Hot. Fast. Dangerous. Only two things are capable of sating my hunger: racing and women. I'm a devil behind the wheel, and there isn't another man in New York City who can beat me. Nor any dumb enough to try. But there was a woman who could. My ex-wife, Evie. And she did. Messed me up real good. Thanks to her, I gave up my dream of racing, but I can't run from fate forever. The evil bastards at her side have taken over the underground racing scene, but I'm diving back in deep. With my focus on the road, the last thing I need is a distraction, but that's just what Laina is. My best friend's little sister feels off limits, until she isn't. Perfect curves and a smile that could melt hearts, this woman has me wanting to say yes from the start. She's relentless and drives me mad with the desire to be bad one more time-just for her. I might be outracing demons, but I'm not running from anything. Not me. Not ever again.
Mason
The car was nicer than I'd expected. Way nicer.
My brother Rick had called me that Saturday morning to tell me he'd found something he wanted me to see. After asking him some prying questions and being met with evasive answers, I'd driven over to his house to see what the hell he was going on about.
He had a 1967 Mustang Fastback in his garage. It wasn't stock. In fact, I doubted anything on the damn thing was stock. It was souped-up, and the metallic green paint glittered in the dim lighting of his garage. Specks of gold and silver shimmered as I walked around the car like it was winking at me. Promising me victory.
"What do you think?" Rick asked as he slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels.
I paused behind the car and looked up at my younger brother. He had come a long way from a head injury six months ago. His blond hair wasn't quite growing back properly on the right side of his head where a bullet had wedged into his skull. The fact that he was still alive and fully functioning was a miracle, one I was grateful for every day. Rick was the only family I had left, and someone had almost taken him away from me.
Rick's blue eyes were bright and eager. He hadn't told me he'd had plans laid down for weeks trying to obtain this car. His hard work seemed to have paid off, and now he had a monster in his garage that would have easily been worth a hundred grand. Give or take.
I nodded. "She's slick. Pop the hood."
Rick grinned and did as I asked. His boots thumped on the smooth concrete of the garage floor, and he popped the hood and propped it open. He stepped back as I came around the car to peer down at the intricate work that had been done to the engine.
"Holy shit," I breathed.
"She's fast," Rick said.
"What are your plans for her?"
Rick gave me a smug smile and didn't say anything.
I narrowed my eyes as suspicion tickled my gut. "Rick. What are you playing at?"
He shrugged one shoulder and let the hood fall closed. He rapped his knuckles gently on the place above the right headlight. "I did some digging. There's a race tonight down by the docks. Harriott is running it."
"Who'd you hear that from?"
"Harley." He chuckled.
I nodded knowingly. "How long have you been poking around in that shit?"
"Not long. I just asked her to let me know when the next race came up. This one is big, Mason. The buy-in isn't bad, and first place guarantees you a spot in the qualifier for The Streets. Not to mention you'd walk away with forty grand."
"What's the buy-in?"
"Five thousand."
I stroked my chin. I had that sort of money kicking around at home. It wouldn't be hard to pay for the race. The hard part would be going back to a world I thought I was done with-a world that had chewed me up, spat me out, and then stomped all over me for good measure.
"Do you know who any of the other drivers are?" I asked.
Rick shook his head. "No. Harley played it close to the belt, as always. But she said if you were looking to enter, you had a good shot of placing in the top three at least. She wants you to come back, man. Said so herself. And you know Harley. She's not one to let her bias show."
"No, she's not," I muttered to myself. I walked another lap around the car. The lines were sleek, and the body had been modified only a bit. The green paint danced as I paced around it in a circle and stopped in front of the car again. "So what do I owe you for the car?"
Rick chuckled. "Nothing, man. She's ours. We store her here, and we both get to drive her when we want. If you win, you can share the prize. Sound fair?"
"More than fair."
"Does this mean you're going to go for it?"
I licked my lips. "Will Denning be there?"
Rick hesitated to answer. He looked from me to the car and then back at me before saying, "There's no guarantee, but I'd be surprised if he wasn't."
Mark Denning had been my undoing six months ago. He was also the one who'd pulled the trigger and buried the bullet in my brother's skull.
And he'd stolen my wife from me.
I had a score to settle with that fucker. He was mean and dirty, and the law meant nothing to him. He'd gotten away with shooting my brother on the grounds of trespassing. Rick, my buddy Benji, and I had gone to his house to get my wife, Evelyn, back from him when I believed she was being held against her will. Turns out she'd stabbed me in the back and was trading me in for Mark Denning.
It hadn't made sense to me then, and it still didn't make sense to me now.
"Do you think you'd be ready for that?" Rick asked.
"For what?" I asked.
Rick blinked at me. "For facing Mark."
"Oh. I don't know. I guess we'll find out."
"So that's a yes? You'll race?"
I couldn't think of a better way to stick it to Mark than to kick his ass in the biggest annual street race that existed in New York City. It was risky business getting involved with this shit again, but the payoff would be worth it. Vengeance. Cash. The title.
My title.
My team had been the front-runners in the underground race scene for years, and I was their leader. We'd never chosen a name for ourselves, but once our presence became known, we were bestowed the title of Street Kings by our fans. It stuck. And I liked the ring of it.
This guy could offer me the moon, and Iād hand it right back. Never in a million years did I expect to run into the biggest crush of my childhood. But, of course, I have. And Iām reporting to him at the new company I landed a big-time job at. Arrogant. Hot as hell. Total jackass. Why heās still single is no mystery to me. Heās not willing to settle down. Heās always been that way, and as far as Iām concerned, he always will be. But, boy, is he beautiful to look at. Every part of me screams "run" as my insides turn to mush. No. Not me tooā¦ Not again. I should be immune by now. I know him far too well to fall into this hopeless pit of adoration again. But maybe thereās a way around it. Itās his power that drives me over the edge of insanity. If I were the boss instead of him, Iād hold all the cards. Good thing Iām always up for a challenge. Funnily enough, this guy thinks heās going to score. He might have to redefine what getting lucky looks like after me. At least, thatās the plan.
Ethan Lewis has been in the bright lights for as long as he can remember. Heās just turned the cusp of celebrating his twenty-fourth birthday, and yet he feels more like eighty. Living the life of a celebrity isnāt all it is chalked up to be, and dealing with the unruly number of women who are more interested in his billions than who he is as a person is getting old. He has resigned himself to giving up on love and focusing on the only thing that truly gives back ā his career. Riley Phillips has always dreamed of being on a big stage with the warmth of the spotlight baring down on her, but she just couldnāt seem to catch the right agentās attention. After giving a quick commencement speech as Valedictorian of her graduating class at Billmore High, sheās offered something she canāt refuse... The chance to work in Hollywood. Itās not all itās chalked up to be, but she works hard and finally gets her big break four years down the line. There is a new movie that her agent wants her to audition for, and her co-star? The dreamy Ethan Lewis. She scores the part, but soon regrets it due to his callous, overbearing persona. Heās nothing like the public touts, and she for one isnāt impressed. Funny enough, he is - immensely. This is book 1 in a continued series. All books are available
He said I couldnāt do it, but he was wrong. An old professor at UCLA promised me that I would make nothing of myself, so I made sure I did. To the tune of billions. Iām only a little cocky about it. Yachts, parties, and one-night events pretty much spell out my life. And all of it works well until I run into a beauty I canāt get out of my head. But weāre keeping it friendly and casual until we arenāt. Thereās just one problem. Her old man hates me. And for good reason. He was my UCLA professor. Heās dead set against me becoming anything important to his little girl, but the old manās got it all backward. Iām not looking to make an example out of our passion or prove a point. This isnāt about hit it and quit it. His daughter is mine, and he might kick me out, but sheās letting me all the way in.
My Needs. My Demands. Your Pleasure. You're Welcome. She had one year left of college when our parents got married. And thanks to being raised in poverty, she needed help with her expenses. My dad, being the benevolent billionaire, stepped up without question. But there was a catch. She had to intern at the firm for a year. With me. As her boss. Poor sweet little thing. She has no clue what sheās up against, but sheāll figure it out soon. I donāt play typical games, but the ones I do play, I always win. And regardless of how taboo our relationship might become, Iām all in. The reward is worth the risk. I just hope she can keep up with my many demands.
Heās going to make me break my number one rule. And possibly lose my job. How dare he? Itās pretty simple, though. Donāt date students. Which is normally easy to stick to. Who wants to date an eighteen-year-old boy? Not me. I much prefer an older man with rough hands that knows what heās doing. Enter Mr. Evans. A single father billionaire with more time on his plate than he knows what to do with. And the man is brilliant and wickedly delicious. Much to my surprise, heās quickly becoming my star pupil, which means he gets more of my time than necessary. But I canāt help myself. Heās exactly what I need in my life, in my bed, kissing me at the stroke of midnightā¦ And the best is even though heās older than me, heās more than willing to let me teach him a few new tricks. Let's just hope we don't get caught.
I need a wife. Now. It doesnāt have to do with love and living the good life. This is all about getting the money my billionaire father left to me. And Iām running out of time. But who proposes to a stranger after the first date? Me. Thatās who. As if I have another choice. Luck is on my side though, and a beautiful model shows up in my office. Single? Gorgeous? Funny? All of the above. Our first date goes so well that I feel unsure about my decision to do this thing with herāyou know, fake it. I put it off and decide to do it later, to ask for her help after we get to know each other better. But I like her more and more each time we meet, and eventually, offering her a ring isnāt for my dadās moneyāitās because I want her more than anything else in the world. Besides, whoās going to know if itās fake or real? And does it really matter? Yeah. It does.
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."
Jennifer Bennett, the rightful heiress to the Bennett legacy, fought hard for her family's recognition, only to be eclipsed by an impostor. Faced with false accusations, bullying, and public humiliation, Jennifer eventually gave up trying to win their approval. Vowing to rise above the injustice, she became the bane of those who wronged her. The Bennett family's efforts to break her only fueled her success, leading her to heights her rivals could only dream of. Someone asked, "Do you feel let down by your parents?" With a calm smile, Jennifer said, "It doesn't matter. In the end, power prevails."
On the day of the wedding, Brendan left me and went to find his true love. When I called him, he, who had always been gentle to me, showed impatience for the first time, saying, "It's just a wedding, I'll make it up to you when I get back." Feeling disheartened, I suggested calling off the wedding. Brendan thought I was just being stubborn, and in the face of friends' advice, he said, "It's okay, when she calms down, she will come find me." It wasn't until Edrence, the prince, posted our marriage certificate that Brendan suddenly went crazy and came knocking on my door. When he saw the man who opened the door, he was slightly stunned. And I, standing behind the man, with a blush still on my face, leaned forward and asked, "Nephew, what brings you to see your auntie so late?"
Lucille was one of the most skilled female assassins, and on the previous night, she embarked on a top-secret mission. However, the mission's details were leaked, leading to her untimely demise at the hands of a traitorous companion. She never discovered the identity of the person who betrayed her before her death. But by some miracle, she was granted a new life, and was reborn as a girl with the same name. Determined to uncover the truth and seek revenge for her family, Lucille seized her second chance at life. She planned to avenge her loved ones. However, her plans were complicated by Joseph, an apparently frail man who was actually skilled in martial arts. And he seemed to fall for her deeply, now this newfound knowledge only added to the complications of Lucille's revenge plan...
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. Whatās worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldnāt thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesnāt seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that heās different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
āDrive this woman out!ā "Throw this woman into the sea!ā When he doesnāt know Debbie Nelsonās true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. āMr. Hilton, she is your wife,ā Carlosā secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, āwhy didnāt you tell me earlier?ā From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.