Long Shadows David Baldacci

“Relax. It was meaningless. It didn’t mean a thing.” Three years. That’s how long Lena Carter loved Evan Brooks—three years of loyalty, late nights, and believing she was building a future with him. Until she finds him in a hotel suite bathroom, hands braced against marble, whispering excuses while her cousin—and closest friend—fixes her lipstick in the mirror. All this happens during Lena’s promotion celebration. Lena should be home, crying into cheap wine and shattered dreams. Instead, she’s stranded on a quiet Los Angeles street at midnight, phone dead, heels in hand, with a group of drunk men circling closer than comfort allows. Then a black luxury sedan pulls up. The man who steps out wears a tailored suit, calm eyes, and an authority that makes the street go silent. Mason Hart. Billionaire. Tech CEO. And—unknown to him—the elusive owner of the company where Lena works as an executive assistant two floors below the C-suite. He offers her a ride. She hesitates. She takes it. That single decision rewrites her life. Mason doesn’t mix business with emotions. He doesn’t date employees. And he definitely doesn’t rescue strangers with haunted eyes. But Lena’s quiet strength, the way she refuses pity, the way pain sharpens her instead of breaking her—it gets under his skin. Lena just wants to forget the man who betrayed her. Mason offers distraction. Protection. Desire without promises. But Evan refuses to let go, spreading lies and suddenly desperate to “fix things.” Her cousin is determined to destroy what little Lena has left. And the closer Lena grows to the powerful CEO who signs her company’s paychecks, the more dangerous her heart becomes. Because falling for a billionaire who doesn’t believe in love might hurt worse than betrayal.

She gave up everything for love. And for love, she will lose everything. Anne Walker left behind her world, her last name, and her legacy for one promise: a future with Benjamin Carter, the heir to one of the country’s most powerful families. What started as a dream filled with passion turned into a nightmare carefully orchestrated. The marriage that was supposed to unite two souls was, in reality, the first move in a dark strategy. From the shadows of the Carter family, someone manipulated her love as a weapon to destroy what she cherished most: her family and her future. Ruined businesses. Deadly rumors. Betrayals disguised as coincidences. And at the center, her: the key player in a game she never knew she was part of. But Anne will not give up. Hurt, yes. Broken, too. But never defeated. Now, she returns. Not as the young woman in love who fled, but as a woman determined to reclaim everything she lost. This time, her vengeance will not only tear the Carter family apart but will restore the honor and prosperity of her name and reclaim the legacy of her parents, who were destroyed by those they trusted. With cunning, patience, and an unrelenting plan, Anne will infiltrate the very world that once destroyed her. No one will suspect who she is. No one will see what’s coming. The board has changed. The masks are falling. And this time, she’s the one writing the rules.

My long term relationship ended brutally, and swallowed up in pains of heartbreak, my friend lured me to the club. There, I met an extremely attractive and mysterious hulk, and I ended up in his arms for the night. My greatest shock comes when I learn that he is Bladen Stone, my company's new CEO, and he’s so much different from what I thought he was. And when rumors that threaten to ruin both our reputations start to fly, there is only one way to solve it. How does Lynn survive in the same office as Bladen with his hard and stern demeanor? Can she get past his cold facade and reveal the secrets he hides? In a world of ambition and betrayal, can Bladen and Lynnette trust each other to make sacrifices for a blooming love story or will they front another gut-wrenching heartbreak? Read on to unveil the saga of these two!

Amara Blake’s life is simple on paper: double shifts at a café, overdue notices tucked under a refrigerator magnet, a mother who needs more than hope can buy. Then she collides with Damian Cole - ruthless, revered, and impossible to ignore - and is pulled into a world of crystal chandeliers, whispered wars, and rules written by men who never hear the word no. What begins as a temporary job becomes a tightrope walk between pride and survival. With a socialite who smiles like a blade watching for her to fall, and an ex-fiancée returning to reopen old wounds, Amara learns that in Damian’s orbit, truth is currency and secrets are weapons. The closer she gets, the more his polished mask fractures - revealing a man built on control, haunted by betrayal, and drawn to the one thing he can’t command: her honesty. This is a slow-burn, high-stakes romance about power and vulnerability, the cost of desire, and the dangerous mercy of telling the truth - especially to someone who doesn’t know how to receive it. What will Amara sacrifice to keep her dignity - and her heart - intact? Will Damian choose control or the woman who unravels it? Can two people built on opposite truths survive the shadows they create together? Read on to find out.

"I want you.""I don't know if you're ready for that, Grace," he warned with a wicked smirk, his fingers moving painfully slow up my legs."I guess we can only know when we try it," I challenged.***During her best friend's wedding, Grace reunites with her childhood crush–and Sarah's father–David Anderson. Now grown up and more drawn to him than ever, Grace is torn between embracing the opportunity to finally have David and remaining faithful to her friendship with Sarah. They embark on a secretive and passionate affair, introducing Grace to feelings she never felt before. But complications arise when David's ex-wife returns, threatening to tell Sarah about their betrayal. Will they defy the odds and find happiness together, or will their love story remain hidden in the shadows forever?Secret Desires: Daddy's Temptation is created by Amelie Bergen, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Although Otsana had to submit to the powerful alpha David Jenir's sexual demands for a long time, she eventually found real love with the quiet and unassuming Boris. Marriage to him is made more challenging by the fact that her father would never accept the guy who murdered his brother as a suitable partner for his daughter. Boris and Otsana have a long way to go before they can be together for good, and until then, they'll spend their lives trapped in the abyss of their mutual love and hatred.

Each time he cut off my air flow, the edge got closer. My pussy clenched wildly around him. I felt high and fucking drunk. “You’re mine now,” he snarled. “Fucking mine. You cum when I tell you, and you thank me when I fill you.” “Please,” I cried, body thrashing. “Please, I need to. . .” “Beg.” “Let me cum,” I sobbed. “Please. I’m your fucktoy, your little slut, your whore, just let me. . .please. . .” His hand released my throat. “Cum. Now.” My scream broke the room. READY TO INDULGE IN YOUR WILDEST FANTASIES? This is a sinfully seductive collection of short erotica stories that dive headfirst into the deliciously dirty side of desire. Each story explores a different slice of lust, from forbidden flings and dominant obsessions to irresistible lust that burns hot and fast. Inside, you will meet possessive alpha heroes who know exactly what they want, and it’s always her. Whether it’s a cocky professor seducing his eager student or a steamy late-night encounter between longtime neighbors who’ve waited far too long to give in, every chapter brings something dark, filthy, and unforgettable. These stories celebrate the raw, messy, and magnetic power of sexuality. No shame. No rules. Just unfiltered pleasure. If you’re looking for unapologetic smut with fantasy-driven heat and dominant heroes who love hard and claim harder, you’ve found your next obsession.

SABOTAGING MY WALKOUT QUEEN BOOK 2: VEXED TO RUIN HER "How long do you have to ruin the woman who once became your world?" David and Athena had to meet again in a corporate world after certain years of hating and forgetting each other. Athena's heart is up for peace and reconciliation, but David’s mind is full of war and retaliation. [Note: This is Book 2. Do not flip the pages of this book if you haven't read Book 1, which is Sabotaging My Walkout Queen. You can listen to my international radio interview in the U.K. here: https://soundcloud.com/ian-johnson-75/friday-31st-october-fridays-afternoon-evening-late-show-1029pm-1208am-uk-time-part-4 (29:00 to 33:00)]

David meet Daniele while graduating from the seminary. He had long secretly admired Danielle, his favourite. Many women tried to entice David and made up amazing stories to keep his attention. Not because everyone likes her, but rather because she is funny, straightforward, gorgeous, and intelligent. Daniele has become everyone's favorite. Daniele has always fared extraordinarily well on tests and in class evaluations. She receives bullying from both her male and female young peers as a result of her decision to forgo makeup in favor of a comedic appearance. Daniele trained as a psychiatrist and a nun. Her superiors support her, and her friends envy her. She has been the target of plotting because she maintains her purity for the Lord while remaining untouched by human behavior and viewpoints. As a born-again Christian believer, Daniele found unforeseen challenges that led her to meet David. However, she has not yet tasted genuine love. She evolved into an emancipated lady and a modernized nun, which affected her siblings. David appeals to Daniele and she falls in love with him for these reasons. Many women claim for David but he usually denied. Daniele learns how to love David with all of her heart. David admitted that Daniele was his fate. Unexpectedly, the marriage minister offers them the quick union he had suggested. It matches David because he already has financial issues and his mother has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. As they are ready to go back home, they both decided to have children. They go on a secret trip deciding to have children abroad. Daniele suffered when all of her children disappeared, and David had to be following the laws. She resumes her profession as well as becomes a church worker until her children return safe and sound.  

Maldie thought her mother’s marriage to billionaire Richard was a rescue—until she woke up to a nightmare. Betrayed by her step-brother, David, in a cruel $1,000 wager, After giving her Virginity to her Step-brother. her "first time" becomes a public execution at Forestwood College. But Maldie isn't just a "charity case" anymore. As she uncovers a dark contract proving their lives were bought long ago, she turns the tables. She’ll make David crawl, strip him of his pride, and turn his lust into a l regret. In a house built on lies, the "victim" is about to become the master. Don’t just watch her fall—watch her rule.