Freeze Framing

We got caught in a blizzard—me, my fiancé Melvin Dunn, a few of his colleagues, including Sally Blom. Middle of the night, I woke up shaking. My heavy-duty sleeping bag—the one built for minus forty—was gone. In its place? A flimsy summer quilt. Sally was curled up in my bag, fast asleep in Melvin's arms. I shoved him hard. "Why is she in my sleeping bag?" He pulled me aside, whispering, "Keep your voice down. Sally's kinda fragile—she's about to catch a cold. You're strong. You'll be fine." I pointed at my feet, already numb. "So I'm supposed to freeze to death for you two because she's 'fragile'?" He frowned. "God, Peyton, stop being so dramatic. It's just a sleeping bag. Think about the team for once." I laughed, tears slipping down my face. Didn't say another word. Just crawled back into the corner, grabbed the sat phone, and called my brother—Captain of Stormfang Rescue, an elite international search and rescue team. "Hugh, come get me. The coordinates are... Remember—I'm alone."

As a child, Elena Carter witnessed the brutal murder of her father, a decorated detective, at the hands of men she believed to be part of the Mafia. That night, her world shattered, and she vowed to dedicate her life to avenging his death. Years later, she becomes a detective, determined to bring down the very criminal empire she holds responsible. Her mission leads her deep into the city’s underworld, where she goes undercover to get close to the ruthless and enigmatic Adrian Moretti, a powerful Mafia boss feared by many. Cold, calculated, and untouchable, Adrian is a man who trusts no one—but when he crosses paths with Elena, something shifts. She intrigues him. She challenges him. And, against all logic, he lets her in. As Elena gets closer to him, her resolve wavers. The man she was sent to destroy is not the monster she expected. But the deeper she falls, the more dangerous her web of lies becomes. And when the truth is revealed—that Elena is not only a cop but the daughter of the detective who was killed that night—Adrian’s world comes crashing down. But the truth runs even deeper than Elena ever imagined. The police force she serves is not as righteous as she believed. Her own agency orchestrated her father’s murder, framing the Mafia to cover up their own corruption. Now, the people she trusted want her dead, and the only person who might be able to protect her… is the man she betrayed. With enemies closing in from all sides, will Elena and Adrian fight for love, or will the past destroy them both?

My mate, Ethan Rickman, is an Omega without a wolf. No official position is willing to hire him. That means we live in poverty, but I've always believed that our love can overcome anything. Seven years after our mating, hunger drives me and our son, Theo Rickman, to dig through trash bins late at night, looking for food. Theo moves quickly and quietly. He's become skilled at it. With a cheerful grin, he whispers to me, "Mom, this bin belongs to an award-winning restaurant! The food's fresh and tastes great. Let's bring some back for Dad!" The next day, I put on the cleanest clothes I own and head to that same restaurant, hoping to get hired as a janitor. If I get the job, maybe I can bring home leftovers before they're tossed out. But when I look up, I see Ethan stepping out of a luxury car worth millions. Behind him stands a woman and child, both dressed in designer clothes. I recognize her instantly. She's Mira Alstone, his childhood sweetheart. The restaurant owner gives me an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Ms. Everdeen. Alpha Ethan reserved the whole place for Mira today. I have to focus on serving them, so I don't have time for interviews. Maybe come back another day?" In that moment, Theo and I both freeze where we stand.

When my mother won a million dollars from a lottery ticket, she prepared an envelope for each of her three children. After we opened them, my younger brother and younger sister each found a bank card inside. But from my envelope, two 1-dollar coins clinked onto the floor. Seeing me freeze, a trace of unease flickered across Mother's face. "Cassian," she said hesitantly, "Logan and Sienna suffered a lot growing up because your father passed away so early. So I gave each of them 500 thousand dollars as compensation. "You're the eldest son—like a father to them. Don't fight with them over this, okay?" I glanced down at the faded down jacket I had worn for years, the fabric so worn that it had lost its color. Then, my eyes drifted to my younger brother's limited-edition sneakers and to the designer bag slung over my sister's shoulder. Mother seemed to have forgotten that when Father died, I had only been eight. I smiled faintly. "Alright. I won't fight them for it." Hearing this, Mother let out a long breath of relief. The next second, my voice turned cold. "Then I won't fight for the responsibility of supporting you in your old age either."

Los Angeles was supposed to be my home. Instead, it had always felt like a golden cage. The Smith mansion stood tall behind iron gates, glittering with wealth and silence. Servants bowed. Cameras watched every corner. And the man who called himself my uncle smiled sweetly for the world while hiding knives behind his back. I was seventeen when I heard the truth. “He will take care of the girl tonight,” my uncle said over the phone, his voice calm. “Make it look like an accident.” The girl. He meant me. Fear became the only thing that kept my legs moving. I ran from the driver who was meant to take me home, sprinting through unfamiliar streets until the bright city lights disappeared and the world turned darker. Detroit. Wrong place. Wrong time. Engines roared in the distance when I saw him. A man sitting on a black motorcycle like a shadow carved from danger. Tattoos curled up his neck. His eyes were cold enough to freeze the night. Everyone knew men like him were monsters. But monsters were sometimes the only ones who could save you. I jumped onto the back of his motorcycle and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Please,” I whispered. “Help me.” That single moment would destroy his life. And change mine forever. *******

I go to the city where my online boyfriend, Logan Wright, lives to surprise him without telling him first. Instead, I overhear him talking with his friends. "So what if her voice is nice? She's probably ugly as hell if she's reluctant to even send a picture. If the hottest girl on campus hadn't turned me down, I wouldn't even bother messing around with someone like her. "Not only is she ugly, but she's also horny as hell. She keeps saying she has to see what I'm packing down there before we even meet." One of his friends snickers. "So did you show her?" Logan let out a low grunt in agreement. "But it wasn't mine. It was Troy's." His friend blurts, "What the hell? Troy Levine? Your roommate? You said he was at least eight inches. Were you serious?" "Of course. Why would I lie to you? Troy is a real bro. Seeing that I didn't want to send that kind of picture, he offered to do it for me." They freeze for a second, then all burst out laughing. I laugh too. I've heard of body doubles in Showbiz. This is the first time I've seen a body double in online romance. I want every detail on Troy, and I want them in the next three minutes!

On my 16th birthday, I treat myself to the most delicious cake I can find. On that day, before I can even take a bite, my parents, who are always at odds with each other, sign their divorce papers right in front of me. So, on my wedding day, I tell my wife, Keira Jarrett, "If you ever want a divorce, just get me a birthday cake." She hugs me tightly and promises me."Don't worry. 'Birthday' won't even be a word in our home anymore." Seven years later, on Keira's birthday, her assistant, Jackson Price, throws her a surprise party. She slaps him across his handsome, gentle face and kicks him out of Jarrett Group. That day, I am convinced I have chosen the right woman for life. But three months later, on my birthday, I find out the supposedly fired Jackson has been promoted to Keira's personal secretary. He personally delivers a custom-made birthday cake to me. I call Keira to demand an explanation, but her voice on the other end is cold and distant. "Jack meant well. Don't be a spoilsport." I freeze for a moment, then hang up. It turns out my parents are right all along. The only way a birthday cake tastes right is when it's served with divorce papers.

‘It’s a fucking diamond ring! Why is it on your finger?’ I roared she looked up at me, strands of her hair framing her face her tear-soaked face making her skin look blotchy. She whimpered as more tears rolled down her face. ‘Weak and pathetic! How is it that he wants you over me!’ I glared at her, lowing my head so that we were eye to eye. Fear filled her face tenfold when I showed her my fangs. She gulped. ‘I don’t know Zac gave it to me, please,’ I slapped her again, I didn’t want to hear this. I heard her cry out again. ‘What do you want’ she begged. ‘I want you gone,’ I raised back up, so I was standing over her, she cowered back into the chair. ‘I can’t leave,’ she whispered helplessly. Zelda is a Siren captured from the depths of the sea at a young age to be sold as a sex slave to the Vampire Prince. Zaikai is an arrogant entitled Vampire who needs an heir in order to become King of the realm. After the two meet they find themselves drawn together with an intense chemistry. Both uncertain as to what the future will hold, trouble is always around the corner and before they are able to change the dynamics of their relationship disaster strikes causing everything they had hoped to unravel. Will Zaikai's past cost him his future? Can Zelda claim her freedom? Will the two get past the hurt and betrayal and find love?

We were on our way to celebrate our son’s birthday when we got into a car crash. When I woke up, I looked at my family gathered around my hospital bed and cracked a joke: “Sorry, but who are you guys?” I held back a smile, curious to see how they'd humor their "amnesiac" patient. Would my mother grab my hand in a panic? Would my husband look at me with worry? Would my son rush over, crying and calling me Mom? What I didn't expect was for them to freeze for a moment—and then, almost in unison, let out sighs of relief. My mother was the first to speak, her tone unmistakably lighter, as if a huge weight had been lifted. "If you don’t remember, it’s probably for the best. This is Lindsay—your sister, she’s my daughter. You were adopted." My husband then pointed at me and said to our son, "You should call her Aunt Wendy." Before the shock could even sink in, I watched the child I'd fought so hard to protect turn and throw himself into the arms of Lindsay. "Mom! I played outside all day. I missed you so much!" So that was the truth. My amnesia was exactly what they'd been hoping for. In that case, I didn't need this made-up life anymore.

Tika They delivered me to him on a silver platter. Four years ago I was an ordinary girl with a privileged life. After killing the only family I have left, they call this my penance. As I watch the man they call a monster from underneath my lashes, the handcuffs burn on my wrist. The orange jump suit makes sweat drip down my ample bosom as he growls at me. “Mate” he roars. The others around us freeze as we are lead in line. His eyes never leave me as he gives orders while others call him Alpha. With a snap of his fingers I watch as one of his men shreds himself apart to turn into a hideous beast. As I meet his golden gaze and my world starts to tilt, only one thing is clear. I just became the prisoner of a monster. ~ Xander When I imagined my mate, I saw a woman of strength and great beauty. When I met her eyes for the first time she wasn’t in chains. She wasn’t a prisoner facing persecution for a crime. I find the sweet scent of her to be contradicting. The way my cock hardens behind my robe as she looks at me from underneath her lashes, lets me know that she is a very bad girl indeed. In that moment I decided, since I always bring out the best in people…..this time, I want to bring out the worst.