Regrets Collect Like Old Friends

"Thirty million" I heard a male voice echo round the walls of the hall which silenced everyone. Who would bid that high just to buy me? "Thirty million dollars" the male voice spoke up once again, a young man striding confidently forward like he owned the very building with his bidding card raised up. He was eighty percent taller than everyone in attendance. I sucked in breath at his refined but cold appearance. His tuxedo hugged his body and showed of his impeccable muscles. His dark long hair was slick and let to fall, not a single strand out of place. He had the profile of a greek God but his features lacked warmth and empathy. His brown steel eyes burrowed into mine, a look of disgust on his face for me. "Sold!" the chairman hit the gavel on the table after a brief moment of silence since no one else was willing to bid higher. A wave of ovation took the hall, men chattering amongst themselves and whistling. "Get her ready and bring her to me" he pivoted and sharply ordered one of the armed bodyguards standing close to the podium. He owns me now. **** When a ruthless mafia lord bids for an innocent girl, can her innocense survive in the abyss of his darkness?

“You maybe my Don, but you will not control me in this room,” he growled against her lips as he held onto both of her wrists above her head. She stared up at him, his words, his actions; all made her more turned on. “Do you understand?” His voice turned huskier and she moaned. “Yes Damian.” “What?” “Yes sir,” she whimpered. “Good,” and with that, his lips roughly crashed against hers. -*-*-* Angel Bellalini was to be the head of the family once her dad retired, and there had never been a female to lead. And like every leader before her, she needed someone to ground her from the job of Boss. But she didn’t expect to find it in the form of her sister’s fiancé, Damian. But she had; now she’s forced to navigate that road, along with the others that come with being The Boss.

I was sold to the Devil. Rider Thorne. The Alpha King. A man whose name alone makes grown wolves tremble. My stepfather cleared his gambling debts by trading my life for a stack of cash, handing me over with a single, chilling instruction: Give the King an heir, and you go free. I accepted my fate. I prepared to be nothing more than a vessel, a temporary fixture in his cold, luxurious prison. I told myself I could survive his cruelty, his indifference, and his icy glare. But the moment he walked into the room, the universe played a cruel joke. The scent of rain and dark chocolate. Mate. The cruelest Alpha of all time is my soulmate. The sad part? He doesn't know. Or worse—he doesn't care. To him, I am just a tool. A breeder to secure his lineage before he discards me like trash. Heartbroken and realizing he will never look at me with love, I made a choice. I will give him what he bought, but he will never have my heart. But when I discover I’m carrying not just one heir, but three, and that my life is in danger, I did the unthinkable. I ran. Now, the Alpha King is tearing the world apart to find me. He realizes too late that the "tool" he bought was the other half of his soul. But he’s not chasing a submissive girl anymore. He’s chasing a mother protecting her cubs. Run, Bailey. Run.

As panic sweeps through the city and everyday streets collapse into chaos, Ciprian is driven by one unshakable instinct: protect Adam at all costs. When an unexplained catastrophe turns the urban landscape into a pressure cooker of fear and survival, nothing matters more than keeping his best friend alive. In this fast-paced short story, a sudden crisis forces two friends to confront more than danger. As tension rises and the city descends into disorder, buried emotions, unspoken attraction, and complicated feelings come to the surface. What begins as survival quickly becomes something deeper, binding their fates together in ways neither of them expected. Set against a backdrop of urban collapse, panic, and uncertainty, this emotional short fiction explores friendship, loyalty, and love under pressure. Perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories, disaster scenarios, slow-burn emotion, LGBTQ+ themes, and intimate moments set during world-altering events. A gripping short story about connection, courage, and the fragile line between friendship and something more—meant to be read in one sitting, but felt long after.

Anne Jacobs hears what others keep hidden—their fears, their fantasies, their lies. It’s how she survived high school. It’s how she stayed invisible. Until Victor Blackwood decided she shouldn’t be. Victor is handsome, brilliant, and frighteningly attentive. He claims to love her, to protect her. But the thoughts behind his perfect smile are darker than anything Anne has heard before. And when those around her start to fall—bullies silenced, enemies destroyed—Anne realizes she’s not just loved. She’s owned. Now she must decide: expose him and risk becoming his next fixation… or stay close and try to control the monster who claims her heart. In a world where thoughts betray, love is the most dangerous lie of all.

Lucy was sold to Antonio Martinelli, the former boss of the biggest Italian mafia when she was 14 years old. After spending years in the "safe house," Lucy is delivered to his son Luca Martinelli, the new leader, as a birthday gift. Luca fights the urge to fall in love with the ebony beauty as Lucy attempts to keep a promise she made and regain her former self. Will they endure all the deceit, lust, murder, and betrayal committed in the name of love together?

"'Do you seriously think I would kill my own aughterday?' My eyes went wide as I slowly........." Naomi has been living a lie her whole life. The people who she thought to be her parents aren't who they say they are. She has to accept who she actually is and take on some responsibility. Will she take on that responsibility or will she run away from her fate like her grandmother did?

Aleana Rae is the 18 year old daughter of the beta to the Sahara blood moon pack. Aleana had just turned 18 and for 17 years she had avoided being center of attention but for some reason her Alphas son had started to watch her every move being cruel and sometimes cold. What happens when she gets left alone one night at her school formal on the full moon only to find out her mate is none other then Shade Andrews the son of her Alpha Eric Andrews. Will she be able to fix his cold cruel heart or will he end up being her undoing?

King Tarzan hates her more than anything in the world and beyond, because she is the daughter of the king who enslaved him when he was just a helpless young lad. He owns her, and he will pay her back in spades for those years when she sat back and watched her people mistreat him and for everything her father did to him. And her father did a lot. He was scarred into being the powerful but terrifyingly damaged monster king he is. A king who battles insanity as the day breaks every day. A king who hates to be touched. A king whose presence sends tremors of fear among the people. King Tarzan is not only traumatized with the painful past he had; he is enraged with the thoughts of the secret only he knows about. He is unable to produce an heir to his throne. Oh, I will make Leilani pay. But then again, Princess Leilani is nothing like her people. She is different from her father and the rest of them who made life miserable for him. And when he was finally in a position to make her pay for those painful years, he was bound to find out just how different and special she is. A love story that began with a deep-rooted hatred and a burning passion for revenge!

Kelsey Lieven, a beautiful accountant at Lazardo, was forced to marry the son of her father's friend, Weylin Malachy, a super cold CEO of Malachy Hotel.  Unfortunately, before the wedding was held, Kelsey suddenly disappeared. What really happened to Kelsey? And why was Weylin grateful that his future wife had disappeared?  And what will they do if they are reunited after six years?