Twice Short

Disaster struck during my sophomore year.  Not only did my family fall into poverty, I ended up getting diagnosed with cancer as well. I was so broke that I only had a hundred dollars left to my name. Desperate for cash, I tried to pawn off the family amulet I had been wearing since I was a child. Unexpectedly, the storekeeper of the pawn shop took a glance before refusing it with a curt shake of his head. “This amulet is cursed. Whoever wears it is doomed to lead a short life. I can’t possibly take it.”

At the age of 26, Darcy had intended to still be a party girl, enjoying a great experience in Ibiza or any other unique party Island, but life had not gone according to plan. She was carried away, despite being conventional, and she signed up for an unhappy marriage after an unplanned pregnancy led her down a different route than she had originally intended to take. It took the arrival of the hot Scottish farmer Rory into her life for her to understand that life was too short to settle down and that she should keep moving forward. If being in Love would make her feel as amazing as she did when she was with him, then she would make some important decisions.. "If Love does not have the vibe of R&B from the 1990s, then I do not want it!"

Knights MC is made up of 18 guys from special forces. They're all retired and created a motorcycle club due to their love of riding motorcycles. They do search and rescue missions across the USA. They help rescue women and children from trafficking and drugs. They have both government and private contracts. Follow these 18 short stories as each one finds their true love. Some women may be broken and scarred from harsh realities of life, but her special guy will pick her up, protect her, and help mend her scars. Not everyone is happy about the clubs rescues. Some may try to seek revenge on them. Jealous abusive ex's sometimes don't give up. However, the club will see to every woman's and club members safety and protection no matter what it takes!

With flights suspended at airports, Berat tries to escape by car from the harsh Turkish winter and the pain of having lost his wife, traveling with their two children: Ferhat, four years old, and Volkan, two, to Georgia. Unexpectedly, a rock slides across the road, causing it to overturn and leaving Berat and the children trapped by their seat belts. Efé, who was returning from a family wedding, next to his wife and also their six-month-old twin children, did not think twice before parking the vehicle on the side of the road and saving that man and his children. After saving Berat and the boys from death, a strong friendship begins between them, making both sign a Marriage Contract between their children Ferhat and Luna. Twenty-one years pass, Ferhat and Volkan study and graduate in the USA and when they return to Turkey they start working at their father's Automobile Company. Volkan became a famous basketball player, but abandoned his career to be his father's right-hand man in business. His brother Ferhat despite being the eldest son, is nothing more than a seductive bohemian, who will steal the heart of Rabia, the daughter of his father's partner. The beautiful Luna will grow up knowing that one day she will have to marry a man she has never seen, but destiny will cross her paths with Volkan in a charity basketball match, in favor of the homeless of the earthquake, making a beautiful story of love start for them. Never having been touched by a man, Luna will be kissed by Volkan, who will fall madly in love with her. Upon discovering that Luna is his brother's betrothed, Volkan will despair and will do the impossible for the Marriage Contract to be undone and for him to marry in her place.

Astrid Olsen was not your typical heiress since her mind was more on the scientific side of things. She did not want to be tied down and when her father claimed that she will be marrying someone that was his business partner's son, Astrid did the only thing that she knew ever since she was a little girl. She pursued higher education and never turn her back on it. She had gained 6 Ph.D. scrolls, so what's one more, right? Well, it all changed when she was short on funds for her research and she had to make a deal with a devil. Even when he was a fair hair specimen with cobalt blue eyes that would sure to make any woman weak in their knees, including Astrid herself. Eliot Park, a brilliant scientist and inventor as well as a notorious billionaire, wanted more than anything to be the best of the best. And he managed to do it until one person was determined to see him fail in the newest pharmaceutical discovery. He knew that he had to do something drastic if he has to maintain at the top. Even sacrifice his bachelor's life to be tie down to the one scientist that will be making a ground breaking discovery to the world. And he did marry her for financial gain in his life. But, the more time Eliot spends his time in the company of Astrid, the more he felt something that he never did before. Was this just lust between them or something more? What will Eliot do when he realized something has shifted between him and his contractual wife? What will Astrid do? Will she run away again like she did before or will she be brave enough to convey her feelings?

“Compared to you, I’m too heavy,” she says softly. I scoff, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her down onto my lap. Her breath hitches, and I lean in close, my lips grazing her ear. “I bench twice your weight at the gym,” I murmur, watching the shiver ripple through her body, her skin blooming with goosebumps under my touch. “Next time I tell you to sit, you’ll do it without hesitation. And you’ll sit exactly where I want—on my fking cck.” ** I’ve always been known as many things—the cursed Alpha Prince, Shadow Pelt High’s hockey captain, the playboy who can’t keep a girl. Life is simple, and easy… until her. Ginger Orbblood. One night—just one fing night, changes everything. She’s my best friend’s girlfriend, but she’s also my mate. Our mate. Born during an eclipse, Caspian and I are tied to her by the curse of the eclipse, but she can only have one of us. It is quite a relief because I am not good at sharing. I always get what I want, and I’ve never wanted anything like I want her. I sure as hell can’t let her go, so I do not care if it ruins anything or anyone. I’ll burn the whole damn world down if I have to—just to have her.

"You heard me, Damon Jones," I replied after a few seconds of silence that was honoured with his confused gaze. "I want us to be together. I want us to have sizzling moments that only you and I would know about. I want us to hold each other, and sweaty as our needs grow. Not once, not twice, but for as long as possible." I surprised myself with the tone of my voice. His hands on his waist, the man scoffed. It was a loud one. After a few seconds of making his feet dance in the very spot he stood, he faced me, the tip of histongue probing the flesh of his upper lip. That was a nice sight. It made my eyes linger on his lips longer than I intended. As my eyes quickly traveled to his wet shirt which exposed the nudity that I keep wondering about, he said, "You must be out of your mind, Selena." ~ In life, mistakes happen. A mistake like taking the wrong file instead of the file that contains your CV and other important documents a job seeker needs to have. But, there's no going back because you have a great job opportunity right in front of you. An opportunity that could vanish before anyone can complete the words, Jack Robinson. And, mistakes can lead to a lot of things. Things you could never imagine would happen in even five lifetimes to come. Like making a dangerous deal with a Mafia Queen... [Mature scenes inclusive]

~A girl as warm as a dandelion field ; A guy as cold as midnight mists ~ _______________________________ Zeeshant Mehra, the owner and CEO of India's one and only money-making company. Cold, Rude and ignorant but sweet, caring and loving for his family. Has temper issues and won't think twice before lashing out. Workaholic mf and barely does anything except work. Myra Vakharia, the patient, bubbly and goofy kinda girl. Thinks a hundred times before doing or speaking something. Loves her family but there are levels to her love. Living her life to the fullest and believes in living with all the privileges she has. Turning themselves into their best selves for each other, they gladly accept their arrange marriage. Giving their wedding life a chance and putting their best into this new relationship, they happily live In this arrange marriage until- Until that one point. What will happen when they embrace their old selves back after changing for good!? Who's the bad one and who's the innocent one? How are they gonna get through this misunderstanding between them? Let's see.....

Ava and Andre are forced by their parents to get married to each other. But before then, they have been involved in a fight twice and agreed to get married just to exact revenge on each other. But guess what? Ava and Andre were young lovers at teens but seperated. But how? Well, we'll find out. Fix your seatbelt as we take a ride through this funny, mindblowing and romantic story!

When a child mysteriously disappears from a small town and even his mother seems indifferent, it’s time for the new sheriff to step in. Meet Chris Baker, the new sheriff of the quiet Adirondack town of Clifton Heights. As one inexplicable case after another forces him to confront the townsfolk in The Skylark Diner, it’s the furtive Gavin Patchett that hands Chris a collection of not-so-fictional short stories that tumbles him into a world of monsters, ageless demons, and vengeful citizens. As Chris reads through the stories the veil starts to lift, and he soon questions what is real and what’s not, and whether he really wants to know. Nothing will ever be the same again. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing