Brent Weeks

"Logan, just give me some sleeping pills. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks," Xavier said to his psychiatrist and childhood friend. "You don’t need sleeping pills, Xavier. What you need is a break. How about taking ten days off on a cruise?" Dr. Logan Pierce suggested. "You know how much money I can make in ten days? And you want me to waste it sitting idle on a boat? Every minute I’m off that ship is costing me." "That’s exactly why you need it. The world will survive without you for ten days. Maybe you’ll realize you can, too." "But…" Xavier protested. "Xavier, sleeping pills won’t help this time. You’re becoming too dependent on them, and I’m not prescribing more. If you want your sleep back, take a break—a cruise vacation will do the trick." "Fine. But if this doesn’t work, I’m never listening to you again." "Deal. Now, go pack. And leave your laptop at home." Little did Xavier know that these ten days on the cruise would bring him a surprise. Girlfriend? No. Memories? No. Friends? No. Then what? Twins... Now, Xavier doesn’t need sleeping pills to sleep—just a sofa with no noise. The only purpose of Xavier’s life now is to find a mother for the twins.

Synopsis Ava: My sister Ivy was supposed to marry Dante Rossi. Heir to a billion-dollar empire. Cold, heartless, cruel, and terrifyingly perfect. He was perfect, she was perfect. Together, they were everything. But then the accident happened. Ivy died. I survived. And somehow, I became the one expected to take her place. Forced into a marriage with a man who won’t even look at me without resentment in his eyes, a man who promised to make my life hell for living. Abandoned by my family, and blamed for an accident I can’t even remember.  I was alone from the very beginning. Dante disappeared the morning after our wedding. After a night that made me believe that he saw me. Weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. And he was gone. ----- Dante: I never meant to come back for her. But I never stopped wanting her either. Right from the beginning, I learned to chase what I didn't want to protect what I wanted, because wanting something made it a target. ***** Three years later, Dante returns to the city with an aim, but the first thing he sees is a child that looks just like him. Can a marriage built on loss and blame ever become something more? Most importantly, Was Ava ever just a substitute… or a choice? There’s only one way to find out.

Dabere thought her life couldn’t get any worse, until the loan sharks came for her. Cornered in a dark alley, she was ready to meet death… until a beast with golden eyes appeared, saved her life, and licked the blood off her arm like it was the finest wine. Then he vanished into the night. But he didn’t stay gone. Weeks later, Dabere walks into her lecture hall and sees him again—Kyrien. Her new professor. The Lycan Vampire Hybrid who’s vampire side awoke the moment he tasted her blood, and now the only human on earth that can possibly quench his thirst is her. So he makes an offer she can’t refuse: her blood in exchange to make all of her problems disappear for good. Only Kyrien becomes a problem in his own right, one Dabere can’t seem to run from. But there’s an even bigger problem lurking in the shadows; Karel. Kyrien’s identical twin, his sworn enemy, and the assassin sent to kill her. But the moment he lays eyes on Dabere, his dormant wolf awakens for the first time and calls her mate. Two Alphas. Two rival realms. And one girl caught in the middle of their obsession, neither of them willing to let go. Only, Dabere isn’t quite as human as she thinks. PS = Trigger Warning.

Leo Vance's quiet life as a struggling artist is about to be irrevocably altered. When his mother, Eleanor, announces her engagement to a formidable multi-billionaire, Leo is thrust into the glittering, ruthless world of New York’s elite. Arthur Volkov is a man whose old money Russian empire is vast and feared, and his two identical twin sons, Dmitri and Ivan, are known to be just as dangerous. Weeks before this life-altering news, Leo had a single, unforgettable night with a mysterious stranger. The passion was undeniable, a raw, masculine intensity that left him shaken and ashamed, but he fled, convinced it was a one-time, sinful fantasy. Imagine his horror when he discovers his one-night stand isn't just a celebrity, he's Dmitri Volkov, the cold, calculating heir to Arthur's legacy. The forbidden attraction, further complicated by his own denial of his sexuality and the step-sibling proximity, is instantaneous and potent. But it's not just Dmitri who sees him; his identical twin, Ivan, charming, seductive, and equally possessive, also begins to stake his claim. Leo is terrified of the consequences, knowing that if his mother discovers their affair, it will ruin everything. He desperately wants to reject the life, the lust, and the two men who are dismantling his self-denial. He longs for an escape, but the Volkov twins are unwilling to let him go. They want him all to themselves, a shared obsession that traps him in a gilded cage.

My mate is Ryder Blackwood, Alpha of the pack. As the approaching bonding ceremony, he tells me that his "savior", Isabelle Morrison, is dying. She took a silver dagger meant for him three years ago. Now she is terminal, and her days are numbered. Her last wish, he says, is to leave behind a pup bearing the strongest Alpha blood. I tremble. "What about me? I'm your only mate." His voice is cold, emptied of feeling. "Don't worry. I'll always be your mate." Two days later, I receive the pregnancy test results. Isabelle is five weeks along. Turns out there was never a choice. All I get is a belated notice. What he doesn't know is that I'm the one who took the silver dagger meant for him three years ago. The healer tells me I have, at most, a month to live. I neither weep nor protest. I cancel the bonding ceremony I've dreamed of and quietly book a flight out. It leaves on the very day of the ceremony. Ryder stands at the venue of the canceled ceremony when my message reaches him. It's my unwavering rejection of him as my mate. That's when he finally breaks. For the first time, the Alpha who controls everything tastes a fear that tears the soul. He searches for me frantically, only to find every trace of me erased from his world.

With Alpha Cain…there's just something with him that makes my blood boil to the hottest degree, my mind roaring with spite and disdain every time I look at him in the eyes. I often ask myself, "Am I really sure to be the Alpha's Pet or am I just looking at the fastest way to die?" Maybe I'll never know the answer. Maybe I also knew the answer already. But deep inside, one thing's for sure: I hate Alpha Cain. But I also like some part of him. And I hate that part of myself that liked the part of him. *** Anastasia is an I-don't-fucking-care type of Omega who, because she's already bruised outside and broken deep inside, just accepts whatever comes her way. But Alpha Cain somehow liked her wicked mouth. She's the only Omega who can talk back to him with enough sarcasm and wits that most of his pack members lack of. And in the tradition of most packs, whether in every year, months, or even weeks and days, the Alpha will choose among Omegas as his Pet: a more accurate term for his personal bed warmer. It is an actual title in a pack reserved to only one person, with benefits and privileges on its own. And because Anastasia accidentally became drunk the night Alpha Cain tested her skills in bed, she rode so wild and satisfied the Alpha more than he expected. And a hate-to-love, pet-to-lovers tale began to unfold.

Deandra "Andra" Michaela Anzaldo lost her parents after just the weeks she was born so she was left in the care of her not-so-good aunt. But regardless of that, she still grew up as a kindhearted and hard-working person but the people around her always remind her and always make her feel that she is just a piece of bad luck in their lives and nothing else. An incident happened that made her leave her aunt's house and that also led her to meet and live on one roof with her Hot Teacher – Mr. Francois "Franco" Adrian Del Mundo. Why, out of all the places she could go, she suddenly went to Del Mundo's Mansion? How did she get there? Has everything been easy for her living with her Hot Teacher? Would they grow closer and have feelings for each other? Is Andra willing to risk everything? And what will happen if her schoolmates and other teachers find out that SHE IS LIVING WITH HER HOT TEACHER?                                                            ****** DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, businesses, places, events are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fiction manner. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, or actual event is purely coincidental. WARNING: Please be advised that this story contains sensitive content, mature themes, and strong language that are not suitable for very young audiences. You have been warned. Don't read this book if you're uncomfortable with the above content.                                                             ******

“Funny how the best things are the ones you are not supposed to touch,” he murmured. His voice was low and husky. It curled under my skin and made me shiver. I bit down on my lip, remembering his kiss from nights ago. “Do not,” I whispered, but my voice cracked. He lifted a hand, his fingers grazing my arm before he tugged me closer. “Knowing we should not be doing this makes me want you more.” June Wallace believed she had the perfect life: a wealthy husband, two beautiful children, and the admiration of everyone in her social circle. But when she walks in on her husband of twenty years with a secretary young enough to be their daughter, her world shatters. One night of heartbreak pulls her into the arms of Luca, a stranger with piercing blue eyes who is half her age and makes her feel alive again. It was meant to be a single night. Fake names. No strings. Until he walks into her home weeks later as her son’s best friend. Now June is caught in the most forbidden desire. Luca does not care about their age difference. He does not care about the risks. He wants her, and he is not afraid to fight for her even if it tears her family apart. But secrets never stay hidden, and when the truth emerges, June must choose between the perfect life everyone expects and the messy, consuming love she never knew she needed until Luca.

Jada prayed and asked God to provide a miracle that would be a solution to her family’s problems. They had always been poor, but this was the worst situation they had ever been in. Her father had to be taken to the hospital two weeks ago, and she had become the sole provider for their home. Marilou had given them what money she had that she could to help, but she wasn’t exactly rolling in money herself. The young girl had a huge responsibility placed upon her shoulders, but she was determined not to lose their home or have the children sent to foster care. She had been waiting tables and using her tips to buy gas and groceries, but it was barely enough most days. Her paycheck had not been enough to pay all the bills since her father had let them get so far behind. Mrs. DeRoya cleared her throat, signaling that she would answer the girl. “Miss Pence, I only had one child, my son Brayden here. My husband was also an only child. So, unless Brayden produces an heir, our bloodline here in the United States is lost. What we need is a surrogate to carry the child. If you sign the contract, when the child is born you will receive one million dollars to take your siblings and go have a good life,” she said, staring at her without emotion.

Two weeks before our wedding, Jonah Alston suddenly wants to postpone it. He says, "Sasha says she's having her first exhibition on that day. She'll be alone during the opening, and I'm worried she'll get stage fright. I have to help her. We're just going through the motions with the wedding, anyway. What does it matter whether it's a day earlier or later?" This isn't his first time postponing our wedding for Sasha Lester's sake, though. The first time he did it was because he claimed she missed having homecooked food after undergoing surgery. He'd flown abroad to care for her for two months. The second time was because he said she wanted to head into the mountains to get inspired. He'd gone with her out of concern for her safety. Now, this is the third time. I hang up and look at Austin Everett, my childhood sweetheart. He sits across from me, looking leisurely as he taps his emerald-embedded walking cane on the marble floor. I ask, "Do you need a wife?" On my wedding day, Sasha holds up her glass and waits for Jonah to clink it with his. However, his eyes are red as he watches a livestream—it's the wedding of the scion of Everett Group, the country's largest property development company.