Olivia Donovan is almost Forty while Jason Ice is younger -- a lot younger than her. Divorced because her former best friend had an affair and is now pregnant with her former husband while they were still married, Olivia moved to the city and single handedly raised her two kids. Single, gorgeous and bad boy billionaire, Jason Ice succeeds in life despite an apalling childhood. Falling in love with Olivia was love at first sight on New Year's Eve and this twenty-something-year old guy is not ready to take no for an answer.
Chapter 1
Via
My reflection was lying to me.
She was showing me a happy woman in bright red lipstick and coral eye shadow, a woman who looked like she'd just won the lottery-not a brokenhearted woman who'd spent the past four years trying to put her life back together.
You don't look your age...You don't look your age...
I could practically pinpoint where my wrinkles would come in, where the creases near my eyes would multiply and spread out over time; where my lips would eventually thin out and dissolve into my mouth. So far I'd been lucky, but I was pretty sure the hundreds of anti-aging and wrinkle-prevention creams I'd been using were the real reason why.
I was turning forty in two weeks and I was suffering from all the symptoms of a mid-life crisis. I was questioning everything I'd ever done, comparing myself to all my friends, and wondering if I would ever find more fulfillments in life. I'd even started making a list of everything I needed to do once I hit the big 4-0:
1) Make a plan to quit my job in five years and pursue my dream career: Interior Design.
2) Pay off all my credit cards and start making larger mortgage payments on my house.
3) Stop reading so many romance books...
4) Save up enough to take my daughters on a week-long cruise in the summer.
5) Stop looking for potential wrinkle-lines and quit considering Botox.
6) Clean my house from top to bottom and KEEP it clean!
7) Stop blaming myself for my ex-husband's affair...
8) Stop hating my ex-best friend for being part of the affair...
9) Treat myself to a new restaurant every month.
10) Learn to be happy alone.
"Via! Let's go! We're going to be late!" My friend Sandra called from the kitchen.
"Coming! Coming!" I grabbed my jacket and headed downstairs.
I took another glance at myself in the hallway mirror and cursed under my breath. I couldn't believe I'd agreed to let her drag me out to another singles mixer. I never found anyone worth my time at those things, and the foul scent of desperation always hung in the air.
"You look stunning!" Sandra tugged at my strapless black dress. "Can I please borrow your wardrobe?"
"Only if I can borrow your life..."
She rolled her eyes and ignored my pessimism as usual. "Tonight is the night you'll meet the right guy! I can feel it!"
She always says that...
"Do we really need to go to another one of these things, Sands? I have some marketing research I could-"
"On New Year's Eve? Are you out of your mind? We're going out!"
"What's the point? We've been to a ton of these things and it's always the same...Can't we just stay in, drink some wine, and go over our resolutions?"
"Via..." She walked over to my front door and opened it. "We're going out. Now. You don't have any work to do and you know it. And it's your turn to drive so let's go!"
––––––––
I stood in the winding buffet line and tossed a few veggie chips onto my plate. I looked up at the banner that hung over the bar and sighed. It read "New Year's Middle-Aged Singles' Mixer: Let's Get Jiggy!"
Aside from the tacky banner, the interior of Pacific Bay Lounge left a lot to be desired: Surfboards served as table tops, old park benches were strewn about, and dingy blue and green streamers hung from the ceiling to simulate "waves."
Tonight, the lounge was way over-capacity-not a huge surprise since lonely people seemed to flock to these types of events. I was so used to them that I'd become quite the people reader: The guy standing by the window was at least sixty, the blond hair dye he'd been using to look twenty years younger was beginning to fade. The woman who was dancing against the speakers was clearly going through a divorce; she was still wearing her wedding ring and she tossed back a shot every time the DJ yelled "Cheers to all the single ladies!"
I'd been there. Done that.
On the window seats that lined the far wall, shy women were fidgeting with their hair and clothes like nervous high school students. Most of them were being forced to be here and had probably never had a fully-functioning relationship in their lives.
I grabbed two beers from the end of the table and sat on an empty couch, observing one man's poor attempt to get a shy woman to dance.
"Is this seat taken?" A gorgeous man with grey eyes smiled at me, interrupting my fascinating people watch.
"No. No, it's not..."
"Great." He sat down and put his beer on the table. "I'm Lance. What's your name?"
"Via. Via Donovan."
"That's a pretty name. What do you do for a living, Via?"
"I'm a marketing director for a software company. What do you do?"
He tapped the label on his beer. "I own and manage a beer company, Leyland Beers. It's in Nevada."
"Very impressive," I said. "So, what do you-"
"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Ugh, here we go...
"I'm thirty-nine, and yourself?"
"Wow..." He looked me up and down. "I'm forty seven. Do you have any kids?"
I felt myself smiling. "Two daughters. You?"
"No, I don't have any kids. Life's way too short for that-no offense. Can I call you sometime?"
Seriously? Is that all it takes these days? Age? Kids? Phone number? Is the art of conversation that DEAD?
"Umm sure..." I forced a smile. "It's-"
"Wait. How old are your kids? Are they 'with-the-babysitter-tonight-age' or are they 'secretly-stealing-beer-out-of-your-cabinet-while-you're-gone-age'? I have to be frank with you because I'm not looking for anything serious, and all you women with kids tend to be more-"
"You know what?" I stood up. "I have to go to the restroom. I'll be right back."
I pushed through the crowd and made my way to the outside deck, where lots of singles were watching the ripples of the Pacific Ocean swell up and down. I took a deep breath and inhaled the salty wet air-the one thing I had yet to get used to since moving to the West Coast.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Sandra talking to yet another guy, teasingly rubbing his shoulder and biting her lip. She caught me staring and motioned for me to come over. She was mouthing "He has a friend!"
I turned around and rolled my eyes.
"I take it you're not having a good time?" A husky voice said from beside me.
I didn't even bother looking at him. I didn't want to engage in any more pointless conversations or mundane introductions. I just wanted to go home.
I sighed. "I'm thirty nine. My birthday's in two weeks. I've been divorced for four years and I have two teenaged daughters."
I didn't hear him say anything else. I turned to my left and saw that he was halfway across the deck.
I took another swig of my beer and shook my head. I knew I wasn't helping myself by pushing every potential suitor away, but I couldn't help it. I still couldn't believe that I was actually single.
My life had been picture perfect years ago-fourteen year marriage to a man who I thought loved me, pretty Pittsburgh neighborhood in the suburbs, amazing career that was almost on the brink of being legendary-but then one day it was over. Just like that. The priceless picture couldn't be put back together; it couldn't be saved.
It was tattered, forever ruined, and I was the one who emerged with the most cuts...
I sent Sandra a text and made a break for the parking lot, turning down numerous offers to dance on my way out.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Sandra climbed inside the truck and shut the door. "We've only been here twenty minutes! Don't you at least want to stay for the New Year's countdown?"
"No."
"Why? What's wrong? I saw the guy you were talking to in there! He was good-looking!"
"Look Sands, I'm not twenty anymore. I can't keep coming to these things expecting to meet the love of my life. I met mine already, remember?" My voice cracked. "It didn't work out..."
I leaned back in my seat and forced a lump down my throat.
The thought of losing my husband to my best friend still hurt to think about. The divorce was long over, but the pain still woke me up some nights, still dragged me out of my sleep and hit me over my heart like a twenty pound sledgehammer.
"You're thinking about Ryan and Amanda, huh?" She handed me a Kleenex. "You have to stop beating yourself up about it. It wasn't your fault."
"I was so blind to it!" I began to cry. "I let her in my house! I trusted her with my kids! I trusted them both with everything!"
"I'm so sorry, Via..."
––––––––
My marriage to Ryan Hayes was a fairytale-at least it was to me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't entirely perfect, but we had far more amazing days than good days, more good days than average days, and hardly any bad days.
Ryan was everything I ever wanted in a man. He was attentive and caring, thoughtful and compassionate, and he always remembered the little things that made me happy: Hot coffee on the rainy days I spent typing away in our home office, a warm blanket when I fell asleep in front of the fireplace, and endless chocolate chip cookies and candy bars whenever it was my time of the month.
A masquerade ball. One night. Behind the mask. Anything can happen. Diana Thorton decided to have one night to herself, away from being Alexander Stone's Assistant. The whole point of a masquerade-themed ball is to conceal one's identity but what happens when the face behind the phantom of the opera mask turns out to be her boss? She recognized him and that didn't stop her from sharing an intense night in a bid to rebound over a recent heartbreak. Turns out that one night isn't enough and wanting more is being greedy. Will she reveal her identity to the one man who made her feel like a woman and is now looking for her or throw caution in the wind as she prepares to resign even after falling pregnant? Only a forced marriage can cover up her shame as well as also salvage that which the media has ruined for her boss's reputation. With a two-year contract and an annulment after, will love find its way back to the couple just as it did on the night of the ball?
April Denver's Erotic message to a constant one night stand was mistakenly sent to someone else after siri chose scum instead of sean as the receiver on her contact list. Alpha male billionaire Jordan Cross sees a message from April indicating her sexual need for him. He sets out to her apartment and from that night onward, his virginity taken by her, he knew he was done for. She doesn't feel the same and for this to happen, there's one thing Jordan Cross must do to own all of her. Fulfil her request.
"Brian I am your Godmother!" Jayda reminded him in case he forgot she is ten years older than him. A whole decade. "Age is just a number, I don't care," Brian said as he continued to walk closer to her until her back hit the wall of his office and his arms secured on each side. "Adeline would flip in her grave to find out her best friend and son are romantically involved" She added "She would be happy for me" "What about society?" "Enough Jayda!" His eyes appeared bloodshot as he stared into the eyes of the woman that dominated his thoughts since his childhood. "I have waited long enough to have you. I. Can't. Wait. Any more. You are mine and I will kill anyone that tries to steal my happiness away from me. Get that into your thick skull" She was supposed to feel mad for being reprimanded like a toddler but instead, her core craved for him most sinfully. A night of passion turned her God-son into her lover but how long will this fairytale last?
Eight years ago, she thought he was a Money Boy at the club, and accidentally had a one-night stand with him because she was framed by her stepsister. Is $100 enough to buy a Money Boy for one night? The next morning, she casually dropped $100 and ran away. Eight years later, she returned with her genius son. Little did she expect to be "deceived" into the Noblefull Group by her beloved son. Her immediate boss turned out to be Mr. $100 from eight years ago! ... "Bad girl, how dare you humiliate me eight years ago, this time you will pay the price!" "Bad girl, one billion dollars, I buy your whole life!" "I just want to be a secretary. You already have several lovers. You are not my type." "But, I only have feelings for you, only love you." However, their relationship was not smooth. Due to a property dispute, his brother deliberately caused a car accident in an attempt to kill her and their son. Due to past grievances of the previous generation, his father held deep hatred towards him and sent assassins to kill them. There were also plots and attempts on their lives orchestrated by his girlfriend. On top of that, they faced oppression from rival factions of the mafia... This is a romantic novel about a billionaire and his secretary, involving several generations of love, hatred, and complicated relationships, and also involving the mafia, revenge...
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
She was hurt. She was bullied and made fun of. And the only hope that kept her going was finding her mate. She has always been weak. Weak to the world. Why? Because she was a lantern. She didn't have a wolf. That's what everyone thought about her. When she found her mate, he wanted her to be his slut and not a wife. She might be an omega, but it doesn't mean she will take disloyalty and betrayal lightly. So she did something that no one in history ever did. She rejected an Alpha. "I, Alexis Clark, reject Brandon Sterling, the alpha of Black mist pack, and consider myself a free soul until I decide so."; Were her last words before she left that torturous place and became a rogue. A rogue that everyone was fearing and finding. Why? Because she was the rogue that has become one of the biggest problems of almost all the packs in the country. She was Alexis Clark. A rogue that rejected an Alpha, stealth food, kill other rogues, and more than that was living with humans and studying with them. What will happen when her case is given to the world's most dangerous alpha, Sebastian Sinclair, who has taken it upon himself to punish this rogue. The one who hated rogues and omega to a level that was beyond understanding. Why? Because his mate was an omega, who betrayed him with a rogue before dying. How will Alexis tackle this alpha, in whose College she was studying and living under hiding for almost a year? What will Sebastian do when he finds out the new girl he had been talking to is none other than the rogue omega that he had decided to kill? "To love you with all my might was my only wish, but you were the only one who gave me endless suffering. So today, I promise myself to not fall for anyone."; A simple saying that both Alexis and Sebastian had vowed upon. Will they be able to find their love amidst all these problems?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Endless caresses, endless kisses. Clinging to him as if her life depended on it, her body ached for more and she arched into the touch to receive more, more pleasure. "Oh darling, you taste so delicious, I can't get enough." He rubbed himself against her, telling her how much he wanted her, his deep, gruff voice resonating in her head. Her body also desired him. "Come for me, baby," He gave the order, and her body obeyed, following his command. "No!" she yelled, opening her eyes abruptly. Feeling confused and guilty, she gasped and sat up in bed. Scarlett's life takes an unexpected when she discovers that she is pregnant by a stranger with whom she had a one-night stand. She was humiliated and disowned by her parents. She ran away from the pack to start a new life. Will Scarlett find her way back to the father of her kids? What happens when he finds her and does everything possible to make her his? Will they scale through the challenges that life would throw at them? ***** Scarlett wakes up in bed with a stranger and doesn't even remember how she got there. She later discovers that the man she spent that night with was the Lycan King.