Jogo Burns Maki

Welcome back to Clifton Heights. Sheriff Chris Baker and Father Ward meet for a Saturday morning breakfast at The Skylark Diner to once again commiserate over the weird and terrifying secrets surrounding their town. Sheriff Baker shares with Father Ward the story of a journal discovered in the ruins of what was once an elaborate koi pond and flower garden, which regales a tale of regret, buried pain, and unfulfilled debt: “Sophan” – Jake Burns has always been a bit...off. Rude, awkward, sometimes brutish, he's tolerated by Nate Slocum and his friends because he hits a mean line drive, and because they all know but don't discuss the abuse he faces at the hands of his troubled father, a Vietnam veteran consumed by his demons. But Jake is suffering something far worse than domestic abuse, and when Nate discovers what, he faces an impossible choice: help Jake and put himself in the path of evil, or abandon him, only to damn himself in the process. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

BROKEN BY THE BILLIONAIRE MAFIA Book Blurb Jessica martins the heiress of her father's Billion dollar empire faces trauma after witnessing the murder of her twin brother and parents the night she attended a party. She battles a demon of insecurity and took the large responsibility of continuing her family's legacy. Her life takes a different turn when she runs into the infamous Kessler Blackwell the Mafia king of Chicago. He would stop at nothing to have her but he's on a mission to steal the most precious heirloom her family owns. Will this crazy man be her flashlight? Or will Kessler just be another knife like the others that cut her deep and added to the many that brought tears to her eyes, burns in her lungs, and hunger to her soul?

Seven years ago, Emily Hart poured her heart out to Cole Grayson, the school’s golden boy. But instead of a kind rejection, Cole publicly humiliated her, leaving her heartbroken and vowing never to let anyone see her vulnerable again. She transformed herself, gone was the shy, sweet girl. In her place stood a confident, successful woman determined to chart her own destiny. Now, her father, a self-made billionaire, strikes a major business deal, sealing it with an arranged marriage for Emily. The groom? None other than Cole Grayson. The shock of facing the man who once shattered her lingers, but Emily refuses to let him dominate her life again. Cole isn’t happy either, he’s already engaged to his glamorous fiancée and despises the thought of marrying Emily. Forced into a loveless union, their hatred burns hotter than ever. Yet, as circumstances conspire to keep them together; living under one roof, attending public events as the perfect couple, they begin to see the cracks in each other's facades. Old wounds resurface, fiery clashes turn to unexpected sparks, and Emily wonders: is hate truly the opposite of love? In a wide range of betrayal, longing, and second chances, Emily and Cole must decide if they can rewrite their story.

“Alexander, this isn’t right,” Valentina whispered, her voice shaky as his hand traced the line of her jaw. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t matter what’s right,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “It matters what’s mine.” Her breath caught as his fingers slid to the back of her neck. “And you think I’m yours?” “I don’t think, Valentina,” he murmured, a dark smile curving his lips. “I know.” --- Valentina never expected her life to take such a dangerous turn. After her husband demands a divorce to marry his mistress, she finds herself entangled with Alexander—a powerful mafia Don whose reputation is as lethal as the man himself. Alexander doesn’t just want Valentina; he needs her. When he discovers she’s the daughter of Nico Vance, the man responsible for the tragedy that destroyed his family, his rage burns hotter. But instead of killing her, Alexander makes a chilling decision: Valentina will become his late wife, down to the last detail. Caught between desire and danger, Valentina must decide if she’ll run from Alexander’s dark world—or step willingly into it. Because once she does, there’s no turning back.

~ ALISTAIR ~ I hate him. There’s no point in admiring what you can’t be. I hate his sharp tongue, his smug smirk, the way he looks at me like he already knows how this ends. I don’t like men. Calvin Rutledge is a problem. A problem I can’t ignore. A problem that’s in my face, under my skin, unraveling me one smirk at a time. But the worst part? I want him. And he knows it. Now, every glance burns, every touch lingers, and every fight makes me crave the one thing I swore I’d never want—him. A man. A know-it-all who plays by his own rules. I was never supposed to want him. And yet, here I am… falling. __ ~ CALVIN ~ I know his type. Rich. Arrogant. A cocky football star who thinks the world revolves around him. Alistair Morano is all that—and more. My sworn enemy. My reluctant project partner. My ‘boss’. He thinks I’m just another nerd he can push around. Cute. But here’s the thing—he’s the one being played. By the time he realizes I’m the one pulling the strings, it’ll be too late. Because he’ll be mine. Mine to tease. Mine to break. Mine to ruin. And when he finally falls? I’ll be right there, waiting to catch him, just to break him all over again.

Jesse sets the flowers down on the dining table, plucking the card off the little holder to read out the contents. “Dearest Jesse, just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you. I hope you're thinking about me too. Love--" He pauses and squints before cocking an eyebrow and pursing his lips turning to face his brother. "Wal, why is the boss of your little boy band gang professing his love to his son’s babysitter?" Wallace drops the noodles on the floor with a loud curse as he burns his hand. ************* Jesse offers to be a babysitter to a kid he hasn’t even met until he realizes he’s babysitting a mafia’s kid. The same mafia he had a one night run in with. Infuriated, he tries to back out since he has been trying his hardest to avoid the criminal life for a long time despite being born into it, but a cute kid and an infuriating Mafia Lord keeps pulling him deeper into the mix.

Part One:When Jamie Dalton moved into the house her grandparents left her she was just looking to reconnect with her past and settle in familiar surroundings. Digging through the attic for treasures, she found a nearly life-sized statue of a wolf and a very old, very strange book, Legends of the Werewolf. She was shocked when her new neighbor, Mike Volka, introduced himself and the eyes watching her looked just like the wolf in the book. Using the hypnotic power of the shifter, he draws her into his web and they have sex so hot it nearly burns down the house.Part TwoShifter Lia Popescue is desperate to find the book, Legends of the Werewolf, her only clue as to what happened to her pack. Her attempts to recover it bring her into contact with Riley Morgan, a contact that explodes with sexual chemistry. When she loses her heart to the sexy detective, she wonders how he will handle knowing the truth about her.USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.Wolf Tales is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Hyacinth Clausen is a young woman caught in the web of a dark and dangerous love affair with her stepbrother, Silas Forest. Silas, the first in line to become the Alpha, is not just any ordinary man, he's known as a fallen angel, the devil himself. With a heart as black as coal and eyes that fade to obsidian, Silas is obsessed, possessive, impulsive, and chaotic. He wants to own Hyacinth, to chain her up so she can never escape. But Hyacinth is not just any ordinary toy, she's his forbidden addiction, a flame that burns brighter the closer she gets to the fire. In a world where love and hate collide, Hyacinth must navigate the dangerous waters of a love that is both toxic and all-consuming, while Silas battles his own demons and the consequences of his dark desires. Will Hyacinth find a way to break free from Silas' grip, or will she be lost forever in the clutches of the devil himself?

In a world where angels and demons clash, Detective Logan known also as Azrael, finds himself caught in a dangerous game of power and destiny. As the youngest detective in Hillburn City, his skills are unmatched and his determination is unwavering. But his purpose for returning to this world; the name Azazel, threatens to unravel everything he has worked for. Meanwhile, Azazel, the mighty ruler of the underworld, plots his next move. With his flaming red eyes and black wings, he possesses a power that surpasses all others. His anger burns like a furnace, and his possessiveness knows no bounds. Only one can tame this devil - Azrael. As the demon hunter Christopher Lee sets his sights on defeating Azazel, he realizes the magnitude of his task. No ordinary hunter can stand against the ruler of the underworld. Determined to bring justice to the world, Christopher hatches a plan to target Azazel’s most treasured possession - Azrael, the angel on his third reincarnation. In this thrilling conclusion, the destinies of Azrael, Azazel, and Christopher collide. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, alliances will be tested, powers will be unleashed, and sacrifices will be made. Who will emerge victorious in this battle between angels and demons? Can Azrael overcome his weakness for Azazel and fulfill his purpose? Will Christopher’s hunt for justice lead to the downfall of Azazel, or will it bring death and destruction to the world? In a world where darkness and light intertwine, the lines between good and evil blur. Only through strength, determination, and the power of their intertwined destinies can these three characters face their ultimate challenges. Brace yourself for a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the struggle for redemption in the face of unimaginable forces.

His heart was about to burst off its ribcage from the amount of continuous consternation he suffered since the drive to the hospital after he receives the catastrophic news about his wife. Ace Taylor the renowned businessman, world-famous pharmaceutical tycoon, and eminent top textile industrialist of the United States dashed through the entrance of Breach Candy hospital. His eyes searching for the reception flurried as drops of sweat settle down on his forehead even on the biting cold night of mid-December. He slaps the desk on tenterhooks unable to form the right words to gain the attention of the middle-aged lady sitting at the entrance. She raises her head to embrace the attention and her eyes were on stalks to receive the striking Aphrodite who only could be anyone's dream watching on big screens and business magazines standing right in front of her. "My wife...Scarlet Taylor..." "Yes sir..yes sir" the receptionist scurried on her speech and looked through her monitor. "Burns case, room number 13, straight from left Dr. Shahnaaz Hussain is treating her. You can speak..." Ace raced in that direction leaving the receptionist hanging on her words. "Scarlet?" His eyes left red with unshed tears as he shook his wife awake. Scarlet opened her eyes and stared at the man standing in front of her dolorous. "Who are you?"