Flannery O'connor Short Fiction Award

A woman filled with childhood trauma, abandonment and daddy issues and a man with questionable desires. Two strangers who met in a bar. The woman came to drink her hearts out as she's about to get married to an old man. The man on the other hand, came to seek a short term companion for the night. As the night progress these two strangers paths crossed. With an unknown force they embark on a heartwarming journey where unexpected connections turn into lifelong bonds. Two strangers who, despite their differences and pasts, find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another . Through laughter, challenges, and moments of serendipity, they discover that sometimes the most beautiful love stories start with a chance encounter. Dive into a world where their love grows from the simplest of beginnings and witness how two strangers transform into something amazing...

Twenty-two-year-old Tricia Volkanov's life doesn't belong to her. As the first daughter of Mathias Volkanov, head of the Volkanov Mafia, she's more of a pawn in her father's ruthless game of chess, than his beloved daughter.  When her father picks a noble man for her to get married to, Tricia is sad. She feels nothing for Antonio Dombruso, and rebelliously escapes the Volkanov mansion to experience a careless night where she encounters the alluring, beautiful man named Gideon Scarfoni, whom she hands over her virginity to on a platter. When she disappears the next day right before Gideon wakes up, Tricia is eager to put that one, sinful, passionate night behind her and get married to Antonio, but fate has other plans. The stranger's baby is growing in her belly, and it turns out he lied to her from the start. Because his name is not Gideon Scarfoni at all, but Connor Mennetti, and he's a formidable Mafia kingpin, and billionaire whom her father wants dead. THIS IS A FOUR-BOOK SERIES: BOOK 1: HIS BOOK 2: HIM BOOK 3: SHE BOOK 4: HER

"No man…" He said giving off short breaths. "No man… will be able to please you this much," he said. "Say it!" He growled. "No man will be able to please me this much," I replied immediately, while I felt him inches deep in me. **** Once you are in the mafia, there is no getting out! Molly Watterson and Farrell Gustavo meet accidentally in a club while she is fleeing from her billonaire fiiance after publicly disgracing him for infidelity, and Farrell is having one of his mental episodes. Both are stupidly drunk and they have a one nightstand. Farrell wants to keep her forever,but she leaves before he wakes up. He is determined to find her, but first he has to attend to his debtors. When Farrel finds out that Molly is the stepdaughter of his last standing debtor. He takes her in exchange for his life, marries her forcefully and introduces her to his world of money, sex and murder, but Molly wants more. Will she just be an item which he obssesses over? Or will she be able to break into his walls?

Selene, the first daughter of the Moon Goddess is restless with her immortal existence. She is drawn to the Harvest, the annual meeting of the world's werewolf packs where circumstances bring her face to face with Aiden, the handsome future Alpha of the Druid Pack. What fate has in store for this pair will change the shape of both their worlds. Will their predestined love be worth the fight?

Emerald was loved and accepted by all of her family. However, two family members took out their hate and anger on her from the moment she was born. They hated her mother. Her parents knowing this took her to their closest friend and ally Alpha Jason. He was the Alpha of the largest and strongest pack in the state of California. Emerald's mother being of the fae people cast a spell upon his land that not only protected the pack but her daughter as well. It was not found out until later that Emerald and his twin sons Devon and Nate were her mates. Unknown to all of them Emerald's jealous family members had promised to give her to the rogue Alpha Connor. He wanted her for her powers so he could make his pack the largest and strongest. Emerald grew up returned to Alpha Jason's land, but she can't understand why she is drawn back here. Alpha Connor's son Ryder has become alpha. There is also a new threat to Emerald that no one is aware of. The Vampire King has become aware of her existence and wants her as his queen. With her as his queen, he would become the most powerful supernatural in existence. Emerald has once again met her mates but with all her insecurities can they make it work. Emerald just wants to be happy and loved but with everything stacked against her will she ever find her happiness?

When we were about to head to the amusement park, my Beta boyfriend, Drew, brought along a woman and her daughter. There happened to be one seat short in the car. Drew told me to get out and give my seat to the two of them. “Laura has a kid with her. Let them go first. I’ll come back for you later,” he said. I calmly stepped out and watched as the car slowly pulled away from the pack. Three hours later, they arrived at the amusement park for the fireworks and feast. When a friend asked Drew why he still hadn’t come back to get me, Drew was patiently helping Laura light a giant firework. He wasn’t in a rush at all and even said, “It’ll be fine if I pick Sienna up later. She won’t mind. I’ll coax her a bit, and she’ll stop being mad.” Anger only worked on people who cared about someone. My dad, mom, and brother never cared, and now, not even Drew cared anymore. It was time for me to leave for good.

She was his motivation. Madison Connor, the only woman he had ever loved, the woman he had hurt, the woman he had left. Billionaire Damien Daniels had three things he needed to accomplish in his life. First, he was going to get to the root of his past. Second, he was going to make the Connors pay. Third, the last thing, he didn't even know. But he knew there was something remaining, a wrong he needed to right. And it was staring straight at him. A dark truth that risked breaking him apart, that could mar his existence. In all these though she was at the center of it all, Madison Connor. Lord help him. She was the one thing he could never have. His enemy's little sister. Eyes like the sea, strawberry blonde curls and those dotted freckles atop her nose; she was his obsession. She was the beginning of his downfall, his damnation and motivation. *** He was the one man she couldn't avoid back then, and the man she couldn't resist. Damien Daniel, her childhood crush who never looked her way even once.Her brother's enemy. She was too small for him, not sexy or beautiful enough for him, too shy to even talk to him.Their attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as she ached to be his, she feared the pressure of his demands. *** Submitting to each other meant they had to break so many rules. Could they? Would they? Their love was forbidden. Their intertwining past threatening to tear them apart. A bumpy ride. So many obstacles and trials. It took days, months and years, but what's meant to be will always be!

Sarah Willow, a sweet girl, born into the lowliest of ranks has always wanted a happily ever after. She believed she had found it when destiny brought Alpha Ryder, her fated mate to her. But her fairytale was short lived when her protector turns out to be her worst nightmare. Shattered and broken by his betrayal, Sarah vows to make him feel every bit of pain she had felt. But there’s a thin line between love and hate. As the line is crossed severally in her encounter with Ryder, will Sarah be able to stick to her plan? Or will she fall back to buried memories? Will she be willingly to love again, despite her past? Or will her thirst for revenge get the better part?

SILVER BLOOD'S PREQUEL Right in the middle of the ballroom, the tray as well as the champagne glasses clattered on the ground with a loud crash, spilling drinks everywhere and on everyone close, he stared at me with so much disgust and I didn't know how to feel. “Impossible! The moon goddess must have lost her mind if she thinks you, a mere wolf can match up to an Original lycan.” Every word uttered led to something I dreaded the most. “I, Prince Alaric O'Neil Winston, reject you as my mate. Get her out of here now!” For centuries, the Lycans ruled with extreme viciousness and wickedness by enslaving the weaker and inferior specie, the werewolves. Their agony and suffering met the heart of the moon goddess and she bestowed upon them a savior. Chosen To lead her kind to freedom after being rejected by her mate, the lycan prince, Diana Melbourne must become the very thing she feared—a killer!

Synopsis: An arrogant CEO finds himself chasing his resigning collateral secretary and discovering his dark past. The pompous-ass young master, Connor Cater Vozinelik, is a versatile billionaire; who was shattered by a tremendous heartbreak from his brother’s boyfriend. His collateral secretary Paul Victoria is now resigning from sacrificing himself for the guilt he felt towards his friend. One night, he stumbled with his ex-sugar daddy, who is avenging from his swindle doings before. Paul’s is in trouble of losing his dignity and career from the threat of the notorious drug lord, Davon Davidson. However, there is only one way of rescuing himself from the burden, and it’s to sign the collateral husband’s contract. Paul Victoria falls from his billionaire’s trap. As day counts, both of them are slowly learning each other’s way and profound dark secrets. Will it give way for Connor to heal in the presence of Paul, or Connor would fall for another ache of heartbreak?