Holding Time

I suddenly got a call from the police, telling me I was involved in an abandoned baby case. My best buddy was holding me up as we rushed to the scene when Shirley Dunn, the girl who had asked me for directions last week, suddenly pointed straight at me. "That's her. I saw her this morning, holding her stomach, going into the restroom! Now the baby's been born, and her belly's flat!" I was completely stunned. Before I could react, she shoved the newborn straight into my arms. "This is your own flesh and blood! How could you abandon him?" The officer's expression was equally severe. "Miss, I understand that becoming a mother at 20 can be scary, but abandoning a baby is a crime. If you didn't want to raise a child, you shouldn't have had one." More and more college students gathered around, their stares stabbing into me like needles. Cold sweat soaked my back. My best friend suddenly burst out laughing. "Congrats, man! You're a dad now!"

*(Dimitri's story) Can be read as a standalone novel* Alyanna Rosellini's life is on pause because of a murderer on the loose. Only being able to live through the present by holding on to the past while hoping for a better future, she will do anything she can to go back to her old life. Even if it is to act as bait to draw out the killer. Jayden Carlton is in a relationship with two women - his dead childhood sweetheart and a woman who won't leave him alone. Everyone has only one piece of advice for him - go to therapy and move on. But that advice is applicable to people who want to get better, not Jayden. How can he, when moving on also means letting go? Katerina Van Acker has a heart of gold but the world convinced her to use it sparingly. So she wore a bitchy attitude for armour, sharpened her tongue into a sword, and waged a war against it. But if she doesn't stop fighting, she might chase away everyone she cares about. And nothing short of her own guardian angel can convince her of that. Dimitri Volkov might be a prince but he is no guardian angel. Haunted by the memories of the one he was supposed to love and protect but ended up killing, he knows that he deserves no second chance. But fate has other plans. Now, his future rests in his shaky hands. Their life is on pause. The only way to move ahead is to reflect back on the past, learn from their mistakes, and make better choices this time around. Because with stakes higher than last time, they will either get everything they hoped for and more or lose more than their soul can bear.

"Does riding a horse feel good?" The saddle jolted beneath us as the horse trotted along. I steadied myself by holding the slender waist of my friend's alluring wife. Her skirt fluttered constantly in the wind. My friend was in a nearby house, completely absorbed in a card game—while right in front of him, I was out riding a horse with his beautiful, delicate young wife…

"Cool," she said, targeting my lips again but I dragged backward till I met a wall. The look of unreadiness and confusion dispersed around my gaze the more I tried to hide them. "umm...can we really do this here? I mean it's a classroom" I chuckled reluctantly. She stared into my eyes and her face told a lot. I didn't want to be that person just yet, I still wanted to spend more time with her. "fine, if you're not in the mood" she turned to go away. I couldn't stop my arm from holding her and dragging her close to me. I wish I could let her walk away. ********************************************** I met Zara first and she wasn't a twin wolf I picked up to have fun with. She was a human I wanted to have fun with. Even though she was a kind girl with a glistening beauty, I knew I would break her heart. No, that's what I thought until started to feel something deeper. I abandoned my task from the Luna and spent the weeks with her, playing football with humans in Mexico. The minute I thought to correct that, her twin sister, Clara showed up and worsen the scenario. Unlike Zara, Clara is a wolf and... my mate.

18+(Contains Dark Themes) __ "That doesn't make this okay," I breathed. "I'm married. Why are you even interested in me?" He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. "I found a drop-dead gorgeous woman holding back tears at my welcome party." His fingers crept under the hem of my sweatshirt. "Interested? Catherine, can't you see I'm obsessed?" **** When Catherine Holloway’s gets drunk at a gala, she wakes up tangled in the sheets, and the arms of her estranged stepson, Soren Ashford. The dangerously alluring Lycan has always been a distant shadow in her life… until now. Their chemistry is raw, relentless, and ruinous. But when she discovers she’s pregnant, his dismissal destroys her before she could let him know: "It was just an affair.” Exiled and disgraced, Catherine rebuilds her life from nothing, until Soren returns a year later. Hungrier. Possessive. Unhinged. He’ll burn fortunes, break alliances, and slaughter every enemy who dares stand between them. Because Catherine isn’t just his stepmother anymore. She’s his obsession. And this time, he’s not just asking for forgiveness. He’s taking her back.

Everything in Samantha Conners' life seemed to be in a holding pattern. Her sailboat racing season had fallen through, and she was stuck in a dead end job that barely covered the bills. If it wasn't for the fact that her sister and niece were depending on her, she would have never been out on the water the day the billionaire's boat ran her over. Robbie Saunders is convinced that he is the screw-up younger brother of billionaire Jack Saunders. One of his biggest rules was to never go out drunk on the water, but with the impending death of his father, he took the boat out after drinking to try and gain some clarity. Instead, he ran over Sam and barely managed to save her from drowning. While the two had been childhood sweethearts, time and distance had made them into different people. When fate crashed them back together, Robbie finds the fiery young woman to be the person he needs to give him motivation and direction. For Sam, Robbie is growing into the man she always knew he could be. A love blossoms and grows. But what fate can give, it can also take away. A storm during the biggest freshwater sailing race of Sam's career changes everything. Will Sam and Robbie find a way to overcome the storm, or will the two only have memories of freshwater kisses?

Daphne Harper spent three years believing she was the beloved wife of Vincent Carter, sacrificing everything to support the man she loved and the child she thought was hers. Until the day she discovered the truth. Their marriage was never legal. The little boy she raised with unconditional love was not her son. And Vincent already had a real wife—Rumbidzai Carter—the woman who had been laughing behind Daphne’s back the entire time. Heartbroken and humiliated, Daphne walks away from the life she built with nothing but shattered trust. But fate has one last surprise waiting for her. When a powerful billionaire reveals the secret Daphne’s mother took to her grave, her world changes overnight. The woman they once treated as disposable is actually the hidden heiress to one of the largest fortunes in the country. Now, Daphne returns stronger, richer, and untouchable. As Vincent and Rumbidzai desperately try to crawl back into her life, Daphne has already stepped into a new world of power, wealth, and influence—one where a dangerous and enigmatic billionaire, Brian Adrian, seems far too interested in her. This time, Daphne Harper isn’t the woman being deceived. She’s the one holding the power. And revenge has never looked so elegant.

Jeremy Hansen throws a divorce agreement at Joanna Thompson on the day she finds out she's pregnant with twins. He also gives her 300 million dollars as their breakup fee. Why? Because his true love is back in the country! Joanna doesn't kick a fuss or throw a tantrum. She takes the money and moves out of their marital home without argument. She doesn't expect Jeremy to be so cruel, though—he wants her to abort the children. Why should she listen to him? "You're not going to abort them, huh?" Jeremy sneers. "Do you think we won't have to go through with the divorce if you're still pregnant with my children?" Joanna sneers back at him. A few days later, she accidentally miscarries. After being discharged from the hospital, she and Jeremy finalize the divorce. Three years later, the paparazzi capture Joanna on a street abroad while holding onto a pair of adorable boy-girl twins. Jeremy stares at the photo as his eyes slowly redden. Then, he flies abroad at top speed to stand in Joanna and the twins' way. "You've played me for three years, Joanna! It's high time that you stop with this tantrum." She takes off her sunglasses and raises a nonchalant eyebrow. "Sorry, but who are you?"

"Take me, please." This time into his ear. He sat up some and grabbed my hips pulling me on to him harder. The deeper he went the more I lost control. I could tell he was holding back. Maybe he was afraid to hurt me. The bruises, because of what he knows about my past, He thinks he has to treat me like I'm fragile. I looked straight into his eyes. "I can take it, please, I want you to make me yours." I was begging him now. I saw his face change as he sat up and pushed my legs up higher. Suddenly he was slamming into me… ***** When Sandra married Ryan she thought she had married her hero. A young bright police detective on his way up. It wasn't long before she realized she was wrong. A narcissistic abusive man with the support of the city and the police department. She was trapped. Caged. Until the night of her monthly trip to the movies with the friends she was allowed. The other police detective’s wives. She saw his eyes as he leaned against the wall. A tinge of recognition as she walked past him. Then everything went dark.

I was scheduled to die in less than 24hrs from now. And the person who conspires to put me out of my miserable life is the one who put me through hell. His hell. My husband. I didn't mind dying. I was rather happy to finally get this thing over with. You know, get over life. But just when I was ready to rest in peace, I met her. Her beautiful blue eyes glittered with tears bringing light to this moonless night. The cold breeze brought a shiver to her fragile tiny body. She looked nothing less than a porcelain doll, delicate and clean. But she scared me when she looked at me with hope. Hope to save her. I laughed at this naive little girl. How was I to save her when I couldn't save myself? Nevertheless, I extended my hand for her to take, and with some hesitation, she wrapped her whole hand around my one finger. First time in my meaningless life I felt a spark. Spark of life enlightened in me with her one innocent touch. She made me want to live a little while longer with a small innocent promise, holding me tight to live with her, for her. Cover by @Aphroditelivid