Lisa Gardner Novels Novels & Stories

I reach for the door handle, the cold metal biting into my skin as I press my thumb against the latch. Before I can pull the door open, Cade's arm shoots out from behind me, slamming it shut. My body jolts, my heart leaping into my throat as I feel the heat of his body against my back. He lowers himself to me, his breath fanning my ear. "Are you walking out on me again, Elysian?” A shaky breath parts my lips, the hair on the back of my neck standing on its ends. "I never walked out on you, Cade…" My voice falters, betraying me. "Don't lie to me." His tone is aggressive. "I told you a long time ago never to walk away from me again. Are you always so careless?” I try to swallow, but my throat is too tight. "I'm sorry," I manage, the words barely audible. "You said that already," he challenges me, warning me to choose my next words carefully. But I can't. I can't think. I can't move. As his grip on the door tightens, I realize he's not giving me a choice. ⊰ Heartprints in the Void ⊱ My name is Elysian Reign, and I'm not extraordinary. His name is Cade Sinclair, and unlike me, he is extraordinary. At the age of 25, he inherited billions from his trillionaire father—David Sinclair. You never imagine that the love of your life's own father would manipulate his son's life to get rid of you—even if it means forcing him into an experimental hypnosis treatment. After three years, you'd think I'd have learned my lesson. You'd think I would've changed my identity and left the country after walking in on my first day at my new and finding out that Cade is now my boss.

Aurora Taylor (Rory) is mother to a five year old boy, Elijah. She had to reconstruct herself and life after the birth of her son. Arden Vulfs has not expected his mate to walk into his bar on this night. Her scent came through the door before she did. He knew she was human, however she also seemed unaffected by him, which made no sense. Will Arden be able to push through Aurora's walls that she built for good reason and get her to feel their mate bond? His life and those of his pack depend on it.

The darkness in his eyes, the dangerous smell of in his breath, and his deathly grip keeping me bound to him made my heart pound in my chest and my body quiver beneath him. Shamefully, it wasn't anything that I wasn't used to, because…the things I let him do to me? When he was frustrated, annoyed, and angry at the world, I was here to be his pound of flesh. In return, he masked the void of my loneliness because for months, that was the transaction of our relationship. He'd pin me to the wall, bend me over the counter, pull my hair, slap me, choke me, and I enjoyed every second of it because in that moment, it finally felt good to be powerless. Irony is a funny thing. I enjoyed being in pain because it made me forget how much I was hurting. *** "I warned you, doll." His voice strikes a string of chills down the base of my spine, a reminder that all of the time in the world could pass, and he's still not letting go. This is where the good girl in me dies. "You're mine now," he whispers. *** My name is Mercy—Mercy Carter. I went to college. Got myself a useless Bachelor of Science in Mathematics degree. His name is Marcel—Marcello Saldívar. However, at the time, I didn't know that he, the heir to the Saldívar Mafia empire, was the man that I had blindly offered myself to. As smart as I am, I was stupid all the times when it actually mattered. After all, he did warn me he was dangerous. I just didn't think he could be much worse than my thug brother. I was vulnerable—naive. I belong to him. My name is Mercy, and I am the Mafia's Mercy.

My name is Alaki Bea Miller-or known above: Alaki Bea X. That is what they call us, the inferior ones: X. In this world, I live under laws that declare it illegal to bear more than one blood in your veins. A legal system built on segregation by race, where mixing blood is the highest crime. In this world, I am not human. I am not a person. I am a thing, an abomination that threatens their system. His name is Efrem Mustafin, leader of one of the five Rings, Master of his race, and the man who saved my life. Legally, he owns me. To save me, he had to claim me as property. And in exchange for my protection, we play a game. One where I submit to him before watching eyes, and he keeps me safe. Master Efrem Mustafin, he is. Subject Alaki Bea X, I am. Or at least, I was. I belong to him. My name is Alaki Bea Mustafin, and in this world, I Am Mustafin.

His voice dropped lower. “You saw the news, didn’t you? The little warning on the LED TV?” Her eyes flickered. “…Yes, sir.” “Then why didn’t you turn back?” Her mouth opened, but no words came out. “And you saw they’ve never shown my face on the news.” He tapped his temple, eyes glinting. “But now you’re staring right at me. You know exactly what I look like. You think I’ll let you walk away?” “No! Please!” Isabella’s voice cracked, tears falling. “I promise with my mother’s grave—I’ll never speak of this! Please, just spare me!” Alessandro smirked, lifting his gun. “People like you swear. People like you also betray. Let’s see…” Her whole body locked. “No, no, please—” The gun fired. Isabella screamed. But when she opened her eyes, the bullet hole smoked in the wooden floor beside her. Her chest heaved. Her hands shook. She collapsed onto the ground, sobbing. Alessandro leaned back, laughing softly. Then—something in her snapped. She pushed herself up on trembling legs. “You want to kill me? Then fucking do it!” His brows lifted. “What the fuck is wrong with you gangsters?” she yelled, her voice shaking. “Do I look like someone who can hurt you? You almost made me wet my pants out there with your bullets. Do you think that’s funny?” One of his men growled, stepping forward, hand raised. “How dare you talk to the boss like that—” “Stop,” Alessandro ordered sharply, raising his hand without taking his eyes off her. Isabella’s chest heaved. “You think taking lives is funny?” She beat her chest with her fist. “Fine. I’m going to walk out that door right now. Shoot me if you want.”

I had lived on a remote planet all my life, trained by masters with all the other trainees. Then early one morning the planet was attacked and team of soldiers came to our rescue. That day my whole life changed, who I thought I was . . . What I thought I would do . . . . Even who I am allowed marry. My life is now in danger, and to make matters worst the one person I'm falling for, can be killed for simply being interested in me. Also while on the run between planets, we stumble across a human trafficking ring. But I want the man I love and even if he is a soldier and follows orders, I will have him. Then there are the girls to rescue and the matter of the crown of Ziion. A/N Hey, I have to admit this story in a little slow moving until chapter 18, then things get really interesting really quick. I hope you enjoy the read! Lisa

Autumn Simeons had loved Damian McLaren for as long as she could remember. From childhood to their teenage years, he was her safe place, the one person who made life feel lighter. But while Damian came from wealth and privilege, Autumn’s life was far simpler—and his heart seemed to belong to someone else. She kept her feelings hidden, choosing to be the best friend he could rely on. That fragile balance broke when Damian got a girlfriend who saw Autumn as a threat. Tension grew until, without warning, Damian cut her out of his life completely. One day they were inseparable; the next, he treated her like a stranger. Months later, fate intervened when Damian’s mother, worried about his slipping grades, asked Autumn to tutor him—unaware of the rift between them. Both protested, but their parents insisted. Now, forced into the same space, Autumn must face the boy she still loves, who seems to resent her presence. His girlfriend’s shadow hangs over every exchange, and unspoken history simmers beneath the surface. As old feelings resurface, Autumn realizes some lessons can’t be taught from books—they live in stolen glances, unsaid words, and memories that refuse to fade.

“You’re drunk,” he said, smirking. “Yeah,” she admitted, then reached out and touched his shirt. “But I still want to have sex with you.” Vincenzo tilted his head slightly, like he was studying a new toy. "You were about to go after my bodyguard, huh?" he said. His fingers suddenly cupped her breast, slow and confident. “And yet, you look more like a virgin than a pervert.” That sobered her up a bit. “I—what?” Before she could say anything else, she blurted, “I want to have sex with you. I’m all yours tonight.” Vincenzo raised a brow, then smiled. “If that’s what you want.” He stood up, lifted her into his arms effortlessly, and carried her through a side door. Her arms looped around his neck as her heart pounded so hard she could barely breathe. He kicked open a private room. Inside, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her—hot, commanding, full of hunger. She melted into it. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t care who she was supposed to be. She was just a girl kissing a stranger.

"She's mine. Of all the storage rooms in all the world, she has to walk up to mine. Even when she can't see me, she senses me. And every time she runs away from me, she ends up coming into my arms. She'll be punished. Then, she'll understand. Once a Lycan finds his mate, nothing in this world, nothing supernatural or human, will stop me from making her mine." My boyfriend isn’t human, not completely.
 He's a werewolf. To be more specific, he's a Lycan- the werewolf royalty. For over three hundred years, his family had one purpose in life. Find me, the only female born to be his. But there's only one problem. I'm a human being. The instinct of lust and desire bonds us together, but the strings of life keep tearing us apart. The impossible cross-species love. The extravaganza of life. Two restless souls. So close, yet so apart. When love becomes a curse, nobody is supposed to get out alive. But we will survive. Because lovers never die.

⚠️ Warning: descriptive sexual acts, please refrain from reading this if you're below 18, forbidden love, sex. control, manipulation. He leaned in closer, his breath warm. "Is that what you call it when you wear that skirt?" he asked, his hand sliding down my back. "Or when you bend over, letting me see?" I struggled to find words to protest, but my body was reacting to him. "Please," I whispered. "We can't." He held me firmly, his gaze intense. "Can't or won't?" he asked. "I see it in your eyes, Emma. You want this." I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. "Mr. Hathaway, please," I begged, feeling confused by my own feelings. He leaned in closer, his breath hot. "Call me Alex," he said softly. "We're not at work anymore." Hearing his name sent a rush through me. Alex. It reminded me of the attraction I had been fighting. His hand moved up my thigh, and I couldn't help but respond. I moaned softly. "You like that?" he asked, his voice thick with desire.