The Cost Of Delayed Affection

When Ashley was six, her mother was gang-raped to death in front of her. Adopted by her stepfather, she develops a forbidden Platonic affection for him as she lived with him. Her stepfather, however, seems to regard her only as a family, or as a leisure diversion. But when she discovers why he adopted her, a dark secret begins to unfold for her...... At this time, her other words appear. How should she choose?

There's an earthquake. My husband, the captain of the rescue team, abandons me to save Wendy Smith, his true love. I don't stop him. I let him go. Why? Because when he was faced with the same choice in my past life, he saved me because I was eight months pregnant. Meanwhile, Wendy remained trapped under the rubble. She ultimately died due to a lack of oxygen after the delayed rescue. Later, on the day I went into labor, my husband brought me to Wendy's grave. He watched me coldly as I collapsed on the ground from the searing pain. He ignored my pleas. "Does it hurt, Yelena? Wendy's pain was a thousand times worse when she was trapped under the rubble!" I stared at him in disbelief as he descended into insanity. "You were safe that night—you were in the safe triangle zone! Wendy would never have missed the best time for rescue if not for you using your pregnancy to threaten me! I want you to experience all the pain she went through!" He forced me down on my knees and bumped my head on the ground before Wendy's grave. He ignored the blood that flowed down my legs. Ultimately, I died after major blood loss from a difficult labor. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the day the earthquake happened. This time, neither I nor my child will wait for him.

This is the final part of the series "The Devil, the Mercenary and the Saint." Nicholai and Cassie are happily married. Jake and Blair are finally back in each other's arms. The final book shares the story of Cole and Roxy. Will Cole be mature enough to take his relationship seriously? After everything he did to win Roxy's affection would he finally give in to be with her even if it means throwing his marriage. Would he make the right choice?

"I will never sleep with a man like you," Selena said as she rolled her eyes at him. "We will see about that," smirked. ________________________________ Selena's life takes an unexpected turn when she catches the eye of the notorious mafia boss, Aiden Frazier. Drawn in by his charm and dangerous allure, she becomes enmeshed in his world of power, violence, and intrigue. But as she falls deeper in love with him, she begins to realize the true cost of being involved with a man like Aiden - a cost that could ultimately lead to her demise. Will their passion be enough to overcome the surrounding danger, or will their fiery romance be the downfall of them.

Araya has given up on love. Reeling from a heartbreak, she makes a spontaneous decision to leave everything behind and move to a new town hoping to start over. Unbeknownst to her, she’s settled in a world she didn’t even know existed. She soon finds herself caught in the middle as the object of affection between two warring species. Has love given up on her? Will she be able to resist?

Nina falls in love with a very striking man. It is only later that she realises that he is a man with secrets. These secrets quickly put her in mortal danger and the object of her affection, Mark, pays a price to have her kept out of harms way. When Nina finds out what Mark had to give up for her safety she is determined to set the world right again. But there is always a price that need to be paid. Isn't there?

Heaven Ross is a weird and strange who just wants to be normal and fight for the affection of her love Sky Gomez. But what Heaven doesn't know is that she's anything but normal because inside her is a cursed demon hopelessly waiting to reunite with her own love. Heaven finds herself in a messed up love triangle with four sides and the more she embraces the demon inside of her, the more secrete she uncovers about herself.

Steven Lambert claimed my mother almost killed his wife and daughter, branding me as a sinner from birth. For twenty years, he and his family tormented me in the name of atonement. I was forced into a cruel marriage with the vile Caleb Carpenter in Cindy's place, only to suffer a tragic end. Only then did the Lamberts realize I was their daughter. Yet all this time, the very existence they believed to be a sinner enjoyed their bottomless affection and adoration.

Sound of his Bones Breaking, a novella that will leave you truly shaken. Board for free. But the cost might be your life. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Jayden Hawley believed love could redeem anything. Until one reckless night binds him to Ronan Dortmund, a man who believes power is love. Caught between obsession and survival, Jayden learns that in Ronan’s world, affection is never given but claimed. And when secrets begin to surface and leaving becomes far more dangerous than staying, Jayden is forced to question what he believes in. Does love really redeem?