Gut Wrenched

Ich bin die beste Kunstfälscherin und Informationsspezialistin in ganz Chicago. Und ich verliebte mich in den Mann, dem die ganze Stadt gehörte – Don Vincenzo Russo. Zehn Jahre lang war ich sein Geheimnis, seine Waffe und seine Geliebte. Ich baute sein Imperium aus dem Schatten heraus auf. Ich dachte, ich würde einen Ring bekommen. Schließlich war er jede Nacht, die er in der Stadt verbrachte, in mir versunken und nahm sich seinen Vergnügen. Er flüsterte, ich gehöre ihm, dass es sich mit niemand anderem so gut anfühlen würde. Doch dieses Mal, nachdem er mit mir fertig war, verkündete er, dass er die russische Bratva-Prinzessin Katerina Petrov heiraten werde. Da wusste ich es. Ich war nicht seine Geliebte. Ich war nur ein Körper. Für ein Bündnis, für sie, opferte er mich. Er ließ mich sterben. Also zerstörte ich jedes Stück des Lebens, das er mir gegeben hatte. Ich machte einen einzigen Anruf bei meinem Vater in Italien. Und dann verschwand ich. Doch als der Don, der Chicago beherrschte, sein Lieblingsspielzeug nicht mehr finden konnte … wurde er wahnsinnig.

Ich erfuhr zur gleichen Zeit wie Rosa, dass ich schwanger war. Sie war die Jugendliebe meines Ehemanns, der in der Mafia war. Um ihr Baby davor zu schützen, auf Drängen ihrer Eltern abgetrieben zu werden, gab mein Mann ihr Baby als sein eigenes aus. Und was war mit meinem? Er redete mir gut zu und sagte, er würde es erst nach der Geburt von Rosas Baby als sein eigenes anerkennen können. Ich konfrontierte ihn und verlangte zu wissen, warum er mir das antat. Seine Antwort war kalt und unerschütterlich: „Ihr Baby als mein eigenes anzuerkennen, war die einzige Möglichkeit, sie beide zu schützen. Ich werde nicht zulassen, dass ihr oder dem Kind etwas zustößt!“ In jenem Moment, als ich den Mann ansah, den ich zehn Jahre lang geliebt hatte, wurde mir klar, dass meine Liebe zu ihm bereits gestorben war. Nicht lange danach verurteilte mich meine Familie. Sie nannten mich eine Schlampe, weil ich ein Kind ohne Vater bekommen würde, und drängten mich zu einer Abtreibung. Währenddessen hielt sich mein Mann in einer anderen Stadt bei seiner Geliebten auf und half ihr durch ihre Schwangerschaft. Als er dann zurückkam, war ich allerdings bereits weg.

"Mommy, Mommy! Look at that mister! Will I be as handsome as him when I grow up?" Liam's question forced me to look at where his finger pointed. "Holy f—" I cut myself off, trying not to curse in front of my son. Why, why, why did I have to run into Alexander Ravenford as soon as I walked out of the airport?! Among the millions of people living in New York, I surely didn't want to meet one—Liam's biological father. Five years ago, my scumbag of a boyfriend cheated on me, and I decided to go on a genuinely therapeutic weekend in the Bahamas. I wasn't looking for a rebound, but somehow I ended up spending a decent amount of time having sex with a man who was basically a stranger—a divinely hot, insanely mouthwatering, and ridiculously irresistible Alexander Ravenford. The morning after brought a disappointing hit in the gut, which assured me that for my Prince Charming, I was only a one-time adventure. But screw that, and screw him! I had plans. I was ready to pursue my dreams and study in London. But then fate decided to throw me another curved ball... I was pregnant, and Alex was the only possible father. I didn't give up. I came back as a successful interior designer and the mother of an amazing boy, Liam. I thought that I would be able to avoid Alexander, but it turned out to be almost impossible. But then it got worse… The arrogant, annoying, and even hotter than before CEO of a multibillion-dollar company became friends with my son—his son! And I have a feeling that the sweet little devil who calls me "Mommy" has a mischievous plan to bring his parents together. Should I give this insane relationship a chance?

Born from rape and abused since childhood, Layla loses her ability to speak and gradually loses the zeal to continue living. Giving up on life, she made her way to the edge of a cliff overlooking the vast ocean. Without a second thought, she closed her eyes and let her body go, welcoming the peace and calmness that came with death. And when she opened her eyes again, there was a pair of golden eyes staring back at her. ... Supreme Alpha Riven Qinn, Alpha King of Dark Creek Pack, strongest and most powerful lycan ever, has lived for centuries and with each passing full moon, he loses the hope of ever finding his one true mate. But fate directs him and he finds Layla on the shores of the river surrounding his territory, almost buried under the wet sand. He touched her and one word resounded in his head. MATE! Safe in the arms of the Alpha, Layla realizes the world is not as cruel as she thought. A deep passion springs forth between the mated lovers and Layla finds herself longing for his touch and presence. Suddenly strange phenomenon begins to occur. Layla's speech is restored and along with it comes strange powers coupled with the gut wrenching pain she endures every full moon. Her identity is discovered. She's the first Tribrid ever. Born from the three strongest bloodlines. This discovery brings forth damned creatures and giant titans from Tartarus, all with a desire to possess the blood of the Tribrid which can cause great havoc in the wrong hands. Riven and Layla will have to fight against Tartarus and the endless conspiracies that threatens to tear them apart. In the course of saving the world, can their love overcome all obstacles or will fate bring them to ruin?

She has always lived a normal life like a normal girl should but her life isn't all that it seems. After losing her sister in the hands of an unknown, Scarlett is determined to find the murderer behind her sister's death, one mission that turns her life upside down. Being the kind of girl who suffers from nightmares and personal vulnerability, Scarlett finds it hard to cope with her feelings for her unpredictable boss whom she thinks despises her gut but the more time they spend together the more he becomes attracted to her and soon did he begin to fall deeper for her that she suddenly becomes his weakness. Wrapping up her life in the hope of finding peace and tranquility, Scarlett suddenly starts to discover some changes Within herself, they weren't normal changes and she knew it, she soon finds out that her nightmares were connected to her sudden changes and also surprisingly connected to her boss, something which left her mouth hanging in disbelief. As time passes by with her father on the loose to hunt her down, Scarlett soon discovers what she is, she is no longer the normal girl she used to be but something more powerful and beyond humanity, a hybrid. One question though, what kind of hybrid is she? She's yet to find out. As if that wasn't enough on her shoulders, little by little did she begin to discover the real identity and darkest truth behind her boss's life. Her boss! He turns out to be something she had never thought he could be. Indeed, her normal life ended when she found out they had an unbreakable bond... **** Everything in this book is 100% fictional. Any offense was not intended. Anything resembling that of the real world is simply a Coincidence.

'THE BIG FOUR': Steven Chase Baron Sage Iphan Carter Kane Richmond A group of gangsters who for their own interests, build up a conglomerate with the label, 'X-HABIT'. Their activities are no different from vices, but their main aim is to keep the money rolling in, Kaching! Kaching! In hard, hard currency. Betrayed by one of them, the conglomerate fades into fragments of two: X-HABIT and ICE, syndicates of their own, tugging at each other's throats. Steven's regime faces out, but he leaves behind an heir, who continues the game: shuffling, dealing and cutting cards, playing tit for tat. The heir? He's Adrian Chase. A drop dead gorgeous billionaire, an Adonis and New York's shaker. Out of the blue comes 'THE MEN', a rival who watches Adrian keenly and has eyes on everything he's got. This only lengthens the saga, creating another pile of screwed up shit. Aside from Adrian's lethal life, he's got an allergy - WOMEN. Only a quartet add up to his living: his daughter, his step sister, his step mother and his nanny. The rest are no lesser than muddle-headed, fatuous bitches. Well, there's that 'bitch', a naive Megan Stones whose world crumbles when the cold jaws of death snatch her parents away, leaving her with a mouth to feed. She is a college drop-out who's a waitress and a washer-up by day, a stripper at night. Fate punches some buttons, Chase and Stone happen to meet. Strings are pulled and sparks fly. She quenches his allergy and ignites in him, an addiction: HERSELF. Their love story has its fair share of thorns but after many times of falling and rising, they solemnize their love in holy matrimony. After tons of games, gut flaunting and bloodbaths by these rival syndicates, X-HABIT is ascribed the glory.

Bella’s life takes a dark turn when her father’s debt to the Jacksons falls on her shoulders, and the price is paid in blood. Lucas, one of the Jackson brothers, steps in, claiming her as his wife to save her. But before the wedding, Bella finds herself drawn to Damon, Lucas’s enigmatic brother. The ceremony shatters when gunfire erupts, leaving Lucas critically wounded. As he lies in a coma, Bella and Damon grow closer, crossing a line they can’t undo. When Lucas finally wakes up, shaken by his brush with death, he pleads for a chance to make their marriage work. Damon, however, drops the bomb about their affair. Lucas whisks Bella away, determined to salvage what’s left, but secrets and unfinished business loom. Will Damon fight for her, or will Lucas prove he’s the one who can truly win her heart? While traveling through Europe, Lucas discovers Bella is pregnant, with Damon’s child. It’s a gut punch, but he decides he’s got to step up if he’s going to keep her. Just as things start looking up for them, life throws another curveball. A freak accident sends them tumbling down a flight of stairs, Bella breaks her leg, and Lucas fractures his spine, leaving him wheelchair bound. Determined to see him recover, Bella throws herself into rehabilitating him while secretly using her father’s hidden Swiss funds to build a company. Back in America, the family drama kicks into high gear. Bella’s accused of shoving Lucas down the stairs to get rid of him, because, of course, she’d risk breaking her own leg for that. Damon’s met with a version of Bella he doesn’t recognize, convinced she’s only staying with Lucas out of pity.

Meine Stiefschwester schob mir die Schuld für ihre Allergie in die Schuhe. Also sperrten mich meine drei Brüder in einen engen, stickigen Keller und verriegelten die Tür mit einer Kette. Ich schlug mit aller Kraft gegen die Kellertür und flehte sie an, mich rauszulassen. Der älteste Bruder, ein erfolgreicher Geschäftsmann, funkelte mich nur kalt an, bevor er ging: „Du schikanierst Lilli sonst schon genug! Und lässt du sie noch absichtlich Meeresfrüchte essen, obwohl du genau weißt, dass sie allergisch ist? Willst du sie umbringen? Denk hier drinnen gut darüber nach, was du getan hast! ” Der zweite Bruder, inzwischen ein berühmter Sänger, und der dritte, ein genialer Maler, spotteten nur: „So böse wie du bist, tust du auch noch so, als wärst du unschuldig. Bleib schön hier drin und leid ein bisschen! “ Dann nahmen sie die zitternde Lilli in den Arm und fuhren mit ihr ins Krankenhaus. Die Luft wurde immer knapper, jeder Atemzug tat weh. Ich spüre, wie mir langsam schwarz vor Augen wird. Irgendwann blieb mir keine Luft mehr – und ich starb dort unten. Drei Tage später kamen meine Brüder mit Lilli aus dem Krankenhaus zurück. Da dachten sie plötzlich wieder an mich. Aber da war ich längst tot–erstickt in diesem engen Keller.

His fingers slid into my hair, tugging just enough to tilt my head back and expose my throat to him. “We shouldn’t be doing this, Mr. Turner,” I breathed, my voice breaking on a gasp as he found a sensitive spot just beneath my ear and sucked lightly. His growl was low and primal, vibrating through my skin as he pressed his body against mine. I felt every hard line of him, his heat bleeding through my clothes. “Why not?” he murmured, his voice rough with restrained need. I swallowed hard. “You’re… you’re my ex-fiancé’s father.” He paused. For a moment, everything stilled… his breath against my throat, the air between us, even the rain outside seemed to hesitate. Then he lifted his head, and our eyes locked. His were a stormy blue, intense and unwavering. “No one has to know, Catherine,” he said quietly, his voice was like a dark promise wrapped in silk. Then he leaned in with his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “I can be your dirty secret.” A shiver ripped down my spine. His words settled deep in my gut, awakening something dangerous. I bit my lip. Every cell in my body screamed for me to walk away but I didn’t. Instead, I gripped the front of his shirt, pulled him down, and kissed him hard. Desperately. He rumbled low in his chest, kissing me back with equal hunger, his hands roaming my body like he already knew every curve. When he finally broke the kiss, I was breathless. Then he dropped to his knees between my legs, with his eyes darker now. “I’m going to show you the world,” he said. “If you’d let me.”

Am Tag der Markierungszeremonie wurden mein Gefährte und meine Schwester Rose erwischt, wie sie in der Garderobe der Brautjungfern Sex hatten. Ich wurde zum Gespött des ganzen Rudels. Gerade als ich vor Scham im Boden versinken wollte, trat Alpha Nate vor. Er markierte mich vor aller Augen. Nach der Hochzeit umsorgte er mich liebevoll. Trotzdem blieben wir kinderlos. Erst eine künstliche Befruchtung ermöglichte mir endlich, schwanger zu werden. Er kümmerte sich noch aufmerksamer um mich. Selbst im Schlaf murmelte er „Liebling“ zu mir. In diesem Moment dachte ich, die Mondgöttin selbst hätte uns dieses Glück geschenkt. Bis ich eines Tages ein Gespräch zwischen ihm und seinem Beta belauschte. „Du bist wirklich herzlos, Nate! Luna Diana ist so gut zu dir, und nur weil Rose Angst vor den Geburtsschmerzen hat, hast du heimlich die Eizellen ausgetauscht und lässt Luna für sie das Baby austragen?“ „In zwei Monaten kommt das Kind zur Welt. Was hast du vor?“ Er schwieg einen Moment und seufzte dann: „Wenn das Kind geboren ist, gebe ich es Rose. Damit erfülle ich ihren Traum, Mutter zu werden.“ „Und Diana werde ich erzählen, dass das Kind tot zur Welt gekommen ist.“ „Sie ist nur eine verlassene Omega. Dass ich mein Leben an ihrer Seite verbringe, ist Entschädigung genug.“ Die ganze Zärtlichkeit, der ganze Schutz – alles war gelogen. Ich drehte mich um und vereinbarte einen Termin für einen Schwangerschaftsabbruch. Dieses unreine Kind will ich nicht. Diese verlogene Ehe will ich noch weniger. Ich bin eine Omega des Rudels, aber kein Werkzeug für andere.