Gifted Hands By Ben Carson

Five years ago, Celine Russo ran from New York and never looked back after her boyfriend, Salvatore Moretti, destroyed her family’s empire and sent her father to prison. He tried to explain but she refused to listen. With her stepsister’s voice in her ear and betrayal in her chest, Celine disappeared from his life forever. One month later, she discovered she was pregnant with his child. Now, years later, her daughter is dying. A congenital heart defect. A donor heart waiting. Three weeks to raise millions she doesn’t have. Desperate and out of options, Celine returns to the one man she swore never to see again. The man who ruined her family. The father of her child who doesn’t know she exists. Salvatore agrees to pay for the surgery, but on one condition. For six months, Celine will become his fiancée. Living in his home. Wearing his ring. Playing the role of the devoted future wife in public to secure a powerful alliance with a rival mafia family. But as old wounds reopen and dangerous truths surface, Celine learns that the story she believed for five years was built on lies. Her father’s betrayal runs deeper than she ever imagined, and the man she hated may have been the only one trying to save her. Now the past is catching up with them. And this time, it’s not just her life on the line.

A sharp pull by my wrist bought me back to the wall. I hold my breath for a moment. "what the hell" I cussed. "Shh, baby girl" he exclaimed. I cringed with the endearment he used. He brought his face near to my face. His breath is fanning all over my lips. It raised my heartbeat to a different level. It must be heard by him also. His smirk face saying it all. His eyes are gazing my lips and he started closing the small gap we have between our lips to be mingled into one. Sensing his intentions I closed my eyes & moved my face to the left. He stopped right away & increase the gap between us which I really appreciate but the hold of his hand on my wrist is very tight. It started paining me slowly. "Now listen to me very carefully, we might be lawfully wedded husband & wife. But you are nothing to me. I have only married you because of my doll" he said rudely to me. I forcefully release my hand from his hulk like grip which resulted into breaking my bangles & a piece of glass cut into my hand. It hurt me like hell. There must be a big cut in my hand. Ignoring the pain in my hand. I showed my other hand finger towards him and said "even I was not interested in this marriage. I am kind of forced into this" Which I am not, my subconscious mocked me. But I won’t give him that satisfaction. Although I was not forced but I had no other option than to accept this marriage. _______________________ This is the story of Payal Mehra and Kabir Khurana who are bound by vows in the sacred bond of marriage which was not in their to do list. But yet they are.

It was a small pull, that had her confused at first, but kept bothering her like a strand of hair attached to your arm that you can't find and remove. When she focused on it, the pull drove her to touch his chest lightly. She cleared her mind to make sense of the foreign sensation that spoke to her and when she did, it was strange and dark. He was calling for fire. ---- Brianna is a witch that tends to the needs of nature by controlling the four elements. Nathaniel is a phoenix assigned to her village by a mysterious and suspicious organization, the Council. He is a master of fire, unwaveringly dedicated to his life's work. She is an untamable force of nature. Can their unexpected encounter alter the path of fate?

Si Ariadne Altavilla ay anak sa labas ng isang dating Gobernador. Nang mawala ang kanyang ama sa posisyon niya sa politika, nagbago ang landas ni Ariadne, at natutong lumuhod sa tukso ng casino. Nabaon siya sa utang, at ang tanging paraan upang maayos ang mga pagkakautang ay ipasok siya sa Dream Fortress—isang Class-A na prostitution house na ang mga kliyente ay kabilang sa pinakamataas na uri ng lipunan. Isang gabing puno ng pagbebenta ng laman ang nag-iwan sa kanya ng isang hindi malilimutang karanasan. Matagal na ang nakalipas, ngunit hindi pa rin mabura sa isip ni Ariadne ang unang lalaking pinag-alayan niya ng kanyang sarili. Sa paglipas ng panahon, nanatili na lamang sa alaala ang lalaking iyon… hanggang sa makilala niya si Adam, na kalaunan ay naging kanyang kasintahan. Masasabi ni Ariadne na tila maayos na ang buhay nila ng kanyang ina, kaya tinanggap niya ang marriage proposal ng kanyang nobyo. Subalit habang papalapit ang araw ng kanyang kasal, muling lumitaw sa kanyang buhay ang lalaking una at huling umangkin sa kanyang katawan, handang baguhin ang lahat ng kanyang pinangarap.

She has spent her life mastering control over her emotions, her empire, and the contract marriage that keeps Vance Industries in her name. Publicly, Sloane Vance is untouchable. Privately, she sleeps alone while her husband’s ambition bleeds into whispers of betrayal with the one person Sloane trusted without question. One signature at the end of her marriage term could legally strip her of the company her parents died to protect, and Sloane knows the clock is no longer on her side. Then Damon Cross steps into her life—sharp-tongued, unyielding, and completely unimpressed by her power. He challenges her silence, sees her fear, and refuses to look away when the cracks show. Desire ignites where resentment once lived, forcing Sloane to choose between the armor that has kept her safe and the vulnerability that could destroy her. Because if she risks her heart and chooses wrong, she will lose more than an empire but if she chooses right, redemption may finally be within reach.

“Promise me, you will hide her and keep the truth from her. I never want her to know what she is or where she came from.” Esmes mother begged on her death bed as she handed her infant child over to her friends. “Raise her as your own, please!” She had spent years running, hoping to find a way out of the deal she had made with a demon that would cost her not only her life but her only child’s freedom once she turned 18. With her mother gone and her wolf stirring Esme finds herself rebelling against the ties of family and friendship as she nears her 18th birthday. Sneaking out to a party Esme finds herself auctioned in an underground world where mafia reign and rules don’t apply. At least not for the formidable alpha and mafia boss Matteo Accardo, who thrives in the dangerous world of corruption and sin! She may be his mate, but that doesn't mean she gets a happy ending- no one does in the chaotic world of sex, money and power! At least until now…

Anggiana Praba terpesona dengan seniornya yang galak, Hugo Abbyan Rahman. Kencan pertama mereka membekas di hati Gia. Sayang, Hugo sama sekali tidak kunjung memberikan kepastian status hubungan mereka. Sementara itu, kedatangan tetangga baru di depan rumah Gia membuat hidupnya berubah. Restu Maheswara yang seorang duda berhasil mengacaukan hidupnya. Tanpa Gia tahu, Restu sudah mengambil langkah terlalu jauh demi mendapatkan Gia. Haruskan Gia tunduk pada duda beranak satu? Atau dia tetap memilih perjaka yang menebarkan pesona pada wanita lain?

Then without breaking the kiss his hand slid down, fingers brushing between my thighs with maddening control. He played with me lazily at first, teasing circles around my folds, making my hips jerk. I moaned into his mouth as one finger dipped lower, then retreated, just to torment me. “Azrik…” I gasped. He pulled back only to whisper, “Patience. Or I’ll tie you to this bed and take my time.” The way he said it raw, full of threat and promise, had me clenching around nothing. *** She was supposed to be Beta. She ended up betrayed, branded, and carrying the Lycan King’s mark. When Lunessa's mate-to-be betrays her with her best friend, she’s left humiliated and heartbroken, until a mysterious stranger steps in. One night with him changes everything. Now hunted, pregnant, and hiding in a world that’s forgotten her worth, Lunessa must uncover the truth behind the man who saved her, and the bond that could destroy or save them both. Betrayals run deep, secrets run deeper, and when old flames ignite a war, only one thing is certain, the moon never forgets her chosen.

Rafael DeLuca is a man forged in blood and betrayal. Once the rightful heir to a powerful mafia empire, he lost everything when his family was slaughtered in an act of treachery. For years, he rebuilt his power from the shadows, rising as the most feared mafia strategist in the underworld. Now, the time for vengeance has come, and his enemy’s greatest weakness is within his grasp—Sophia Romano. Sophia has spent her life in a gilded cage, unaware of the sins that stain her last name. Sheltered and untouched by the violent world her father commands, she believes she is destined for an ordinary life. But when she is kidnapped by a man as dangerous as he is captivating, her world shatters. Rafael is her captor, her tormentor, and her only protector in a world far darker than she ever imagined. What begins as a calculated act of revenge soon turns into something Rafael never anticipated—obsession. Sophia’s innocence should make her easy to break, yet her quiet defiance ignites something primal within him. He tells himself she is only a pawn, a means to an end, but with every glance, every forbidden touch, she threatens to unravel his carefully crafted plans. As hidden truths come to light and past betrayals resurface, Rafael is forced to make an impossible choice: will he sacrifice the one woman who has become his greatest weakness, or will he forsake his vengeance for a love that could destroy them both? In a world where love is as deadly as betrayal, Rafael and Sophia will have to decide—will their obsession ruin them, or will it be the only thing that saves them?

Amara never wanted this life, but working under **Leonardo DeLuca**, a ruthless mafia boss, leaves her no choice. He’s obsessed with her—dangerously so. When his enemy, **Dante Russo**, sets a deadly trap, Leonardo falls for it—only to realize *Amara was the target all along*. But Amara isn’t just a pawn. *She’s about to play the player.* As secrets unravel and obsession deepens, she must outsmart both men before she loses more than just her freedom—she might lose herself. ---