Stare Down

Emily’s world is turned upside down when her husband, Nathan, serves her divorce papers in a shocking public display. But the betrayal cuts depper when she discovers her own sister is behind the break down of her marriage. As Emily tries to pick up the pieces, she discovers a sinister plot that will change everything she thought she knew about love, family, and herself. Can she rise above the lies and betrayal to find redemption and love again?

They've taken my father. They'll take me next unless I comply with their demands. Taking down the most powerful man in Italy. Cato Marino. The man is accompanied by his security team everywhere he goes. His fortress in Tuscany is impenetrable. He's the most paranoid man in the country. And there's no possibility I'll be able to take him down alone. If I want to save my father, I only have one option. To get into Cato's bed...and stay there.

As soon as I come of age, I become the secret lover of Luciano Carlotta, the future Don of his family. The reason why I choose to be with him isn't to covet his money—it's because I love him. To me, he's my savior who has rescued me from my sad, tragic life as an orphan. He even tells me lovingly that it's not my fault that my parents don't want me, and that he will be the one loving me from now on. So, when Luciano wants me to give birth to his child, I say yes. But once the baby is born, I'm only allowed to visit him once per month. Luciano explains, "I'm the future Don, Rosanna. My family wants me to marry a woman of a similar background and social standing. They still find it difficult to accept you at the moment. I have to keep their opinions of you in mind. "Just wait for a little longer. Once I conquer the final turf and become the Don, I'll definitely marry you. Our son shall become my heir. Staying in the Carlotta family is the best option for him, you know." Naturally, I believe Luciano's excuses. On sleepless nights, I just stare at photos of him and our son as I shed tears quietly. One day, I receive great news from my best friend, Sofia Rossi. Apparently, she's about to get married. "Rosanna, I'm getting engaged! My fiance is very handsome, and he loves me with all his heart, too! You must attend my wedding when the time comes!" As I congratulate her, I tap on the photo that she's just sent me. But I find myself staring at Luciano's face instead.

Noah Kline is the picture of daytime purity. He is a shy philosophy student who wears glasses and shrinks under Dr. Alexander Elliott's piercing gray stare during ethics lectures. His heart races as he imagines those commanding hands bending him over the podium. At night, he turns into Nyx, the club's dirtiest pole dancer. His body is oiled and shining, his hips grind against steel in a way that makes cocks throb below. He drops into a slow, dirty split that makes cocks throb below. With his thighs spread wide around the pole, he rolls his pelvis in wet, teasing circles. His thong is soaked and clinging to his leaking erection while men stuff hundreds into his garter and fingers graze his balls. When Noah needs money for school, he gets a private VIP gig. He climbs the pole in a tiny thong and a glittering harness. He bends back and slides his fingers inside the waistband to tease his own hole on stage, moaning softly as the crowd cheers. Then the lights catch a familiar face: Professor Elliott, coming out of the shadows, his suit clean and his eyes black with wild hunger. Elliott rushes onto the stage and slams Noah's chest against the cold pole. "Daytime little mouse can't meet my eyes," he growls, shoving his knee between Noah's thighs to rub against his sore cock. "But here you are, dripping and begging strangers to break this tight hole?" Rough hands pull the harness aside, and Elliott's fingers go between Noah's cheeks, circling his entrance before pushing two thick fingers inside and curling them to hit his prostate hard.

Two years ago, Fabiola Cruz walked out of Alessandro’s life without warning, taking his heart and vanishing into the shadows. Now, he’s no longer the reckless man who once whispered forever into her skin. He’s Alessandro Armani, a ruthless billionaire kingpin feared across continents. He’s a feared Mafia Don with ice in his veins and blood on his hands. Love is a weakness. And Fabiola? She’s the ghost who made him ruthless. So when fate throws her into his world again, working as a waitress in a club, desperate to pay for her daughter’s hospital bills and pay her father’s debts. One night, thugs cornered her, and it's Alessandro who saves her. And he’s not interested in forgiveness. He wants her to be his mistress. And pawn. As past secrets resurface and enemies circle like wolves, Fabiola and Alessandro find themselves trapped in a game of lust, lies, and betrayal. Fabiola wants out of the business once she’s done, because of her daughter, but Alessandro calls her out. “Amore mio,” he smirked, his eyes gave me a thorough stare down. It was slow and deliberate. My heart was a high-speed train. I could feel my face burning, turning a shade that betrayed everything I was trying to hide. “When I said you were mine, I meant it.” He said. He stood and closed the gap between us. I tried to leave. “Stop!” and I froze. “Look at me.” It was an order, and I did exactly that. He gave me his evil half smile. “Fa,” he paused. “Bi,” another pause. “Ola,” he rasped. “You know you will always be mine,” he paused as if to let that sink in, with his laser icy blues staring right into mine. “Right?”

CAN BE READ ALONE!! Growing up, at a younger age my mom would tell me her romantic story of how she and dad met. I fell in love with their love story and would beg her to tell me every night before going to bed. I love her story so much that I could not wait to one day be old enough to find my one true mate; that every full moon, I would stare through my bedroom window and watch excitedly wolves being wandered off into the dark, having only the full moon to guide them. Seeing them, I was even more anxious to turn eighteen and to too meet my mate. The wolf, the moon goddess has blessed me with to spend my entire life with. Before my mom was taken from me, she used to tell me, a one true mate is like an alpha, and that the only difference is that he may not have a pack he's destined to rule and protect, but a single wolf he's destined to love forever. I kept that quote with me and impatiently waited until I was of the rightful age, searching under the beautiful moonlight for my one true mate. It was the most beautiful night and even more beautiful when I lay eyes on a dark hair and blue eyes handsome wolf. I could hear my wolf crying inside telling me that he was mine; that night I thought I found everything that I was looking for and ever wanted, but the next day after my one true mate mark me as his own and took my innocent. Everything wasn't going the way I thought it would be. My mate mostly. His sweet behavior towards me suddenly changes into something terrifying; something I'd never wish upon anyone.

As the daughter of the infamous Alpha of the Nightshade pack, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her father is brought down for his crimes. When she meets Alexios, the victor who ended her father's tyranny and her fated mate, she finds herself in a fight for survival. Despite claiming to hate her and promising to never mark her, Alexios, a lycan, can't seem to let her go. Can love conquer hate in this battle of fate as they struggle to resist their bond as fated mates?

Omotayo never expected her world to come crashing down unexpectedly by the sight of her best friend and her boyfriend in bed.Heartbroken and disheartened, she swore to never open her heart to anyone, living vicariously. She rejects every man that woos her and is tagged as 'a scornful woman' whose heart was as dark as the words that came out of her mouth. That was until she met him, the one who was ready and willing to pull down her walls, bring her out of her misery, help her grow and show her the beauty of love.

He starts nibbling on my chest and starts pulling off my bra away from my chest. I couldn’t take it anymore, I push him away hard and scream loudly and fall off the couch and try to find my way towards the door. He laughs in a childlike manner and jumps on top of me and bites down on my shoulder blade. “Ahhh!! What are you doing! Get off me!!” I scream clawing on the wooden floor trying to get away from him.He sinks his teeth in me deeper and presses me down on the floor with all his body weight. Tears stream down my face while I groan in the excruciating pain that he is giving me. “Please I beg you, please stop.” I whisper closing my eyes slowly, stopping my struggle against him.He slowly lets me go and gets off me and sits in front of me. I close my eyes and feel his fingers dancing on my spine; he keeps running them back and forth humming a soft tune with his mouth. “What is your name pretty girl?” He slowly bounces his fingers on the soft skin of my thigh. “Isabelle.” I whisper softly.“I’m Daniel; I just wanted to play with you. Why would you hurt me, Isabelle?” He whispers my name coming closer to my ear.I could feel his hot breathe against my neck. A shiver runs down my spine when I feel him kiss my cheek and start to go down to my jaw while leaving small trails of wet kisses. “Please stop it; this is not playing, please.” I hold in my cries and try to push myself away from him.

The moon goddess always gets it right, even if it’s not the way we expect. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way that her plan will lead us down a dark path, but the cost may be worth it.. or maybe it won’t. Jessie flees her childhood home in a desperate attempt to find herself, putting her future mate above all else, but does the moon goddess truly have a future of love and joy planned, or will her journey lead her down a painful fall to her own demise?