How To Pick Locks

Set in a time ruled by magic, curses and love. Fighting for Us is a story about Vanessa and Xavier. Vanessa is the only child of her father and heir to one of the most powerful kingdom’s. He locks her up to keep her safe and protect her. Ruling her kingdom is all she looks forward to. Xavier is the supposed heir to the throne, but he doesn’t want to be king. In the event of the death of King Neil. Xavier I sent by his father to rescue her from her captor who plans to wed her to become king, meeting Xavier Vanessa realizes she might not be ready to be Queen and she doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into. Realizing she has little time to get married and fight her Step Mother’s strong hold on the throne, they both race against the clock. Before its too late Vanessa has to find a way to protect all she cares about most without getting anyone she loves killed. Hopefully.

Three days ago, I almost died. A birthday cake was needed for my sister, Rosa Esposito's birthday, so my dad told me to pick it up. He claimed that this was my way of making it up to Rosa for accidentally spilling coffee onto her new dress. When I was cornered in an alley by the thugs, I was in the middle of sending Rosa an apology text. They covered my mouth and dragged me into a van. That was when I heard them say, "Yup, that's her alright. That's the bitch named Rosa Esposito." I shook my head, trying to explain that I wasn't Rosa at all. But my name didn't matter at all when blows started raining down on me. That was how I spent the next three days in living hell. By the time I wake up in the hospital, my phone harbors a new family photo sent by Rosa. It features my dad, my older brother, Rafael Esposito, as well as my husband, Enzo Vitale. All three of them can be seen surrounding Rosa. When I was in the middle of getting pinned on the ground while feeling blades slashing my skin, these people were celebrating Rosa's birthday happily with her. Later on, Rosa smiles at my face. "Do you have any idea how much I hate that face of yours? I also hate how much better you are than me as well as the fact that everyone likes you more than me! "That's why I've robbed all of their love from you… be it Dad, Rafael, or your husband! You, on the other hand, deserve to be alone till the day you die!" At that moment, I've made three choices. First, I forge a miscarriage report. Next, I place a signed divorce agreement into a giftbox. Finally, I dial the number of my mentor, Sofia Bianchi. There, I agree to participate in a classified project research that will last for ten years without getting in contact with anyone. Since then, I, Valentina Esposito, have never existed in this world.

Dawn Turner was anything but normal. She's the type to go pick up a pencil she had dropped and then drop it again while picking it up. Clumsy by definition, she manages to fall into trouble almost everyday. However, the day she met a certain fallen angel, she knew that she had gotten herself into BIG trouble. Especially since she managed to hit him across the face...with a pan...three times... Not to mention shrieking, and I quote "DIE BITCH DIE." But let's not get ahead of ourselves, that's a story for later on.

Marietta thought she had it all figured out, not until everything came crashing down. Accused of doing something she didn't do, and betrayed by those she trusted, she's left to pick up her pieces. But when she finds out she’s pregnant, things get a lot more complicated. Now, she’s fighting to figure out her future—alone, hurt, and ready to take back control. Can she start over, or will her past keep dragging her down?

"I'll find you, even in an ant hole, Ericka. Just watch! You won't be able to escape me forever. I'll make you pay for this!" Ericka, a woman fleeing an abusive relationship, rents an apartment on the 27th floor of an old apartment building, thinking she'll be safe. She doesn't know that her only neighbor on that floor is Liam, a werewolf who locks himself away every full moon to prevent himself from killing humans. Their meeting isn't a story of instant love, but rather the meeting of two damaged souls seeking safety in their own ways. Ericka, traumatized by human violence. Liam, traumatized by the monster inside him. Who knows what will happen. Or who will die? "You can stay. I won't touch you. I won't ask you to trust me, but I'll do my best to keep you safe." "Good. I can't trust anyone either."

"Fifty million pounds!" She was sold to the mysterious man who purchased her. Within a day, Levana's life completely changed. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Kilian gently told her. Levana was brought back to his mansion and met his younger brother, Maximus, who seemed to hate her. "I don't want her here." He said only to regret it later on as the story unfolded. "Between him and me, who do you pick?"

“ Take off your robes,” Ava heard the command and the other slaves obeyed almost immediately. They took off their robes, and their almost naked body came into view except for the tiny little lace that covered nothing but their nipples and balls. The male slave's dick dangled and Ava looked away, still clutching her robe to herself. How could she undress in front of this multitude? What kind of humiliation was this? The audience erupted into murmurs, indecent comments flying from every corner. “ Steele, you slave seemed to be a disobedient one,” Ava heard the man's stern words and she turned to see Jacob’s stern gaze on her. She gulped and slowly let go of her robe. It fell to the ground and the audience gasped at the sight of her nakedness. Her hands clenched into fists by her side, resisting the urge to pick her robe from the floor and cover herself from their lustful eyes. “ Shit! How did Jacob get himself such a perfect slave?” Panic gripped Ava. No. It cannot be what she is thinking. She wasn't about to fuck these people. No. Jacob cannot make her do this. I was only his tool for power and revenge. I should have known he was no ordinary man but knowing wouldn't have changed anything. I was helpless, trapped with no choice and he was my savior from the Slave den back then. My hatred for him wouldn’t have allowed me to go with someone else. It’s not like I had a choice to choose my buyer. He was the highest bidder and I’m a commodity he bought from an illegal market. A commodity he has great plans for. His tool for power and revenge but I hate that my heart palpates for him.

I’d just set sail to escort the cargo to the border when a Category 8 typhoon warning suddenly blared. I steer the ship back in the direction of the harbor, only to realize that the ship has run out of fuel. The distress beacon has been dismantled, too. Immediately, I pick up the radio and call the maritime rescuers for help. As soon as the call gets connected, I hear my wife, Melanie Watkins' mocking laughter instead. "I've already rewired the emergency number so that you can never reach the rescuers. Have fun surviving in the ocean!" Her student, Darell Parker, is with her as well. "Remember when you made fun of me for not knowing how to swim, Clifton? Well, now you're given the chance to show off your swimming skills! You can swim all the way back to the shore on your own! You'd better not be as slow as the sea turtles!" The waves have almost capsized the cargo ship. If I can't get rescued anytime soon, I'll end up dying in the sea. I can only grit my teeth before pleading to Melanie, "No one can possibly swim back to shore! Help me call the maritime rescuers—" But she laughs coldly in return. "Why do you need the rescuers' help? Didn't you say one must learn how to protect themselves? Now swim! "If you think the waters are too cold, then swim faster! Maybe you'll feel warmer the faster you swim!" I give up on arguing with Melanie. After that, I head toward the cargo area with a blade in hand and get ready to sever the ropes tying the cargo down. Said cargo contains the ransom money that's capable of saving Ella Zimmerman, the daughter of Hugh Zimmerman, the wealthiest man in Starbury.

My mother marries into the Patterson family with me after her divorce. She marries Thomas Patterson, the dean of a veterinary hospital. Meanwhile, I marry Walter Patterson, a firefighter captain and Thomas' son. On this day, there's a huge storm. I'm almost due for labor, but I still head to the hospital to pick my mother up after an operation. We head to the subway, but it ends up being flooded. I endure the labor contractions and call Walter with trembling hands, wanting to ask for help. He finally answers after hanging up on me 18 times. "What the hell do you want? How stupid can you be, calling me in such a huge storm? "I'm saving lives here! Tracy's foot was cut by glass while being saved, and I've just bandaged her wound. Now, I have to take her dog to Dad's hospital so he can save it. The dog is hanging by a thread; if you need help, get some other firefighter to do it! Don't pester me!" Later, the rescue team arrives. My mother and I are pushed to the back of the crowd, and people won't stop shoving us around. The floodwater rises, and I have no choice but to carry her on my back while trudging along the corridor. This continues for three hours. When we're finally rescued, my mother is already unconscious, and I end up losing my child, who's almost to term. My mother and I look at each other tearfully in the ward we share. I say, "Mom, I'm getting a divorce." She says, "It's not a big deal, sweetheart. I'll do it with you. I've done it once before—I know how this goes."

At our bachelor party, Harry Cole, my fiance and I played Truth or Dare with his friends. We spun the bottle, and it stopped in front of Joanna, a woman he had known since childhood. The dare was to do the deed with the person placed right next to you, and Harry had been sitting beside her the entire evening. Feeling uncomfortable, I quickly said, “Why don’t you just pick Truth instead of Dare?” Joanna, however, did not back down. She sent me a look full of contempt and replied, “Don’t be such a prude, Suzie. It’s not that big of a deal. If I don’t mind, why should you?” She then looked at Harry. “Do you mind, Harry?” Everyone around us started cheering them on. Someone said, “Suzie can’t have fun to save her own life. If Harry doesn’t want to, I will gladly do it. Pick me, Joanna!” I grabbed Harry’s hand and turned to leave, but he flung my hand off. “What about Joanna? She has no one to help her if I leave. We’re about to get married, Suzie. Can’t I have one last night of freedom?” After saying that, he pinned Joanna under him, and his friends just cheered even more. I stared at him and Joanna. At that moment, I no longer saw a future for us.