As the quints head into their third and final year of college, they are going to discover the thing that truly matters most - family. Follow them on their journey as the sisters deal with situations beyond their control. That is when the family becomes essential, especially the Gray Family. Now all they must do is get through the next two years with minor issues. Considering these are The Gray Sisters, expect the unexpected. With a little bit of help from the Brothers and a whole lot of humor, anything is possible. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Unconditional Love
Lakin
Patience has never been my strong suit. I prefer to use my fists to get my point across. But, of course, now I would have to garnish some with Mia.
Her speech had improved, and so did her motor skills, but she had developed an innocence about her. She looked at things differently than before, and now it was my turn to take care of her.
I spent more time with her than with my family. They understood, but today we're celebrating Grammy's birthday. I swear the woman is like two hundred years old.
According to Dad, she is only ninety-five, close enough.
I drove over to Mia's house to pick her up for the birthday party and got out of the car. I walked up to the front door and knocked.
Michael answered it and smiled. He held the door open as I walked inside.
"I'll get Lyric. Mia's a little upset."?
"About what?"?
"Her dress."?
I nodded and walked up the stairs, and he followed me.
I knocked on her bedroom door, and it was quiet. I turned the knob, opening it to reveal Mia sitting on her bed with her head down.
I walked over to her and crouched in front of her. "Hey, baby girl."
She lifted her head and looked at me, wide-eyed, smiling. "Lakin!"
"Michael said you were a little upset about your dress."?
"Oh, Lakin, it's not pretty." She sighed.
"It's beautiful."?
"Are you sure?" Her face lit up.
"Yes, now, come on. We don't want to be late." I stood up and held out my hand. She took it, standing up. She placed her hands on my shoulders and kissed me on the lips. That caught me by surprise because she hadn't been affectionate with me for a while.
I missed this. I placed my hands on Mia's face and kissed her back. I missed her lips and being close to her - baby steps.
I let go of her, and she smiled. I took her hand and led her out as Michael followed us. I led her to the car and got her situated while Michael went to get Lyric.
I drove her to Grampa's and Nana's house. After I parked, we got out of the car, and I held her hand while we walked inside the house. I didn't want people to scare her.
As we entered, she clenched my arm as people saw us. The entire family was here. Uncle Jonas and Uncle Cayson came along with their wives and families.
"Lakin, I'm scared." She buried her head into my shoulder.
"Mia? Look at me."?
She lifted her head.?
"This is my family, which will also be your family one day. So, they won't hurt you, Hunny."
Everyone gave her a soft smile as a smile curled upon her lips. Then I heard a clunking sound against the floor. Oh, shit.
Mia gripped my arm, cutting off my circulation as Grammy crept towards us. Please be kind and gentle. I prayed to myself.
"Well, hello, Mia. You're wearing a lovely dress today." Grammy said. Wait. What?
Mia loosened her grip on my arm and moved her hands to her dress as she pushed the material between her fingers. "Do you think so?"
"Oh, sweetheart, I know so. How about you come with me, and we can have cake?" Grammy gave Mia a genuine smile.
Mia smiled and turned to me. "Lakin? Can I have cake?"
"How about some food, then you can have an enormous piece of cake?"
"Okay."?
"Okay, food, then cake," Grammy told her. "Get us some food, Nathaniel. I'm not getting any younger!"
"You can say that again," Cayson said under his breath.
Mia giggled. "He's funny."
Grammy didn't argue, and neither did the rest of us. We all smiled. That was a relief. As they made their way out, Dad and Ma walked over to me. "She seems like she's doing better," Dad said.
"We're taking it day by day," I said.
"Lakin, we're proud of you," Ma told me.
"She's my heart," I told them with a shrug. I walked by them and out to the backyard. Mia was everything to me. So much had happened that I was afraid she wouldn't wake up, but she did. She might be different, but to me, she was my Mia.
*****
The party got into full swing. The noise level increased tenfold. It caused Mia to go into a full-blown panic mode because the noise was an issue.
"Stop!" She placed her hands over her ears.?
I turned and walked over to her as everyone quieted down. I reached her.?
"Lakin, it's too loud."?
"Okay, baby girl. Let's go somewhere quieter." I guided her away from everyone.
Michael followed suit.
"Will she be okay?" Larkin asked Lyric.
"No, but over time noise won't be as bad. Michael said she's been having a challenging time adjusting to things. It's because of the brain damage," Lyric said.
"She didn't deserve that. I hope that the bastard rots in hell," Maverick said.
Once we calmed her down, I took her home. The party was too much for her. Over time, she would get better with noise, but it was still a battle. At least, she was here and alive. Oh, Mia, my baby, it'll be okay.
Carrington Carrington Jones grew up with seven brothers and sisters. He has a happy-go-lucky nature with a tender heart, which sets him apart from his siblings with their personalities. He meets a woman who captures his heart. The only problem is she has a husband. Carrington’s brothers advised him against pursuing it, especially Mason and Charles, understanding it’s a terrible idea. Carrington can’t stay away from the woman. What happens with romance blossoms? Will Carrington discover his happiness, or will his heart get broken? A forbidden romance is enticing but arises in tragedy. Carrington will discover that it’s not romance where his heart lies but what occurs from it. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Matthew Harper always does the right thing. He doesn’t drink or smoke and protects his family, but he lets his past rule him. After dealing with the loss of his girlfriend Sadie, he thought he could move on, but ghosts of the past resurface. It made him close off his heart to someone who could love him more profoundly than the ocean. What happens when a past love resurfaces, making him rethink his earlier decisions? Will he get a second chance at happiness he deserves or breaks another’s heart again? It takes help from some cousins and an unexpected situation to show Matthew that we can’t let the past rule our future. The heart wants what the heart wants. *The Gray Series spin-off series. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Oliver Harper is a unique person. He doesn’t care about frivolous ideas or someone in his life to complete him. He prefers a conversation that stimulates his mind. When Oliver starts college, his friends and cousins join him. The problem with this bunch is they’re crazy. Have you met the Gray/Harper family? They define bat shit crazy. Olivier will navigate his way through college with the help of his family and cousins. He’ll meet and fall in love with the most unexpected person who’ll stimulate his mind. College life is about to explode. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Growing up next to the Harper boys, Tori Williams learned to hold her own with them. Her brother Gabe is best friends with the boys, and Tori deals with the youngest Harper boy, Deacon. There’s a slight issue when Tori dates Bradley Wilson, whom the Harper boys can’t stand. Wanting to keep Tori from her idiot ex-boyfriend, Nate and Deacon develop a plan of their own. Elias Harper graduated college and returned home to work in construction. While Nate and Deacon scheme to keep Bradley from Tori, another issue arises when Elias takes an interest in a particular neighbor girl. What happens when four years change people? Will a love connection happen, or will someone get burned? With the Gray gene cemented in your DNA, all bets are off. Follow Elias as he discovers who held his heart while growing up. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Lex and Piper are ready to settle down and have a family of their own. After celebrating the wedding of Michael and Lyric, something significant happens to Lex and Piper, which turns the Gray family upside down. Will they be able to get through this, or will they falter? With the help of The Gray Brothers and The Gray Sisters, Lex and Piper will learn the meaning of what it is to be a Gray. Love and humor go a long way for this family. Follow Lex and Piper on their journey as we find out if they can find their way back to each other. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Nash and Maggie’s offspring are off to college, along with Kaiden and Kain. As they navigate life away from home, they must deal with what happened after graduation too. Will the quints help Lyric deal with the tragedy while they deal with college life? Sometimes, you need a little help and guidance from The Gray Brothers themselves. Get ready because The Gray Sisters are taking college by storm. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted 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 Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael'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!