Palm Beach State Library

"I can still feel you, bonetta. Taste you. Smell you. I've been hard since you left,  all through a training session and a meeting with my Royal Elite Warriors. You've gained the upper hand here, state your demands and don’t be so timid. I am at your beck and call. Use me however you desire." --- The moment I encountered Zion. I sensed a profound shift in the course of my existence. His mere presence ignited a storm of desire within me. He is my fated mate, and the bond we share is passionately intense no matter how hard I try to avoid it. Amidst the swirling chaos that engulfs our world, a realization dawns upon me - I am no ordinary human. With each passing moment, as the relentless tide of destruction continues to crash at our feet, this truth becomes ever more apparent. I soon learn that the entire universe is questioning my very existence and the nature of my sorceress energy I now posess. They tremble in my presence, and their trepidation is well-founded. Including Zion, his formidable elite of warriors and Light Oracles. 

“You can feel it right? The burning attraction.” Giovanni whispers, trapping her by the wall. He rests his palm beside her head, lowering his head to her height. Mia swallows her spit as she automatically clasps her thighs together trying to soothe the ache down there. “No– I don't feel anything.” she says trying to sound firm, but her voice betrays her coming out in a breathy whisper. He smirks, trailing his fingers down her cheeks tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Deny all you want. You. Are. Mine!!!” he growls, slamming his lips down on hers hard. ~~~~ Mia Neomi didn't know what she dragged herself into when she innocently saved a mafia lord from death in a dark alley one night. Thinking everything was going to be fine after she woke to an empty bed, life shows her it's more fucked up than she thinks when they meet in the most uncanny way ever. The man she saved turns out to be her cold, ruthless, and merciless boss at her office, Mr Giovanni Antonio. A cold blooded killer, the Capo of the Italian Mafia. A man whose sole purpose is to ruin everything he touches. He hates her because he can't stop thinking about her while she hates him because he makes her life hell. But when the attraction overtakes the hatred. Mia soon discovers that the man she is attracted to isn't who he says he is, and the woman he is attracted to isn't who he thinks she is. Lies, secrets, and betrayal threatens to tear them apart. Will their attraction conquer it all? Or will they be consumed in the web that entangles them together? I mean is attraction even worth fighting for?

"You're one interesting girl my princess," he said. At the same time, his eyes peered into mine as his hands slipped into my dress tracing my legs up to my upper thigh. My bare back pressed against the wall feeling the touch of his palm on my skin which sent tingling shivers down my spine and for some reason, I felt a smile creep up on my lips. "And you aren't a Saint either". __ Jade Flores who works part-time at the infamous Red bar, had just graduated and is looking to make her life better. She's innocent, makes impulsive decision sometimes and just wishes to continue hiding from her wicked uncle. Saint Gennaro Guerra, the city's infamous Mafia lord. He's Stoic, stern, dominant and of course, handsome. No one who has ever crossed him made it out of the 'dead hole'. The two cross paths when one of Saint's men who betrayed him happens to be Jade's cousin, Marcel popularly known as 'Tequila'. Saint rescues her from his archenemy, Matrix who is also in search of Tequila. Saint then holds Jade as his property when he cannot find Tequila. Jade starts to fall hard for him and in as much as he pushes her away each time and keeps his walls high, she doesn't stop trying to break his walls. What happens when the city's infamous man keeps facing different situations with the girl who works at the infamous bar? Will they have themselves to fall back to? Will Saint reciprocate her feelings?

Sex starved Alessia Cattaneo knows she’s ventured into dangerous territory when she asks her bodyguard to be her fuck-toy, while still married to her mafia husband. Because her bodyguard, Nico Rossi, isn’t the kind of man any woman can resist having a taste of. With his experience as a retired adult actor and a pleasure escort, he is everything that Alessia wants in a man. Plus, with her emotionally unavailable husband; Alessandro, having an affair with her cousin who ends up pregnant for him, Alessia figures it’ll be easier to keep her secret affair under control. Only… The fire she feels for Nico ends up burning more than she intends. And so does his. Tenfold. Now, he is obsessed with her. Wants to claim her in every way possible. Wants to wreck her in front of her husband. But Alessandro Mancini is not a man to be toyed with. If there’s one thing he hates the most, it’s having his toys taken from him. And Nico is crossing that line. Worse? He is willing to do more for this woman who’s captured his heart and cock in the palm of her hand. In a mafia world of blood, dirty money, betrayals, family loyalty, and sex… could this be a losing game for Alessia and Nico? Is Nico really who he says he is or does he have dark secrets that could ruin Alessia for good this time? Read to find out! WARNING: Contains dark themes of explicit sexual content, graphic violence, domestic violence, gun violence, murder, profanity, BDSM themes, and group sex scenes. Not suitable for readers below the age of 18. Read at your own risk. See you between the pages, dearest dark readers.

On the anniversary of our Mating, my legs were wrapped around my Alpha, Adrian, as we shared a deep kiss. My fingertips brushed against the hidden pocket of my silk dress, my hand tightening around the pregnancy test I had concealed there. I felt the faint flutter of a new life inside me, planning to give him this surprise as the perfect end to our evening. Just then, Adrian's Beta, Ethan, spoke in a low, teasing tone, using the Old Tongue. "Alpha, that little sister-in-law of yours… the newly matured she-wolf, Zoe. How did she taste?" Adrian's low, suggestive chuckle reached my ears, quiet yet piercingly clear. He replied in the same ancient language. "You know a freshly ripened pepper? Hot, with a real kick." His palm was still caressing my waist, yet his gaze had drifted elsewhere. "Just keep it quiet. If my Luna finds out, it's all over." The other Betas let out knowing chuckles, raising their glasses in a silent promise to keep his secret. But a chill washed over me, and my inner wolf went still, as if it had died. He didn't know I had studied the Old Tongue for my research on werewolf trauma. I understood every word. I held back my tears, forcing myself to appear unfazed, maintaining the composure expected of a Luna. Instead of confronting him, I sent a magically shielded message to Elder Slone of the Werewolf Healers' Association, accepting the invitation she had extended to me. In three days, I would join a secure werewolf rehabilitation program as their new Lead Therapist and disappear from Adrian's world forever.

She opened the door, and when she stepped inside, someone else closed it behind her. She jolted. Her head spun in shock to see him standing there. Her nerves felt jittery. He couldn’t possibly kill her now, could he? “W-what do you want?” Anna stuttered. The usual smirk wasn’t on his lips as he glared at her. “One thing I hate is when things don’t go as I planned. Silly little loopholes,” he said, pushing away from the doorframe. Her heart rippled when he took a step toward her. He was tall and large—she felt like a little girl compared to him. “I will scream,” Anna breathed, cold sweat rolling down her back. He held her chin. His hold was gentle as he caressed her jawline. Anna shivered. Then his lips tilted into a smirk—not enigmatic like the ones she had usually seen. This one was… sinister. One that told her he didn’t have good plans for her. “Careful there. We wouldn’t want you ending up with a broken spinal cord now, do we?” His large palm flew to her throat, his thumb gently caressing it. Tears brimmed in her eyes. “What do you want?” Her voice came out as a low whisper. “Your body,” he deadpanned. “As manure for my apple tree.” After being thrown to the wolves by her own father, Annalisa must make the ultimate choice—follow her heart or destroy the man she’s come to love.

“Listen, Gadreel Ødegaar," she looked at him, not hesitating this time. "It's my anniversary present for you. Let's divorce." *** Ivory Remington had sacrificed five years to look after her husband Gadreel who was in a vegetative state after an accident and a few months ago, he finally awakened like a miracle. She thought it was the start of their happy life but Gadreel still had no heart for her. On their anniversary and her birthday, she received a cheating video of her dear husband and her stepsister. Heartbroken, Ivory chose to quit this stupid game. She decided to set him free but the reason she left on the divorce agreement pierced Gadreel's noble pride. *** "Impotent? Are you serious?" He gripped her wrist and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. “I’m a woman, Gadreel. I’m tired of being in a sexless marriage. Let’s end it once and for all.” “Sexless, huh?” he chuckled lowly and without warning grabbed her chin in between his hands, pulling her face closer. "Turns out my wife was so eager to get a man between her legs? "

My boyfriend didn’t just cheat. He did it with my twin sister. In my apartment. On our anniversary. And the worst part? They planned it. He dated me to destroy me. She gave him every secret I ever trusted her with. Just because she wants to ruin my future and my career. So I walked into a bar, ready to drink myself unconscious. But no one would serve me. Because of him. The hot, sexy stranger in the VIP lounge with cold eyes, a sharp voice, and a presence that made everyone move back without a word. In my delirious state, I confronted him. He didn’t care. Instead, he said: “If you want to forget everything, I’ll give you something worth remembering.” One night became two. Two became three. When I escaped his bed, I promised myself I would never see him again. But fate has a cruel sense of humor. On Monday, I was reported to the CEO’s office—my ex’s final attempt to destroy my job. I walked in trembling. And there he was.

His lips brushed my palm and every time his hot breath hit my skin, it set my nerves on fire. “What the—” I whispered, breathless. And then, with deliberate slowness, Sevastian slipped my ring finger into his mouth. My eyes widened in disbelief, my heart hammering against my chest. His teeth scraped my skin before sinking into the flesh, just enough to make me twitch from the sharp pain. I gasped, both from the sting and the bite I got from him. My entire body tensed as he bit down harder, marking me not with ink or metal, but with flesh and teeth. When he finally released my hand, my skin throbbed, the faint mark of his bite was visible against my finger. I cradled my hand, staring in disbelief at the mark he left behind. “This,” Sevastian murmured, his voice low and sharp. “Is my mark and ring.” His tone carried an edge, dangerous yet confident, as if the words were meant to bind me. “The symbol that you are no longer Celestina Valeztina-Savelli.” His lips ghosted over my skin, and my chest tightened as he whispered the next words. “...but Celestina Valeztina-Ortega.” His next words were a soft snarl, dripping with ruthless certainty. “My property, my wife.” He added, while locking his gaze on me. There was no hesitation in his eyes, no flicker of remorse, only that same ruthless determination that chilled me to my core. I tried to pull my hand back, but he didn’t let go. "You’re insane," I whispered, my voice barely audible, trembling despite my best efforts not to show it. “Yes, I’m insane,” he replied with a hint of mischief in his voice, “And I can drive you crazy…” He paused, letting the tension hang in the air.

"Sorry, it was a dare", that's what I utter after the passionate kiss. I can still feel the familiar taste of that familiar mouth. He still feels the same, he still kisses me like there's no end, he's still passionate and possessive when he holds me in his arms. But he still doesn't look the same. A devilish smirk appears across his fierce face, his eyes darkening at me, making my breath catch. I'm still obsessed with the way he looks at me. "No, Emily. Not again", I tell myself and turn back, escaping the man who knows each bit of my soul, heart and body. The tough palm wraps around my arm harshly, pulling me back against his hard chest as he possessively secures me in his arms. I knew it was going to go well. "Let me go", I whisper. "Not after you reminded how you taste, Em", his hoarse whisper lets his warm breath brush across my neck as I shiver in his grip, weakening to my knees. Amid all similarities, I can't find the old chirpy— vibrant man anymore, instead, I feel the familiar man turning into a demon who wants nothing but to consume me again. This time not in love, but . ~~~~ Kane Gabriel was a kind and vibrant man with excessively features and a heart of gold until his girlfriend Emily Benson betrayed him. Years later Emily herself walked into him only to complete a dare but she didn't know what she invited for herself— a wounded lion who now knew nothing but breaking. With a vow to taint her with pain, will Kane achieve his motives or end up losing his heart once again? Or will a new truth break him from the core?