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?
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
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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.
Becky endured three years of marriage to the cold-hearted Rory. In all that time, she naively reasoned that one day, he'd gradually come to like her. But the second he forced her to kneel down and humiliate herself, she knew she had been wrong about him. This man had no feelings for her at all. So why should she still love him? When Rory gave her the choice between kneeling down and divorcing, she didn't miss a beat and chose the latter. After all, why should she waste her youth on this scumbag? Wouldn't it be nicer for her to just have fun every day with her billion-dollar family fortune?
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.