Bi Annual

The night before the annual gala, my wife promised me a big surprise. But the very next day, she publicly quintupled the marketing manager's bonus. To me, she just gave a curt nod and a half-hearted "keep up the good work". When I questioned her decision, she brushed it off casually. "You've racked up some impressive wins in court. I'll give you that, but let's be real. Without Kevin hyping you up, you'd never have hit top-tier status. Plus, what's mine is yours. Why nitpick over a bonus?" The room buzzed with anticipation of my explosion. But I held my tongue till the gala ended. The next morning, I marched into her office and slapped my resignation letter down on her desk. "Might as well tack my salary onto Kevin's. Consider it my wedding present to you." She erupted, branding me as narrow-minded and dooming me to the unemployment line. She conveniently overlooked my track record as a powerhouse attorney. For that alone, elite firms were lining up to recruit me.

At Sullivan Group's annual banquet, a female university student approaches Peter Sullivan and offers herself to him. The usually cold and distant Peter suddenly freezes because this young woman looks exactly like his deceased first love. He can't help but tease, "You're asking to be my mistress in front of my wife. Are you so sure you won't be thrown out?" The young lady lifts her chin, and her stubborn expression is identical to that of his lost love. "You two got married for business reasons and mutual benefits. Does she have any say over what you do? Peter, only you can save my mom. Will you do it or not?" She's right. I'm just a pawn in a marriage of convenience. How could I possibly influence Peter's choices? But then, I catch a glint of tenderness in his eyes that I've never seen before, and a self-deprecating smile forms on my lips. Maybe, instead of clinging on and being thrown out like trash, it's better if I give up my place willingly.

"I'm gay." My eyes grow so big as I stop breathing, but two seconds later I'm bursting with laughter. "Okay funny," I finally tone down my laugh as I bring myself to look at him again. But he is still staring at me like he had been when he told me that joke. "Wait," uhh, "Really?" He nods, "Really." "You like... guys?" "I fuck guys." Oh wow, you really can't have it all can you. When he checks all the boxes, suddenly there's this big box he doesn't. The most important box, the top on the list. "You're gay or bi?" Because there's a big difference between those two. "I'm gay." "You never fuck a woman?" "I've never fucked a woman." "Then why the hell would you want me to be your sugar baby? To watch you fuck another man's butthole?" He smirks despite my little mockery. "Oh now it's funny?" "It is," he is still smirking, "But no. It's the opposite of what I wanna do." I bring my arms across my chest as I reply in my all-business tone, "Enlighten me." *** 22 year old Estelle is one of the best sugar babies the agency has ever had. She has the whole package, no dick ever gone soft seeing how perfect she is, both her body and personality. But can she sway Owen into the heterosexual group? After being in that homo-pool all this while?

My husband insisted that I wear high heels at the company’s annual meeting despite being pregnant. He compared me to his female secretary with a look of disdain. "Can’t you learn from Lucille? She’s eight months pregnant and still comes to work in full makeup, handling her tasks efficiently. If you don’t wear them, don’t go. I’ll be embarrassed!" He even tried to give the high heels to his secretary and take her as his date. Left with no choice, I forced myself to wear them. However, on the balcony, the secretary tripped me, spilling red wine all over me. Limping, I found my husband, only for him to sneer, "Tripping on flat ground? How clumsy!" Furious and pale with anger, I turned to leave. Someone urged him to chase after me, but he only got angrier. "How bad could it be? She’s so timid—she can’t survive without me! Just wait. When the event’s over, she’ll definitely be waiting in the car to drive me home." Alas, he was wrong. I turned and went straight to the hospital for an abortion.

For years, Venus has loved Alpha Bronze of the SilverFang pack, the boy who promised her that no matter what fate had in store, she would be his Luna. But on Venus’s twentieth birthday, everything falls apart when Bronze’s fated mate appears. Mallory, a royal wolf with undeniable power and status. Despite Bronze’s vow to reject his destined mate, Venus’s world shatters when Bronze publicly names Mallory as his Luna. Heartbroken and humiliated, Venus cuts the bond between them and throws herself into the annual training camp, determined to rebuild her life. But fate isn’t done with her yet. When the cold and ruthless Alpha King Rowan, Bronze’s uncle, arrives at the camp, Venus feels an irresistible pull toward him. Rowan, known for his icy demeanour and ruthlessness, is startled by the fiery young wolf who stirs something dangerous within him. When they discover they are fated mates, Venus is torn between the fear of another crushing rejection and the hope of finding true love. Can Venus melt the heart of the fearsome Alpha King? Or will Rowan’s dark past and his cold nature push her away forever?

She always belonged to him….and now he’s ready to claim her. Intimidating, ruthless Italian mafia boss has one motive in his life, to avenge the death of his parents. His ruthless pursuits of success and vengeance leave no room for love in his heart. He has never been emotionally involved with anyone. Ever. Until he met her. Sadie Quintin. Kidnapped. Taken away from her family. She never thought her life would take a twisted turn. Never reckoned that one decision would change her life completely. Despite her broken past, she’s adamant to see beauty in life….even in cold heart of the man she betrayed. Silvio Salvatore. She was never supposed to fall for him, but she did, not realising it was already too late. Abducted by his rival, Sadie is forced to stay with him. During an annual gala of top business tycoons of the world, Sadie was coerced to accompany her captor. She wasn’t expecting to meet those cerulean eyes again, but when she did, it unleashed secrets that could destroy them both…and everything closer to them. Even their lost relationship.

With her eighteenth birthday quickly approaching, Selene Lockwood is eager to meet her mate. At the arrival of their Light Moon Pack's annual Mating Ball, she becomes enamored with a man whose familiar presence and charm convinces her he's her childhood sweetheart, Nathaniel Wulfric, who always looked out for her. Thinking he's the mate the Goddess Lupa has given her, Selene surrenders herself to him on the night of the mating ritual. However, when Selene learns that the man she has spent the night with isn't Nathan but his scheming and mysterious twin brother, she feels devastated. Left heartbroken and confused, Selene then questions everything she knows about Nathan and his family. As she digs into the hidden past of the Wulfric twins, she discovers the truth that's buried deep in history. Torn with her feelings, Selene's caught up in a dilemma between her love for Nathan and her forged bond with his evil twin brother. As the tension escalates, Selene must confront the devastating consequences that her choice may bring, not only for herself but for the entire werewolf population. Will she choose destiny's path for her or the love for which she's willing to pay the price?

Richard Rossi, co-owner of Petals Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals gets a sexual experience that shakes his whole being from a young woman who turns out to be the youngest daughter of his partner, Peter Torres. He hides away after the incident miles away from the Torres family. His presence is not required until the sudden passing away of his partner and best friend. Jacqueline Torres is a wild child, the black sheep of the Torres family and the youngest child. On the night of her parents' annual summer party, she meets a man who evokes the female side of her which she had strived to keep buried within her. When she finds out who he is, she vows to make him pay for running out on her. When the runaway co-owner returns to take over after her father's death, Jacqueline begins to question her emotions as memories of that night plague her still. Richard is called upon to take up the responsibility of his company, putting an end to his nomadic lifestyle. He tries to play a distant, fatherly role when he meets with the lady from five years ago but when they encounter dire situations and death targets from all sides, he has a reason to stay, to protect and to love her.

As Cain Knight's mate, I watched him lead Elias Sinclair, his childhood sweetheart, onto the stage at the Black Moon Pack's annual charity gala. "In recognition of Miss Sinclair's outstanding contributions to our community," Cain announced, his voice a glacial shard as his eyes found me, "I have decided to grant her the title of this year's 'Charity Ambassador.'" An honor that had, for years, been bestowed upon the Luna by her Alpha. He shattered tradition just to humiliate me. Under the pitying gazes of the entire pack, I did not cry. I did not question him. I simply straightened my spine, set down my champagne flute, and silently turned to leave. "Let her go," I heard Cain sneer behind me. "She won't last half the night. She'll come crawling back like a beaten dog, begging for my forgiveness." A wave of derisive laughter erupted behind me. "After all these years, Lupita still uses the same tired tricks to get Alpha Cain's attention!" "I bet she'll be on her knees, pleading for Alpha Cain's forgiveness before sunrise!" But they didn't know. The person waiting to spirit me away was already at the door. This time, I would vanish from this gilded cage forever.

Christmas magic is in the air at the Santa Clause Ball! Will it lead to love? Growing up in a town called Mistletoe Mountain, it's no wonder I love Christmas. My parents named me appropriately, too. You can't get much more Christmas-y than Holly Lane Garland! This Christmas is going to be even more magical than usual--I can just feel it! At the annual Santa Claus Ball, I meet an amazing man who makes my heart play "Jingle Bells." There's just one problem--well, maybe two. I have no idea what his name is--or what he looks like. (Did I mention the Santa Claus Ball is a masquerade?) Searching for my perfect man leads me to make a new friend. Patrick is amazing, and we have so much in common. He loves Christmas, too. But I think he has a girlfriend. And, well, he's just not the guy who kissed me under the mistletoe. Or is he? Will I find love before Santa arrives, or will I lose my chance at mistletoe magic? If you like sweet, clean Christmas romance novels that get you in the mood for the holidays, you won't want to miss this new romance from the author of Melody's Christmas, Christmas Cocoa, and All I Want for Christmas is Pooch!