Kokichis Day At The Zoo

The day I learned the truth about my husband, Duke Alistair, and his adopted sister, Liana, I left. I abandoned my title, my home, and returned to my father's palace. A year passed. Then came news of chaos in the duchy. The servant Alistair sent spoke with desperation, “Your Highness, the Duke and your son are lost to reason. If you don’t return, I fear they will burn everything to the ground.” I looked at the blood I'd coughed onto my handkerchief. I nodded. "Fine. I'll go back." The doctor had already given me my diagnosis. Consumption. I had only a month left to live. So I went back. And I played the part of the perfect duchess. I no longer demanded Alistair's loyalty. I even found him three new mistresses who looked just like Liana and sent them to his bed after he had sent her away for me. I no longer made Damian study the arts of statecraft and not forced him to master his courtly duties. Instead, I supported his ridiculous dream of joining the Expeditionary Force. I took the pain they gave me. I wrapped it in the "understanding" they always craved. And I served it back to them cold. But it drove Alistair mad. He threw out the mistresses. He crushed me in his arms. His kiss was a punishment. He bit my lip, drawing blood. "I sent Liana away! What more do you want from me? How can I earn your forgiveness?" Damian cried and clung to my arm. "I'll never call Aunt Liana 'gentle' or 'beautiful' again! Mother, please. Just stop." They didn't understand. I wasn't making a scene. I just wanted to live out my last month in peace. And then, I wanted to die.

Love is a painful thing. It causes others to act ridiculous, to take things that they shouldn't, and to trust unconditionally. But what if the love you thought you had truly wasn't what you thought it was and the whole time you were being tricked? Do you stick around or do you break free of that love and move on with your life? And what do you do if you meet your first love again and begin to realize that everything you thought was wrong with your relationship was all a mistunderstanding? What if your first love wants to continue with your love story, but you're too afraid to put yourself in the position to be hurt again? Do you take that step and let yourself drown in the sweetness that you missed so much or do you keep your heart hidden? That is the very choice that Gabrielle has to make when her first love comes crashing back into her life at her high school reunion after a nasty breakup. Of course, she doesn't want to believe that maybe, just maybe, she was wrong and made the wrong choice, but that first love won't allow her to leave that easily. Instead, he chases her relentlessly until she is unable to resist anymore. However, their love isn't simple and there are many obstacles standing in their way. Will they be able to overcome them together or will their resurrected love fall apart at the seams? Read The Heirs Second Chance At Forever to find out!

In the era of mystical magical creatures, "The Continent" is a magical realm where all supernatural beings co exist together under a peace treaty. The continent is a barrier between the demon realm and the human world, and its land is blessed with an immense amount of magic. But, When the seal of time breaks, enemies once again rise from the depth of drakness, the protectors are born, and tasked to finding their way towards each other to help prepare for the last war.

I drive a Rolls-Royce to the venue where my high school reunion is held. When my former classmates ask me how much the Rolls-Royce costs, I tell them that it belongs to the company. They begin telling everyone behind my back that I work as a company driver, and that I'm not living a good life at the moment. Then again, the car does belong to the company. It's just that the company is mine.

Rohit gets shocked when a beautiful girl slaps him all of a sudden. She is trying to protect her friend. He finds her very interesting...Sia is a beautiful girl who is very protective towards her friend. She even slaps a stranger while trying to protect her friend.Rohit is falling for her but Sia has trust issues due to some incident that happened in her past.Let's enjoy this journey to see what happens next.

Elyse Anne Villasis living on her own and want a simple and peaceful life. She just wanted to finish her course in college as an interior design student. But she can't hide the truth that she is the illegitimate child of the Governor who abandoned her and her mother a long time ago. On their trip to a museum, there is a strange lady who gave her a painting. When she got home and check it, it was a painting of a handsome guy wearing Korean traditional clothes. But Elyse feels something strange while staring at the painting of the guy especially in his eyes, it seems that it is real. That night, Elyse heard footsteps and she guessed that it was a thief but when she checks her place, no one was in there. The next night, Elyse decided to pretend asleep and set a trap in her place to catch the thief but when she was about to catch it, she noticed that the guy is missing in the painting. Then, she heard a loud noise of cooking ware in the kitchen, and what she found out to make her jaw dropped. The guy in the painting looking at her in shock with a slice of bread in his mouth.

Jessica-Lyn Kilian has a new Alpha and one would think it's sad that her Alpha is dead. He was her brother. After years of abuse and isolation, she has hope. Only it's dashed by this intimidating man. He tars her with the same brush as her brother. Blaming her for not alerting the authorities of their plight. He demands to take control as his right. Jessie's brother had attacked his pack and died. Alrick Johannsen of the Silver Ridge Pack has just returned from battle to save the Ruling Council(NARC). His pack is under attack by a fool and he dies. Alrick doesn't get the satisfaction of putting his miserable hide down. The law forces him to deal with the ruins of this pack. Victor of Iron Hill Pack has a sister. She claims not to know his illegal activities. Since she didn't inform anyone of those activities. Alrick is holding her responsible. He decides suddenly to punish her. She will serve him until he decides what to do with her. Jessie has three choices. Place herself at the mercy of NARC, accept his punishment, or leave. Leaving is death, her brother's actions saw to that. As a rogue, NARC or Alrick will kill her legally. Alrick told her there was no place for her in his pack or any other. What will she do? How will Alrick respond? Will their bond bloom into a soulbond? Or will the discovery of her brother alive destroy it? After all, Alrick must by law hunt and kill Victor. (This is a standalone novel from the world of A Black River Pack Series. It all starts in His Brother's Mate.)

“Fuck it!” He thought, arching closer to the guy, throwing his arms around his neck, “I'm getting engaged tomorrow and will be closeted for the rest of my life, living under pretense. Why don't I just experience sex with a hot dude for one night? Just one night… just one night…” *** Lincoln Smith had no regret that night he made the impulsive decision to have sex with the hot, mesmerizing man across the bar. He was sure it was the best night of his life… one he would never get to experience again. But then on the day of his engagement party, he was to receive a shocking blow. The man he had shared an intimate, passionate night with, the man he was sure he had a connection with, was his fiance’s big brother! Right there and then, he knew he was universally and colossally fucked! WARNING: This Book Contains Some Explicit Scenes Between Characters That May Not Be Suitable To Some Readers. Viewers Discretion Is Advised.

Twenty-year-old Nora Ale has perfected the art of being the family disappointment—dropped out of university, working as a barista, collecting tattoos instead of achievements. So when her flawless, overachieving sister announces she’s marrying a wealthy tech CEO, Nora braces herself for months of feeling invisible. Then she meets the bride. Celine Hartman is everything Nora isn’t—poised, brilliant, intimidatingly gorgeous. But when Celine’s gaze lands on Nora, it lingers. Too long. Too warm. Too wrong. What starts as harmless tension becomes impossible to ignore: shared glances at wedding fittings, late-night drives neither of them should be on, and messages that read like confessions disguised as jokes. Celine is engaged to Nora’s sister… yet looks at Nora like she’s the one she’s been waiting for. But Celine’s perfect life is built on secrets, and her marriage to Aaliyah is hiding a truth that could blow up both families. As the wedding countdown ticks forward, attraction turns to obsession, honesty becomes dangerous, and Nora must choose between the sister who never truly saw her… and the bride who sees right through her. Forbidden never felt this good. And falling for the bride might be the biggest mistake Nora ever makes— or the only right thing she’s ever done.

During the party, my blind date brushed his hand against my thigh under the table. There were people passing by us, so I had to push down my desire. He had sun-kissed skin, and his body was hard and muscular. Later, in the car on the way home, he asked me if I wanted to…