9 Minutes

My in-laws, Melvin Gardner and Sharon Murphy, kept it a secret from us and traveled all the way to Metoville to surprise their daughter, Vivian Gardner. I brought them to the restaurant where Vivian worked as head chef, thinking she would give them a proper welcome and a great meal. However, Vivian called over her favorite pretty-boy apprentice, Tyler Lambert, and had him handle a batch of wild-harvested oysters from the deep sea. These rare specimens were notorious because they may carry Tetrodotoxin if not purged with extreme precision—a high-stakes task that even the seasoned chefs usually avoided. Tyler frowned and whined at her, "Oh come on, Chef, these oysters are so tricky to prepare. I'm not sure I can handle them..." Vivian just laughed it off. "Just give them a quick rinse, and you're done. They're just a couple of old country folks. There's no need to fuss." Melvin and Sharon ate the oysters. Within ten minutes, they were foaming at the mouth and collapsed on the table. When Vivian rushed over, she did not even bother to look at the two elderly people. Instead, she was busy comforting Tyler, who had gone pale and fallen into her arms. She said, "If they got food poisoning, send them to the hospital. But make sure they sign a liability waiver before they leave." She glanced at me casually, her tone suggesting the poisoned elderly couple had nothing to do with her. "Your parents are from the countryside, so they're probably not used to city food. Don't try to pin this on the restaurant or Tyler!" It hit me that she still had not realized the people who had collapsed at the table were her own parents. I looked at her helplessly and confirmed, "Are you sure you want to clear 'Tyler' of all responsibility?"

In a dark world Aliyah stumbles on her mate in the midst of her troubled world and ex. He is a protector, mysterious and dangerous man. In the midst of unsettledness and wars Don Alessandro finds his mate. With the confusion and secrets it's extremely difficult for everything to work out as planned. Every danger makes them come out stronger or does it? Excerpt from story... As soon as Alessandro left my room, I devised a plan which I have to put into motion tonight. Around 10pm, I snuck out. I tried to sneak into Alessandro’s room. I was almost there when a bodyguard caught me of course. So I went for plan B. “Ooops.” I said dropping my coat and showing my see through nightee. “I will tell him you stared at my nakedness.” I said. “I am sorry.” He said shivering and scurried away. That was easy. Probably not the best idea but it worked. After a few minutes I kind of heard them talking about it. Seriously they should shut up. That guard went to tell his friends about it. How stupid. I thought they don’t talk. “You stared at who?” I heard Alessandro say angrily. Sorry to them no one asked them to gossip. This also means he will be coming soon… I have to find… Bingo! I can probably find something there. He thought keeping me away from his room will keep him safe. As soon as I put my hand in his jacket he called me. “Aliyah you don’t want to do that.” He said. Enemies in the mafia and pack can't wait to tear them to shreds. Danger always looms and in addition secrets cause distrust. Will the secrets break them or make them stronger.

Liliana Patrick, a twenty three years old timid and clumsy lady who lost everything in a blink of an eye. Suffer was an understatement in her case, she had nothing, no shelter, no friends, no family. But when she steps her leg in to Kings Company, she was introduced to another world she never knew about. Nicholas King, an example of rude and arrogant, cold, dominant, commanding and heartless. The thirty years took over his late father's property after he passed away, he shows no mercy to his workers, he can fire you with just a little mistake. But when his eyes roam her body as she walks into his office, he claimed her as his. I took a seat in front of him. "Good morning Sir-" I greeted but he cuts me off. "Did I ask you to seat?" His voice, so raspy, so deep, so sensual, so husky and so......British? I never knew the Kings were British. But what took my attention were those words he said. "Uhh....." I stood up immediately. "I'm sorry" I apologize but he looks angry or something. "You came sixteen minutes late, left my door opened, sat on the chair like you own the place" he snarled at me..... okay, Mr rude. "I.....I said I was sorry" I look away from him, he shuffle and his cologne filled my nostrils, sandalwood and lavender oil. "You are not to talk back till I ask you to. Sit" he ordered and I did. He grabs what looks like my resumè, he looks at me in an instant. His blue orbs holds no emotions in his eyes as he stares at me, but what was so intriguing was the fact that he's intimidating me really bad.

The crowd starts a countdown to midnight like New Year’s Eve. I close my eyes and smile, holding Liam’s hand tightly. Everyone yells “ONE!” and cheers. I open my eyes and see the iridescent liquid light of the full moon pouring out of the giant orb flowing down over us. People around us ooh and ahh at the beautiful sight.  When the first rays of moonlight cascade over my skin, I feel a heat inside me turn into a burning fire. I gasp and look up at Liam. He looks at me with wide, surprised eyes. “Mate,” he murmurs and squeezes my hand tighter. It isn’t a comforting feeling. There are no sparks like people describe when they touch their mate. Maybe it takes a few minutes to develop. I smile and try to admire Liam, but I don't want to say it back. Nothing feels different. I still love him, but he’s not the one. Liam is looking at me, but it isn’t a look of true love. It’s lustful and carnal. I feel a pit in my stomach. Liam isn’t my mate. How can this be? And how was he able to call me his mate if he’s not mine? “Zara,” a woman’s voice says in my head, “My name is Lavender. I’m your wolf and you’re in grave danger, my dear. You need to run. You need to run now. Your life depends on it.” “My… wolf?” With everything that happened the past couple of hours, I forgot she was waking up. “L-Lavender, what’s happening? What do you know?” Lavender repeats her order. “Zara, you need to run. I can explain later. I’m so sorry this is happening to you, sweet girl.”

It’s Monday and my first day of my new school. I drive my car around to where everyone else is parked, so I find myself a parking spot. Then I find the front office and go in and get my schedule. My first class is math, so I walk into the room and I’m the first one in there so I walk up to the teacher and hand him my paper to sign that I have to take back to the front office this afternoon. “Hello Miss. Billie Green I’m Mrs. Smart. It’s very nice to meet you.” The math teacher says, then sings the paper. You can go find yourself a set. I would try to find one in the front on the left-hand side. The kids pretty much already have the back full.” She tells me, and really it’s okay. I kinda like the front anyway. I make my way to a seat that looks vacant and sit down. Kids start piling in about five minutes later. And walking to their seats, there’s a tiny little girl that comes and seats down behind me. She introduces herself as Shaylee Apple. “Hello Shaylee Apple I’m Billie Green.” I tell her and hold my hand out to shake hers. I turn back around in my seat about the same time as a tall guy that has dirty blonde hair cut into spikes all over, ash gray eyes, so gray I can see the color all the way in my seat. He’s wearing a tight fitted gray shirt, and blue jeans. He has a very handsome face, but then he looks at me and instantly I see hatred in his eyes. What the heck, he doesn’t even know me. .

BOOK #1 MARINOS' MAYHEM SERIES "I said 'act like my boyfriend' for just five minutes, not 'act like my fucking husband' for the rest of your life!" Adrian Price half-yelled, his fingers curled into a tight fist as he glared at the terrifying, yet super gorgeous man in front of him. Giovanni Marino blinked slowly, taking his time to register every detail of Adrian's figure into his memory, not minding that he was disturbing his work at all. "I don't see a big difference between the two." "Oh, for fuck sake! You're a thug, but surely you're not dumb, are you? Do you not know when to stop?" Adrian scoffed, his anger growing thicker. "Sadly, I don't seem to know what 'stop' means. You made the idea of being someone's boyfriend sound so great now I don't think I wanna stop." Adrian Price knew asking a mobster to fake being his boyfriend would get a lot of unnecessary attention from lustful eyes off him, but what he never knew was that the man he had just picked was no different from the unwanted pests that lingered around him, wanting to have a taste of him. Giovanni Marino enjoyed clubbing as much as he enjoyed killing; however, despite this, he was extremely lonely. Now, the big bad man had found a toy he could play with, and he was having the best fun of his life. Would he ever stop and return to his lonely life? That, he wasn't sure he could do that. Not even when he realized Adrian was his enemy's son. He needed Adrian, either to break him or to make him.

Audrey Nathan, twenty years old, notorious hacker since the age of ten. She's the most scouted hacker in the whole of the continent and probably worldwide, but no-one could really get to her. Different Mafia organisations has been searching for her but she's as slippery as an eel. Luck left her side for few minutes that she got caught in two Biggest Mafia organisations' fight and was shot. Jordan Van Arthur, leader of Lone Wolves found a frail redhead in his penthouse fighting for her life, clutching to a lilac tote bag. "No.. no hospital please.... Doctor....call .....call a..." She fell conscious. **** Audrey Nathan swore her loyalty to Jordan Van Arthur when she found out he had saved her life and protect her identity away from the people looking for her , most importantly, Lone Wolves has never been part of those scouting for her and killing anyone involved with her just to get her. Jordan Van Arthur is rumoured to have facial paralysis due to his always expressionless face, even at the face of death, he is never moved, even when he was betrayed by the person he loved most and his most trusted aide, he never showed how hurt he was, but with Audrey Nathan, Things changed that he himself could hardly predict his next wave of emotions with Audrey around. *** "Nghnn... Jord... I want you.....all of you" Audrey moaned out, her eyes hooded with lust, she didn't care if his shadow crew could hear her, she wanted him in her, home where he belongs. "I got you mama" Jordan's voice always dripping with lust just like his lips were dripping of her juices.....

A painter, artist, and an engineer single father named Mike living with his Mom Rose, He was been single father since Alice died in giving birth to Augustine, years later he worked as an engineer contracted three years of bridge project with his co-engineer Angel and they became close till years passed by where their project will end. Angel confesses in a letter to Mike that she likes him, and he was willing because he also likes Angel as their relationship went through, A test result came in that he has a liver cancer stage one only his Mother know this. He desired not to tell this to Angel instead he gave her a small box for the birthday with nine letters inside it but all is ten as he instructs every year on her birthday she will open one letter and if all nine will do, he will give the tenth letter which he designates the very important one. But eight years later Mike died in the eighth letter Angel had only one, The nine and it came to the point where she need to get the tenth letter but don't know. Instead she visits Mike grave as she there, un-expectedly a voice of a child calling her name as Angel turns around she saw a child amused walking to her holding the tenth letter she doesn't even know who's this child but the woman who followed back, is Mike's mother Rose as the child reach in front of her, He hand the tenth letter to her. Minutes of reading heavy tears appear and she knees down to the child and hugs him then Angel whispered "he's resting forever but no worries Augustine father is always okay promise I'm always here for you Son" And she heavily cried.

A girl jumped into the river, cursing her fate and God. She was sinking in water and a pair of huge arms saved her. Someone, who came to save her is her Saviour. He carries her in her arms and puts her in his car. He reached the hospital in a few minutes with the unconscious body of that girl. All the way, he was looking at her thinking about the girl. She became conscious after treatment of a few hours given by doctors. She asked first of all, as she woke up, "Who saved me?" A sound like a roar is colliding in her ears, "I saved you." "You...... What the hell ?" She yelled. "Don't shout Ms Aradhya Kashyap. Now I gave you a new life so you have to pay for this." Samarth said conditionally. "What should I pay? And why should I pay?" She asked back and added angrily, "Did I ask you to save me?" The disgust for this man was shown on her face. He was just giving a winning smirk to her. "You have to marry me." He bored her orbs sharply. "Marry you, my foot. I will choose to die... Go to hell, Mr Goenka." She replied with disgust in her tone. "Really" He saw her photos when he saved her, she was in torn clothes and it was visible that she was raped. She was startled. He is blackmailing her without hearing her. "If you will not marry me, I will publish it in the newspaper. The choice is yours." He smirked again. A tear spilt over her cheeks, she replied, "Yes, I will marry you. But...." "What but..??" "I'm only 17. How can you marry a minor girl?" "Let me remind you, Ms Aradhya Kashyap, you turned 18. Today is your birthday, 21st February."

My husband, Chandler Goodwin, claims that he doesn't understand what the phrases "silent treatment" or "giving the cold shoulder" mean. Yet, in the three years we have been married, he has never once spoken to me sweetly. The first time we have a falling out, I remain proud and dignified. We end up ignoring each other for seven days straight. The seventh time we have a cold standoff, I start to panic a little. However, despite trying all sorts of methods, he doesn't back down. The 11th time it happens, I have already learned to work through my emotions myself. Chandler doesn't even need to say anything before I take the initiative to apologize first. I simply think that he's just a naturally indifferent person, that nobody can warm his stone-cold heart. Then, on the third year of our marriage, I accidentally ruin his dress shirt while ironing it. Chandler doesn't say a word, but that very night, he packs his things and moves into a hotel. On the third day of being blocked, I head to his company with a handwritten apology. While passing by his office, I spot him leaning over to shoot his angry assistant a doting smile. "I'm sorry for raising my voice at you just now and upsetting you. It's been 57 minutes since you started ignoring me. Please stop giving me the cold shoulder, alright?" I freeze on the spot, the apology letter in my hand practically burning my fingers. As it turns out, it's not that he doesn't know what the silent treatment means—it's just that I've never been the person he wants to coax.