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Marcia and Jullian were inseparable in college; they were like two halves of one whole. Everyone thought they were a forever couple. On the day of their graduation, Jullian vanished without a trace, and Marcia's world came crashing down. Five years later, after rebuilding her life abroad, Marcia is back home, fully focused on her new company, the new love of her life. Just as things are falling into place, Jullian suddenly reappears, still as captivating as ever. His reason for coming back? To "help" Marcia and to "correct" his past mistakes. Jullian has a proposal – one that feels more like a challenge – sell your company to me and let me take care of you the way I should have years ago. What follows is a battle of wills. Will Marcia hold on to the independence she fought so hard to achieve, or will Jullian's return and his offer of security be too much to resist? It's a showdown between the woman who craves freedom and the one who once let her go.
It was a cold Saturday morning – well, cold for Miami – and Marcia was at a business breakfast meeting with new clients. Sipping her coffee, she mused, it's been a while...
It had been a long while since she'd been in town, and she especially loved this area, with the cars going by and people walking along the sidewalk. As she sipped her coffee and listened to her clients chat, a message popped up on her phone.
It was from the office – the package had been delivered and was waiting for her inspection.
She put down her coffee cup and excused herself from her clients.
"Well, gentlemen, thank you very much for your time. As agreed, all the documents will be sent to you before the end of the week."
Everyone smiled, shook hands, and Marcia headed quickly to her office.
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"There! Follow her. Don't get too close," said the man with sandy brown hair and light blue eyes, seated in the back of a black Lexus. His eyes were intently focused on Marcia as she crossed the street, headed to the parking lot, and got into her red Mercedes.
Fifteen minutes later, Marcia parked her car and walked into her office, a two-story building with a full glass front on the ground floor, topped by a stylish wood exterior on the upper floor. Written on the entrance was the name of the company: Oltre Bacchus, a mix of Italian and French. It was one of the newest wine stores to hit the Miami Strip.
As Marcia walked in, the black Lexus parked opposite the building. The man in the passenger seat reached over, placed a hand on the driver, and said in a deep voice, "Wait here. I'll be right back."
He stepped out of the car, checked for oncoming vehicles, and crossed the road swiftly to the door. He stood outside for a moment, hand poised over the door handle, before taking a deep breath and walking in.
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Marcia was opening a recently delivered crate of wine from Europe, her back to the door, shoulders hunched over, head down. She turned around and looked up when she heard someone enter. "Oh, I'm so sorry, we're not open yet. If you could come back –"
She stopped mid-sentence, her mouth still open, as if all the air had left her lungs, because of the man – no, the ghost – that she saw in front of her.
Marcia stared at the visitor, her eyes widening, and she dropped the lid of the crate she had just opened.
Crash!
The secretary let out a yell, "Ma'am, are you okay?! Is everything all right?" he exclaimed as he hurried toward Marcia.
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Seeing the gentleman at the door, he turned to him apologetically, "Oh, I'm sorry, we're not open yet. Perhaps you could come back in an hour, maybe two?" He said nervously, gesturing with an outstretched hand for the visitor to leave, while still moving towards his boss; concern on his face for the sudden noise but wearing a professional smile for the potential customer.
The man didn't look at him, not even for a moment. His mind was preoccupied with the image he had seen as he walked through the doors; Marcia's slender back and shoulders moving gracefully as she worked the crate lid free, head down, with concentration etched on her profile. Her slim nose, full lips, and slender chin... it was all too familiar.
He looked back at Marcia and saw that the two were staring at each other without speaking. Finally, Marcia breathed in, stuttering, "You... Jullian... How...? Why...?"
Jullian stepped forward, approaching Marcia. She took a step back, raised her hand, and said, "Stop!" Jullian stopped instantly as if hit by an invisible wall.
The air grew thick with tension as the secretary glanced back and forth between the two, confused and unsure whether to say something or retreat to the storeroom he had just come out from. Luckily, Marcia saved him, "Kyle, please leave us. It's okay; I dropped the lid by mistake."
Kyle nodded and murmured his agreement to Marcia's request, leaving the room.
Jullian, the man who had entered the store, gazed intently at Marcia and started to speak. "Marcia..., I..."
"Stop," Marcia said, cutting him off, her usually soft voice trembling and barely above a whisper. "I don't..., you shouldn't..., why...? Leave, Jullian!" Her voice rose at the last two words.
"If you just give me –"
"I said leave!" Marcia cut in again, this time, without whisper or hesitation. Jullian's shoulders slumped slightly, almost imperceptibly, and for the first time since he entered the room, his eyes moved away from Marcia for a brief second before returning to her increasingly reddening face.
"Marcia, we need to talk." That voice, that same deep, sonorous, authoritative voice, made Marcia subconsciously look away, dipping her head to the side toward her right shoulder, which moved upward in a half-shrug. She stopped mid-motion, turning back to Jullian, her brown eyes blazing.
Marcia pursed her lips and stared defiantly at Jullian.
"I know the way we left things is wrong and hurtful, but if you give me –"
"Leave!" Marcia yelled, clenching her fists at her side.
"If you'd give me one minute, I can explain," Jullian continued in a steady voice, his beautiful light blue eyes locked with Marcia's deep brown ones.
"One minute to explain what you did five years ago?" Marcia responded incredulously. She turned away from Jullian, facing the wall, and took a few deep breaths. Turning her face to the side, her back still toward Jullian, hands on her slim waist, she continued, "I don't want to hear anything from you. You can leave, and you can leave right now."
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Jullian sighed, showing exasperation for the first time, well, Jullian's version of exasperation. He closed his eyes for three seconds and then took a step forward. "I know you don't want to hear what I have to say, but you have to hear it. I have to tell you what happened back then. I need to explain it."
"I don't need your explanation!" Marcia retorted, still with her back to Jullian, only the side of her slender face visible. "This is my space, and I want you out. You are not invited, and you are not welcome."
Jullian gave an aspirated sigh. "Okay, fine, I'll leave, but I'll be back later."
Marcia spun around at this and pointed aggressively at Jullian. "Don't you dare come back here! You have no business with me, and I have none with you!"
Jullian stepped forward, right up to Marcia's face, and grabbed her arm. "You have everything to do with me, and I have everything to do with you. I will leave now, as you requested, but I will be back. I will see you again." He strongly emphasized the last two 'will's.
They stared into each other's eyes, frozen in the moment, closer in their anger than they were with their faces almost touching, their breaths intermingling. Marcia sharply held her breath and deliberately leaned back, away from Jullian's intense demeanor, saying nothing, her brown eyes dark with anger.
Jullian released Marcia's arm, stepped back, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doing that. I'll see you again." With that, Jullian gazed intently at Marcia one last time, turned around, and walked out.
Chrystal, the young Luna-to-be, has long waited to be bonded with her childhood betrothed, Darius. On the night her world was to be made complete, it is completely shattered by the moon goddess' decree! Her mate is the vicious killer and rogue wolf, Castian, and now, thanks to the bond, so is she! Marked as a traitor by her own pack, Chrystal is forced to flee the only home she has ever known, or face death. Trapped by a wolf and a bond she does not deserve, Chrystal must choose between running for her life or facing the growing connection she starts to feel with a man she should fear. Will she fight her fate? Or embrace a love that could destroy them both?
"I reject you Marian Storm!" Those were the words she could never have dreamed to hear from the Alpha heir to her father's pack. And certainly not at the New Year's Moon celebration, in front of the whole pack. Leaving the pack compound that had been her prison for three years, Marian was heartbroken and determined never to return. But she knew she would, she must. After her rejection, the only desire left in her life was to kill the Alpha who had taken over her father's pack, failing that, she would leave the pack and become a rouge wolf. She returns home for Christmas to attend her fallen family's memorial service. On Christmas Eve, during the pack's mistletoe ceremony, she receives a gift she never expected, a gift no one wanted – Reyland, the biological son of the Alpha she has sworn to kill. Would this gift given to her by the moon goddess help Marian fulfill her desire to reclaim her pack, or would it stir up new passions within her broken heart and consume her instead?
Fate! Chance! A terrible accident changes the course of Karen's life. Thrown into the world of enigmatic billionaires Taylor Grey and his father Marshal Grey, she must find her way out of the cage presented to her by their family. Karen thought Taylor Grey was offering a helping hand after causing the accident that took away her livelihood, but she soon discovered that his father had other plans for her that she could never have imagined. Forced to play a role she never wanted, can she escape before it's too late for her to return to her own life? Torn between two very different men, who will she turn to for the freedom she desperately seeks? Will Karen find redemption or stay trapped by a family that will do anything to have their way?
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
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.
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
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?