As Thick As Thieves

For a decade, my world had been measured in laundry cycles, grocery lists, and the ever-growing pile of dishes in the sink. I was elbow-deep in soapy water, scrubbing the remnants of another family meal, when it happened. A sudden, silent cascade of text flickered at the edge of my vision, like subtitles for a movie only I could see: [Gosh, the heroine is so tragic. Her husband's entire family has been feeding on her luck like parasites!] [Her husband stole her graduate school admission and her career!] [The in-laws are literally siphoning her health away. No wonder she's always sick.] [And the sister-in-law took her "romance" stat! No wonder her love life is a desert.] [Heads up! Her husband's about to give her another "gift." Let's see how much more he takes from her this time.] My hands, clutching a greasy plate, froze. Right on cue, my husband, Tristan, sauntered into the kitchen. A smug, self-satisfied smile was plastered on his face as he took my wet hand. He slid a flimsy, garishly colored plastic bracelet onto my wrist. "Look what I got for you, sweetheart," he announced, his voice dripping with pride. "I made a special trip after work. Found it at the dollar store. It's romantic and economical, just like you always say you want. You love it, don't you?"

Sloan is a new member of the Thieve's Guild. She is trying desperately to prove herself after growing up as an Orphan. The Guild Master gives Sloan a job that is going to change her entire life. If only she can survive the outcome.

Lorenzo and Selena secretly love each other, even though it should be forbidden by agents. Especially since Lorenzo was a captain and Selena was a member of his team. No romantic relationship should occur between agents. But Lorenzo was desperate to love Selena and marry her. During their five years of marriage, all was well and they had a son who was hidden from the public. But a new mission gets Selena killed and all the secrets they've been tightly hiding for so long are revealed to the surface. The FBI's elite board was furious and suspended Lorenzo for his misdeeds. Everyone shunned Lorenzo when he was in the most difficult phase of his life because Selena's death brought a threat to his son. Lorenzo was always blaming himself after all the weeks since Selena's death. He secretly investigates Selena's bizarre death case in order to viciously punish Selena's murderer. But when he gets close to the mastermind behind Selena's murder, he meets a woman who looks like Selena who works for his enemy. Lorenzo thought that the woman might be Selena. And as long as he was breathing, he would continue to pursue that woman to prove that she might be his dead wife.

The forest within the quiet village of Gashea is a dangerous place. Within the trees lies something dark, cursed, and wicked. For centuries, a demon with malevolent power terrorizes the villagers of the small valley home. He had brought droughts, disease, and famine. To ensure that he will keep his powers at bay, the village of Gashea offers a bride to the demon every night. And by dawn, without fail, they would see the corpse of the offered brides floating along their bright, shining river. With the next choosing fast approaching, the head villagers made a shocking decision. They had chosen Fyn. A man. When Fyn starts to slowly fall in love with the demon within the forest, secrets of the past unravel. The truth makes them wonder whether it’s the right monster Gashea fears.

When my husband, Lucius Croft, and I were on a flight that was heading toward our honeymoon destination, his childhood friend, Belinda Todd, suddenly appeared before us while pregnant. She claimed that she had bought an economy-class ticket and that she wanted to go on a vacation with us. Not only did Lucius not reject Belinda, but he also wanted me to give my first-class ticket away to her. I turned his suggestion down. So, he helped Belinda occupy the first-class seat next to us. When I realized that an old lady was the owner of that particular seat, I did everything I could to convince Lucius to return the seat to her. Unexpectedly, Belinda was so mad that she got off the plane right away. On her way home, she got into an accident, which killed her and her unborn baby. Lucius attended her funeral calmly. But on the day I was supposed to go into labor, he tied me up in the car and staged a car accident on purpose. "This is all your fault! If it wasn't for you, Belinda never would've died! You deserve to make it up to her with your life!" I could only watch the car drive into the tree in total despair. All I saw was a huge explosion and tongues of flame around me before I completely lost consciousness. When I open my eyes again, I see Belinda standing before me with her belly jutting out. This time, I no longer stop them. What they don't know is that the inconspicuous-looking old lady is actually a member of the esteemed Howard family, also known as the global business powerhouse. She's also the grandmother of the richest man in the world, Ethan Howard.

"Hi there, I'd like to emigrate." Christina stood at the counter and handed over the neatly prepared documents to the clerk on the other side of the glass. The clerk quickly stamped each page. The red ink spread like tiny ripples on still water. Then, without looking up, he pulled out another form and passed it back to her. "Ma'am, your paperwork will be processed in fifteen days." Christina nodded, turned on her heel, and headed for the exit. But before she could step outside, whispers trailed after her. "Did I see that right? Mrs. Waldorf is applying for emigration? Did she have a squabble with Mr. Waldorf?" "Even if they argued, would it go this far? Mr. Waldorf practically worships her. What could possibly make her leave so decisively?" "Exactly. Five years ago, their wedding was the event of the century. Even someone like me, who barely goes online, heard about it. And three years ago, after her car accident, the blood bank ran out of stock. Mr. Waldorf ignored everyone's objections and nearly drained himself to save her. Then, just last year, when she disappeared for an hour, he mobilized every media outlet worldwide to find her. Now she's leaving without a word—won't that drive him insane?" The murmurs swirled and lingered, but Christina only smiled faintly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes darkened with a bitterness that deepened with every step. Yes, she thought. Everyone knew just how much Lucien Waldorf loved her.

Vic, the loyal female bodyguard, harbored two hidden truths. Firstly, she carried an unrequited love for her employer, Martin Cadell - the Chairman of Crimson Corporation. Secondly, she battled a terminal illness, knowing her time was limited. Wrongly accused of a crime, Vic took her secrets to the grave. But fate had other plans as she awoke in the body of Victoria Red - a comatose heiress set to wed her former boss, Martin Cadell. From protector to betrothed, can Vic maintain her facade from Martin, who had just discovered his feelings for his departed guard? Or is it time for her to embrace a new beginning and pursue genuine love?

Jennifer Morgan was repeatedly abused in her marriage by her husband, Stanley Morgan, CEO of of Morgan's holding. She endured the pain in silence, trapped by shame and fear of what might happen if she left, forced to live in a gilded cage. Her life shattered the day Stanley’s violence caused her to have a miscarriage. From that moment, Jennifer began to plan a powerful revenge, one that would bring down the man she once believed was her precious husband. Reaching out to the one person who hates Stanley as much as she now does, she forges a dangerous alliance with Alistair Croft, Stanley’s charming and ruthless business rival. Together, they plot a dual destruction: a divorce that will bleed him dry and a corporate takedown that will dismantle his empire brick by brick. But Croft’s help comes with a cost far greater than she imagined. To reclaim her freedom, Jennifer must confront not only her monstrous husband, but also Croft’s past… including his ex-wife and the secrets buried between them. Jennifer must decide how far she is willing to go and what she is willing to become as she trades one powerful man's chains for another's.

I clutch the face basin, the cool ceramic easing the warmth that's spreading from my sweaty palms to the rest of my body. My body freezes when I feel his weight against my front. His knee directly pressing against my heated crotch, it isn't ungentlemanly, he's doing it in a way that seems like he's unaware that he is doing it — if that makes sense. “I'm talking about this, Principessa," he whispers, and I gasp. His eyes hold my gaze so intensely, it doesn't matter how much my rational self is telling me to look away. Fuck, it's screaming; Danger and heartbreak alert, but my inner slut and greedy pussy are up for the challenge. “So is it as tight as I'm imagining?" He presses against my crotch a little harder. ************ Kevah Pierce is a talented, sexy, and confident 300lbs beauty. Her mother loves her, but she believes Kevah will never discover love because of her weight. After she meets Trevor Munro, the local weather reporter at a restaurant. They can't deny their undeniable sexual tension. They move on to dating for two years, but when her family brings up the question of marriage, things start to become sour in their once peaceful relationship. Trevor goes on to reveal a shocking secret to Kevah which causes her heart to shatter to pieces. Unable to bear the heartache, she flees to a small city called Fertopia in Italy, where she reunites with her older brother's friend Emanuele Ferrero whom she was briefly married to a few years ago. She finds out he's keeping not 1, but 4 secrets from her. The 1st one is that he owns the building she is contracted to decorate. Will the two be able to put aside their disputes to work simultaneously?

Two weeks before my wedding to Alexander Hayes, he invites his friends over to our small home. During dinner, Alexander keeps groping me, whether intentionally or not. After they finish eating, I overhear their conversation as I clear the dishes and walk past the study. "Alex, Lydia's quite something. I touched her earlier, and her skin's so soft. She nearly pulled my soul out. "If you don't mind, let us guys have some fun with her once she pays off the debt for you. We'll help you cover the cost of whatever Kay wants." Alexander chuckles softly, his voice casual and careless. "Sure, I don't mind. I've been sleeping with her for so long, I'm already sick of her anyway. "Just make sure she doesn't rat us out to my grandpa... Actually, forget it. She's blind anyway, so she won't figure it out." For two years, I've devoted myself completely to taking care of Alexander, yet he's ready to throw me into other men's beds, using my body to settle his debts. I stand silently at the doorway, feeling absolutely nothing. Of course, I know that someone else has been replacing him for a year. The person who holds me close night after night isn't him, and the child in my belly isn't his either.