire as he fights the cases for the Mafia mob. He does not care for anyone’s feelings. When he meets Melissa, he feels a desire to dominate her, a strange attraction towards her. Although she cannot understand the way she feels towards him, Melissa does not respond to his overtures. This makes him angry. Melissa’s mother dies, her father is paralyzed. He has no one except Melissa. Desperate, with a child and her helpless father to look after,, she takes up a job as a dancer at a topless bar run by the Mob. Tristan sees her there and tries to seduce her in his brutal manner. He grabbed her am, pinning her to the wall, his eyes gleaming like hot coals as he growled, ‘You slut…so you can parade your naked body before the men in that room,’ He jerked her to him, forcing her to feel his hard erectness that was pressing against her soft belly. “But you play the innocent with me, eh?’ She pushed against him, futilely, aware that she was getting turned on strangely enough by this large man’s cruel words and his punishing hold on her. His presence, his male musky aroma filled her head. “Take your hands off me,’ she hissed, but for answer, he lowered his head and brought his hard mouth on her soft moist lips, displaying a hunger that seemed to burn both of them as he ravaged her mouth, his body holding her trapped…
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents, she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corps. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafeal's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's Nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
When they met again, Jason cast aside his paranoia and pride, warmly embracing Chelsey. "Please, come back to me?" For three years, she had been his secretary by day and his companion by night. Chelsey had always complied with his requests, like an obedient pet. However, when Jason declared his plans to marry another, she chose to stop loving him and to let go. But life took unexpected turns. His unyielding pursuit, her pregnancy, and her mother's greed gradually pushed her to the brink. Eventually, she endured tremendous suffering. Five years later, when she returned, she was no longer the woman she once was. Yet he had spiraled into five years of chaos.
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.