I can't and won't drag another person into my hellscape. I could never do that to someone. Let them invest their time and heart with me because it will only end in heartache. So now you know my secrets, the truth... A troubled past has left Kat running from relationships. That is until rockstar musician, Jackson, disrupts her carefully controlled life, challenging her to take a risk and open her heart. A passionate romance about taking chances, letting go of the past and opening up your heart to the possibility of love.
A loud laugh cuts across the general noise of the bar interrupting my concentration and making me glance up in time to see a large group of men entering through the main doors. "Wanker bankers," I mumble to myself grumpily noting their sharp suits that probably cost more than most people make in a month, before plastering on a 'happy face' in an attempt to hide my sour mood. I am the barmaid and, even if I despise this particular class of customer, it doesn't make sense to give them any reason not to tip well.
My mood is made worse as crowds of women seem to part automatically for them as if they are some biblical phenomenon. Typical, I think to myself as they high-five and slap each other on the back for having finally made it across the room complete with various phone numbers and, in one case, a limpet on his arm. Argh, it makes me want to vomit.
"What can I get for you guys?" I ask, flipping my hair back off my face and adopting my most flirtatious tone. They are paying customers and these guys are par for the course when working in a bar in London's financial district. While I studiously listen to their jumbled requests and start pulling pints, my attention is suddenly grabbed by a guy standing at the back of the group. In contrast to the others, he is wearing jeans and a light-blue button-down shirt that seems to match his piercing eyes. Urgh! A cold, wet sensation, suddenly makes me aware that I'm not paying enough attention to what I'm doing when the pint in front of me suddenly overflows and splashes all down my legs.
"Oh shit," I mutter as I aggressively pull wads of paper towels out from the container on the wall before attempting to mop up the mess. Seriously, today is not going at all like I planned. The guy in front of me lets out the most annoying laugh, seriously this dude sounds like a donkey, and I have to resist the urge to pour the pint that I am holding all over him. I scowl, using my deadliest look, perfected since working in the bar. A look essential when you are a five-foot blonde working in a bar frequented by the lords and ladies of the financial world. Yes, it is Capitalism at its best, and they can't wait to tell you just how much better they are than you because they drive a supercar and screw old people out of their pension funds. Yeah, I'm not bitter at all. The guy flinches slightly and shuts the hell up which is a welcome relief.
When everyone is finally served, including Blue Eyes, I watch them meander towards the back of the bar and take a seat in one of the large, raised booths. Taking advantage of the brief lull, I finish cleaning up the mess I have made all over the floor, swearing under my breath and trying to force myself into a better mood.
Usually, I love working behind the bar at Cock&Tails, even with the kind of pretentious idiots we usually attract from the nearby high-rise offices. Normally, I can find humour even in the most stressful situations but tonight is an aberration. I briefly consider calling out to one of the other bar staff or even Finn, the bar manager, who disappeared into the office about twenty minutes ago with a buxom blonde in painted-on jeans, to come out and take over but, hey, at least one of us should be having a good night.
Instead, I take a deep breath and close my eyes briefly as I attempt to find some sort of inner calm. Most of the time I walk around feeling numb, and today of all days I would welcome that. But it's the ten-year anniversary of my mother's death, and all I feel is anger and a simmering irritation with anyone whose life seems better than mine. Usually, my sister would be around, and we would hole up for the day in my apartment with ice-cream and chick flicks, but Sophie is in Borneo tracking down orangutans for a travel piece she has been commissioned to write. So, instead, I am... alone. Volunteering to work had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I am not so sure.
I let out the breath I haven't even realised that I have been holding when I see Finn emerge from the back, a self-satisfied smirk all over his face. His blonde friend looks like the cat that got the cream, but little does she know that Finn is probably the biggest man-whore around and the only cat around here is him; this little canary is nothing more than a half-hour distraction, and after getting what he wants, he will chew her up and spit her out. I hold up my hand to let him know that I am taking five and he nods, a sad smile on his face.
Finn has been my best friend since we met on the first day of university; I was lost and bumped into him, sending his books flying and landing ungracefully on my arse. We bonded over my apology coffee and have remained firm friends ever since, so he knows exactly what today means to me. As I pass him, he gently squeezes my hand, murmuring, "Take as long as you need, Kat."
Escaping into the ladies' toilets, I take a moment to make sure no one is watching before locking myself into the end stall and doing my best to temper my emotions. A stray tear escapes and I hurriedly swipe it away, not wanting any weakness to be on display. Plus, I really can't afford to mess up my eye makeup and end up looking like Uncle Fester from the Addams Family.
When I finally gain some semblance of control, I let myself out of the stall and head over to the row of sinks to run my wrists under the cool water. I glance down and realise my hands are shaking under the gentle flow from the tap. This is not good. Come on, Kat, I think to myself. Let's just pretend it's a day like any other. "Oh, for fuck's sake," I hiss, hating the fact that I'm feeling so vulnerable today. I close my eyes and visualise putting on a suit of armour. As each element clicks into place, my breathing starts to slow, and the churning feeling in my stomach begins to settle. When the final piece is in place, I concede that I'm good to go. Just as I'm about to leave the bathroom, I notice movement on the large flatscreen that sits above the mirror.
Set in London and Brighton, Thirty Days is a fabulously provocative romance series that gives you a very steamy love affair between a hot guy and an unsure heroine, baked goods and some rather unexpected twists and turns along the way. Shy and unassuming, Abigail James loves to bake. She dreams of opening her own dessert cafĆ© but instead she spends her days working as a data analyst and sneaking in her cakes as the company's 'diet assassin' on the side. Taylor Hudson, the enigmatic owner of Hudson International, has been captivated by Abby's innocence and quiet charm since the day she started working for the company. However, his history with women is marred by personal circumstances and he has vowed to stay away. A chance meeting sees Abby's world turned upside down when, drawn in by Taylor's chocolate-coloured eyes and unexpected kindness, she starts on a journey of attraction that will see her heart and soul laid bare. While their attraction is mutual, both Abby and Taylor have their own inner demons that they need to overcome if their relationship can move forward for them to find their own 'happily ever afterā.
What happens when you hit rock bottom and can't see a wway out? Do you take the handsome stranger's indecent proposal that seems too good to be true? In a word, yes. Desperation will make you do crazy things, like giving up a year of your life and travelling halfway around the world to marry a gorgeous Aussie winemaker who seems to come with more baggage than he knows what to do with. I know I should keep my distance but there is something about him that just draws me in. Maybe it is the way he always seems to be there for me when I need it most, or that he just seems to know the right thing to say. All I know is that the moment he kisses me on our wedding day, I am in trouble.
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
She was hurt. She was bullied and made fun of. And the only hope that kept her going was finding her mate. She has always been weak. Weak to the world. Why? Because she was a lantern. She didn't have a wolf. That's what everyone thought about her. When she found her mate, he wanted her to be his slut and not a wife. She might be an omega, but it doesn't mean she will take disloyalty and betrayal lightly. So she did something that no one in history ever did. She rejected an Alpha. "I, Alexis Clark, reject Brandon Sterling, the alpha of Black mist pack, and consider myself a free soul until I decide so."; Were her last words before she left that torturous place and became a rogue. A rogue that everyone was fearing and finding. Why? Because she was the rogue that has become one of the biggest problems of almost all the packs in the country. She was Alexis Clark. A rogue that rejected an Alpha, stealth food, kill other rogues, and more than that was living with humans and studying with them. What will happen when her case is given to the world's most dangerous alpha, Sebastian Sinclair, who has taken it upon himself to punish this rogue. The one who hated rogues and omega to a level that was beyond understanding. Why? Because his mate was an omega, who betrayed him with a rogue before dying. How will Alexis tackle this alpha, in whose College she was studying and living under hiding for almost a year? What will Sebastian do when he finds out the new girl he had been talking to is none other than the rogue omega that he had decided to kill? "To love you with all my might was my only wish, but you were the only one who gave me endless suffering. So today, I promise myself to not fall for anyone."; A simple saying that both Alexis and Sebastian had vowed upon. Will they be able to find their love amidst all these problems?
The Billionaire Betrayed Wife follows Rachael Morgan, an orphan whose search for love leads her into the ruthless world of the Blackwood family. Betrayed by her husband and tormented by her adoptive sister, Rachael's life spirals into chaos when she's cast out and left to survive on the streets, pregnant and alone. Just when all hope seems lost, a mysterious savior from her past rescues her, giving her the chance to heal and rebuild. Years later, she returns stronger, armed with a fierce desire for revenge. With her son by her side, Rachael will stop at nothing to destroy those who shattered her trust-even if it means risking everything to reclaim her life and her power.
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.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...