Oranges By Gary Soto

By day, he’s just another broke guy with worn-out shoes and a charming smile. But behind the façade, Alec Blackwell is a billionaire tycoon—owner of a global empire and a ruthless legal mastermind. Tired of gold diggers and fake affections, Alec disguises himself as an average man, swiping through dating apps in search of something real. No private jets. No designer suits. Just raw chemistry and brutal honesty. Then he meets Zara Lane—a fiercely independent hustler juggling three jobs, a sharp tongue, and zero patience for games. She doesn’t care for his sob stories or smooth talk. She wants respect, not romance. But Alec’s world is built on secrets. And Zara’s life is about to crash straight into a truth more shocking than either of them expected. Because in a game of lies, power, and attraction… Who really holds the upper hand?

When 22 year old Elena Rossi accidentally witnesses a cold-blooded mafia execution, ruthless don Dominic Valenti should silence her forever. Instead, with one heated gaze and a whispered threat "Your silence binds you to me, little one” he spares her life, igniting a forbidden obsession neither can escape. Tormented by the dangerous age gap and his own darkness, Dominic takes Elena captive in his lavish estate, surrounding her with guards and iron rules meant to keep her safe... and him in control. But every locked door, every brush of proximity, every jealous glare only fans the flames. As rival families circle and secrets from Dominic’s bloody past surface, Elena discovers the devastating price of his protectionand a betrayal that shatters her trust. Fleeing the man who has become both monster and addiction, Elena is seized by his enemies, forcing Dominic to unleash hell to reclaim her. Rescued amid rivers of blood, their passion finally explodes, binding them in ways deeper and more irreversible than either imagined. Yet just as Elena chooses to stand beside the devil who owns her soul, a life-altering secret threatens to change everything... Will their dark love conquer the war closing in or destroy them both?

Aria wakes up one morning to her parents fighting about her, again. Little does she know that this fight will change the course of her life forever. In a world where most the Myths are real, Aria will find love, heartbreak, adventure, and the power of a new goddess.

Being born a white wolf was supposed to be a blessing, but for Faith Collins, it was a curse. Her mate used her for her magic, then rejected her for her younger sister. Now, fulfilling her duty to her pack, she’s forced into mating an evil man for a peace treaty, trapped in a fate she never chose. Only, before vows can be spoken, Faith is kidnapped by the most feared alpha of all, Alpha Kaiden Reed. He was her pack’s greatest enemy and thrived in chaos. To others, he was ruthless and cruel, but to her, he might just be her salvation. As war ensues for her return, her fate rests solely in his hands. But can she trust him, or is he just another captor wanting to use her for her power?

Being part of a reserved family, Suki knows her place within the community of the Moonstone pack. She has her duties and she completes them perfectly, just as her father orders. As the daughter of the Beta, the second in command, she’s set to live a life of importance within the pack, helping to aid it to greatness, and that’s only meant to become stronger once she finds her mate. Like every other werewolf, she has dreamt of what it would be like to find her mate when she comes of age, to know what the power of the mate bond truly feels like. However, on her 18th birthday, she doesn’t just experience one bond… she experiences TWO. Two separate bonds with two completely different males - bad boy Brendan and the perfect soldier Reynard. How could this be? It defies the laws of nature, all werewolves are given one mate and one mate only. As she and her two mates try to understand their anomaly of a mate bond, they also have to deal with an even greater threat that’s approaching - something that’s not only a threat to their pack, but to the entire werewolf species. Will they be able to save the pack? And who will Suki choose as her mate to seal the bond? Brendan or Reynard…? NOTE: This is a spin-off story to my other original story, "The One True Alpha", and though it is not essential to read that story before this one, there will be brief mentions and appearances of characters from that story within this right from the start, as well as some potential for minor spoilers of that story. If you enjoy this story, then you'd likely enjoy reading TOTA too! (It's already complete, so check it out!)

**This book contains a trigger warning. Mention about rape and torture in this book. Please read with caution** "Our marriage is nothing but a deal," he said looking at the girl, her green eyes met his cold silver eye, and both of them glared at each other. "For any rules you break, I will claim any part of your body," his gaze grew dangerously darker at his word. ************* Ashley Harlow was at the top of the world, living the perfect and luxurious lifestyle as the legitimate daughter of the well-known Daniel Harlow. But sadly, a one-night stand put an end to that and brought her life upside down and that of her family's name to the ground. To restore his family's reputation, she was forced into marrying Damien Albrecht, a young, ruthless, obnoxious, brutal billionaire and the head of a mafia gang in exchange for her father's company.

The night my boyfriend and I celebrate our first anniversary, we get into an accident. My soul travels through time and ends up ten years in the future. Here, I see that my boyfriend and I have married and started a family. It's the future I've dreamed of. However, it seems that I'm out of a job, and I've given up on my dream. I struggle to make it through endless days of my boyfriend's ice-cold treatment. Ultimately, I see myself sitting on the edge of a building's roof after falling deep into postpartum depression. When I open my eyes again, I see my boyfriend's panicked face…

During the height of the plague, Elizabeth is known for touching the dying without fear and for surviving longer than anyone should. The village calls her witch. Death calls her interesting. Malachor is a demon bound to plague and passing souls, ancient and cruel, intrigued by a healer who refuses to beg. When Elizabeth is condemned, thrown into a plague pit, and left to die, she calls out, not to God, but to the darkness watching her. He answers. Bound to a demon of death, Elizabeth survives… and is slowly claimed. Desire becomes devotion. Mercy becomes sin. A dark historical fantasy romance of plague, power, and forbidden surrender where love corrupts, salvation fails, and Hell is the only vow kept. TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING: This story contains mature themes and content intended for adult audiences (18+) Reader discretion is advised. It includes moments of violence, coercion and domination themes, sexual content and dark erotic elements, emotional trauma and moral corruption, blasphemous themes involving demons, faith, and damnation

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"No... No, you can't..." The patient says his desire is a little too strong and wants me to use my body to help him for a medical checkup. He then makes me lose myself in the moment in just a few moves...