Opening Lines Of The Iliad

Everyone in the social circle of Kingsford said I was nothing more than a lapdog raised by Charles Mankin. I was always at his beck and call. I did every filthy, ludicrous thing for him under the sun. When he street raced, I rode shotgun. When he drank himself senseless, I made him hangover soup. When he chased girls, I prepared protection for them. Over time, everyone knew: Charles had a dog who never ran, never bit back, no matter how hard he kicked. They all said I must be madly in love with him. Even Charles started to believe it. So he pushed further, more freely, more cruelly, crossing lines as if they never existed. Then came my twenty-fifth birthday. He, in a rare stroke of mercy, said he'd celebrate it with me. But instead, what he got was the news that I was leaving the country. He went berserk, charging through the airport like a man possessed. I peeled his fingers off my wrist one by one, smiling like I'd never been happier. "Don't be stupid," I told him, still smiling. "That was never love." That night, Charles smashed apart his family home like a rabid dog.

Wendy McNaulty never expected her twenties to look like this—sharing a quirky Boston townhouse with her two best friends, juggling a job she doesn’t love, and navigating a love life that’s as messy as the city’s winter slush. With Grady, her charming and overly confident roommate, and Scott, the quiet and steady best friend who knows her better than anyone, Wendy’s life is a whirlwind of late-night pizza runs, laughter, and unspoken tension. When a disastrous breakup pushes her to “figure herself out,” Wendy vows to swear off romance and focus on herself—only to find love and scandal showing up where she least expects it. As lines blur between friendship and something deeper, Wendy is forced to confront her own heart. Torn between the thrill of the new and the comfort of what’s always been, she begins to unravel feelings she’s kept buried for years. But just when she thinks she has it all figured out, an unexpected twist threatens to change everything. In the midst of secrets, mistakes, and the kind of vulnerability she’s always avoided, Wendy learns that true love doesn’t always come in the form you expect—it’s often been standing right beside you all along.

She was an heiress to one of the most prestigious luxury shipping lines in the world, a bi-product of nobility, by birthright, Aurora was meant to oversee multibillion properties and be in charge of the Cunard brand that was well-regarded in the world. But she chose to be an ordinary yet independent woman and pursued a life of service as a cardiothoracic surgeon. To safeguard her family's assets, her parents had to make a deal with someone capable of overseeing something as big and broad as Cunard Shipping while ensuring corporate ownership retains in their bloodline. There was only one way that it can be done. Aurora needed to marry. Not just anyone. She needed to marry someone capable, with a proven track record on managing multi-million properties across all continents, someone their family trusted, and powerful enough to wield authority in handling an inevitable merger. His name was Jared Rickford. Known in the business scene as a ruthless strategist, CEO, President of Rickford Hotels International. Also playboy, ex-military, and a womanizer of the first degree. He was the most unsuitable man Aurora could ever think to be her husband. But she had no choice. She could not play surgeon in the Board Room. She needed the man's expertise to ensure that her family's corporate assets are secured, and she would do anything in her power to safeguard her dying father's legacy. Including agreeing to be married to the devil.

It's too big she thought as the stretched virgin flesh sent out waves of aching pain. It felt as though her sides would split and she'd be torn in half. She moaned and tilted her head, brushing her lips inadvertently against his, sending more erotic shivers through her. Her hand reached for the base of his cock to prevent his withdrawal, inexplicably enjoying the strange but exciting feeling of being so completely filled despite the terrible ache it caused. He intercepted her hand and pinned her arm above her head. "Do you want more or not?" ************ In a world where towering giants rule over the lands, young virgins are chosen from small villages as tributes to satisfy the desires of their colossal masters. Bound by chains and stripped of their innocence, these virgins become slaves to the giants' unquenchable lust. Among them is a group of women who, despite their fate, secretly plot to reclaim their freedom. As they navigate the dangerous and forbidden world of their captors, they must balance their survival with the growing passions that threaten to consume them. Can they escape their enslavement, or will the giants' desires forever hold them in bondage? The Giants & Sex Slaved Virgins and other stories is a tale of raw power, sex, lust, and the struggle for liberation, where forbidden pleasure blurs the lines between captor and captive. Prepare for an intense journey of domination, submission, and rebellion in this dark and provocative fantasy.

Seven months pregnant with our heir, I was on the front lines, fighting for my Alpha mate, Ethan. I’d just secured a thirty-million-dollar territory for our pack and rushed home, eager to surprise him with the news. But as I neared the council room, the broken sobs of his adopted sister, Tessa, stopped me cold. "A low-born Silver Wolf like Sophia... she's not worthy of being our pack's Luna." "Ethan, we're the ones who are fated to be together. Mark me... please?" My blood ran cold. I expected Ethan to shove her away, to defend my honor. Instead, he caressed her cheek, his voice a soft, gentle murmur that cut me deeper than any blade. "Just give me a little more time, Tessa. On the next blood moon, I'll sever my bond with Sophia." My world shattered. I fled, only to be cornered and brutally murdered by Tessa. She framed my death as an attack by a rogue wolf before tossing my body from a cliff. It wasn’t until the news of my death reached him that Ethan finally broke. He fell to his knees at the edge of that same cliff, his agonized howl echoing into the night. "Sophia… I was wrong. Please, just come back to me."

Genre: Dark Romance, Billionaire, BDSM, Mafia, Dual Identity Blurb: By day, Nora Ellis is the efficient, sharp-tongued secretary to the elusive billionaire, David Reid. By night, she becomes Mistress Scarlet – the masked dominatrix who commands The Red Room. Her two lives never touch. Until the night her boss walks into her world as a new client. David's no stranger to control: by day, he's the ruthless CEO with a hidden mafia empire; by night, he's her most demanding client, unaware the masked submissive he craves is the woman who knows his every secret. What starts as forbidden pleasure turns into a dangerous obsession, one that blurs the lines between power, pain, and love. As enemies close in and Nora’s past resurfaces, she must decide which part of herself to save… the woman he commands, or the woman who could destroy him. Trigger Warning: This story contains explicit BDSM scenes (including dominance/submission dynamics, impact play, restraint, and sensory deprivation), graphic depictions of gun violence and murder, kidnapping attempts, mafia-related threats and organized crime elements, alcohol use, and themes of secrecy, betrayal, and emotional manipulation. Reader discretion is advised – safe, sane, and consensual practices are emphasized, but content may be intense for some.

SIX PACK SERIES BOOK FOUR ~ BROCK : I don't believe in happy endings. I stopped believing in them right around the time the woman I loved left me for another man. Love nearly destroyed me once, and when I picked myself back up, I swore I'd never be that stupid again. If you never give someone your heart, they can't break it- so for years, I've closed myself off; never opening up, never feeling. Growing more bitter as everyone around me finds their happy endings. Then I met Astrid. She's annoyingly perky, infuriatingly beautiful, and seems convinced that her cheerful little-miss-sunshine act can melt the ice around my heart. Worst of all, though, is some part of me wants her- and a girl like that is dangerous in my hands. She'll give me every piece of herself, only for her to break when I can't give her anything in return. ~ ASTRID : My whole life, I've gone with my gut. I get feelings about things and people that others don't get, and I've been told that it's a special gift; that I'm an 'intuitive'. I've also been accused of being an eternal optimist, which is why I'm thrown for a loop when I get hit with a gut feeling about the moodiest, broodiest guy I've ever met, like we're supposed to be something to each other. Like we're connected somehow. Trusting my gut has never let me down before, but the more time I spend with Brock, the more I wonder whether my 'gift' has gone haywire. This guy has built walls around his heart a mile thick, and he's not letting anyone through. He's living his life in the darkness, and I'm a little afraid that if I let myself get too close to him, he'll steal my light.

A Biker/Billionaire/Mafia Romance With my fingers gliding across his flesh, I kept contact as I moved around to his back and across the broad expanse between each shoulder. Afterward, I ran my fingers in a soft caress over the nape of his neck—God, how I'd always wanted to touch him in this way—and then began making my way over to the opposite shoulder, shortly coming around to his collarbone. Afterward, with a pivot of my fingertips, and practiced turns of my feet, I came a full one hundred and eighty degrees, facing him again. As I gazed into his eyes, my breathing increased, and I felt myself give a small pant as I moved my fingers down to his chest... Shattered-Way down we Go" - A heart-wrenching tango of love, loss, and redemption unfolds as Marlowe Mills, the daughter of the president for The Sons of Morning Star MC, is secretly in love with Torin Montero, a member of her father's MC, who becomes her father's rival and her silent protector. However her love is torn apart by a brutal betrayal. When the embers of their past reignite, Marlowe finds herself in the treacherous embrace of a Mob boss's son, entangled in a web of obsession and danger. But fate has a twist in store: Torin lives, scarred and driven by his own vendetta. As the lines between love and vengeance blur, Marlowe must choose between the comfort of the shadows or the tumultuous dance of destiny.

“Sweetheart, do you like it when I touch you?” “Yes… yes, I do, Mr. Steele…” “Who do you belong to, fiery one?” “You… I’m all yours.” By day, I’m Sienna Ward—the picture-perfect secretary to one of the most powerful CEOs in the country. By night, I’m something else entirely. His obsession. His addiction. His secret sin. Dominic Steele isn’t like any man I’ve ever met. Yes, he’s sinfully handsome. Yes, he’s one of the richest, most ruthless billionaires in the world. But he’s also dangerous—commanding every room like it was built for him alone. And when he touches me, when he whispers in my ear… I forget that I was ever just a “secretary.” Because here’s the truth: Dominic Steele is engaged—to Clara. My ex-best friend. The senator’s daughter. The girl who once had my back… until she didn’t. His family would never approve of me. In their eyes, I’m from the wrong side of his world. But he doesn’t care. He told me I was only for his pleasure. And maybe I believed him—until his touch started to feel like something more. Until the lines blurred. And now? I might not just be carrying his name. I might be carrying his child.

In the tough underworld of New York City, where crime families rule and secrets are buried deep, Zoey Anderson, an investigative journalist with a liking for uncovering the truth, stumbles upon a story that could make or break her career. Little does she know that this story will also unravel her world and lead her into a web of danger, deceit, and forbidden love. The notorious Pushkin Bratva family, led by the enigmatic and ruthless Alexei Pushkin, controls the city's criminal empire. Zoey's investigative instincts lead her to believe that there's more to Alexei than meets the eye, and she's determined to expose his hidden past and criminal activities. But when Zoey's life is threatened, she finds herself reluctantly under Alexei's protection. As reluctant allies, they navigate a treacherous path of crime, deceit, and unexpected alliances. Zoey, scarred by a stormy childhood, discovers an unexpected connection with Alexei, a man whose ruthless reputation conceals a deeper, more vulnerable side. As they clash and spar, Zoey and Alexei discover an undeniable attraction that neither can resist. Drawn together by their shared secrets and dangerous desires, they must navigate a treacherous path of loyalty, betrayal, and . The lines between right and wrong blur as they become entangled in a love affair that could destroy them both. With rival mafia families closing in and the law closing in on the Pushkin empire, Zoey and Alexei must make choices that will determine their fates. Can their love survive in a world filled with bloodshed and deception? And will they find a way to break from the darkness that binds them?