Under Currents A Novel Novels & Stories

On my birthday, I go out to eat with my family. I make a wish, hoping that we will always stay happily together. When I open my eyes, I see my son, Luigi Marino, holding up his tablet. On the screen, a line of text reads, "Dad, Maria says she's pregnant with your baby. Am I going to get a new mom?" Giovanni Marino is busy taking pictures of me with a Polaroid. He glances at the screen casually before writing a reply on the back of the photo. "No. I made a promise with your mom. If either of us betrays the other, we will have to disappear from the other's life forever. I can't live without your mom. So, you have to help me keep this from her. Even if Maria's baby is born, they will never appear in front of your mom." After writing that, he looks at me and asks in a gentle voice, "What's wrong, my love? Why are your eyes red? Did the smoke from the candles irritate them?" My tears are about to fall, but I force a smile and reply, "I'm fine. The birthday gift you all prepared for me is wonderful. I'm so touched that I can't help but cry." He doesn't know that my dyslexia was cured a week ago. It seems I no longer have to hesitate about the job offer from a well-known international nonprofit that teaches children with dyslexia how to read. The paperwork will be done in seven days. When that time comes, I will disappear from their world completely.

Everything changed on my twelfth birthday. The brakes failed, the tragic crash, and the death of our parents. My brother blamed it all on me. He ruled as the mafia boss, yet all he showed me was hatred. The only love he had left was for our younger sister. He never believed how sick I became. He accused me of faking my sickness to get attention. He would turn to our sister with a gentleness I never received, he promised to save her, and he promised she would never die on his watch. My heart ended up beating inside her chest even after I died. He finally saw what was left of my damaged body after I was gone. The truth my brother never bothered to face would shatter his world.

Extreme beauty, intelligence, and unique set of skills. Zea was only seventeen back then and everything in her life was perfect. But not until they killed her father and took away the man that she loves. Driven, she set out overseas and train to be the best special agent. And after nine long years, she's given an assignment. A dangerous, highly classified mission, as an undercover high school student. In a well-known university that is secretly run by a viciously organized underground syndicate, that is strongly linked to her father's death. Determined to seek justice. Everything is right in place. But not until she found him—again.

Selene’s life was ordinary—until the night it wasn’t. A promising young woman with dreams and a quiet life, she never imagined that one moment of trust could shatter her world. Kidnapped by unknown assailants, she awakens in a secluded house with two strangers—Lucien, calm and commanding, and Asher Night, the enigmatic barista she thought she knew. As Selene begins to recover, she discovers that her body, her senses, and her very instincts are awakening in ways she never expected. The people who saved her are not what they seem—they are werewolves, part of a hidden world of packs, power struggles, and rivalries, and Selene herself is caught in the crossfire. Between dangerous attacks, forbidden truths, and the mysterious pull she feels toward Asher, Selene must navigate a life where danger lurks in the familiar, loyalty is tested, and love is as perilous as it is inevitable. Every step toward understanding her past brings her closer to the shocking secrets of her family, the rival pack that hunts her, and the powers that have been dormant inside her all along. In a world where trust is a risk and survival depends on knowing who—and what—you really are, Selene must decide who to fear, who to follow, and how far she’s willing to go to protect herself… and the people she’s only just begun to care for.

"Tell me how much you want this, Piccolo mio.” .... Assigned to protect, consumed by desire he couldn't control. When a rugged bodyguard is tasked with keeping a captivating client safe, he finds himself torn between duty and his forbidden attraction. Can he shield his heart and his charge, or will their explosive connection put them both in harm's way?

"Fall in love with THE THORNTONS, a family filled with sexy alpha males, passionate women, and lots of heart, all set in a delightful small town in the Pacific Northwest. It’s Christmas time, and the entire Thornton clan is spending the holidays in a cabin deep in the Washington woods. What could go wrong with twelve adults, four kids, and a dog all staying together in one big cabin? Only the most chaotic—and memorable—Christmas ever! Expect kisses under the mistletoe, lots of (spiked) eggnog, and even a surprise wedding as the Thornton clan celebrates the most romantic holiday of all. Author’s Note: I’ll Be Home for Christmas is set six months after the last book, Till There Was You, ends. It’s recommended that you read the other books first, as this book is an epilogue to the entire series. Merry Christmas and happy reading! ** This book is a part of the LOVE EVERLASTING series, which is one large series following multiple families and friends. Each book can be read as a standalone (unless otherwise noted), or they can be read in order of publication as one long series. Each book is interconnected, with many of the same characters showing up in multiple books. LOVE EVERLASTING THE THORNTONS The Nearness of You The Very Thought of You If I Can’t Have You Dream a Little Dream of Me Someone to Watch Over Me Till There Was You I’ll Be Home for Christmas (A Thorntons Christmas)

Zannicus Zer Zor-ester~Omega (Prime) A young wolf who's background was unknown, a young wolf who's the only one in his pack that has striking orange eyes (almost red) He shifted earlier than the other wolves but kept it a secret and pretended to be a human. Only two of his best friends knew his true identity. He was left as a baby in the borders of the pack. Ronan Ver Solas Soon-to-be-alpha of the Mist moon pack. He and his friends along with the the rest of the pack torments Zannicus because they thought he was a human or his wolf didn't come out. They beat him for every single thing he does wrong, but he still stays strong. He doesn't get easily intimidated by them though. Whenever he talks back or fights back, they find themselves backing down or somehow submitting, even the alpha himself, and they don't know why. Zannicus thought his parents didn't want him. But he's not just any normal werewolf or a mere omega.There's more. But.......What happens if they push him too far? Why does one of the councilmen members always visit their pack? What if there's more to Zannicus' history than they thought? What happens if Ronan and Zannicus happens to be mates? What happens if the young man they knew suddenly became one of the most feared ranks of wolves? What happens if Ronan finds himself falling for Zannicus? Will Zannicus accept? or reject? Will he forgive him and the pack? Their pack seems to be a magnet for rogues, but one day, what happens if they were outnumbered? Will he save them? He was belittled. He was abused. Never judge a book by its cover. You never know what they are capable of.

For five years, I was Carlos’s dirty little secret. In the light of day, I was his executive assistant, handling his legitimate businesses while he treated me with cold, professional detachment. In the shadows, I was the woman he claimed to love more than life itself, the one who warmed his bed while he whispered promises against my skin. That was until I found out I was pregnant. I was ready to tell him, to finally ask for a life in the light. But then, I discovered Carlos had purchased a secluded estate in the suburbs—a fortress meant for a wife. I followed him there, heart in my throat, only to watch through the window as his hand slid beneath a woman’s silk lingerie, his eyes burning with a raw desire I thought belonged only to me. "Sophie," he groaned, his voice rough with emotion. "I stayed unmarried all these years for one reason. I was waiting for you to come back to the States. Marry me." The sounds of their pleasure echoed from the room. The shock was a physical blow; my body revolted, and the stress induced a miscarriage right there in the cold. When I woke up in the hospital, empty and broken, I made a call I had been avoiding for years. I accepted the arranged marriage my family had set up for me—a political alliance with a rival syndicate. The next morning,I would vanish from Carlos’s life forever.

In the dangerous underground world of crime, loyalty is often rewarded with betrayal. Maria has spent years standing faithfully beside her husband, Sebastian Delacruz, the most feared drug kingpin in New York City. Despite his infidelity, dangerous lifestyle, and lack of respect for her opinions, Maria remains devoted to him because of a promise he made long ago: he would always protect her and the people she loves. When Maria’s best friend, Lena, is brutally murdered during one of Sebastian’s business dealings after he ignores Maria’s warning about a suspicious new partner, Maria’s faith in her husband begins to crumble. As she struggles with grief, Sebastian humiliates her further by bringing another woman into their home and publicly declaring her the new mistress of the house. With nothing left to hold onto, Maria walks away from her marriage with nothing but her dignity. What she does not know is that her life is about to change forever. A deceased billionaire has named Maria as his long-lost daughter and sole heir. Overnight, the woman Sebastian believed was helpless without him becomes the richest woman in the United States. Now Maria must prove herself worthy of the inheritance, survive the enemies who want to steal it from her, and build a life entirely on her own.

I'm the human shield Daniela Falcone—the underworld queen—personally chose to protect her first love, Luca Bianchi. We're three years into our marriage, and this is already the eighth time her rivals have kidnapped me. Daniela arrives with her men to rescue me, but we're not even five minutes into negotiations when Luca calls. "Dani, I lost at Truth or Dare. I'm supposed to kiss some woman here, but I want to save my first kiss for you. Can you come over?" The second Daniela turns and walks away without a single backward glance, a knife plunges deep into my stomach, and blood splatters everywhere. Just like the last seven times, her right-hand man, Carlo Marino, tosses some cash around to clean up the mess. Then, he has me sent to the hospital. In the ambulance, I hear Daniela's men guessing whether I'll live long enough to see Luca stand on his own two feet. They roar with laughter. I'm the only one crying. The mission to save the underworld queen has failed, which means the System will wipe me out soon. I think to myself, "Daniela, I won't live to see that day."