Contra Costa Library Hours Novels & Stories

"You let another man touch what belongs to me?" Lucian’s hand, a possessive vice, encircled her throat. "How dare you? You're mine. The next man who lays a finger on you will beg for death." Lyra’s bitter laugh filled the silence. "Since when do you care? Wasn't I your 'land whale'? Your 'disgusting she-hippopotamus'?" CRACK. His fist splintered the plaster beside her head. "I. FUCKING. CARED. You were always MINE." "I counted every breath you took in his arms," Lucian whispered, his lips grazing the scar he’d given her. "Now he'll count his as I carve them out." Lyra stood unyielding. "You discarded me like trash. He picked up the pieces." The mirror shattered as he hurled her against it. "I WAS SAVING YOU." From what? The forced marriage? The night she miscarried, utterly alone? Lucian’s "care" came too late. Lyra never wanted this marriage—a gilded cage to a billionaire who systematically broke her. But with her mother’s life hanging by a thread, she sold herself to the monster who devoured her soul. Lucian crushed her, made her beg for scraps of dignity. Then, his best friend offered everything Lucian withheld—gentle hands, tender words, a love that didn't wound. Lucian returned. Now, he's a shadow, everywhere: watching her with hungry eyes, touching her with possessive hands, swearing this time will be different. He pleaded, on his knees, for her heart. But Lyra knows better. She’s uncovered three explosive truths: Lucian's first wife wasn't just gone; she was murdered. Her sister didn't disappeared. And the most dangerous lie of all? She's been sleeping with it. Game over? Or game just beginning? As Lucian's obsession escalates and the past claws its way back, Lyra will choose between revenge, accept or reject.

Forbidd​en Contract Broke and handsome 26 year o‌ld w​r‍iter Ethan Col​e signs a⁠way his body and sou⁠l in a brut‍al live-in assi‌sta​n‍t contra​ct wit⁠h Adrian Vale. A 38 year old CEO who is extremely attractive and has a dangerous kind of charm that pulls people in. No emotions, no desire, total obedience. ⁠One to‌uch a⁠nd the contract is dest‍royed. From the seco​nd Ethan steps i‌nto Adrian’s l⁠uxurious penthouse, the air thickens wi​th​ forbidden hunger​,  Adrian’s sta‌res devour him‌, his l​ow, command​ing voice mak​es Et‍h⁠an’s dick throb aga⁠inst his will. Every late‍ night, every‍ brush of breath on⁠ skin, every sharp order pus‌hes Ethan closer to breakin​g. Until A⁠drian catches him desperatel‍y jerking off and watches in si⁠l⁠ence​. Control shatters,​ what begins a‍s cold power explode‍s into‌ savage obs‍essi‌on:⁠ punishing sp‌ankings, agonising teasing and denial, b​ruisin‌g, ra⁠w f⁠ucks t‍hat lea‌ve Et​han wrecked‍ and leaking​, and possessive aftercare that feels l​ike owner‍sh​ip. Adri‍an bre​aks every rule he⁠ wrote,‍ c⁠l​aimin​g‍ Ethan w‍i​th vicious need while hating how d‌ee​ply he crav⁠es hi⁠m. The more he t‌r‌ies to d‌es‍troy the obsession, the mo‍re viol‌ently they⁠ fall hate, l‍u‌st, pain, and devastating lo⁠ve colliding until neither can s⁠urvive withou‌t th‌e other. ‍A‍ cont​ra⁠ct meant to contro⁠l them has​ bound them in‍ the most filthy, and ruinous way po⁠s‍sibl⁠e. Dar⁠k. Filthy.‌ Ad​dictive. Ex‌treme power exchang​e, relentles​s domin​ance, obses‌sive possession, and r​aw M​M erot⁠ic romance that doe​sn’t hold ba​ck.

After the hot sex, the boss asks the secretary to decide whether to be mistress or secretary. She liked him silently for a year, so decide the first. Everything's fine till the baby comes along.

Tori is struggling to keep her bakery afloat while also caring for her sick father. But when she finds a marriage contract belonging to a wealthy bachelor, everything changes. He offers her a contract marriage, promising her financial stability in exchange for posing as his wife for six months. As they navigate their fake relationship, Tori begins to unravel dark truths behind her mysterious husband leaving her questioning everything she thought she knew. Will Tori be able to hold on long enough to save her father and business, or will she get drowned in the darkness and secrets of her new husband?

Crystal Dantes is a struggling artist, who works hard with the hope of getting enough money to pay for her sick mother's hospital bills; she doesn't have much to complain for even though she was stuck with a shitty boss. but her not so quiet life, turns upside down when she is forced into a contract marriage by the powerful but arrogant Kayden Smith in order to save her elder sister. Kayden only considers her as one thing and one thing only.... a filthy golddigger.

Sophia's an orphan world is turned upside down when her uncle's gambling debts force her into a marriage with the arrogant and wealthy Italian billionaire Alexander who is required to get married according to his grandfather’s will before he can fully inherit the family fortune. Leaving behind her boyfriend Liam, Sophia finds herself in a loveless and suffocating relationship with a man who sees her as nothing more than a contract. As Sophia struggles to adapt to her new life, she longs for the love her parents shared and feels more alone than ever before. Just when she thinks things can't get any worse, she discovers that Liam is engaged to someone else, and her heart is shattered. But as Sophia spends more time with Alexander, their relationship begins to change. Despite their rocky start, they begin to see each other in a new light, and Sophia starts to wonder if there's more to Alexander than meets the eye. However, secrets from his past threaten to tear them apart, and Sophia must decide if their love is worth fighting for. Will Sophia and Alexander ever find love or will their pasts and the contract between them continue to keep them apart?

This is a story of a contract marriage. Anthony Madison is a very rich and powerful Mafia Boss that has given up on love, he realized a lot of girls want him for his money and the power that comes with him. Amelia Roberts is a beautiful, young and energetic woman, she works as a school teacher. These two meets, do you think they’ll give love a chance ?

On the day Nick Grange and I hold our marking ceremony, he hands me a three-year agreement. "Our mate bond is only to solidify the alliance between the Lycus and Lunaria packs," he says. "The one I love is Zora. If you sign this contract, the mate bond will dissolve automatically after three years. When that time comes, I'll let you go." Without hesitation, I sign it. This union is something I made happen because from the moment I met Nick, I fell deeply in love with him. For three years, we live in harmony. Nick treats me well, making me form the mistaken belief that he might love me back too. But that illusion shatters. Nick brings Zora Knott, who has just returned to the Lycus pack, to his birthday banquet. Even without Nick bringing up our agreement, I know it's time for me to leave at that moment. I leave to set him free. But why is he searching for me everywhere after I'm gone?

After the one night stand Ivery Lycanster had with Franco Millistone, she had no choice but to accept been a contracted wife to him for a month, inorder to carter for her sick mum who needed a surgery to sustain her life. After their one month marriage, ivery wanted to break the news of her pregnancy to him which was the result of the one night stand they both had. Franco ruined everything when he asked for their contracted to be terminated. Ivery immediately ran away together with her mum, hiding her pregnancy from him. Years later, her birthed smart secret triplets wouldn’t stop asking her about their Dad. Fate finally brought them to their Dad, and they couldn’t wait to reunite them together. Would it all work out? Seeing that their Dad was already engaged to someone else? Find out!

“How? Why? And who the hell is this other woman? Come on Philip. Really? A threesome? And you involve my best friend?” Aliya Van Alen had sacrificed her life as the Van Alen heiress for the man she thought loved her, only to discover his devastating betrayal after molding him into the polished man he became. Determined to take revenge against Philip, Aliya faces a new challenge. To inherit the entire Van Alen fortune, she must marry within two days. She is tasked to find a worthy man in record time or tie the knot with the ruthless and enigmatic Liam De Luca in order to save her undeserving family from debt. Will Aliya walk away from her family and the wealth that defines her, or risk it all to marry a mysterious man that could either save or destroy her?