Blurb: Krissy lives in a world surrounded by ruthless men. At their head is Kostya Roman, the most heartless kingpin of all. She is protected, yet caged, cherished, yet kept at bay. He vowed to protect her and give her anything she needs, except his heart. He promised to always have her back. He lied. Kostya would destroy the woman he loves to avenge the one he lost. He lives for his Bratva and his vengeance. Krissy is the only thing that's good about him. And he will wreck her.
11 YEARS LATER
Blonde or brunette? I was debating which wig to throw away first when my phone alarm went off. I grabbed my sparkly pillbox off the desk. Only one more week, and I'd be pill-free. I could make it seven more days. A few days after that, I would finally start college. I could start dating. A new school would mean new people who didn't know about the cancer. I'd meet boys who wouldn't look at me with pity. It would be a fresh start for both me and my mom. Especially for my mom. Lately, she'd been anxious. At first, I thought it was because of my upcoming test results. She always feared the cancer would come back. Then I'd learned the truth: my mom was dealing with a stalker ex-boyfriend. I guess we could both use a break from the sick and crazy.
I heard a crash in the kitchen and rushed down the stairs. My mom had dropped a glass. Shards were scattered across the floor and she was already reaching for a broom. When I saw the ill-concealed panic on her face, my stomach dropped.
"He found you again, didn't he?"
She didn't look up when she spoke, "Pack your bags, Krissy. We're leaving in five."
No, no, no. Not again. "But mom... I don't understand. Why don't we just go to the police? They could-"
"I already explained this to you. He has friends at the police department. Judges in his pocket."
"But-"
"I said go, Kristina."
Feeling deflated, I went back up to my room and slammed the door. My mom was everything to me. She'd been with me through thick and thin and never made me feel like I was a burden. I knew it wasn't easy being a single mom. I expected it was both a relief and a curse that she worked from home as a graphic designer. It gave her freedom to use her time the way she wanted, which sadly had mostly comprised of hospital visits with me. It also meant that she had hardly any social life. So when she told me she'd met a guy, I was ecstatic for her. Who would have guessed that a boring accountant named Edwin could turn out to be such a nightmare? I pulled my "getaway" duffel bag from the back of the closet and grabbed the baseball bat next to it. I'd never met the guy, but if I ever did I'd break every bone in his body.
It still gave me chills when I thought back on that evening months ago when I'd found my mom battered and bruised in the bathroom. She had believed I was asleep and was already trying to cover herself up with make-up.
With a reluctant sigh, I grabbed my books off the side table. I never went anywhere without my favorite; a collection of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. The original ones of course, not the Disney version. No matter how sick or sad I was, whether I was puking my guts out from the chemo or my hair fell out in clumps, I could always count on these stories whisking me away. It was the small things in life that made me want to keep on living it.
I suddenly remembered that I'd left my phone in the kitchen and slowly, as not to disturb my mother, went back downstairs. She wasn't in the kitchen anymore but the floor was pristinely clean. I heard muffled sounds from her office. She was clearly on the phone. Unable to fight my curiosity, I pressed my ear to the door.
"I don't care who you are. I said I need to speak to your boss Kostya, right now."
Whoever was on the other end of the line didn't give the right response, because my mother took in a deep, ragged breath.
"Did you tell him it's Irina? His mother's best friend? What do you mean, you can't talk to him right now? Fine," my mother snapped. "If he can't bother to come to the phone because he's indisposed, I'll go to him myself."
I heard her slam the phone on her desk, which was my cue to make myself scarce.
What was going on? Who was this Kostya? I'd never heard her mention that name before. Then again, Mom rarely talked about her past or any family. All I knew was that they had died in a tragic car accident and she'd been the only survivor. She and I were a team. A two-person family.
We were on the road in less than ten minutes. My mother's hands clutched the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. I didn't open my mouth until we passed the sign which read Welcome to Colorado.
"Where are we going?"
"To the son of a friend. The only man I know who can keep you safe."
As far as cryptic answers went, this one was king. Wait, why had she said it that way?
"You mean 'us.' Keep 'us' safe." When she didn't answer, my heart did a painful thud. "Mom, you're scaring me."
Shhand. "Of course, I mean us, kotichka."
"So, who is this friend?"
A sad smile formed on her face. "Anastasia was my best friend a long time ago. She died a few years after you were born. Kostya was only seventeen, just like you are. I lost touch with him when his mother died."
"Where does he live?"
"Denver."
"And is he like a cop or something?"
Her fingers tapped nervously on the steering wheel. "Or something."
Well, that didn't sound ominous at all. With a sigh, I nestled into the car seat and closed my eyes. "You know you're only getting away with these half-baked answers 'cause you're driving and I'm sleepy."
She chuckled. "I know. Don't worry. I'll tell you more once we're there."
Wherever "there" might be.
Maybe it wasn't so much about the destination, but about the journey, just like in the novels I've read. I'd lived a thousand lives through my heroines' eyes. I'd been all over the world with them, falling in love with my book boyfriends, having my heart broken by them. It seemed like it was finally time for my adventure to begin.
Ellie Donovan is distraught when her boyfriend cheats on her, and she rather than wallows in her sorrow seeks to find revenge because she had invested all of herself in him. A great twist of fate happens when she meets her ex's Father and they develop a sort of friendship, for the motive of revenge on her part she gets involved with him. Would she fall truly in love with him or would the deceit be too strong for him to handle? Would they survive the twisted romance or would it end in another shackles? Find out in this captivating read
"I, Selene River, ..." I started speaking, but Alpha Magnus stopped me by placing his hand over my mouth. He pulled me closer to him and growled. "I'm not accepting your rejection, Selene," he growled. "You are my mate. You are the greatest gift that the Goddess has ever given me. I am not letting you go." My heart was hammering against my rib cage. His scent overwhelmed my senses. He leaned in and rubbed his nose up and down my jaw. My skin was on fire. Every part of my body desired to be touched by him. "I can't let you go, my love," he mumbled. "I've waited for you my whole life." His lips brushed against the marking spot on my neck, and I almost burst into flames. Convincing him to accept my rejection would be the hardest thing I ever had to do. Selene is a 17-year-old girl who still hasn't shifted into her wolf. Her father abandoned her mother when she was very young. She has been bullied and laughed at all the time. After she lost her mom, the person who loved her the most, Selene is completely distraught and broken. Her father comes back to take her back to his pack. Selene is against it, but her financial situation forces her to go with him. Magnus is a Lycan wolf, the Alpha of his very successful pack. He is 22 years old, and he still hasn't found his mate. When Selene arrives at his pack, he is very surprised to discover that she is his mate. He is also frustrated because she is his stepsister who hasn't shifted yet. She can't recognize him as her mate. Selene struggles in the new pack. She doesn't have the best relationship with her stepmother. She can't wait to turn 18 and leave. What will happen when Selene finds out who her mate is? What will Magnus do after she rejects him? Will he be able to convince her to stay?
This is a story about two damaged people who came together because of one's desire and the other's fear. Cassandra She was young, innocent, loving, and pretty with big eyes that showed her soul. She was stunningly beautiful but broken and alone, trapped in a world of monsters. Then he appeared. People say he is the worst monster of all, someone you pray never to meet. Will she escape him, or will he become her whole world? Dominic He was ruthless, aggressive, and merciless. Everyone feared him, and he was proud to be the king of his world. But he was also broken. Then she appeared. She was like a fragile doll, his doll. Will he take what he wants and move on, or will she become his life? "Let me go, please," she begged. He buried his face in her neck and tightened his grip around her arms. "Shhhh... breathe, love," he whispered. She cringed at his nickname for her, and he continued, "You are mine, and I am never letting you go. I will give you everything, my love, except your freedom from me."
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
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...
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
Bethany, a stunning woman burdened by financial woes, wrestled with her future prospects in the city after fleeing her manipulative former lover. At the same time, a bold and unyielding man began to pursue her with relentless passion. The word on the street was that the aloof Mr. Swanson had taken under his wing a woman of striking beauty, allegedly snatched from his best friend. He showered her with lavish gifts and was captivated by her every word. They said she was not merely a beautiful woman, but a unique treasure that demanded constant dedication and attention.
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.