When small town librarian Maryanne learns that she is the temporary guardian of her best friend's toddler, she is ready to take on the responsibility of parenthood. However, when she discovers that she must co-parent Riley with Max, the charming billionaire playboy who broke her heart all those years ago, she is horrified. They have one year to decide who will be the better guardian; Max has one year to prove his love to Maryanne. As Max and Maryanne work side by side to create a loving home, Maryanne will see a new side of Max and realize just how badly she wants to change the past. Her Billionaire and Her Baby is created by Sierra Christenson, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
As the cold winter air rushes through the quiet library, rustling pages of a few open books, Maryanne shivers, her body tightening up. She presses the start button on her key fob to make sure her car is running. Shaking the chill off, she releases her tied up hair from her dark scrunchie, allowing her pale locks to fall down around her shoulders. After running her hands through her hair, she pulls on a black beanie and shrugs on her winter jacket.
Maryanne sighs, dreading the walk from the door to her warm car. After she places the strap of her purse around her shoulders and tries to pick up her car keys with her gloved hands, she walks away from her desk.
"Have a good night," Jessica calls out to her, her glasses slipping down her thin nose as she looks up from her paperwork.
"You too. Don't stay too long." Maryanne smiles softly before bracing herself against the mid-January air.
She all but bolts to her warm Toyota, groaning out a sigh once she is out of the freezing wonderland. She shakes her entire body, trying to warm up.
"I hate winter," she mumbles taking off her gloves in order to grab her phone from her pocket. She has three missed calls.
"That's odd."
Maryanne only ever leaves it on silent while she is at work, but rarely will she ever receive a call, especially not three. As she clicks on the voicemail, another call from the same number pops up.
"Oh," she slides the answer button to pick up the call and brings the cold phone to her ear. "Hello?"
"Maryanne Johnson? This is Edward. I am from the Edenville Hospital." The smooth voice on the other end of the line trembles, and Maryanne can sense anxiety that reverberates through her own body.
"Is everything okay?"
A large stone forms in her stomach and only continues to grow. She swallows passed the lump in her throat as her heart begins to quicken and her mind races.
Who could it be? Who does she even know nearby? Most of her family is on the other side of the country.
"I am so sorry. I am calling because you are listed as the emergency contact for Miss Lucy Morgan."
Maryanne's entire body turns upside down, flopping. Her vision blurs as her mind shuts down.
"Miss Lucy was involved in a head on collision with a drunk driver. Her and her passenger were dead on impact," the voice, Edward, continues solemnly.
No, no. "This can't be happening," Maryanne whimpers. Tears stream down her cheeks, but she tries to bite her lip in order to control herself.
Her entire body vibrates with the grief wracking her chest. A sob seeps through her defenses. Her only friend. The only one that understand her. She is gone. What is she going to do?
One thought rushes through her mind even as her car shuts off and the cold winter bites at her soul, "Where is Riley?"
>><<
Maryanne holds down tears for the hundredth time that day, gripping her steering wheel. She stares up at the apartment complex before her. She is not sure she is ready to venture into their home. Their space. Since neither of them have much family nearby, she was asked by Lucy's mother if she could box up all of her things and send them to her. Her mother did not want to cross the threshold of their apartment.
Well, neither did Maryanne, but she couldn't say no to the grieving mother.
Pausing before she drives away, she grabs her phone on the passenger seat that has begun to vibrate violently. Blinking away her tears, she reads the name on her screen before answering.
"Hello?"
The voice that echoes through the phone is soft and kind, "Good morning, this is Dianne from Social Services."
"Oh, good morning, how are you?"
"I am doing great, how are you?"
"Oh, holding up," she swallows passed the lump in her throat.
Dianne continues, but now her voice is more gentle, careful. "I was just calling to see if you have some time this afternoon to come in and sign some paperwork? There is some information we have to go over as well."
Maryanne's heart skips a beat. That's right, she will be signing for Riley today. Hopefully she will be able to bring her home. "Yes, of course. I am off today. I can come in."
"Perfect. There are some issues we have to figure out," Dianne states.
"Like what?" What could be an issue in this situation?
"Your name is not the only one in the will."
What? "Really? Who else would be written in?
"Greg wrote that he wanted his cousin to take care of Riley."
"Who?"
Wait, did Greg have a cousin nearby? Yes, he did. Lucy mentioned him before. What was his name?
"Max Ryder, the maternal cousin of Greg Ryder."
Maryanne's heart drops as memories fill her mind.
Max Ryder.
The billionaire cousin that owns an expanding company and lives in an expensive penthouse in the city. The one that Maryanne went out with five years ago, but very briefly. The man that broke her heart. He is the one that Greg chose to take care of Riley?
With the world crumbling apart during another war, Eliana is tasked to bring two nations together through marriage. Plans change drastically when her caravan is attacked by assassins and she is forced to go on the run. While fleeing assassins, Eliana will meet Jasper, a young werebear searching for the love of his mate. As Eliana discovers that her lineage holds a dangerous secret, she will be faced with the magnetic attraction she feels for Jasper, a member of the race responsible for killing her mother. The Princess and Her Werebear is created by Sierra Christenson, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
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."
18+, strong mature, and sexual content. Sneak peek: "W-what are you doing?" I asked, my breathing getting heavier as his warm fingers inched towards my bikini bottom. "You called me a coward earlier, remember?" He asked, his other hand wrapped around my throat and lips torturingly brushing over mine "So let's see how much you can handle if I break the boundaries." "I haven't said anything wrong," I breathed out, the collision of the heat of our bodies made the wetness between my thighs build more "Oh really?" He hooked my legs around his waist leaving me surprised I opened my mouth to say something but before any sentence could leave my mouth, sliding past my bikini bottom his fingers were there on my bare clit and the next second they thrust inside the very tight hole of mine leaving me to scream. But everything went silent as he pressed his hot lips upon mine just as I had been wanting since the first day I had ever seen him. **** I always knew the things I felt for Jacob Adriano were wrong in so many ways. He was my dad's best friend, totally out of bounds but I couldn't stop wanting him. And once in the event of my dad's destination wedding, I came across him after years...I lost every one of the boundaries I had and surely I planned to make him lose his ones too. After all Jacob Adriano, the sinfully attractive Italian was not unaware of my obsession with him. But little did know that forbidden relationships always bring havoc and demolition.....
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Scarlett was left betrayed and broken beyond repair when her best friend Megan set her up with the male escort who stole her virginity...Or at least, that's what she thought he was. There was something odd about the strong and strikingly beautiful man that she spent a night with. Despite the pure hatred she felt for him, the deals he ended up offering wasn't one she could refuse. Scarlett always thought she'd marry her soulmate but turns out, that won't be the case for her. But could her mysterious husband make his way through her broken heart and fix it? It's hard to imagine but love has funny ways to manifest in places where it's least expected....
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
It was a big day for Camilla. She looked forward to marrying her handsome groom. Unfortunately, he abandoned her at the altar. He never showed up throughout the wedding. She was made a laughingstock in front of all the guests. In a fit of rage, she went and slept with a strange man on her wedding night. It was supposed to be a one-night stand. To her dismay, the man refused to let her be. He pestered her like she had stolen his heart on that night. Camilla didn't know what to do. Should she give him a chance? Or just stay away from men?