Chicago Review Of Books

On the day I miscarried and suffered from haemorrhage, my husband posted a photo of a newborn’s tiny feet on his Instagram Story. The caption read: “Welcome, little angel. Daddy will always protect you.” With trembling hands, I called him. “The baby’s gone. Can you come to the hospital?” On the other end, I heard a baby crying, followed by the man’s impatient voice. “In that case, take good care of yourself. Louise just gave birth and needs someone to care for her. I can’t leave. “Besides, the dead shouldn’t compete with the living for affection. Got it?” He hung up right after. I broke down alone on the hospital bed, and when I finally wiped away my tears, I dialed the number of his sworn enemy, Levi Snow. “Marry me, and the entire Wright Corporation will be my dowry. All I want is for you to bring Finn Yeaton down. Do we have a deal?”

At three in the morning, I stare at the unknown transaction record on my phone screen, my fingertips turning cold. The record is for a payment of 2980 dollars, made for an executive suite at the Wisteria. The time of payment was 8:00 pm last night. My husband, Tristan Griffin, is a detective. He was on the night shift last night. I clutch my phone, my knuckles turning white as I text Tristan, "I just saw your credit card bill for a hotel stay last night. What's up with that?" His reply is instant. "Our team had to work overtime at the last minute, so they put us up at the hotel. I forgot to tell you about it." I scan the text and sputter. The Wisteria is located in the western region of the city, which is on the other end from where his squad is stationed. I don't press him for more details and click on the bank app on my phone. Having found the vendor's address through the payment record, I sent it to my best friend, Rowena Sheffield, who works as a private detective. She replies instantly with an "OK" emoji and follows up with, "Give me a second. I'll find out everything you want in a jiffy!"

Billionaire Seymore Lewis has the world at his feet, and if he wants it, he can have a different girl in bed every hour of the day, every day. He is a sex addict and a man who has it all, a master at no-strings-attached. What Seymore didn’t expect was to be caught in a new obsession; conquering Ava, the woman who seems to draw a line and keeps pushing him away. Not even the dangerous people who are after him are an obstacle to this new obsession, and anyone that comes in between him and her, will have to learn to be stepped on. - “Ava deserves a good man. Do you think you’re a good man, Seymore?” the man asks, calming himself down. “A good man? No, I am not. I would literally strike a match and watch the world burn if it meant keeping her safe,” I reply slowly, leaning in toward him. Empire of Lust is created by Amelie Bergen, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

I've always yearned for a fairy tale love story with the perfect alpha partner, someone who would sweep me off my feet. However, in traditional fairy tales, the princess is meant to end up with a prince, not a swashbuckling pirate. Navigating the dynamics between alphas and omegas can be daunting, but deep down, I've always cherished the hope of discovering true love. Unfortunately, back in my hometown of Austin, it feels like nobody shares the same interest, and I spend every full moon in solitude. But everything changes now. I find myself once again in the clutches of my old, malevolent pack, determined to claim me as their own and keep me confined within their fortress at sea. The only obstacle preventing the pack's alpha from selecting a mate for me is the one person I never expected to come to my aid. Jack Heston, an uncompromising and mercenary soul. Jack insists that I am his destined mate, and he pays no heed to the rules imposed by the Dark Moon pack. To complicate matters further, he publicly declares his claim on me, marking me with his mating bite to track my whereabouts. I don't feel the familiar connection of a mating bond, but now Jack is in control, and he shows no intention of setting me free. However, it appears he harbours a secret, and just maybe, against all odds, he might be the key to helping me find my way back home

Dalawang puso ang nakagapos na naaayin sa kagustuhan ng bawat isa. Thr thread can start to deepen or loosen and it's up to their descision. Ag sa bawat giit ng puso ay tila may binubulong, sa bawat katotohanan ay tila may nakatagong sekreto at sa bawat puso ay may nakamarkang pangalan ng nagmamay-ari rito. Ngunit paano mo mamahalin ang taong sumira at nagnakaw ng iyong karapatan? Paano mo itatama ang lahat kung una pa lang ay nagsimula ang kwento sa pagpapanggap at kasinungalingan? Hahayaan niya pa rin bang igapos siya ulit ng tadhana kasama ang lalaking kinamumuhian kahit na madaming rason para putulin iyon? Ngunit sa kagustuhan na pigilan ang sariling makulong muli ay hindi lang puso at katawan niya ang kalaban kundi pati na rin ang mapaglarong puso ng lalaking tinuturing niyang demonyo. "You smell nice Dawn, I don't care if you ars afraid of me but one thing is for sure, kailangan mong itatak diyan sa isip mo na I won't let you run away without having the thrill of having you and tasting you first,"— Flix Montero "I do prefer being tainted ang madumihan ng pauli-ulit ay sadyang nagbibigay ng kakaibang ligata sa akin and I won't let myself fall again for I know I won't ve love the way I like and expect it to be. Because happy endings are only for women that worth to fight for and I am not one,"—Dawn Mathison

"he's your elder brother! The rightful heir of the kingdom. "He turned around furious. His eyes glowing red and his hands itching to silence that voice forever. "The king would never choose you as his heir! "'Now that's enough! ' his rugged fingers from fighting many a wars now gripped the handle to his sword. 'He had had enough of this unruly man.' "prince Chandra! "Afraid that he had to witness another bloodbath tonight in front of his eyes, the minister spoke up. "You could be the heir to the throne, if there's no elder brother to claim it anymore. "A silence so poignant settled into the room, before the fool spoke again. "And how's prince Chandra supposed to kill his own brother? He has been kicked out of the palace without an army, rarely any income except the looted money from the nearby villages. " "I know a way to overcome these problems." "The sole heiress of Rai chand's.Their coal mines, the business of daimonds could solve all our problems." "But why would they give all that to us?"the prince asked. "Because you would marry his daughter." "goodness!" the ladies gasped. "I bet he would have a hard time at the wedding knowing that at the end of the night, this nymph would be waiting at his bed"an blush crept up her cheeks.But it was all short lived she ran down the steps of her home in a frenzy her bridal attire swishing across the floor. Tears had already stained her cheeks when she reached the aisle.It was all red! The floor, the ceiling, the carpet and the lifeless body of her soon to be husband that lay there, bathed in blood."It's time for us to get married darling!" the prince clasped her hand.

“Kage, what are you…” “What am I doing?” His voice taunting. “I am going to destroy you, Avyanna. Once I am done, you will never be able to have another man.” “Kage…” Beyond what I can even restrain myself, my moans are nothing but a symphony to his ears. But as he feels my body surrender, he pulls his hungry lips away, “Do you really think I am going to give you all that you want, Avyanna?” “Kage…” My voice turning to a whimper. “Please, I am sorry.” “Not as sorry as what you are going to be,” his growls ripple to every inch of every crack and crevice. “You messed up, princess. You just lost the only man that will ever satisfy you.” Avyanna Tate left her small-town home of Jackson ten years ago in pursuit of a modeling career in the big city. When a tragedy strikes in her family, she is forced to return home. Years ago, she left the Xavier brothers behind her, they not only destroyed her life but broke her heart. Destined to only one of them, she could never make the choice and decided to run away instead. Now she is back, and her path is bound to cross with Niko, Slater, and Kage once again. But the boys have done some growing up. If she thought then that one choice between them was not easy, this time around it is going to be near damn impossible. Ten years ago, they were only boys, but now they are the Alphas that run Jackson. The Xavier brothers known for their reign of anarchy have waited in anticipation for Avyanna’s return and this time there is no escaping them.

Elisa's day was already sucking, she had been fired from her job as a waitress for throwing a glass of beer at a customer - for the fourth time -, her rent was late and if that wasn't bad enough that day she had forgotten her wallet at home, but when the crazy man who ran her over asks her to have his child, she decides that the universe is clearly pulling her leg. Why, after all this is definitely crazy, she couldn't just accept a crazy request like that, could she? Anthony wanted a child, but had no intention of having a wife, because when you grow up a world like his "trust" is a word that doesn't exist. He was still thinking of a way to solve this problem when the answer literally threw itself in front of his car. Two people with very different worlds and goals, but united by a contract and maybe a feeling.

In a world where one's identity is tied to the strength of one's wolf, Athena faces a tough reality, living without this vital companion. Rejected by her mate and betrayed by her cousin, she not only battles with an unjust sentence of death but betrayal. As Athena daringly escapes the grips of her fate, the journey takes an unexpected turn. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, she tries to seek a love that transcends the boundaries of her troubled existence. Will she unravel the mysteries of her identity and dormant powers, all while discovering the profound depths of love that eluded her in the face of hardship? The answers unfold in a tale of strength, self-discovery, and the enduring quest for love in the most unexpected places…

His wife cheated with my husband. In retaliation, he suggested one night together: one night of passion, born of revenge. I wasn't supposed to see him again, but there were consequences we didn't expect. And then I found out who he really was...