40 Seconds

“Just as pathetic as I remember you to be, sweetheart.” “I sleep with you because I’m unfortunate to be married to you so don’t bother reading between the lines.” Slapping his treacherous lips away from my own, I huff frantically. “I detest the sight of you, bastard.” He smirks throwing me against the filthy wall of the cave before whispering against my lips, “I know, sweetheart.” Fisting his shirt, I pull him in, “I’ll kill you someday for all your bullshit. The best part is I’ll be hailed as a hero for it.” I dig my nails into his side while digging my heels in his toes. Chuckling, he kissed me with a novel fervour. Too consumed with his taste on my tongue I don’t realize he had taken me off the floor. In times like these he made his hate achingly obvious by his rough groping. When after several seconds he is still ravaging my mouth, I slap his arm to gasp for air but he takes his sweet time devouring life out of me. He let me go only when my life flashes before my eyes. Caressing my hair as I huffed out puffs of air, he smirked. “Good Morning, Nafasm.” I'll remember to add getting away with murder on my bucket list. .... I had everything in life figured out and about half a year to get out of college and finally experience life (Breathy tone) but that's when Sienna, my bitch of a friend, asked me for a favor. Why the hell am I kidnapped? And what is with these people growling like rabid dogs? And please, can anyone tell me why the f*ck, AM I GETTING MARRIED TO THEIR HUNK OF A GANG LEADER WITH UNNATURAL GLOWING EYES?

Excerpt; Mate!” I placed a shocked hand over my mouth. I hadn't intended to blurt that out, but it had just happened. My wolf had just growled that out. Aaron was my mate? So he had not been lying when he’d said I was his mate? This was the strangest thing to have ever happened to me. I had no idea how to respond, I sat still, watching him. “Finally, you agree too.” His face was blanketed in some emotions that had something within my chest moving funny. “I…I…” I swallowed, my gaze transfixed on him, in his eyes, unable to look anywhere else. His sterling grey eyes staring as though they could see through my soul. He drew nearer, I felt my body leaning towards him too. And in seconds our lips had locked on each other’s. Fire exploded in my mouth down to the other parts of my body. I wound my arm around his neck, taking the kiss deeper. Even within the confines of the car where body contact was limited, I was still feeling the flame of attraction burning me up greedily, eating away at my resistance and rationality. His thumb trailed over my breast, the moan that escaped my lips was involuntary and the liquid pull below my stomach grew intense. Abruptly, he broke off the kiss, our lips were a swollen evidence of what had happened. “Let me take you inside.” Humiliated for almost all her life and then thrown out of the pack she had grown to call home, she didn't expect that fate could ever smile at her. Once a taunted girl, now an Alpha's stepdaughter. What more does fate have in stall for her? "Hey mate! Wanna play?"

A single job can make or ruin you. What will you do? Warning: 40% sex, 100% sin. This isn't sweet little love story. This is dark, filthy Mafia territory, where rules don’t exist, and neither does mercy. For mature minds only. Themes include: Ruthless dominance Dubious consent & brutal obsession Public sex, eyes watching Best friend betrayal Power games that leave you wet and wrecked If you came for flowers and happy endings, check it out. And if you're ready to get fucked against the wall by a Mafia king who’ll make you scream his name loud enough for his enemies to hear .... then sit down, keep your mouth open, and behave. Because once you enter his world, you don't walk out untouched. ***** “Here. Sign this and you can start immediately. If you have anything important at home, bring it here....I’ll provide you with everything. "Clothes, food, whatever you need,” he said, the smirk returning to his face. She reached for the file hesitantly, her eyes narrowing slightly. Something felt…off. Too quick. Too intense. Just as she was about to flip through the pages, her phone rang. Tring… Tring… She glanced at Liam. He nodded. “It’s okay.” She quickly signed the last page without reading. Inside, her instincts itched. Something didn’t sit right. But she brushed the feeling off. Maybe he was just one of those flirty, arrogant bosses. “You signed without reading it,” he said in a whisper only she could hear. “Bold.” “I trust Liam,” she replied. Vincenzo smiled, not the kind that made people feel safe. She handed the file back and turned to leave. Vincenzo stood silently, watching her go. The way her hair swayed. The curve of her waist. That innocent look in her eyes. As she disappeared around the corner.

Di usia yang hampir 40 tahun, pengusaha sukses dan tampan cukup banyak wanita yang wara wiri dalam kehidupa seorang Samudra Abimanyu. Tapi selama ini belum ada yang benar-benar mampu membuatnya terpikat. Rata-rata mereka hanya “mampir” sebentar sebelum digantikan oleh wanita-wanita lain. Tidak hanya para temannya yang menjulukinya playboy bahkan beberapa majalah dengan terang-terangan menyebutkan bahwa dia adalah casanova, mungkin ada benarnya saking seringnya dia gonta-ganti perempuan. Satu pantangan Samudra adalah tidak akan mengencani pegawainya, dia tidak ingin merusak citra dan profesionalitas kerja dengan love affair di kantor. Dan sampai saat ini dia tidak pernah melanggarnya, biarpun tidak sedikit staff wanita yang kepincut dengannya. Bos muda, kaya dan ganteng. Sabrina. Why on earth sosok wanita ini tiba-tiba sibuk mondar-mandir di pikirannya? Semenjak kali pertama interview, sosoknya rajin nongol tanpa diundang ke kepalanya. Seperti tidak ada wanita lain saja, pikirnya sinis ke diri sendiri. Walaupun banyak bergonta – ganti pacar, dia memang tidak terlalu sibuk untuk memikirkan perempuan. Buat dia pacar adalah selingan diantara kesibukan pekerjaan, selingan untuk mencerahkan hari, pelengkap untuk dibawa ke resepsi bukan untuk memenuhi pemikiran. Mendapatkan pacar baru buat dia sama mudahnya seperti membeli jas baru, sekali lirik bisa dipastikan perempuan akan tersipu – sipu kepincut. Tetapi Sabrina lain. Ada sesuatu tentangnya yang menyedot perhatian Samudra. Cantik, yes…tapi lebih dari itu. Gayanya yang anggun tapi terkesan berjarak, ada sesuatu darinya yang menyedot perhatian Samudra. Seperti black hole yang menyedot semua energi dan masa di sekitarnya, Sabrina juga menyedot semua fokus dan perhatian Samudra.

The day after my best friend, Sarah Blunt married Patrick, the second son of the Brosnan family, I too became a bride and wed Matthew, his older brother. She married a swimming champion, and I, the rock-climbing coach. We thought we had our futures all figured out. Then, something happened that summer. The four of us planned a getaway but Matthew and Patrick’s baby sister, Megan joined us and our peaceful trip became a crowded affair.  While rock climbing, disaster struck—the rope snapped, and all five of us plummeted into the river below. The brothers rushed frantically to save Megan, leaving Sarah and me at the mercy of the river’s current, battered and tossed like driftwood. By the time the rescue team pulled us from the water, we were bruised, scraped, and utterly spent. In the hospital, Megan and I received devastating news that would change everything.  “You’ve been pregnant for 40 days, Ma’am. How could you put yourself in such a risky situation? Your baby survived, but your friend lost hers.” Shaken, I called Matthew to tell him about the pregnancy. His anger cut through the line. “You’re angry that I went to Megs first and now you’re trying to fool me with a fake pregnancy? She’s my sister—it’s my duty to protect her!” Sarah faced her own storm. Patrick practically scoffed at her grief. “Miscarriage? Do you expect me to believe that? The doctors said you only had a 30% chance of conceiving. I can’t stand women who create drama out of nothing.” Both calls ended abruptly, leaving us stunned as we stared at each other in the sterile light of the hospital room. In that shared silence, we made our decision—we would leave these men behind and start anew, launching a business together. But when the brothers received our divorce papers, they showed up at my door in the middle of a storm, kneeling in the pouring rain, crying through the night for a second chance.

Nagising si Cresia sa nakakasilaw na liwanag. Iginala niya ang paningin. She found myself lying on the cold ground. Huling naalala niya, habang pabalik siya sa condo... may nakita siyang batang babae sa kabilang bahagi ng kalsada. The girl was about to get hit by a car but she saved her. Bumangon siya at muling iginala ang tingin sa paligid. Nasaan na ang batang iniligtas niya? Where is she now? Napapikit siya nang tamaan ang mata ng sinag ng araw. Fuck. At bakit umaga na? Nakatulog ba siya sa daan? Ibinaba niya ang tingin sa sarili. She remember she was covered with blood. But how come she was perfectly fine now? Walang anumang bahid ng dugo ang damit niya... Iginalaw ni Cresia ang kamay. Wala siyang naramdamang anumang masakit doon. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya nang makita ang isang paparating na truck. Fuck! Her first instinct is to run. But it is too late. The truck is only meters away from her. Mariin niyang ipinikit ang mga mata at hinintay ang pagtama niyon sa kanya... But seconds passed. Nothing happened. Walang truck na tumama sa kanya. Bakit? Dahan-dahang idinilat ni Cresia ang mga mata. Wala na ang truck. Bakit? Anong nangyari? Muli niyang inalala ang nangyari kagabi... She was fucking sure she got hit by a car. Hindi kaya...hindi kaya...patay na siya? "Not yet." Isang lalaki ang biglang sumulpot sa tabi niya. Para itong galing sa libing sa suot na damit. Black cape, black pants, black shoes. Everything is black. Even his eyes. They're as dark as his outfit. "S-sino ka?" He smiled to her. Hindi alam ni Cresia kung bakit kinilabutan siya sa ngiti ng lalaki. "I'm Kairos. Your death angel." Death angel? "What? I... I'm...I'm dead?"

결혼 40년 차 남편이 첫사랑과 욕조에서 무드를 잡다가 감전사를 당하게 되었다. 가족밖에 모르던 나는 하루아침에 과부가 되자 하늘이 무너지는 것 같았다. 결국 딸에게 전화를 걸어 도움을 청할 수밖에 없었다. “예령아, 네 아빠랑 안정미가 감전되어서 목숨이 간당간당한데...” 하지만 들려오는 거라고는 지예령의 호통 소리뿐이었다. “엄마, 징그럽게 왜 그래요? 대체 원하는 게 뭐예요?” “아빠랑 정미 이모는 평생을 떳떳하게 살아온 분들인데 왜 헐뜯지 못해 안달이죠? 엄마 때문에 선우가 회사에서 얼굴을 들고 다닐 수가 없잖아요.” 내가 대답하기도 전에 딸은 전화를 끊었고, 다시 연락했을 때 이미 차단된 상태였다. 실오라기 하나 걸치지 않은 채 욕조에서 꼭 끌어안고 기절한 두 남녀를 바라보자 당최 어찌할 바를 몰랐다. 여보, 당신이 없으면 나는 어떡하라고? 지성 그룹 같은 대기업을 물려받으면 긴장한 마음에 잠도 못 이룰 것 같은데 말이야.

아빠가 나를 아주머니가 주최한 연회에 데리고 갔다. 연회에서 케이크를 먹다가 케이크 속에 들어 있던 체리를 발견하고 급히 뱉어냈다. 어렸을 때 체리를 먹고 온몸에 두드러기가 나서 죽을 뻔했던 기억 때문에 이 맛은 너무도 익숙했다. 하지만 아주머니는 실망스러운 표정으로 말했다. “행운의 뜻을 담아 케이크에 체리를 넣었어. 민준이 이렇게 기분을 상하게 할 줄은 몰랐네.” 아빠는 내 말을 들어주지도 않고 나를 밖으로 내보내 마당에서 벌을 서게 했다. 엄마는 나한테 요즘 온도가 40도를 넘으니 실내에서 얌전히 있으라고 하셨다. 정말 날씨가 너무 더웠다. 그런데 몸이 간지럽고 숨이 점점 막혀온다. 아빠를 찾아가 도움을 요청하려 했지만 내가 아무리 문을 두드려도 열어주지 않으셨다. 거실의 유리창을 통해 바라보니 아빠는 차가운 눈빛으로 한 번 쳐다보고는 끝내 문을 열어주지 않으셨다.