The jealous husband! For Donato Vittoria, marriage was a lifetime commitment. He'd chosed Grace as his bride, and he would cherish her forever. Or so Grace had believed.... Until she'd discovered Donato's betrayal-with Maria, a beautiful family friend. Had he forgotten his vows so soon? Did he expect Grace to play the dutiful wife, while he continued to enjoy a bachelor life-style? The hurt had been unbearable, and Grace had fled. But Donato insisted he was still her husband-by contract-and he wanted Grace back in his life, and his bed! HUSBANDS & WIVES Sometimes the perfect marraige is worth waiting for!
' You are my wife, Grace,' Donato continued. 'There has been no divorce, the marriage contract still stands.'
'Not in my eyes.' She was painting hard, her slim fairness overshadowed by his dark maleness as he held her fast. 'You might be my husband by contract, but that is all, and without love, our marriage certificate becomes just a piece of paper...'
'EXCUSE me, but are you feeling all right?'
'I'm sorry?' Grace felt as though she had just returned from a dark, cold place as she focused her deep blue eyes on the concerned face of the stewardess bending over her, the gentle murmur of conversation from the other
passengers on the plane penetrating the horror that had held her in its grip.
'Oh, yes, yes, thank you, I'm fine.' The pretty young face watching her didn't look convinced and she added quickly, 'A headache. I've had a headache all day, that's all.'
'Oh, you should have said.' The tall, slim stewardess smiled her professional smile of sympathy as she straightened. 'I'll get you a couple of aspirin, shall I?'
'Thank you.' Grace nodded her appreciation. 'If it's no trouble,' she added quietly, forcing a smile from somewhere.
A headache. If only this fear and panic that had made eating and sleeping impossible since she had received the telegram could be dealt with as easily as a headache. The flat formality of the printed words swam into her mind again as her stomach churned.
I have been instructed by Donato Vittoria to inform you of the sudden death of his mother, and to request your presence at the funeral on 23rd April. The service will be held at the Church of the Madonna ill Mezz' Loreto at midday.
That had been all. No explanation, no suggestion that she call or contact the family in any way, just a cold, terse announcement from the Vittorias'
solicitor, Signor Fellini.
But it hadn't really been an announcement, had it? she thought sickly. It was a demand, a decree, by the autocratic head of the Vittoria clan, whose word was law and power absolute. Donato. Oh, God, I shan't be able to stand it, she prayed desperately; help me get through the next few days...
'Here we are.' Again the smooth, pleasant voice of the stewardess brought her back from the edge of despair and into the real world as she handed Grace a glass of water and the aspirin. 'Not long now and we'll be landing; you'll feel better then,' she added brightly, the tone faintly patronizing.
'Thank you.' Grace obediently swallowed both the aspirin and the water and settled back in her seat as she closed her eyes. She knew what the stewardess was thinking; it had been transparently obvious. Poor little thing, she's frightened of flying. Well, she was frightened all right, absolutely terrified, but not of flying.
Oh, she had to pull herself together, she told herself angrily. She was a grown woman of twenty-three, not some nervous; over excited schoolgirl who couldn't say boo to a goose. If only she looked her twenty-three years, that would give her a little more confidence for the days ahead but her petite five feet four inches added to red gold curls that defied all efforts at smoothness and a naturally elfin face took at least five years off her age despite her careful choice of clothes.
But she was old inside. She shuddered her hands clenching on her lap.
Ancient, antediluvian inside. More than old enough to cope with Donato and the rest of the Vittoria family.
That thought carried her through the rest of the journey and the arrival at Naples airport, and once through Customs she collected the one suitcase she had brought with her and prepared to find a taxi, her face white and strained and her small, slim body held erect amidst all the bustle and chaos wound her.
'Grace.' She froze for an infinitesimal moment, mind and body registering the Shock of hearing that deep, cool voice with its heavy Italian accent speaking her name, and then forced herself to turn slowly as she took a long steadying breath.
'Donato.' A smile was beyond her as she took in the tall, dark man watching her so closely, his black eyes narrowed in the tanned hardness of his face and his firm, sensual mouth unsmiling like hers. He was still the same! She felt her heart begin to slam against her ribcage with the force of a sledgehammer and, willed the panic to cease. She had to be in control, give the impression of calm and cold restraint; anything else would be seized upon as weakness and used against her. 'I'm very sorry about your mother,'
she said quietly, hoping the slight quiver in her voice would pass unnoticed.
'She was a truly great lady.'
'Yes, she was.' He was standing very still, his loose fitting trousers and dark blue cotton shirt immaculate as always and sitting on the big, lithe body in a way guaranteed to make any female heart beat a little faster.'
But not hers. Grace took another hidden breath before she spoke. Definitely not hers, never again. 'The telegram said it was sudden?' she asked carefully, keeping her voice neutral. His had been quite expressionless, cold and flat.
'A hemorrhage, in the brain.' He touched his forehead as he spoke, the movement emphasizing the heavy gold watch on his wrist and the thick gold band on the third finger of his left hand. 'She knew nothing about it. Now...'
He turned slightly, gesturing to someone behind him. 'Antonio will take your bags-- "
'I'm not staying at Casa Pontina!' She had spoken too sharply and too quickly but it was too late to try and moderate her tone as the handsome male face in front of her darkened. 'I...I've made arrangements,' she said hastily. 'It's all taken care of.' How had he known of her arrival? Why was he here? What was all this in aid of? As the numbing shock of the sudden encounter began to fade Grace found a barrage of questions attacking her mind.
'Where else would stay but at Casa Pontina?' The arrogance was pure Vittoria and as such hit her on the raw, causing her soft mouth to tighten in response to the challenge.
'I'm booked in at the Hotel La Pergola,' she said coldly, 'for three nights.'
'I think not.' He smiled now, but it didn't touch the glittering blackness of his eyes. 'It would not be fitting in the circumstances and this you know. It will be expected that you stay at Casa Pontina.'
He spoke as if the matter were settled, and as the uniformed chauffeur reached for her case again at Donato's tight nod she found herself whisking it behind her and stepping back a pace.
'I don't have to do what is expected of me, not any more,' she said fiercely.
'I'm answerable to myself and no one else. You can't order me about like you do everyone else.'
'Everyone, Grace?' The dark voice was quiet and silky now, with a thread of steel that she knew was meant to intimidate. 'I had forgotten how you like to exaggerate.'
'That doesn't surprise me,' she tossed back bitterly. 'I'm only surprised you remember my name.'
'Oh, I remember your name, mia piccola.' The soft endearment hit her like a punch in the chest and it took all of her will power not to let it show. 'I remember everything about you. Now, you will let Antonio take your
luggage,' he continued in a smooth, conversational tone of voice that was belied by the glittering intensity in his eyes, 'and you will stay at Casa Pontina.'
'Why should I?' she asked hotly, her blue eyes stormy.
'Because it is what my mother would have wanted.' She stared at him, the anger and bitter resentment draining away as the truth in his words left her pale and shaking. Liliana would have wanted her to stay at the family home, she acknowledged painfully. In fact the matriarch of the Vittoria clan would have been horrified at anything else.
This was one last thing she could do for Liliana, she thought sadly, for the tall, proud, aristocratic Italian woman who had wielded such power and influence within her own family and shown Grace nothing but love and kindness from their first meeting. Yes, she would do this for Liliana; for Liliana she would even endure living under the same roof as Donato for three days and nights.
'Very well.' She saw the flash of triumph in the jet black eyes and had to bite her lip to prevent more hot words. Liliana was dead, the last tentative link with Italy was broken by her demise, and she would endeavor to see out this final travesty with the sort of dignity and aplomb that the genteel Italian woman would have expected from her. 'I shall have to cancel my reservation at La Pergola on the way to Casa Pontina.'
'Si, of course; this will be no problem.' The words were smooth and self satisfied and caused' her stomach muscles to tighten.
Donato nodded in a sharp little bow, clicking his fingers at Antonio, who reached behind her for the case, his pock marked face beneath its chauffeur's cap of blue and gold apologetic. 'Scusi, signora.' The voice was humble, the appearance of the big, beefy individual anything but.
Antonio might not know any English, Grace reflected with a touch of wryness, but he had certainly had no trouble in following the general theme of the conversation.
She had always thought Donato's chauffeur resembled a member of the Sicilian mafia rather than a household servant, and this idea was reinforced now as she followed the swarthy, dark figure out to the Vittoria Mercedes, Donato's hand at her elbow feeling for all the world as though she was being led to her execution.
The fifty or so mile drive to Donato's magnificent villa in Sorrento would be no problem-the Mercedes excellent air conditioning added to the fact that the late April temperature was only just touching seventy degrees made traveling at midday still a pleasure, unlike in high summer but sitting in close proximity to Donato for well over an hour was a different matter.
Grace had planned to stay overnight in Naples and travel down to Sorrento early the next morning by hire car in time for the funeral, returning the same day. That would have meant she could have paid her last respects to Liliana while retaining some degree of independence, but ... she might have known Donato would overrule any arrangements she had made.
Donato opened the car door for her but she paused before sliding in, looking up into his cold, handsome face as she asked, 'How did you know I was coming today, and on that flight?'
'Does it matter?' His voice was cool and dismissive, his manner remote. It was an attitude she had seen him adopt many times in the past and it usually had the desired effect of forestalling further conversation, but not so with her, and not today.
'Yes, it does, to me.' She continued to hold his glance, her vivid blue eyes with their thick, curling lashes dark with determination. 'I wasn't aware I told anyone of my plans.'
'Possibly not,' he said .
'Well, then?' Her gaze was becoming a glare but she couldn't do anything about it; his arrogance was bringing up a strong feeling of rebellion. 'How did you know?' she asked again.
'I know most things about you, Grace.' The way he said her name still had the power to make her weak but she would rather have walked through coals of fire than admit it, even to herself.
'Meaning?' she snapped tightly, her eyes hot.
'You want me to list all the things I know about you?' he asked smoothly, with simulated surprise. 'Here? Where we could so easily be overheard?'
'Stop playing games, Donato.' She said it with a touch of weariness that narrowed his eyes on the whiteness of her face, in which exhaustion was suddenly all too evident.
'Is that what you think I am doing, mia piccola?' he said softly. 'Playing the game? Nothing could be further from the truth.' For a moment something fierce and hot, blazed in the heavily lashed black eyes but then his lids shuttered the fire as he half turned from her, gesturing into the car. 'Get in and I will tell you what you wish to know.'
She got in--there was really little else she could do after all, she told herself flatly--and when he joined her a moment later on the spacious back seat, and her senses caught a whiff of the familiar aftershave he had specially made for him, the wickedly blended allure of spices and lemon and something indefinable made her nerve ends jump. How many nights had she spent locked in his arms, she asked herself tremulously, breathing in that heady fragrance after hours of mad, passionate love? Hours that had sent her up to the heights, hours that had had her begging, pleading for sweet relief and then barely able to stand the ecstasy when he had obliged.
She had thought then that they would be together for the rest of their lives, that nothing in this world or the one beyond could possibly separate them, that they were two halves of one glorious whole. But she had learnt. Her mouth tightened and she breathed deeply through her nostrils. Oh, how she had learnt.
'Well?' She forced her face to remain blank she turned slightly, although his nearness sent her heart flickering into her throat. 'How did you know I was arriving today?'
'I have been aware of all your movements in the last year, Grace,' he said calmly. 'You surely did not think it could be otherwise?'
'All of my movements?' she echoed, puzzled. 'I really don't see...' And then it dawned. 'You don't mean ... You haven't had me watched?' she asked
angrily, her voice and colour rising in unison. 'Is that what you're saying?'
'Of course.' He eyed her coldly, the straight line of his mouth expressing distaste at her lack of control.
'Of course?' Her cry of outrage made him wince slightly, but she had given up trying to maintain the new cool image; she had never been so furious in all her life.
'You dare to sit there and tell me you've been spying on me,' she hissed heatedly, 'without the slightest shred of guilt or embarrassment? How dared you do that, Donato? I can't believe even you would sink so low.'
You might say it's poor form to throw the bride over your shoulder caveman-style and run off with her, especially if it's not your wedding. Whoops. It's her wedding day. I'm not the groom. Oh, but I'm going to be... The world may call me a King and a gentleman, but there's nothing gentle about me. I've fought like hell to get to where I am, and these rough hands want one thing and one thing only – to hold her and never let her go. She's my obsession – my addiction. Blonde, blue-eyed, innocent and tempting, with lips that beg to be tasted and curves that were made to press against me. But a rival king – a cruel, evil piece of garbage – has stepped in to buy her hand and her innocence with the promise of paying off her parents' debts. He thinks that makes her his, but he's about to learn how wrong he is. You see, the rumors about my royal staff and crown jewels aren't tall tales. She deserves a real man. A better man. King Milton just isn't the right fit for her. ...Oh, but I am. And I'm going to "fit" with her so well that she'll be moaning for more. I'm a king, after all. And kings take what they want. And tonight? I'm taking her. I'll do anything to make her my queen. ...Even if I have to steal her. Grab those tiaras and hold on to your jewels! One totally obsessed, totally big alpha King, one smart, sassy, stolen bride, and enough insta-love, kindle-melting steam, and sugary-sweetness to knock you right out of your throne. This book is utterly over-the-top fantasy with pretty much zero grounding in reality. You've been warned ;). As with all my books, this one is safe, with no cheating, and a HEA guaranteed.
Nathan never should have gotten in that truck. That he knew for sure, but something animalistic, something sexy, something almost magnetic drew him to the mysterious brooding man who beckoned for him to get in and so he did. What ensues is a night Nathan will never forget, filled with intrigue, passion and mind-blowing dominant sex only an Alpha werewolf shifter can give you; a night Nathan soon finds he was destined to experience. But could it lead to true love or will Nathan be tossed aside like he has by so many men before him? Buck promised to protect him, he promised to keep him safe but now Nathan wasn't so sure. They were coming, that he knew for sure. And as the fight for possession over him was looming, Nathan finds himself in a fight for his life as the man who has marked him for love swears to keep him from harm.
WIFE. MISTRESS. MURDERER. If you were being framed for murder, how far would you go to clear your name? I'm not guilty of murder. Bethany Reston is happily married. But she's also having an affair with a famous client. And no one can ever know. But that doesn't make me innocent. When Bethany's lover is brutally murdered, she has to hide her grief from everyone. But someone knows her secret. And then one day the threats begin. With an ever-growing pile of evidence pointing to her as the murderer, the only way she can protect her secrets is to prove her innocence. And that means tracking down a killer. An incredibly taut, tense game of cat and mouse - with a twist you'll never see coming.
I’m king of the criminal underworld. I always get what I want. And she’s my obsession. Cora is new to the city of sin. Her innocent blue eyes beg for me to claim her. But I’m not the billionaire she thinks I am. There’s a darkness within me. And Cora is a shining light. She’s beautiful. A virgin. I’m ruthless. A beast. She found me for a reason. She’ll be my queen. I’ll give her everything that her heart desires. Except for one thing. Her freedom. She’s mine to keep, and I’m never letting her go. I wasn't capable of love. Not until I met Cora. My angel. I’ve claimed every inch of her body and I only want more. I’m a man who craves control, but her power over me is absolute. She holds my heart in her hands. She can never find out. The demons in this city want to destroy her. It’s my job to protect her innocence. Lock her safe in my high tower. But I’m the danger that she’s trying to escape. The ruthless man in her bed. A demon worse than all the others. One who cannot save her from himself.
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."
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!
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."
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"