Hand Blown Glass Swans

Power can’t protect Adrien Cross from bullets or from the men who want his body. Damien is the bodyguard, he is brutal, disciplined, and hungry. Lucian is his rival; he is ruthless, obsessive, and willing to burn him alive. He doesn’t expect the first night to end with his back against glass, his bodyguard’s mouth on his throat, and a rival billionaire watching, waiting to join. One night, one kiss, one reckless threesome changes everything. Desire becomes an addiction. Obsession becomes war. But in the end, only one man can have him. But will Adrien’s choice save him or destroy him?

By a twist of fate, my husband, Morgan Lancaster, and I perish together in a sea of flames. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the very day we received our marriage certificate. In my previous life, we appeared to be a loving couple in the eyes of others, yet Morgan refused to share a bedroom with me the entire time we were married. It was only moments before our deaths that I discovered I was merely a substitute for his first love and that he had chosen to remain chaste for her for life. After getting another chance at life, neither of us mentions the past. Instead, by mutual understanding, we file for divorce that same day. From that point on, we go our separate ways. Eight years later, Morgan shows up arm in arm with his childhood sweetheart, Freya Springer, at a business summit. He is now a prominent and celebrated rising star in the business world. Seeing me dressed in a plain outfit, he approaches with a glass of champagne. His tone drips with mockery as he asks, "Ms. Smith, even if you still have feelings for me, there's no need to dress like a waitress just to get close to me. You aren't hoping for a reconciliation, are you?" I say nothing and simply smile as I wave at someone in the distance. My son, Theo Coltrane, toddles over and tugs at the hem of my shirt. "Mommy, Daddy says that he's tired from waiting so long. When are you coming home with us?" The smile on Morgan's face freezes instantly, and he nearly loses his grip on the glass in his hand.

Riley Hart doesn’t believe in fated mates, power hierarchies, or playing nice. Especially not with the arrogant, insufferable Alpha-in-waiting of Crescent City — Jaxon Vale. After being exiled from her former pack for reasons she refuses to talk about, Riley is content hiding among humans, living a quiet life as a barista with a biting sense of humor and a fierce independence. But when an attack forces her to shift in public, Riley’s secret is blown wide open — and she finds herself dragged into the powerful Vale Pack’s territory under Alpha law. Jaxon Vale is everything Riley hates — dominant, cocky, used to control. He doesn’t trust rogue wolves, especially not ones with hidden scars and biting sarcasm. But when a string of brutal, magical attacks starts targeting young werewolves across the city, Riley’s mysterious past might be the only key to stopping them. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Riley and Jaxon clash at every turn — until their rivalry simmers into something more dangerous: desire. As secrets unravel, trust is tested, and enemies close in, they’ll have to decide whether their bond is just a twist of fate… or the beginning of something worth fighting for. Because in Crescent City, wolves don’t fall in love — they survive it.

When I was seven, my father brought home a beautiful lady who gave me a mango. That day, my mother watched me happily eating the mango while she signed her name on the divorce papers. After that, she jumped off the roof of our building. From then on, mangoes became the nightmare of my life. So on my wedding day, I told my husband, Alan Holt, "If you ever want a divorce, just give me a mango." Alan pulled me into his arms, quiet. From then on, mangoes became off-limits for him, too. On Christmas Eve of our fifth year of marriage, Alan's childhood sweetheart, Larissa Fennimore, left a mango on his desk at the office. The very same day, Alan announced he was cutting ties with Larissa and fired her from the company. That day, I truly believed he was the man I was meant to be with. Half a year later, I flew back from overseas, having just closed a partnership deal worth about 200 million dollars. At the celebration dinner, Alan handed me a drink. After I had finished half the glass, his so-called childhood sweetheart, the woman who had been kicked out of the company, stood behind me with a big grin and asked, "Does the mango juice taste good?" I stared at Alan in disbelief, and he was trying hard not to laugh. "Don't be mad. Larissa insisted I played a little joke on you. I didn't actually give you a mango; I just gave you a bottle of mango juice. But I think she's right. The fact that you don't eat mangoes is a real problem. You were really enjoying that juice just now." My face went cold. I lifted my hand and threw the rest of the mango juice in his face, then turned around and walked away. Some things are never a joke. I wouldn't kid around with mangoes or divorce.

Difficult events in Alicia's life led her to a school for werewolves. How will her fate among the hostile strange creatures? She is confused, but does not give up. The fighting spirit of the girl helps to reveal incredible secrets. And, of course, in the new school, she will meet a domineering mysterious guy, whom everyone is afraid of ... ... I pressed my forehead against the cold glass of a black tinted car. Outside the window, blurring into one indistinct picture, the trees of an unfamiliar dense forest flashed by. “I was taught not to get into a car with strangers, so where are they taking me now?” I thought belatedly. Despair mingled with fear, making her heart race.

Kaynon is in search of his mate. He's been all over the country, defending his lone-wolf status. Wanting to find his one and only to start his own pack after a vampire colony wiped out his village. Only when he finds her, he is too late.  Cilyna gave up shifting long ago when her parents were killed and she grew up in an orphanage in the human world. Though against her wolf's judgment, she married the Romeo of her childhood. When her wolf awakens to her other half, Cilyna's heart is torn.  Will true love truly conquer all? Or will life shatter like glass?

Landon Slater had a notorious reputation as a ruthless, evil man with an intense hatred for humanity. His unrelenting cruelty propelled him to the status of the most feared - unrivaled by any other in the city. His very existence proved that not everyone was born with a pure heart. But, even the devil had a weakness. And Landon found his in the most unexpected place. As their worlds collide, Landon becomes drawn to Victoria much like a moth to a flame. However, with every passing moment he begins to gradp the inevitable truth that she will discover - One that could make her hate him forever. All he could hope was that she remained blissfully unaware of the of his noteriety. Will their bond withstand the truth? Or will it shatter like fragile glass?

Everyone said I was too possessive when it came to my girlfriend, Amanda Crane. When Amanda first started taking photos of her childhood friend, Ian Lewis, I ripped apart all the rolls of film. When she helped him fix his computer, I called her 100 times in an hour. And when he called her from the airport, asking her to pick him up because the rain made it impossible to get a cab, I held a knife to my throat. I told her I'd take my own life if she went to him. Fed up, Amanda shipped me off to a psychiatric hospital that same night. When I got out, I vanished. Amanda was certain I was hiding somewhere, spying on her and Ian, but I never showed up—until the celebration party for a business project three years later. Ian put his arm around Amanda and swirled the wine glass he was holding. He shot me a taunting look, remarking, "You used to get so jealous, Steven. I'm sure you no longer mind if Mandy and I drink from the same glass now, right?" He waited for me to go berserk the way I used to three years ago, but I simply moved the bottle of wine closer to them. "I don't mind at all, of course. Have as many glasses as you want. It's great to see that your relationship has been progressing so well." Amanda paused. Her eyes started to redden. She stared fixedly at me and questioned, "Why don't you feel jealous anymore, Steven?"

Wrenley moves to Waindale, the place where her mother grew up and where her grandmother still lives. Between the pine trees and above the wet ground, she soon realizes that Waindale is anything but the perfect place she remembers it as. Dark things stalk the woods. Dark things are pulling her in. "I turn on the lamp that's sat on top of my dresser. The pink lampshade makes my room glow with a feminine warmth, and it shines through the glass of my window; a signal so he can find his way home. It's dark out there, so bone-chillingly dark that I nearly fear for him before realizing that he is the greatest danger in those woods."

And here I was, seated on the balcony, staring at the rain pitter and patter against the glass coverage walls with my bodyguard seated there, a book in hand. I don't know his problem. I know from his attitude that he wasn't happy to “babysit” a twenty year old, but he could have just ended his contract. He never paid me a single attention and was always reading, but strangely, he was always alert. I was the abomination he must never look at. And it made my blood boil. But not for long, though. Because every time I set eyes on him, I melt. It is forbidden, but who cares? I want him, but does he want me?