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
The Harper boys
Tori
"Get off my head!" Deacon said.
I sat on his head and smacked it. "You shouldn't have squirted me with a hose." I whacked his head again.
You're wondering why I'm sitting on Deacon's head. Let me backtrack and explain what happened.
I was in my bedroom, searching for a book, when Deacon yelled. I ignored him because he always yells.
"Tori! If you don't answer me, I'll take your bras and use them as a slingshot!"
I moaned and poked my head out of my bedroom window as water sprayed me in the face. I drew my head inside, sprinting out of my room and out of the house. I tackled Deacon to the ground, sat on his head, and smacked the shit out of him. It brings us to our current situation.
"Get off my head!"
I whacked him in the head a few good times before getting off him.
Deacon stood and rubbed the back of his head. "Damn, Tori. Why must you hit so hard?"
"Hopefully, it'll knock some smarts into you."
"You love me, and you know it." Deacon gave me a cheesy grin.
"More like I love to hate you."
"Deacon! Mom needs help!" Nate said.
"With what?"
"She wants to rearrange the furniture again!"
Deacon rolled his eyes.
"How many times does your mom rearrange the furniture?"
I didn't understand why Nora rearranged her furniture.
"Beats the hell out of me. I learned not to question it." Deacon shrugged. He pivoted and walked home.
I shook my head as Mom opened the door and handed me a bag. "What's this?" I peeked into the bag.
"Romance novels."
"Ugh, why?"
"Because Nora and I like to read them. Take them over to her house."
"You need a hobby."
"I have a hobby." Mom smiled.
I shook my head, then strolled over to Harper's house and knocked on the front door. Nora answered as I handed her the bag. She gave one back to me as I opened it and laughed.
"Shh. Don't tell your dad."
"Why don't you and my mom come clean about your Girl Scout addiction?"
"We can't help it. Greg and Matt don't understand why we hide our guilty pleasures." Nora grinned.
My mom and Nora are crazy. They use romance novels to hide an addiction to Girl Scout cookies. I find it disturbing. When I turned to return to my house, something clanged on the cement. I leaned under a car to see a wrench on the ground. A hand grabbed it. I didn't think Matt was home.
When I stood up, Elias stood on the opposite side of the car, staring at me. I moved towards the car as he stood with the wrench in his hand.
"I didn't know you were home."
"I returned home a few days ago. I had to take care of a few things after graduation."
I placed my palms on the car and leaned on it. "How does it feel to be a big, bad college guy?"
Elias leaned on his forearms. "It had its moments. You learn a lot about people."
"Do you now?"
Elias smirked. A car beeped its horn as Bradley's car was out front.
"Yo! Babe! Let's go!" Bradley said.
I rolled my eyes because I hated when Bradley called me babe. The Wilson brothers have this habit of walking around like they owned the world.
"You better run along before Bradley thinks you're doing something you shouldn't," Elias said.
"Bradley doesn't own me."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." I walked over to my house, took the bag inside, dropped it off, then left. I walked out to Bradley's car and got in. I didn't understand Elias. While growing up, he would watch out for me. Now it seems like he couldn't care less. I guess college changes people.
* * * * *
Elias
I grabbed a rag and cleaned the tools as Tori walked away. She has changed a lot since the last time I saw her. I didn't know what she saw in Bradley Wilson, since he's an asshole and treats her like arm candy.
Dad pulled into the driveway, then got out of the car. He walked towards me. "Car problems?" He glimpsed the vehicle.
"I was changing spark plugs."
I put the tools away and moved the prop, dropping the hood.
"Why do you seem irritated?"
"Tori came by with romance novels for Mom. Then Bradley Wilson showed up."
"Yeah, Nate and Deacon bitched about Tori dating Bradley."
"When did they start dating?"
"After Tori turned sixteen. Bradley put on a good show, but Greg didn't buy it."
"Then why let Tori date a tool?"
"Because Greg told Tori she could date at sixteen. Sometimes, it's not worth the argument."
"Sometimes, it is."
My dad tilted his head. I carried the toolbox into the garage, put it back, then went in and washed up. I'll work in construction next week since I enjoy working with my hands and building things.
I kissed Mom's cheek, then washed up, scrubbing my hands and changing my shirt. Mom would kill me since I got grease on my shirt. Dad told her it comes with the territory.
I still couldn't understand why Tori dated Bradley Wilson. The guy is a weasel. So are his brothers. They treat women like shit and deserve their asses kicked.
* * * * *
Tori
I sat in Bradley's car, staring out of the window while he beat off.
"I'm almost there." Bradley groaned.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Why?
"Much better." Bradley fixed his pants. "You know you could help me. I'm tired of doing this myself."
"I'm not giving you a hand job."
"You suck as a girlfriend."
"You suck, period."
A hand connected against my mouth, shocking me.
"Listen, you stupid bitch. You'll respect me."
I hauled off and decked Bradley, then got out of the car. I slammed the car door and leaned into the window as Bradley held his nose.
"Fuck off! We're done!"
I turned and walked home. Bradley peeled away as I pulled out my phone. I was so angry that tears fell down my cheeks. I called Deacon. If I called Gabe, he would give me a lecture about making a stupid decision.
I stood there as a car pulled up. I opened the door, got in, and buckled my seatbelt. "Thanks for picking me up. I didn't want to call Gabe and get a lecture."
"It's no problem."
That wasn't Deacon's voice. I turned and came face to face with Elias. My brown eyes met his blue eyes. My heart sped as he drove me home.
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
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
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
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
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
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?
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.