Throat Tightness

We had been dating for ten years before my boyfriend, Shawn Jepson, agreed to marry me.  When the wedding photographer asked us to pose a few kissing shots, Shawn claimed he had germophobia and walked out on me.  I awkwardly apologized to the team.  Taxis were a rare commodity during blizzards, so I trudged through the snow to get home.  To my dismay, I stumbled upon Shawn tongue-deep into his crush’s throat in what was supposed to be our marital home.  “Just say the word, Casey, and I’ll leave Jessica.”  Later, word went around that Shawn searched the world for his ex-fiancee, begging her to return.

His hand tightens around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. “Where did you go, wife?” “The bathroom?” I frown, scratching my head. “Don't play dumb Alessandra, we both know you're not stupid and neither am I.” “I don't know what you mean, Enzo.” I glare. “ I was here.” “Did you think I wouldn't notice who was in my house? I played dumb when you let her come over but you let her in our bed, Sasha. Did you expect me to fuck her too?” “I-” the words get caught in my throat, I don’t know what to say. This is it, Enzo is going to kill me, I’m dead. . . 🦋 When Alessandra Romano's sister angers the next Capo dei Cap Enzo Valenti, he picks her to replace Sofia. However, the only relationship Alessandra knows is that between her hand and her blade, she has secrets, secrets that will make Enzo kill her. But what happens when Alessandra finds out she's not the only one holding secrets in their marriage? Will their love withstand the chaos life sets around them, or will they break when push comes to shove?

I reach for the door handle, the cold metal biting into my skin as I press my thumb against the latch. Before I can pull the door open, Cade's arm shoots out from behind me, slamming it shut. My body jolts, my heart leaping into my throat as I feel the heat of his body against my back. He lowers himself to me, his breath fanning my ear. "Are you walking out on me again, Elysian?” A shaky breath parts my lips, the hair on the back of my neck standing on its ends. "I never walked out on you, Cade…" My voice falters, betraying me. "Don't lie to me." His tone is aggressive. "I told you a long time ago never to walk away from me again. Are you always so careless?” I try to swallow, but my throat is too tight. "I'm sorry," I manage, the words barely audible. "You said that already," he challenges me, warning me to choose my next words carefully. But I can't. I can't think. I can't move. As his grip on the door tightens, I realize he's not giving me a choice. ⊰ Heartprints in the Void ⊱ My name is Elysian Reign, and I'm not extraordinary. His name is Cade Sinclair, and unlike me, he is extraordinary. At the age of 25, he inherited billions from his trillionaire father—David Sinclair. You never imagine that the love of your life's own father would manipulate his son's life to get rid of you—even if it means forcing him into an experimental hypnosis treatment. After three years, you'd think I'd have learned my lesson. You'd think I would've changed my identity and left the country after walking in on my first day at my new and finding out that Cade is now my boss.

“You think you can run from me?” his voice was low, dangerous as his piercing grey eyes locked onto mine. “You carry my child, my blood. You are mine, Snow. And I will burn the world to keep what’s mine.” I wanted to scream at him, to tell him he was wrong. But the words wouldn’t come. They never did. Snow can’t speak or sing. Not a single word has escaped her throat since that night…that night she watched her parents die. Hated and ostracized by her pack, Snow bears the weight of their hatred, blamed for a murder she didn’t commit. With nothing left to live for, she plans to end it all on her 19th birthday. But a fateful encounter with a dangerous stranger that led to a one-night stand changes everything. When Snow finds herself pregnant weeks later, she just wants to forget the man who shattered her walls in one night. But that becomes impossible when she discovers he’s none other than Roman King–the ruthless Lycan King. Her mate. And if there’s one thing everyone knows about Roman, it’s that he doesn’t take no for an answer.

My best friend passed away from postpartum hemorrhage. Ethan said he didn't want his child to grow up without a mother. To repay my best friend for saving my life years ago, I became the child's mother. I gave up my career and ambitions, willingly becoming a full-time housewife. For seven years, I cared for both father and son as if it were my life's mission. Yet, he always remained distant, his tenderness surfacing only in the quiet intensity of late nights. Afterward, he would hand me a few birth control pills. On New Year's Eve, my throat felt strange. I swallowed the pills, only to immediately vomit them all out. Ethan was furious and accused me of harboring ulterior motives. As punishment, he locked me outside on the open balcony in the rain. Our son came running with an umbrella in hand. But he walked past me without a glance and handed it to the housekeeper who was heading out. In that moment, I made up my mind—I would leave.

He had seen her glancing back. It wouldn't do to scare her this early on. He turned right as she crossed the street. Cole Baxter had never followed a woman before, especially a human. He'd never had the need, females usually came to him. As a Beta in the local pack he could find a woman whenever he felt the need, and he usually felt the need quite often. But if he knew his wolf, that was going to change. He could feel his wolf in his mind pacing, wanting to follow his mate closely in case any other males got too close. Cole had to remind him that they couldn't just jump her on the street. His wolf would have to learn patience. He'd been waiting for her for close to 200 years, no reason to over react now. He caught sight of her from two blocks down and continued to follow until she turned into the front door of a medical clinic. He stood outside the door and glanced inside. He couldn't see her so he waited around the corner. After what seemed like an eternity, she came walking out with a male who stared straight at him with bright blue eyes. Cole realized immediately this wasn't a human, he was a Were, one of his kind. The male was holding his mate by the waist, and Cole automatically growled, ready to tear the wolf's throat out to get him away from her. Wait, his mate? Maybe he was too late. Maybe she was already mated. His heart was pounding as he watched them walking down the street. He couldn't believe he had waited this long to find his mate only to lose her to another.

#Book One of the Alpha Brothers Series Her face flushed with anger, and she stood up, her eyes flashing. "You think I'm afraid of you, Alpha? Newsflash: I'm not. And I certainly don't want to be married to a rude, arrogant person like you." My eyes widened in surprise, my mind racing. No one dared speak to me like that, especially not a female. I felt a growl rising in my throat, but I forced it back. ••• Alpha Sage Mickelson, a ruthless 27-year-old Billionaire, has closed off his heart after a painful betrayal by his ex-mate. Arranged to marry Lyra Skye, a bullheaded and beautiful Enigma, Sage seeks revenge while making sure he makes Lyra’s life a living hell for accepting the alignment. But as secrets unfold, their relationship threatens to destroy everything. Will Lyra melt Sage's icy heart, or will his thirst for revenge consume them both?

"You think you know hate, Avery?" His voice a dangerous rumble that seemed to roll straight through me. "Hate is easy. It’s the love that complicates everything." "Love? Don't talk to me about love. You wouldn't recognize it if it clawed its way into your heart." Liam's expression darkened, "And whose fault is that, remind me? You destroyed every ounce of it." My eyes filled with tears instantly, my voice so thick, it hurt my throat as the words came out. "And you made me pay for it, in the most horrible way. A person who loved a girl with his whole heart would never be able to do what you've done, what you've allowed to happen. That's why I hate you, because you never loved me, or else you couldn't do all this to me." His eyes sparked with anger "You have no idea what you're talking about." "Maybe I do, maybe I don't," I shot back bitterly, "But it seems like the only thing you're good at is pretending. Pretending to care, pretending to love—" "That's enough!" his voice boomed. "You want to see how real my feelings are? I should teach you a lesson on underestimating them." I tilted my chin up in defiance "Go on then, teach me." The next moment was a blur of motion as he closed the distance between us. His hands gripped my face, not gentle but not cruel—a fervent, desperate hold. His lips met mine in an intense, raw kiss, fueled by anger and deep, relentless desire. The kiss was punishing, his mouth moving against mine with a fierce urgency that left no room for doubts or second thoughts. As he pulled back, his eyes bore into mine, challenging, questioning, daring me to deny what lay between us.

I was already halfway across the room before I knew what I was doing. What kind of people had she been surrounding herself with if she thought that she wasn't attractive? Hell, she was gorgeous, delicious, downright perfect in every way. I needed to show her what I saw. What she was in my eyes. I couldn't help myself. I had Genevieve up against the wall in a blink of an eye, a growl escaping my throat and mixing with her surprised gasp. Her hands still clung to the robe, trying to make herself seem smaller. I slipped one hand underneath, along her collarbone, while the other slid along her neck, to the back of her head where I gripped her loose bun and pulled it taught. "Babygirl, you're more than just attractive. You have my c*ck aching every time I set my eyes on you.” My voice was a distorted growl, but I know she understood every word I said. I leaned my body in against hers to accentuate my point, and Genevieve's adorable mouth widened with a surprised gasp. I took that opportunity to claim what I'd been dreaming off since the moment I set my eyes on her. I dipped my head and locked my lips on hers, and realized in that sweet, blissful moment, that I had f*cked up. *** Genevieve Blake was a well-known, erotic romance author. She enjoyed meeting her fans and writing stories that made even her blush. What she hadn't planned on, though, was for a stalker to come out from the shadows and threaten her life. When the police can't do anything, she turns to Grim Security to protect her against the deranged lunatic. But who's going to protect her heart, and her body, from the intensity of Raphael Bard?

“I know you want me.” Damien said in a deep hoarse voice. I turned to look at him. “I can never want a ruthless man like you.” “Your eyes are telling a different story Alison.” Damien said, taking a step forward. I took a step backward but Damien had stopped me, his hands traveling across my dress. My breathe hitched in my throat as his hands paused. “Your body is saying a different story.” Damien leaned closer. “You can’t resist me Alison.” “I—“ my voice cracked. At that moment I realized he was right. I wanted Damien Santos. Right now. In his room. *** Alison had it all—wealth, love, and a perfect life—until her conniving stepsister, Mabel, destroyed everything. Framed for infidelity,Alison’s husband throws her out of the house, leaving her penniless and homeless. Just when she hits rock bottom, Alison crosses paths with Damien Santos—a cold and ruthless mafia boss who rules the highlands. Unaware of who he truly is, Alison’s brief exchange with him takes an unexpected turn, placing her under his dark, protective shadow. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a web of secrets and lies. As Alison uncovers the truth about Damien’s identity, she realizes their meeting wasn’t accidental. Dark revelations from her past resurface, tying her fate to his in ways she never imagined. Can Alison reclaim her life, or will she lose herself in the dangerous world Damien has pulled her into?