Port Isabel Public Library

—Ayúdame a fingir mi muerte y a organizar una identidad completamente nueva. —Doña —el hombre estaba claramente conmocionado—. ¿Por qué? El Don la adora. Toda Sicilia sabe que... —Eso no es asunto tuyo —lo interrumpí—. Me voy en cinco días. Al salir del mercado negro, la pantalla LED de la plaza todavía mostraba imágenes de mi fastuosa boda con el Don Alexander hace tres años, una ceremonia que costó más de quinientos millones de dólares. Todos pensaban que Alexander me amaba profundamente, y yo también lo creía. Hasta esta tarde. En nuestro tercer aniversario de bodas, regresé a Sicilia temprano y me escondí en la sala de descanso de la oficina de mi esposo, queriendo darle una sorpresa. En su lugar, vi a su secretaria escondida bajo su escritorio. Mientras el subjefe, Marco, informaba sobre las pérdidas de la operación de contrabando en el muelle, Isabella estaba arrodillada entre las piernas de Alexander, desabrochando hábilmente sus pantalones. Su cabeza subía y bajaba. Después de que Marco se fue, Isabella sonrió seductoramente. —¿Podría tu Doña atenderte de esta manera durante una reunión? La voz de Alexander estaba llena de deseo. Sus manos amasaban los pechos de ella. —Sophia es demasiado convencional, demasiado aburrida. Tú eres mucho más emocionante en la cama, pequeña zorra. Me cubrí la boca, completamente devastada. Pero cuando finalmente me fui, el Don, que me había considerado aburrida, fue quien se desmoronó por completo.

Alejandro spent years trying to bring the mafia down. Now he’s living under the roof of one. After a dangerous encounter leaves him at the mercy of the powerful crime family he once tried to expose, Alejandro expects prison… or a bullet. Instead, he finds himself entangled with Miguel de Luca—the ruthless heir to the empire he hates. Cold. Calculating. Untouchable. Miguel should be Alejandro’s enemy. But the deeper Alejandro is pulled into Miguel’s world of secrets, blood debts, and power struggles, the harder it becomes to remember which side he’s on. Because behind the mafia prince’s iron control is a man who watches him like he’s something worth protecting. And that might be the most dangerous thing of all. When betrayal begins to spread through the family ranks and assassins close in from every direction, Alejandro must decide: Expose the empire he swore to destroy… Or risk everything for the man who now holds his heart—and possibly his life—in his hands. In the mafia, loyalty is currency. Love? That can get you killed.

Out of the blue, I get a call from the Department of Labor. The officer tells me they received a complaint, accusing me of gender discrimination. Apparently, my treatment of the male and female employees is extremely unequal. I'm left feeling utterly bewildered. Out of compassion for my employees, I give the female employees paid leave during their periods and pregnancy. I also give the male employees the benefit of a family support allowance. I've never discriminated against anyone because of their gender, and neither have I ever mistreated any of the employees. But then, I proceed to see the social media post that has gone viral. "A certain company gives male employees an additional allowance of a thousand dollars a month! Male and female employees are given different treatment!" Having caught on right away, I call a staff meeting and announce, "All of the company benefits have been canceled. You will only receive the basic benefits listed in your employment contract." Everyone goes up in arms.

My esports team is engaged in a practice match at midnight. Suddenly, my coach hands a phone over to me. On the other end of the line, my dad cries hysterically. Amid his sobs, he tells me that my mom is currently unconscious in the hospital, and that the doctor has issued him a critical notice. Apparently, my mom's funeral is being prepared in advance, so my dad wants me home immediately. As I stare at the match-up diagram of the final round of the national-level competition as well as the seven-figure prize money, I reply icily, "I'm not going home. I must participate in the final round tomorrow. During the competition, my phone will be turned off. Don't disturb me no matter what."

Lies, deceit and darkness lead Esmerelda on a journey through dimensions where she faces a world she never knew existed. Dark lords, aliens, and vampires await as she struggles to save her friend from the vampires by aligning with aliens who she later learned were cannibals! Through it all, she's finally reunited with Lance... but what about Killian? The thrills, suspense, and romance continue in "Beyond the Portal", book 3 of the Esmerelda Sleuth, Paranormal Investigator series.

Les mensonges, la tromperie et les ténèbres conduisent Esmerelda dans un voyage à travers les dimensions où elle fait face à un monde dont elle ignorait l'existence. Des seigneurs noirs, des extraterrestres et des vampires l'attendent alors qu'elle lutte pour sauver son ami des vampires en s'alignant avec des extraterrestres dont elle a appris plus tard qu'ils étaient des cannibales ! À travers tout cela, elle a enfin retrouvé Lance... mais qu'en est-il de Killian ? Les frissons, le suspense et la romance se poursuivent dans "Au-delà du portail", tome 3 de la série Esmerelda Sleuth, Paranormal Investigator.

A sexy thriller following a man in his exploits to regain his manhood. Dominique a reformed Jamaican gangster and family man tries desperately to build a business and gain his wife’s respect behind his wife’s back. Dominique Martin is an upward climbing, risk-taking man, seeks to be in sync with his beautiful, intelligent and troubled traditional wife. The story centers on the lives ofof Dominique and Marsha Martin and how the secrets of their past both binds them together while prevents them from being one.

(Rewritten version of 'Playboy Rehab' - Wattys 2014 Winner) Leslie King is a publicist nestled in the heart of Los Angeles representing Garrett Harrison, president of Harrison Incorporated - one of the world's leading real estate and brokerage empires. Having had Garrett Harrison as her client for years, she has grown used to the uniformity in her job - not to mention the uniformity in her personal life. However, when Garrett Harrison shares the news of his retirement, Leslie's professional and personal life becomes anything but the harmonious routine she has grown used to. Sebastian Harrison - handsome Hollywood playboy and the youngest son of Garrett Harrison - enters Leslie's life in the most unusual of ways as she is asked to turn the King of Debauchery into a man fit and trusted enough to become the CEO of Harrison Incorporated. Even though Leslie vows to fulfill the expectations of the task handed to her, she soon discovers that Sebastian Harrison's past is darker and more complicated than what she has read and researched about him. Now, Leslie is caught between satisfying the expectations of her job description and helping the mysterious and twisted spirit that Sebastian Harrison possesses. Regardless of what choice she makes, Leslie knows that there is more to Sebastian Harrison than she could have ever prepared herself for.

River always thought she was a normally, if slightly more intelligent girl. After her mother dies, she has to deal with things herself as her father is heartbroken. When he informs her of his new wife and daughter just 16 months after her mother’s death, she finds this hard to believe. She meets a charismatic man and the meeting changes her life. McKenzie after meeting his mate, has a hard time believing that she is so young. Also, that she doesn’t seem to know what she is. They learn to trust each other and love each other. Once her father dies, they learn why they never told her what she really is. They also learn that there is another threat out there and they work together to stop them. Both River and McKenzie have to learn to trust each other and lean on each other.

À quatre mois de grossesse, mon mari, obstétricien, m'a accompagnée pour récupérer les résultats de l'examen prénatal. Son sourire s'est figé en voyant le rapport, et il m'a forcée à avorter. Je suis restée stupéfaite : le médecin traitant venait pourtant de dire que le bébé était en parfaite santé ! J'ai libéré mon bras et l'ai interrogé : « Pourquoi avorter ? » Il n'a pas répondu, mais a pris rendez-vous pour l'avortement. Voyant que je voulais m'enfuir, il m'a agrippé le bras : « C'est absolument impossible de garder cet enfant ! » Protégeant mon ventre, j'ai vite appelé mes parents, eux aussi obstétriciens. Mon père, qui m'a toujours chérie, a levé le poing pour frapper mon ventre. Ma mère, le visage terrifié, a secoué frénétiquement la tête : « Non, ça ne va pas. » « Enfermez Amélie avec quelques hommes. » Je ne comprenais pas pourquoi ils voulaient supprimer mon bébé ainsi. J'ai tenté de m'enfuir. Mais ils m'ont enfermée dans une pièce sombre. Voyant le sang couler, j'ai su que mon bébé était perdu. Ma mère est venue me chercher en souriant. Je l'ai suppliée de m'expliquer pourquoi ils m'avaient fait ça. Sans répondre, elle m'a envoyée dans un hôpital psychiatrique. Je suis morte après d'innombrables souffrances dans cet hôpital. En rouvrant les yeux, j'étais de retour au jour où nous devions récupérer le rapport prénatal. Mon mari m'a souri : « Chérie, c'est notre premier enfant. J'attends avec impatience le jour de sa naissance. »