Langston Hughes Football

Attending the ten-year high school reunion for the cheerleading squad and football team, I arrived in an old domestic Ford, while the parking lot was filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maybachs, and even a gold Bugatti. It was as if I were the only relic from another era. The moment I stepped out of my car, a former classmate, whose name I could no longer remember, looked at me with a sneer. “Well, if it isn’t the coach’s pet. How is it that after all these years, you’re still driving this beat-up old Ford?” “This thing looks like it belongs in a scrapyard from the last century!” During dinner, everyone gathered around the Bugatti owner, raising their glasses in celebration, while I was left ignored at the side. Only the cheerleading assistant sat next to me, raising a glass in my direction with a comforting smile. “Don’t let it get to you. Your car may be old, but I believe you’ll be driving a luxury car one day.” I let a small smirk curl at the corner of my lips and lowered my voice. “This car may look unimpressive, but it’s been fully upgraded with a carbon fiber body. It’s already worth over half a million dollars. Too bad, none of you even recognized its true value.”

Ella Mae Emerson, the girl who stays hidden at all costs, the girl who likes to be alone with eyes glued to the floor, words coming out as stutters, and nervousness her own personal shadow. She's just a girl who's trying to make it through the day with anxiety clinging to her back.Declan Olin Anderson, the new kid who transferred with drooling features and a charming attitude. Football is his sport, you could say he's quite the stellar athlete who's got game both on and off the field. If you push he'll pull, he doesn't quit because no good athlete does.She wasn't like him and he wasn't like her. They each got their own problems but finding each other wasn't one of them.*"You're beautiful Ellie, that's why they're staring." He whispers into my ear. My cheeks go hot as my eyes meet his. I don't know why, but when Declan calls me beautiful I get this feeling that I can't describe. He makes me feel so special. At this moment it's just me and him, he smirks and adds, "You're my girl, not theirs, they are jealous and they should be."

**This book is the second book in the Billionaire series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it is highly suggested that you read The Billionaire’s First Glance prior to this novel.** I, Zander Cavanaugh, the all-American football quarterback, have done something that could get me killed. I fell in love with the brilliant, curvy mafia princess Isabella Aventini at first sight. Everything about Isabella called to me: her captivating blue eyes, her soft caramel skin, every dip and curve of her voluptuous body was just the start. Isabella was smart, kind, and funny. The kind of girl you can’t help but fall in love with. I know she felt the same way as I did. We were drawn together like magnets, but that’s not how the mafia works. Isabella is a commodity to be sold or brokered for the sake of alliances and has been promised to the ruthless and cutthroat DeMarco family since birth — a fate she neither wants nor needs. Isabella’s father, Mafia Don Salvatore Aventini, has managed to keep us apart by sending Isabella away to finish high school. However, when fates aligned, Isabella not only ended up attending the same university as me, but she’s also my college-assigned tutor. I know there is no chance for us, and still I fell in love with her, knowing it could mean my death.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" "W-what?" She stuttered. "You didn't say anything about joining you." He gave her a once over before clenching his jaw. "Now I have. Get dressed we leave in thirty minutes. I'll be waiting downstairs." **** Kallista Hughes Jones is a 25-year-old chef whose world is shattered when she loses her job and house and moves back into her family’s home. Life becomes even more chaotic when her half-sister, Penelope, disappears on the morning of her wedding to billionaire CEO Jaxon Hawthorne, leaving behind only a cryptic note. In a shocking twist, Kallista finds herself standing in for her sister, marrying the enigmatic Jaxon-the very man she spilled coffee on the day she lost her job- in a whirlwind of confusion and obligation. **** Jaxon Hawthorne, a 35-year-old billionaire known for his aversion to touch and disdain for emotional connections and relationships. Jaxon views marriage as a mere formality to placate his demanding parents. He has no love for Penelope, but when she vanishes, he goes ahead to marry Kallista to dispel rumors and appease his parents. What begins as a tense and transactional arrangement soon changes into something more as Kallista slowly cracks the walls around Jaxon’s heart. As Kallista and Jaxon grow closer, their newfound happiness is threatened by cryptic warnings, mysterious messages, seeds of doubt, and violent attacks that nearly claim Kallista’s life. An almost forgotten person from Jaxon’s past emerges, leading to a deadly game where betrayals are exposed, lives are lost, and their love is tested in unimaginable ways. In a story of love, redemption, and sacrifice, Kallista and Jaxon must overcome the darkest chapters of their lives to find their happily ever after. But at what cost?

They say promises are made to be broken and people who have committed mistakes should be given second chances. Just how many broken promises can a loving heart take? And how many second chances can a wounded heart give? ~~ Barbara ‘Bobbie’ St. Clair has it all. The fame, the looks, the riches… the boy. Although this was her status in life, Bobbie never lacked compassion and kindness for other people. These qualities draw people closer to her. However, after the death of her grandparents, Bobbie’s life took a complete turn. Loneliness and grief became her biggest challenge, but with the help of Jake West, she survived and came out stronger. He became her buoy that kept her afloat. Although a bad boy and playboy in people’s eyes, Jake West devoted himself to his family and to his girl. Apart from his love for football, he made sure to put the people he loves first before his needs. Never in his wildest dream that he thought would he need to choose between these two. When life’s biggest game was laid in front of him, it’s time to choose between playing and quitting. How will Jake keep Bobbie from sinking when he, himself, will drown in his family’s dirty secrets? ~~ [Mature content] Cover by DOBOLYU V

He was about to reach me when I stopped him. “Hands behind your head.” “I didn’t imagine this,” he complained. “So do I, but live a little, right?” I darted my tongue out, licking the tip of his head. “Fuck.” *** With one mistake, Princess Carlott lost everything in a blink of an eye. When she was labeled a fraud, a rogue—a pariah, she escaped her dysfunctional past to where no one would judge her. For years, she has built herself as Carly Storm. No more foolish mistakes, just her uneventful, boring life. Until she stumbles with a grumpy irresistible CEO, Rome Langston—well, not exactly, he’s her boss, and one thing she can’t ignore is full of fireworks between them. She isn’t looking for a hookup. When her boss offers her that proves impossible to resist, maybe that’s all she needs—no commitment, just amazing weekends. After all, she was once a rogue. What can go wrong? Well, that’s precisely what happens. Her past doesn’t just stay where it is, and her secrets threaten to come out. *** Rome just takes over the family business. Until the brunette storms into his office, reporting late as his assistant, complicating everything he believes in. He finds himself torn between hiring or firing her. The last thing he wants is a distraction. But maybe, a distraction is all he needs. What can go wrong with a bit of fun? Besides, he’s just human. When he finally realizes they have something real, just right when a bomb blows in his face, it’s anti-climatic. Worse, the woman he’s in love with is only a royal princess.

Olivia Jamerson spent years stewing in hidden rage for the person behind all her high-school ridicule and embarrassment. That person was none other than Joshua Taylor, son of the football coach and the famed bully of Westminster High. Students feared him, his friends revered him and teachers were sick of him. Two years after graduation and leaving town, Olivia had changed her whole appearance and character so much that no one could recognize her. Drowning in the sea of New Yorkers, Olivia finally felt that she had left her past behind and become a whole new person. At least that was the case until she bumped into the unlikeliest person she expected to meet in the big city—her old bully. Despite being annoyingly hotter than she remembered, the only thing that bothered her was that he was disturbingly nice, but worst of all, he did not remember her. Things turn a whole lot crazier when she finds out that Joshua has amnesia and when he starts flirting with her as if they did not have a complicated past. A big city, sparks and tension, and two people—one with bitter memories of their relationship and one with a blank canvas eager to fill it with potential memories. Will their tragic past catch up to them and will their horns lock once again? Will Olivia hold on to her grudges and lock him out of her life once again, or will she open her heart to the new and improved Joshua?

Skylar Carter has spent her entire college career focused on one thing: her future. With law school applications looming, the last thing she needs is distractions, especially from cocky jocks who think the world revolves around them. But when her best friend drags her to a frat party, Skylar finds herself in the orbit of the king of them all, Liam Westbrook. Liam is the golden boy of college football, destined to be the number one pick in the NFL draft. He’s used to women falling at his feet, used to getting what he wants without trying. But when he meets Skylar, a girl who refuses to worship him, he's instantly intrigued. She’s smart, feisty, and unimpressed by his status, which only makes him want her more. What starts as a bet soon turns into something deeper, something neither of them expected. Skylar is determined to resist him, but Liam is relentless in his pursuit. As the tension between them simmers and sparks fly, their undeniable chemistry threatens to upend everything they thought they wanted. But love does not come without risks. Skylar has her future mapped out, and Liam is on the brink of superstardom. Falling for each other was never part of the plan. Can they handle the heat, or will their worlds pull them apart before they even have a chance? A sizzling enemies to lovers romance, filled with banter, electric chemistry, and two ambitious souls colliding in the most unexpected way.

Ava Sinclair has one rule—stay away from jocks. They’re arrogant, they’re reckless, and they’re nothing but distractions. As Westbridge University’s top student, she has a strict schedule of study sessions, internships, and zero tolerance for football players, especially Logan Carter. Logan, on the other hand, thrives on breaking rules. When his teammates make a bet date the nerdy girl who’s never fallen for a jock he takes it as a challenge. After all, no one resists Logan Carter. The only problem? Ava is practically allergic to him. Every time he flirts, she shuts him down. Every time he “accidentally” shows up where she’s studying, she finds another spot. But Logan isn’t one to back down, so he ups his game: ✔ Surprise coffee deliveries? Check. ✔ Crashing her study group with ridiculous questions? Absolutely. ✔ Secretly stealing her notes to force her into tutoring him? Maybe not his best idea... But somewhere between the chaos, the teasing, and the forced proximity (thanks to Ava's dorm mix-up that makes them neighbors), Logan starts falling for the very girl he was supposed to play. When Ava discovers the bet, will Logan be able to prove that this game stopped being a game a long time ago? Or will she show him that, for the first time, Logan Carter has met his match? stay tuned 😉

Avery Whitney was just your average girl trying to blend in. Her crush, Preston Adams, says otherwise. He sees her as an annoying nobody who doesn't deserve to exist in this world to the point he humiliates her in front of the whole student body. She felt utterly heartbroken so with that she vowed to herself that someday, he will get what he deserves. Four years later, she was now the Revenge Artist. She knows everybody's deepest darkest secret and uses it as an advantage for people who seek her help with 100% paybacks-a-bitch guaranteed. For payment, she doesn't need anything. Just the soaring feeling of accomplishment that she gets after doing the deed. The day came when luck was on her side. She caught Preston making out with the young hot Chemistry teacher, Ms. Brooks. Preston however was not pleased since he remembered what he did to Avery four years ago. She uses this to her advantage as blackmail so if Preston won't do any of her bidding, word will leak out about his indiscretion and that won't do any good for him. He will lose his popularity, his long time girlfriend Deana, his chance for football scholarship and worse, expelled. Little did she know that the more time she spent with Preston, the fluttering feeling she had for him would return.