Orchid Mantis Drawing

“You're more exciting than I expected” Alex whispered behind me, his voice sending hot shivers down my spine and I gulped down on my saliva. “W - W - What do you want from me” I stammered while asking him the question, he laughed out before turning me to face him. “I want you, all of you. You will be my new toy” He said, staring deep into my eyes and I could feel my heart beating fast. He did something that I could never forget in my lifetime, something that would make me the target of every girl present in the school. He took a few steps away from me before drawing the attention of everyone present in the cafeteria. “Announcement everyone, starting from today, Katherine is my girl. No one is allowed to go near her or harm her, if you have a problem with that come face me” with that he walked out of the cafeteria left me alone to face the glaring eyes of the ladies. Katherine Thrones is a good girl, has good grades, and is amazing at everything she does, living her life as quietly as possible until one day, she bumps into the shoulder of Alexander Walter, the bad boy, the player, and the troubles maker of the school. The captain of the football team. What happens when Alexander decided to focus his attention on the quiet geek girl Katherine and make her his play toy. Will Katherine fall victim to his trap or will the table be turned around?

Katherine De’Cheney had a life she felt was perfect. She had a job she loved working at the New York Museum as a Conservator. She was engaged to the love of her life. One day she comes home early to find him tangled in their bed sheets with his paralegal. Shattered and broken, she crumbles in hopelessness. In her grieving state she passes out. Opening her eyes she feels transported into another realm. Standing in front of her is her grandmother’s house which stands in front of a looming property that she dare not go near. The “LeFleur” mansion. A place that haunts her dreams. Something continues to call her spirit like a piece of her is locked inside waiting to reclaim her. Suddenly from behind, a Shadow of a man, shrouded in night. He reaches for her hand beckoning her to come. She jerks back and tries to run. “You cannot continue resisting me my dove” he says in silky voice with an old German accent. “Come home to me”. She feels her body relishing in his voice, his touch, and a hidden desire about him she does not know. The more she tries to pull away, the more she feels a pull towards him. Something kept nagging her. ‘What was drawing her back there?’ ‘Who was the sinister looking man she saw in the window as a child before the wolves came from nowhere to attack her. She shuddered, trying not to remember. What darkness was connected to that decaying old house? Why did she feel like something is calling her to return?

Skylar McLair’s world falls apart when her father is caught in a scandal that leaves him bankrupt and in a coma. Just when she needs him most, her boyfriend Ethan turns cold and proposes to a wealthy heiress- claiming Skylar is no longer worthy to be his wife. Instead, he offers her something cruel: become his mistress, and he’ll save her family's status and reputation. After all, he is the heir to the powerful Buckman Corporation. But fate steps in… wearing Cole Buckman’s name. Cole, Ethan’s distant and mysterious stepbrother- and the true heir to the Buckman empire, comes into Skylar’s life through a contract marriage she never expected. To the world, he’s ruthless and unreadable. But to Skylar, he becomes something else entirely. Every time she stumbles, he’s right there- steady hands catching her before she falls. And whenever trouble finds her, he shows up without fail, like he’s been watching over her all along. She begins to think he’s simply a good man caught in the middle of a family war. What she doesn’t see… is that Cole has been drawing her in from the very beginning. Step by step. And by the time Skylar realizes she’s fallen into his trap- one built not of lies, but of desire and something else…her heart may already be his. As for Ethan? Let’s just say… he never saw it coming.

As Jimmy investigates an abandoned car, he finds a journal that sheds light on a mystery from twenty years before. As he explores his memories he discovers the truth behind the city and the supernaturals who run it. ~~~ Inside of each of us is the darkness wanting out. But what if that darkness is the ending and the beginning of us all? The full moon hung like a ghost in the night sky as Yada overlooked the lights of the city below from her tenth-floor apartment. She studied the diamond twilight for over an hour before turning away--No longer able to stomach the sight. It had been nearly a month since she had been home, having stayed in the coven’s inner chambers since the city fell under siege to a rival house a little over three weeks ago. Over the years, the city had seen many battles for control of the streets. To date, the two bloodiest battles took place within the last fifteen years. The Badens orchestrated both attacks. Led by Darius, the Badens seemed hell-bent on ruling the city with little regard for the Michelsons. The Michelsons governed the streets for nearly two hundred years and were a formidable force. Led by Gabriel, the Michelsons protected the city, and it survived unscathed. The streets were free from the blood deals, which went unnoticed by the public eye, normally. However, this last battle proved more difficult to keep quiet. It had been an all-out war for control, drawing innocent people into the blood feud as the Badens raided the streets for warriors to fortify their numbers. The Michelsons retaliated through unusual ventures to keep the war silent.

"...If these feelings were not meant to be, why do they arise, especially when I'm naked? If these feelings were unnatural, why do they consume my thoughts, constantly drawing me towards him? How much longer can I keep these emotions bottled up in me? If this is truly how I feel, I must find a way to express myself when I am alone with him….” ************************************* Ava thought that the best way to help her best friend, Charlotte, after her boyfriend broke her heart publicly, was to persuade her to come along on a family vacation. However, before the vacation, Charlotte decided to go on a secret intimate blind date to help mend her broken heart. Little did she know that the person she was about to sleep with was none other than her best friend's dad. The blind date prevented the two strangers from seeing each other, and their eyes blindfolded during the process. Due to Charlotte's short encounter with an older man, she started developing love for Ava's dad. However, Charlotte came across a secret about Ava's family that Ava herself was unaware of. The secret could tire down Ava's family. Charlotte found herself torn between remaining loyal to her best friend or keeping the secret and continuing her forbidden relationship with Tyler. How would Tyler and Charlotte manage to keep their love hidden? Would Ava regret inviting Charlotte when she discovered the romance between her best friend and her own father? Would Tyler and Charlotte choose to pursue their love, even if their relationship was eventually exposed?

"Let's make a contract. I will help you get revenge and you cure me. What do you think?" Vincenzo's deep voice rang out, drawing her out of her misery. "Cure? How do I do that?" She asked, feeling determined yet confused. "All you need to do is have sex with me" Bang! Ariana Scott never thought she would fall in love with another person other than her fiance or be filled with a taste for revenge towards him after five years of relationship! Being cheated upon and almost dying from the plots of her fiance, Ariana was caught between her pride and her taste for revenge. Nevertheless, she was never going to forgive him so she vowed to take revenge by pairing up with Vincenzo Alberto, her boss and savior. Vincenzo, hot and dashing young billionaire known for his ruthlessness and cold attitude towards women, finally found a solution to his long hidden illness which only the strange girl who works for him can cure. Seeing her desperation for revenge, he offered her help but under one condition. The illness can only be cured when they have sex. Burning for revenge, Ariana agreed in exchange for revenge. What would happen when this revenge-cum sex contract marriage began sinking into an ocean filled with love? Was Ariana ready for another ride in love or would she continue to stick to the contract that had her bound to the dashing hot billionaire? Seeing how he was slowly falling for his cure, what would Vincenzo do to turn this strange contract into something worth more? Find out in this mind-blowing and revenge-filled story from the billionaire's contracted wife!

Eleanor's heart pounded as Armando backed her into a corner, his eyes dark and unrelenting. "Why do you keep resisting me, Eleanor?" he asked, his voice a low threat. She tried to pull away, but his grip on her wrist tightened. "I won't be your possession, Armando." A slow, dangerous smirk curled on his lips. "We'll see about that." His hand snaked around her waist, pulling her against him, the warmth of his body making it hard to think straight. Before she could protest, his mouth claimed hers, fierce and demanding. She wanted to fight, but the intensity of his kiss shattered her defenses. Her hands, instead of pushing him away, gripped his shoulders, drawing him closer. When he finally pulled back, they were both breathless. "You can lie to yourself all you want," Armando whispered against her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine, "but you can't deny what's between us." Eleanor's heart raced with conflicting emotions, knowing he was right-and hating herself for how much she wanted him. * * * * * * Eleanor's life spirals out of control when she is sold to Armando, a merciless Mafia boss. Their fiery confrontations spark a powerful and dangerous connection neither can deny. As betrayal and threats close in from every direction, Eleanor must decide if she can trust the man who holds her captive or if their growing bond will destroy them both. In a world of ruthless power struggles, love becomes the ultimate risk.

In my previous life, my brother took his sugarbaby to see a meteor shower because she said she wanted to. He drove to the countryside with all his bodyguards to create a perfect stargazing night for her. Unfortunately, business rivals whom my brother had bankrupted saw this opportunity and broke into our estate seeking revenge. My mother fought desperately to protect me, suffering severe injuries that left her fighting for her life. I called my brother repeatedly, begging him to return quickly and help us. He finally had to come back with his security team. The intruders were captured, but then terrible news came from the countryside. His sugarbaby had left a suicide note, her fate unknown. In her letter, she accused me of deliberately drawing my brother away, causing her to be tortured by his enemies before she took her own life. My brother coldly burned her letter and told me not to worry about it. Afterward, my brother was blamed for what happened, and my father promised to put me in charge of the company. However, after the celebration dinner ended, my brother brutally murdered me in my bedroom. His face showed no emotion as he coldly said, "Someone as treacherous as you should have died long ago. "You should have been the one to die, and the family inheritance should have been mine!" I died with my eyes wide open in disbelief, and when I opened them again, I could hear our enemies breaking down the front door of our mansion.

"Melina, my dear," The alpha king declared as he entered the chamber, his voice rich with authority. "The time has come for our union. I would like you to disrobe." In the face of such a demand, Melina stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "I, Melina Haephastus, refuse Your Majesty," she stated firmly as she walked gently backwards. A palpable tension hung heavy in the air, as the king's countenance contorted, a display of surprise mingled with frustration. He strode purposefully towards her, his narrowed eyes fixed upon her. A derisive chuckle escaped his lips as he advanced. "Refuse? You dare to reject the authority of his highness, Melina?" Drawing upon an inner strength, Melina met his gaze, unyielding. "I am more than a mere vessel for an heir, Your Majesty," she asserted, her voice ringing with determination. "I am an individual with my own hopes and aspirations. I will not allow myself to be reduced to a mere breeder." *** Melina, once the niece of a rebel leader who had dared to conspire against the Alpha King in league with outsiders, now found herself a captive within the opulent walls of his palace. The King deemed her the perfect candidate to bear his heir, a role that sought to firmly ensnare her in the machinations of his reign. Against the backdrop of political intrigue and deceptions lurking within the shadows, Melina was faced with a formidable choice. Would she succumb to the shackles of her predetermined destiny? Or would she rise above, unraveling the truths concealed by the threads of conspiracy, and forging her own path? Follow Melina's journey as her determination pushes against the constraints of societal expectations and unveils a web of hidden truths.

[UNDERGOING HEAVY REVISION] Go ahead and check out my other complete and ongoing books. I personally recommend Contracted for the Alpha and Marked by Moonlight. You can thank me later. 😉 "Are you nervous, Miss Bologna?" What the fuck? Did he just read me? I shifted slightly in my seat. "Detective Gunner, you seem to think you know me. But let me assure you, you don't." He shook his head, an inky black curl moving down his forehead. "I might not know you, Miss Bologna, but all one point two million followers don't know you either." A cocky grin crossed his face, drawing my attention to those damn dimples again. I uncrossed my legs and then crossed them again. "It's a necessary precaution." He held his arms up and shrugged. "And I get that. Being the daughter of the wealthy, powerful, notorious Wall Street guru, Dante Bologna has its downsides, I suppose." I glowered at him from underneath my lashes. "Tell me what you want, Detective Gunner." He tucked his phone back into his pants pocket. "I want you to tell me what the fuck is happening in this city." * * * To Love A Bologna is a four-volume series about the trials, temptations, and heart-burning romance of the Bologna family. | This first volume is focused on Nessa, the last and only daughter of the renowned mafia lord, Dante Bologna, and her love interest, Detective James Gunner who is on a quest to catch and destroy the Bologna family. When detective Gunner discovers the truth about the Bolognas, will he be able to go through with his plans? Or will his stolen heart make the choice for him?