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The Mistress Contract Read Free *************** CHAPTER ONE ‘ME?’ SEPHY stared at Mrs Williams—the company secretary’s assistant—in horror, her velvet-brown eyes opening wide as she said again, ‘Me? Stand in for Mr Quentin’s secretary? I don’t think I could, Pat. I mean—’ ‘Of course you could,’ Pat Williams interrupted briskly, her sharp voice, which matched her sharp face and thin, angular body, signalling that the matter was not open for discussion. ‘You’re as bright as a button, Seraphina, even if you do insist on hiding your light under a bushel most of the time, and after six years at Quentin Dynamics you know as much as me about the firm and its operating procedures. More, probably, after working for Mr Harper in Customer Support and Service for four years.’ Sephy smiled weakly. The Customer Support and Services department was, by its very nature, a fast-moving and hectic environment within Quentin Dynamics, and in her position as assistant to Mr Harper—who was small and plump and genial, but the sort of boss who arrived late, left early and had three-hour lunch breaks most days—she was used to dealing with the hundred and one panics that erupted daily on her own initiative. But Mr Harper and Customer Service was one thing; Conrad Quentin, the millionaire entrepreneur and tycoon founder of the firm, was quite another! Sephy took a deep breath and said firmly, ‘I really don’t think it’s a good idea, Pat. I’m sorry, but I’m sure there must be someone else more suitable? What about Jenny Brown, Mr Eddleston’s secretary? Or Suzy Dodds? Or…or you?’ The other woman waved a dismissive bony hand. ‘Those two girls would last ten minutes with Mr Quentin and you know it, and with the end of year accounts to pull together I can’t desert Mr Meadows. No, you’re ideal. You know the ins and outs of the business, you’ve got a level head on your shoulders, and you’re used to dealing with awkward customers every day of the week so Mr Quentin won’t throw you. We can get a good temp to fill in for you until Mr Quentin’s secretary is back—’ ‘Can’t Mr Quentin have the good temp?’ Sephy interjected desperately. ‘He’d eat her alive!’ Pat’s beady black eyes held Sephy’s golden-brown ones. ‘You know how impatient he is. He hasn’t got time for someone who doesn’t know the ropes, besides which he expects his secretary to practically live here, and most girls have got—’ She stopped abruptly, suddenly aware she was being tactless as Sephy’s small heart-shaped face flushed hotly. ‘Most girls have got boyfriends or husbands or whatever,’ Sephy finished flatly. Sephy had never hidden the fact that she rarely dated and that her social diary wasn’t exactly the most riveting reading, but it wasn’t particularly warming to think that Pat Williams—along with everyone else, most probably—thought she had nothing better to do than work twenty-four hours a day. ‘Well, yes,’ Pat murmured uncomfortably. ‘What about Marilyn?’ ‘Tried her first, lasted an hour.’ ‘Philippa?’ ‘Howled her e

Description of book "The Criminal's Rose- 2 " "Michael has been missing." ****** Rose thought everything was going perfect until that moment. It broke her. It questioned everything that they both built together. They both had suffered enough but fate wasn't satisfied with that. Their lives are going to shatter when a dangerous storm, in the form a mysterious man, enters into their lives. When their lives are filled with lies, secrets and pain, will they get happily ever after? Will they able to stand together despite everything? Or fall apart? Sequel of The Criminal's Rose.

Submitting to the Billionaire Read Free She is mine...she just doesn't know it yet. NikolaiWhen people look into my eyes they realize instantly that they'll find more pity looking into a cobra's eyes.I'm ruthless and heartless, and I have the Midas touch. Everything I touch turns to gold. There is not one thing I wanted that I have not ultimately conquered and made mine.Now I want her. There's one problem though. She hates my fucking guts.But I'm licking my lips. I know how to fix that. I'll make her submit, then I'll take her, over and over until she's in no doubt who she belongs too. Star It isn't meant to be anything more than a contract I have to fulfill. One month and it will be over. I'll get through this, then I can go back and pick up the pieces of my life.When I meet the Russian, the owner of the contract, any worries that I need to harden my heart and keep my emotions locked up, disappear.This man makes it easy to hate him.He is the most arrogant, cold-hearted brute I've ever met. I hate him...Well I do...until the unthinkable happens.This is a standalone romance with a HOT ALPHA male and guaranteed HEA. *************** Chapter One Nikolai Thump, thump, thump. Fucking hell! Someone take my head out of the drum of this washing machine. The wash cycle continues as my cell phone vibrates against the surface of the bedside table. The sound is like a nail gun going crazy. I unglue my eyes. My lofty, gilded ceiling comes into view. I stretch out my arm, fumble around, locate the blasted thing, hold it over my face, and squint at it. The blue light from the screen blinds me. Screwing my eyes, I hit the green button and put it to my ear. “Boss, I’ve been pushing the bell for some time, and didn't get a response. Are you okay?” Semyon’s alarmed, booming voice tips the washing machine into the spin cycle. “What time is it?” “After seven, Boss.” “So?” “At night, Boss.” “What?” I took four pills and decided to lie down for a few minutes, but I must have been more wiped out than I thought. I should have been at the club by seven. “Bring the car around to the front in fifteen,” I instruct, pulling myself off the bed. My shoes are haphazardly kicked in two different directions, but I’m still in my clothes. Rolling my shoulders, I make my way to the bathroom. I open my mirrored cabinet, and reach for a new box of tablets. Discarding the plastic wrapper, I go into the drawing room and head for the bar. It’s an antique, made from wood reclaimed from a Russian church. Warning. Do not take more than twelve tablets in any twenty-four hour period. Fuck that. I pop out eight pills into the palm of my hand. Grabbing a bottle of Grey Goose, I unscrew the top, and take a generous swig of neat vodka. Nice one. Fortified by the best legal anesthetic available, I go swiftly to the bathroom. In ten minutes, I’m showered and dressed in a fine Saville Row black tailored suit. I grab my phone and wallet, and glance in the hall mirror. No time to shave. Still the five

A Vengeful Passion Read Free A Desperate PleaAshley Forrester had no choice but to plead with Vito di Cavalieri to drop the charges that would put her brother in prison. She expected Vito to exact a high payment in return. But what shocked her was his asking price....A Demanding PropositionHe wanted Ashley... in his bed, as his wife. And passion surged beneath her shaking defenses and betrayed her like never before. Because how could she control love turned to white-hot hatred--and desire that raged dangerously out of control. *************** CHAPTER ONE ASHLEY couldn't sit still. She got up to pace her sister's kitchen again. Dear lord, how much longer would they be at the police station? Surely by now they realised that they had the wrong person? Her brother wasn't a car thief or a joy rider. He had respect for other people's property… hadn't he? Tim was no angel-what teenager was? But he was intelligent. He had a promising academic future ahead of him. He would soon be sitting his final exams. Why would he go off the rails and attempt to steal a car? He had a car of his own, for goodness sake! Tim had been living here with her sister for the past two months. While their parents were in New Zealand, enjoying a long-anticipated reunion with relatives, there had been nowhere else for him to go. Unfortunately, Tim hadn't wanted to stay with Susan and Arnold. And Ashley had understood his reluctance. She wouldn't have wanted to live with Susan's rules and regulations either. The white space-age kitchen reminded her of an operating theatre. It was sterile. There was no clutter, Susan would not allow clutter. Her home was obsessively clean and tidy. Just like Susan herself. On the phone, though, she'd been hysterical, or as close to hysterical as someone as repressed as Susan could get. Tim's arrest in full view of the neighbours had smashed her composure. Break beyond the guidelines of Susan's rigid moral code and you were out in no man's land all on your own. A pariah. Nobody knew that better than Ashley. On the day Susan had discovered that her unmarried teenage sister was pregnant, Susan had turned her back without hesitation. When you threatened to become a social embarrassment, Susan would literally cross the street to avoid you. Ashley took sudden ironic strength from that awareness. If Susan had had the slightest suspicion that Tim might be guilty, she would have let Arnold go to the police station alone. 'Can I get you a cup of tea, Miss Forrester?' Ashley spun round with a nervous jerk. Her sister's housekeeper, Mrs Adams, stood in the doorway, rotund in her sensible dressing-gown, her discomfort palpable. 'No, thanks. I couldn't,' Ashley muttered. 'Any word-?''Nothing yet.' 'He's such a… spirited young man,' the older woman remarked. Ashley paled at the reminder. Tim had his father's temper. When he was roused, Tim was hot-headed and aggressive. Hunt Forrester rejoiced in Tim's ability to stand up to him. A boy was supposed to have grit an

Love is An Illusion novel online reading Her love for him was not something she, a beautiful woman, could bear. The love of a couple in a dream, when the dream wakes up, it's just a reflection in the water. Her evasion, his pursuit, love, and killing … none of them would let go of the other. Would you still love me if you could do it again? "If it wasn't for the fact that you and Jiang Shan have to make a choice, I'm willing to follow you." A kiss for life. *************** Snow was falling, and the crimson bridal sedan was especially obvious in the snow. The sound of the firecrackers for the wedding spread through the streets. Today was the day that the Han Family's eldest young master and the Yan family's second young miss were getting married. "Miss, this Young Master isn't here yet!" maidservant whispered outside the window. The bridal sedan had already arrived at the Han Family gate, but the groom had not appeared. There were already a circle of commoners gathered around the bridal sedan to watch the fun. The scene was very awkward as everyone was chattering away. The second young miss of the Yan family, Yan Jinyuan, did not want to marry into the Yan family. maidservant was already very anxious, but Yan Jinyuan was sitting calmly in the bridal sedan. She couldn't enter without the groom to pick her up. "Si Qin, send someone to see where the groom is." The bridal sedan was lifted by a corner, and Yan Er asked in a low voice. After maidservant received the order, she left to assign someone to take care of her. The suona kept on blowing, and when Yan Jinyuan heard this, she told them to stop. Not long after, the person came back and whispered something into Si Qin's ear. Si Qin then lifted the cloth by the window and said to Yan Jinyuan, "Miss, Young Master he …" She couldn't finish her words, this young master was too much. Today was a day of great celebration, so he gave her a show of force. "It's fine, go ahead." Yan Jinyuan's tolerance was quite high. Before she got married, she heard that her future husband, Han Yichen, already had someone he loved. If it wasn't for the fact that the two families had already been engaged to have a child, he wouldn't have married her. "Young Master is still at Drunken Happiness Tower, you can go in by yourself." Drunken Happiness Tower was the most famous brothel here, and she had also heard that Han Yichen liked a worldly woman. He really could do it if the bride was allowed to enter her husband's house. After some deliberation, Yan Jinyuan decided to enter the house. A married daughter was like spilled water. She wouldn't be able to go back. What choice did she have other than to enter the door? While everyone was still in shock, Yan Jinyuan walked in. This was the first bride in history to have entered the house by herself. Yan Jinyuan directly entered the bridal chamber without paying her respects. maidservant Si Qin couldn't be more angry. She wanted to fight for the little miss, but the little miss

The Game That Breaks Us (Us 3) Read Free Hockey’s bad boy needs to clean up his reputation…Bennett James has built his career at being the best, on and off the ice, and now it’s come back to bite him. The media has turned against him, and with a near career-ending injury, he needs to clean up his act and prove that he’s serious about the game. For Bennett, working with his old coach at his alma mater feels like a step back, but it might be just what he needs.…and she’s going to help him do it.Grace Wentworth has always been the good girl, and she’s tired of that stigma. She wants to prove that she can get down and dirty with the best of them. The problem? She doesn’t know how. Bennett will teach the good girl how to be bad, if she pretends to be his goody two-shoes girlfriend in front of the media.But what happens when the game becomes real? *************** Hockey’s bad boy needs to clean up his reputation… Bennett James has built his career at being the best, on and off the ice, and now it’s come back to bite him. The media has turned against him, and with a near career-ending injury, he needs to clean up his act and prove that he’s serious about the game. For Bennett, working with his old coach at his alma mater feels like a step back, but it might be just what he needs. …and she’s going to help him do it. Grace Wentworth has always been the good girl, and she’s tired of that stigma. She wants to prove that she can get down and dirty with the best of them. The problem? She doesn’t know how. Bennett will teach the good girl how to be bad, if she pretends to be his goody two-shoes girlfriend in front of the media. But what happens when the game becomes real? “You’ve got to get your act together.” I glare at my manager, wishing I could set the fucker on fire with my gaze alone. Bernard Wright might be one of the best sports managers in the business, but he’s also an asshole. I’ve come to learn most people are. “Tell me something I don’t know.” “This—” he shoves a finger onto the front cover of some tabloid “—is unacceptable.” The photo shows me making out with some random puck bunny at a bar. The picture is nothing new. Photographers follow me just about everywhere nowadays, so they’re always catching me doing something they deem scandalous. I call it normal. I’m aware that makes me as much of an asshole as Bernard, but in a different way. “It was just a kiss,” I say. “It’s not like I fucked her right there on the bar. Give me a break. I don’t even remember her name.” Bernard snaps his fingers together. “Exactly, you don’t even know her name. You’re not new to this business, and I know that there’re plenty of other guys out there just like you, but most of them aren’t in your predicament.” He glances down at my casted leg. I try to pretend the cast isn’t there and him drawing attention to it only sours my mood even more. “You’re about five seconds away from losing your career between this injury and your personal life. Hockey should be more import

Ghost Husband's Unbridled Love novel online reading there were ghosts in the cave dead people in the dorm strange events in the library and so on from that day on my life underwent a tremendous change i was just an ordinary university student but i was disturbed by the sudden occurrence of a supernatural event the love from his previous life would continue in this life would he be able to fulfill the wishes from his previous life in this life there was also a prideful ghost servant who was tangled up in a entanglement leading to a soul-stirring secret *************** Ah! I tripped over a rock, and when I looked up again, my classmates were gone, and I was alone. The surroundings were completely covered in darkness without a trace of light. This kind of feeling, where one couldn't even see his fingers in front of him, made one feel endless fear. Creaak. A strange sound of a door opening could be heard. It sounded like the grinding of teeth by a nocturnal animal. My body couldn't help but tremble. Just where is this place? He wanted to run, but his legs were rooted to the ground and he was unable to move. The weird sounds continued to come from time to time. My entire body was drenched in cold sweat. A chilly wind blew past, and the coldness was bone-chilling. My back felt cold, and my body shuddered once more. In the darkness, I reached out and gingerly touched a cool wall. "It's finally your turn …" Who? I subconsciously withdrew my hand and took two steps back. My breathing became hurried, and it sounded as if it was far away, but also as if it was right next to my ear. I could even feel the air rush past my face. My whole body was covered with goosebumps. This feeling was too frightening. In the darkness, a pair of ghastly eyes stared straight at me. I wanted to shout out, but I didn't have the courage to. "Who are you?" I suppressed the fear and horror in my heart and shuddered as I squeezed out a few words from my throat. "Guess …" The man's voice was cold, but it carried a hint of a smile, as if he was mocking me. I swallowed, my heart pounding. I couldn't see him, but I could feel the cold radiating from him. He was standing in front of me, motionless. "What are you doing?" After an unknown period of time, I tremblingly spoke. "It's finally your turn …"

Loving Her to the Bones When I was six I was abandoned on the street. It was Reuben Andrews brought me a home. Although he was only a few years older than me, I insisted calling him Uncle. I believe the title would make me be sober about our relationship. Years passed, and I found this man accompanying my growth was increasingly hot and attractive... Maybe I fell in love with him? That's not allowed!! But why did he kiss me in front of all the family members? *************** Chapter One ：Chapter 1 The rain had been lashing down for a day and a night but still showed no sign to stop. Before it dawned, two shadows flashed across the corridor of the hotel, leaving behind streaks of blood. In a suite, a young couple was lying in blood. The wife stared outside the window, muttering inaudible words with trembling lips.  A little girl about five or six years old was running down the muddy road barefoot, her face wet with either tears or rain. She didn't dare to look back because her mother had asked her to run as fast as she could. Suddenly, she tripped over a puddle and fell. The doll in her hand rolled away from her. At this moment, a young man got off an SUV and bent to pick up the doll. He flicked off the mud on the doll before handing it to the girl and carrying her into the car. Twelve years later, in City A. In the city's most luxurious hall, a splendid exhibition was presented. At the same time, next to the hall, several students who had just graduated from high school were having dinner. It was almost over. Yasmin Barnes splashed water on her face and smiled resignedly when she saw her reddened face in the mirror. She just had two glasses of beer. Then she bent down and washed her face again. She suddenly felt someone touched her back, but when she wiped her face and looked back, there was no one. An illusion? As soon as Yasmin came out of the bathroom, a group of people hurried toward her. They were the staff of the exhibition. She just cast them a glance and was about to leave. But they stopped her. "Miss, we watched the surveillance footage and suspect that you stole something from the exhibition. Please come with us." Yasmin was astonished when she saw them take a jade seal from her bag. All the eyes were fixed on her intensely. She immediately realized that she had been framed. Maybe the one who had stolen the seal hadn't intended it, but she was the scapegoat now. "Would you like to explain why the seal was in your bag?" A man asked politely. He looked like the head of these staff. "It's easy," Yasmin answered, looking at the box on the table, "The thief stole it and put it in my bag." The man asked, "There are so many people here. Why did the thief choose you?" Yasmin gave him a disdainful look and said, "Two possibilities. The thief either used me to take this out or wanted to frame me." Her explanation incurred derisive laughter and the man shook his head. Someone in the crowd behind shouted, "Why would the thief f...

Great Cookery God System novel online reading *Congratulations to the host for activating the "Cucumber Encounter" mission. Congratulations to the Host for activating the "Three people must have fried rice" quest. Congratulations to the Host for activating the "Priceless Fried Rice" quest. …… He looked at these ridiculous quests in shock. System, what do you actually want? "Be a dish that the world cannot cook, a person that the world cannot be called a hero!" *************** "It's fucking disgusting!" The only customer in the shop spat out the food Ye Chen made and scolded him mercilessly after he tasted it. After cursing for a while, the customer threw away a few yuan and left. Before leaving, he took a look at the signboard of Ye's Fast Food and swore that he would never come here to eat again. It was even worse than pig food. Was it for people to eat? Ye Chen looked at the empty shop and smiled bitterly. He put away the money left by the customers and quietly cleaned the rubbish on the floor. Once upon a time, Ye's Fast Food was also a fast food restaurant with no difference in scenery. Every morning, he was busy until late at night. The shop was always full and full of people. However, three years ago, his parents had an accident, and the husband and wife had both passed away, leaving only this fast food restaurant for Ye Chen. His father's biggest wish before his death was to hope that Ye Chen could continue to do what he wanted in Ye's Fast Food. In order to fulfill his father's last wish, Ye Chen had to change from a student to the owner of a fast food restaurant. Little did he know that Ye Chen had no taste since he was born. No one, including his parents, knew about this. This was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the family of food and beverages. In order to fulfill his parents' long-cherished wish, or in other words, to survive, Ye Chen had no choice but to continue managing this declining Ye's Fast Food. Looking at the dishes that he had cooked on the table, Ye Chen picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into his mouth. It was like chewing wax. "Is it that bad?" Ye Chen did not know what the taste of the dishes he made was, nor could he imagine how bad it was. At this moment, a couple passed by the door. The woman said, "Let's eat at this place. There aren't many people here. After eating, let's hurry up and go watch a movie." The man said, "Don't, I know this restaurant. It tastes terrible." The woman: "How bad is it?" The man said, "Last time, an old man came in with a crutch to eat. In the end, he was carried away by an ambulance."

Big City Crush (Pink Springs 3) Read Free Luca Cross invests in land and sells when the price is hot. His days are filled with one city after another while trying to live his best life in between. Going to his sister’s wedding was supposed to be one of those fun times – a well-earned break between business deals. What actually happened changed everything.Selma Starnes was killing herself for a job she hated until she finally said enough. After seeing her brother Bastian give it all up for the woman he loved, she knew her life needed to change. Their wedding was supposed to be the perfect day…but fate had other plans.Warning: Did they eat the wedding cake and fall madly in love? That’s the only logical explanation! Grab Book 3 in the Pink Springs Series and find out just how hard this playboy falls! *************** 1 Selma “What’s your poison?” the bartender at the wedding reception asks with a smirk. He’s got a nice smile with full lips and perfectly straight teeth. Everything about him is put together, and I bet he gets laid all the damn time at these weddings. It must be like fish in a barrel for him. “Can you make a good old-fashioned?” That charming smile of his only grows bigger, and it’s irritating me. “I do everything good, sweetheart.” He winks before he starts to make my drink, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t tell him I’m not his sweetheart. I turn around so he doesn’t see me roll my eyes as I lean up against the bar. He did enough staring down the front of my dress for one night. I love my new sister-in-law Lux, so that's why I’m keeping my mouth shut about this bridesmaid dress. Strapless is damn hard when you have a chest as big as mine. I’ve always worn clothes to hide my boobs, especially when working with a bunch of old men with grabby hands and lingering eyes. I only recently convinced Lux that I like her, because I know I can be a bit standoffish. So when it came to the style of the dress, I kept my mouth sealed, knowing I could handle it for one night. No matter how many times I tell myself to think before I speak I don’t. I’m honestly not trying to make sure people stay out of arm's reach, it just happens that way. I should give myself a pat on the back for not snapping at the pretty-boy bartender. For so long I didn’t really have to worry about being harsh or off-putting. I had Bastian, and we’ve always worked as a team. He’s the nice relatable one that can talk to anyone in a room. I prefer to keep my head down and work while he handles the people. I make sure everything is always on track—well, at least I used to. Bastian has always been a good man, but Lux made him something more. He and I both got lost in our jobs after we lost our mom. It was easier to keep busy than to have to face the grief. But the problem is, I’m no longer busy, and he’s got Lux. Bastian went off and quit, which was the right thing to do, after finally realizing he was working himself into an early grave for a company that didn’t

The Year of Second Chances (Sunnyvale 3) Read Free Isabella Anders isn't ready to accept that her mother is guilty of murder, and with the help of Kai, she might be able to find out the truth.Over the last month, Kai’s feelings for Isa have grown. He knows he’s in love with her and will do just about anything to protect her. But by helping Isa, he’s putting his own life at risk.Kai isn’t the only one in danger, though. Isa is being stalked by someone who knows what really happened the day her mother was accused of murder, and they’ll do just about anything to keep her from discovering the truth. *************** Chapter 1 Isabella A song by Brand New flows through my grandma Stephy's guestroom, which is now my permanent bedroom. Soft sunlight glistens against the window as the sun rises over the shallow hills of Sunnyvale, giving me just enough light to doodle in my sketchbook. To an outsider, the drawing may seem like a normal superhero sketch of a tall woman with long brown hair and wearing a cape. To me, the drawing is haunting, painful, and reminds me of all the horribleness that's happened since yesterday morning. Yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my existence, maybe even worse than when my dad and Lynn threatened to send me off to a reform school in Montana. Not only did someone spread flyers all over the school that divulged my mom was in jail for murder, but I discovered the person my mom is accused of murdering is Jamison Anders, Lynn's son from before she married my dad. What I really want to know, though, is how my grandma Stephy didn't know about any of this? I haven't gotten the courage to ask her yet, though, fearing she might have been lying to me this entire time. And, if she doesn't know about it, I fear telling her. While Kai has been trying to convince me I shouldn't believe anything until we know all the facts, it's difficult not to wonder if my mom is a killer, if she did an unforgivable, horrible thing to the son of the man she was having an affair with. And way, way in the darkest, self-loathing part of my mind, I fear I'm just as terrible a person, that every horrible remark Lynn and Hannah ever said to me is true. Maybe I am a loser, a freak, an embarrassment to my dad. Perhaps he really does hate me. Perhaps no one wants me. No, stop thinking like that! Stop being so weak! Tears burn in my eyes. I try to suck them back, but a few escape and splatter across the page, smearing the drawing of a woman who looks like my mom. Well, at least how she looked in the one photo of her that I've seen. How she looks now is a mystery. Because she's in jail. For murder. My chest constricts as I replay the details printed all over those flyers. Horrendous details about what my mom has been accused of doing. And now the entire school knows about it. I wouldn't be surprised if, come Monday, everyone is terrified of me. I fear returning to school and finding out. If it's as bad as I anticipate, I might take the cowards way out

The Snuggle Is Real (A Cozy AF Christmas 2) Read Free *************** Chapter OneCozetteThey say it’s the most wonderful time of the year… but whoever they are know nothing about my life. It’s a few weeks until Christmas and I’m running away from the only life I’ve ever known. Saying I’m scared is an understatement. Terrified might be a better fit. But freaking the eff out is probably more accurate. I’ve been driving for three hours in a stolen car and I’m exhausted. I need food, gas and sleep. In that order. Getting off the highway, I pull into the parking lot of the first grocery store I can find. I have less than a quarter-tank of gas, and I’ll get to that after I get some food. My stomach growls as I put the car in park, step out and I zip up my winter coat. It’s nearly freezing out. Then I triple check that I’ve locked the doors. I have fifty bucks in my pocket — I don’t even own a wallet — and I figure that’s plenty to get me a few bags of groceries. After that I plan on finding a motel and holing up through the holidays. Then I’ll figure out the rest of my life. The bag of shoes in the back seat seems like the last place anyone would look for a big bag of cash. They’d have to sift through my boots and heels to find the stolen money. Carrying fifty grand in cash with me inside a grocery store might look suspicious. Besides, the parking lot is nearly empty and it’s broad daylight and near freezing. Joe and Max were passed out cold when I left this morning. Still drunk and probably high from the night before. They thought I wasn’t brave enough to leave, and until last night I wasn’t. But I heard them talking. About me. About their plans. And I decided then and there that the unknown was less scary than what I did know. And what I did know was that they planned to trade me to their boss because they were short ten grand. They thought the drug lord who basically owned them might as well own me too. I blink back tears as I walk into the grocery store. Now is not the time to fall apart. Instead, I grab a cart and fill it with comfort food. Hot cocoa packets, marshmallows, oatmeal, mac and cheese and cans of chicken noodle soup. This year I can’t make the recipes I remember my grandmother preparing for the holidays — roasted turkey and mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and rolls fresh from the oven. Pecan pie and egg nog and…. Stop it. Thinking about what I can’t have this holiday isn’t going to help me. I need to be realistic. And grateful I’m free and not being sold to the highest bidder. I don’t even have a smartphone to get a fancy vacation rental, let alone a checking account or credit card to finance my stay. All I have is cash — which means a dive motel that won’t ask questions. Which also means whatever I eat is going to be cooked in a microwave. I can’t risk a restaurant where the guys might find me… or more likely whoever they hire as a hit man. I know my worth at the moment. And it’s not just my virtue as a twenty-one-year-old virgin tha

Reversing Adorable Princess novel online reading My family has been ruined and taken to the palace as a slave. In these chaotic times, who can give me shelter from the wind and rain? Is it him that I like? Or is it that noble him? Power makes trouble. This was all someone else's scheme. The left hand is love, the right hand is heart. No matter who it is, it is hard to make a choice. *************** Born in an official family, my life is good, although to say that a woman is the only virtue, my father still let me read and write books. Milkmaid said, Daddy really loves me, when I was young, Daddy loved to hug me. However, after my sister was born, father never hugged me again. Growing slowly, I also know one thing, sister Yin Lixiang is the Yin family's most brilliant pearl. She had an outstanding appearance, a clever brain, and was able to read since she was three years old. She had both talent and beauty, shining brilliantly. As for me, I was more than clumsy until I was five years old. I could only learn how to read, and what I learned was always inferior to my little sister, Pear Fragrance, who was three months younger than me. I admire her, but I have to work hard in the dark, and I still can't be as likeable as her. Perhaps, the poems and paintings of beauties could be full of life and fragrance. Ever since his sister was ten years old, endless people came to ask for his hand in marriage. Everyone wanted to marry this talented girl back to their home. Furthermore, father was a third rank official in the imperial court. Although his position in Qin Huai was not high, he did things fairly. As a pure official, he was also respected. Father did not place too much importance on fame and fortune. Although his position was only at the third-grade, he was still happy to take office in Qin Huai. I don't think my father's ambition is above the official struggle. At first, I didn't understand. Later, my mother told String that my father promised my deceased mother that he would find a good marriage for me before we could have a marriage with Pear Fragrance. Talking about my mother, is a household name of the courtesan Ni Jing, I'm afraid Qin Huai no one doesn't know. Those who had seen her before would never forget what sort of extraordinary beauty she possessed. It was said that she had shocked everyone into becoming an immortal. My father was a very handsome young man. He had married my mother, and the beautiful talk about talented people was even more interesting in Qin Huai. However, I can feel that there are some jokes in those words that don't make sense given my age. It's just that my mother didn't accompany me to grow up. When I was seven years old, she left the world without a care for anyone. When I was older, I knew that my mother's fame had spread far and wide. She had been to the capital, and she had even gone to the Great Liao. As for me, not only did I not inherit my mother's peerless beauty, I also did not possess my father's handsome

Marry A Younger Husband novel online reading She originally wanted to marry her brother, but now she was entangled with him. What should she do? Her little brother was begging her to take responsibility. If she cried, made a fuss, and then hanged herself, what would she do? A child that hadn't even grown any hair, four years younger than her. She wanted to marry him. Was she going to be his wife, or was she going to be his wife? *************** Winter, snow. Shui Linlang sat in front of the dowry table with no expression on her face. Her greenish-black writing brush lightly swept across her moth-shaped brows. She looked at her face reflected in the prismatic mirror. Her finely carved facial features were as if they were made by heaven. Everything was impeccable. This face had once brought her countless glory and pride, but now, she hated this face to the core. Because of this face, she wanted to marry a man she didn't know. It was said that he was the future successor of lianyan Manor and already had a wife. lianyan Manor, Su Family, was the richest man in Daming after the Zhou Zhuang and Shen Family. The lianyan Manor was the same as the Zhou Zhuang in the past. They were both in the Suzhou. Back then, one-third of the land in the Suzhou belonged to the Shen Family. Now, there were rumors among the people. Su Zhou's Su was the Su Family's Su. In the lianyan Manor, a third of the land belonged to the Shen Family. In the lianyan Manor, who would dare to say a word against a person who was rolling around in business? As for her, she was just a girl from an escort agency in the Northwest Border. She had no right to say no. Furthermore, lianyan Manor had done her family a great favor. - As the saying goes, a great favor. It was just a matter of a few words from lianyan Manor. That year, her father lost his darts. According to the contract, the escort agency had to pay double the compensation. At that time, the Escort Office's business had just started. They could not afford such a huge amount of compensation. It just so happened that Mrs. Feng from lianyan Manor came to the northwest and spoke up. Not only did the employer not ask for compensation, he even apologized to her father. The golden mask of lianyan Manor. Everyone had to pay, from the government to the civilians. "Miss, are you satisfied?" Zhu Ti, the maid who put makeup on her, pulled her back from her thoughts. "It's still far from Suzhou. Why do you need to start working now?" Zhu Ti smiled good-naturedly. "Miss, it's a joyous matter. Naturally, you have to dress up and go out to ask for an auspicious explanation. - -is rouge enough? Do you want to go up another level?" No need, just say goodbye to the two old words! " Shui Longyin and Mu Siniang were grinning from ear to ear. To them, the fact that their daughter was able to enter the lianyan Manor was a great honor even if she became someone's concubine. She didn't know if it was because of the weather, but she suddenly felt that thi

Seduced By A Billionaire When she caught her boyfriend having sex with her half-sister, she decides to give herself to the first man she sees. Then she had a one-night stand with the gorgeous and good-looking man even though he was a stranger. Without any hesitation, she gave herself to him. After spending the night with him she immediately ran, ran, and never looked back. All she knew of the man was his name. Stanger Icarus Anderson. After six years, they met again. And she bever thought that the man she had a one-night stand with is a billionaire. One of the most powerful billionaires in Asia. And Stranger Icarus Anderson wants her back. He wants to own her. He seduces her and she gives in to the temptation, well almost…  But what if it's no longer possible? What if she is already committed to others? Can she fight the billionaire's temptation for the sake of her marriage and be a faithful wife to her husband? *************** Chapter One ：Chapter 1 Today is the day I will visit Josh in his apartment. Josh Sebastian is my boyfriend since high school. I am in the third year of college in the nursing course while Josh is in the fourth year in the Engineering course. I was so excited because today is our fifth anniversary in a relationship and today I will also answer his long question. When he proposed to me last year, I rejected him. Not for the reason, I don't love him. God knows how much I love him. I rejected him because I am not ready yet to be his wife. And I promised my grandmother that I will finish first my college before marrying. I know I hurt him when I rejected him. But after all, he accepted my reasons and he said if I am ready to accept his proposal even if it takes a month he will wait. And if I am ready I can wear the ring he prepared when he proposed. And today I wear the ring. I am ready to tie a knot with him. I love him and I can't live without him. He is my life. Without him, I'll be lost. And my grandmother agreed when I told her I will going to accept Josh's proposal. I am in our favorite cake shop and I was busy choosing the cake for my boyfriend, I want to surprise him when someone grabs my arms. "Hey! What are you do-." I was shocked and can't continue what I'm gonna say when I saw a man grabbing my arm. A man with sharp yet beautiful eyes. "Who are you?" Frankly speaking, I don't know who's this man. "Sorry. I mistook you for someone else," he said in a baritone voice and let go of my arm. That hurt a little bit. I tried to ease the pain. "Whatever!" I didn't look at him anymore and I kept choosing a cake. But I couldn't concentrate because someone was staring at me and my suspicion was correct. The man who gripped my arm earlier with beautiful eyes looking at me. And it makes me uncomfortable and a little bit irritated. How dare him! I face him. "Did you know that staring is rude, mister?" "I know but I can't help it. You are very beautiful. I don't know why I can't take my eyes off of you," I saw him sighed. I kno

Dare You to Hate Me Read Free When I asked my best friend to run away with me at sixteen, I knew he’d say no.⁣⁣He had football, an amazing family, and a happy home to go back to every day.⁣⁣So the night I snuck out of his bedroom window after hugging him goodbye, I’d accepted I’d probably never see him again.⁣⁣Then we both wind up at Lindon University four years later.⁣⁣I’m barely picking up the pieces of my life when the boy whose initials I used to doodle hearts around approaches me at work.⁣⁣Aiden Griffith. Lindon U’s star tight end.⁣⁣Still as attractive. Still as dedicated.⁣⁣With rumors of him being drafted to the NFL coming to fruition, I know it’s only a matter of time before we have to say goodbye again.⁣⁣But he can’t seem to let me go no matter what I say, and I don’t think I want him to.⁣ *************** Prologue They say I’m lucky. Less than two millimeters to the right and I would have been gone before they found me on the bathroom floor. But I’m not lucky at all. I have nothing—not a cent to my name, a future to work toward, or a family who knows their daughter nearly bled out on the grubby, cold tiles of a public bathroom at a truck stop. The rich-colored haired doctor looking over my chart regards me with questionable caution as he delivers yet another, “You’re very fortunate, Ms. Underwood.” There’s a distant smile on his face—full of curiosity over the eighteen-year-old propped up on the hard stretcher with wrapped wrists and hollow eyes in front of him. That girl doesn’t feel like me—she feels distant and cold, lost mentally and emotionally somehow. “Out of your head, Underwood,” my best friend always told me when I’d lose myself in it, waiting for the trained, “Head in the game” reply he got from me every time. I’m not her anymore though. Because I’m not fortunate at all. I was two millimeters off. Chapter One Two Years Later Ivy The pounding headache in my temples matches the loud thumping of my housemate’s headboard smacking into the wall above me. Covering my face with the stained, flattened, pillow does little to drown out what’s going on upstairs. What’s always going on. That’s what you get when your rent is dirt cheap—four hours of sleep a night in a party house that I heard had a spare room through the grapevine at work. I didn’t realize when I showed up with two measly bags and the clothes on my back that I’d be shoved in the dank, musty half-finished basement that smells like old socks and lavender Febreze and brushed off with barely a second look from the six other girls I live with. Or that most of them like to party, drink, and screw, usually in that order, whenever they get the chance to. But I’d endure. I have nowhere else to go in this godforsaken town thanks to my spontaneous decision to get my life together and have no room to judge what Sydney is currently doing in the confines of her bedroom. I’ve done far worse, far more times, I’m sure of it. Groaning when I drag myself out of bed, I throw on my typical Bea’

Insatiable A Dark Romance Read Free *************** Chapter One Briarlee “Have you ever seen a guy so hot, you’d, like, do anything he said?” The question is shouted over music that has way too much bass, some young guy in tight pants crooning his dubious attitudes to women and relationships over a pounding drum beat. “Oh, my god,” Crystal laughs. “Have you seen Jackson Mower of Game of Loans? That reality real estate program? I’d let him do anything to me!” She chortles into her drink and we all laugh along with her. This is a girls’ night, and if you can’t confess your crushes on unattainable male celebrities, what can you do? “Jackson Mower? More like Jackson Mom-mower,” Stephanie pipes up. “He could lay me like turf!” We all groan at the dirty pun that doesn’t quite work. Typical Stephanie. I’m not really feeling the conversation. It’s not that the guys we’re talking about aren’t hot, it’s that I have a snowball’s chance in hell of meeting a guy like that. We all want some five percent body fat raging muscular bull to come rut us into incoherence, but we’re more likely to get pawed by a tipsy investment banker in this bar here in the financial district. This is where people who used to go to seedy bars come to pretend they’re still twenty. At almost thirty, I can’t even remember twenty, except I’m pretty sure my jeans were smaller then. “We should go to a strip club!” Maria suggests. One drink and she always wants to go to a strip club. We never go to one. It’s a constant source of disappointment for the poor girl. If she ever gets married, we’ll get her a stripper for the bachelorette party. That’s the deal. “Let’s dance!” The squeal is taken up around my little group of friends. “You guys go. I’ll watch the bags.” They think it’s a generous offer. It’s not. I’m not in the mood to dance. “We can dance if we want to!” Crystal shouts. “We can leave your friends behind…” Maria croons back. “Because if they don’t dance, and if they won’t dance, then they’re no friends of mine!” they all chorus together. Just knowing the lyrics to that song means we’re all too old for this. That doesn’t stop them from clattering onto the dance floor, all smiles and flailing limbs. Soon the music takes them, and I am left like a fawn inside a small protective barrier of handbags. The atmosphere is thick with lust, the desperate rutting and grinding of would-be couples. Women cluster in little cliques just like mine, giggling and pretending not to look at the men who lurk around the edges of the room, the bolder and drunker ones making moves, some of which are accepted, many of which aren’t. I’ve been nursing the same cocktail since I got here, a California Screwdriver. It’s decent. It tastes like overpriced orange juice with a slight kick. I’m not drunk. I’m barely even buzzed. Truthfully, I don’t even know why I came tonight. No. That’s a lie. I know exactly why I came. Peer pressure, and the ache between my thighs. The need that can’t ever really be itched by t

When I started thinking of you novel online reading Its about a 20 years old girls life *************** Ting ting ting Ohh! Its already 7 in morning . I have to hurry and go to take my classes but wait . Shower time , what should I wear its so cold outside . As it is already time spring but here in Seoul it's cold outside. Good morning mom, good morning dad I am going to university. I am already late,take care both of you. Wait wait ! Where are you going? Mom asked . " Mom I am going university, do you want need anything? " "Its Sunday daughter " dad said. "Have breakfast " mom said. Ohh ! What do I do about me ? I always forget that it's weekend. " Mom dad and what's the plan for today?" I asked happily . "Today is cleaning day so I and your dad is doing cleaning of entire home" Mom said. " Do you wanna join us , daughter if you don't want to join then go have fun I will handle everything" dad asked . "Ohh ! Love you dad, love you mom, but I want to join my cute and lovely parents" I said happily. "But mom where are my two lil sister?" I asked mom. "They are sleeping soundly , they studied all night long" "don't disturb them" "Okay"

ADOPTED HEIR With both parents dead, Isabella at 14 lived with her grandma in her small town, there she attended a rich man's school on scholarship. She got to meet the young arrogant pompous Nathaniel who had a thing for her. He approached her but she refused to go on a date with her. On her fifteenth birthday, he called her over to a bar, got drunk and...... Years later she met Nathaniel again but as the richest most successful CEO of The Queens empire. *************** ADOPTED HEIR  **Rejecting Nathaniel**           Isabella's P O V   Very early by 5:30 am, I jumped off bed and went straight into the shower to have a cold bath.    Ran out thirty minutes later and dressed up beautifully for school.    "Isabel! Are you awake?" I heard grandma yell to me from the dinning room.    "Yes granny, I'm coming." I yell back to her as I picked up my school bag and went outside my room to meet granny arranging the dinning table with plates of cereal milk and bread and egg.    "Good morning grams," I greeted as I took a sit and digged into my own portion of the early morning breakfast.    "How are you child? Did you sleep well?" Grandma asked.    "Of course I did. I slept well, you don't need to ask." I replied as I munched on my meal.    Few minutes later, I ran out from the small house grandma and I lived in. Due to the long distance I have to walk every morning to school I had to wake up very early everyday.    After walking for about 50 minutes, I finally arrive school.    I walked in through the gate and started receiving warm smiles from the students and teachers as always.    Everybody seems to like me in this school. Most look at me with admiration, it's something I don't expect from rich kids.   I am only on scholarship here at Saint olive middle and highschool, when I got this scholarship I wasn't so sure about attending the school because it's packed up with rich kids and I'm not even close to being rich.    I thought they might bully me once I got here but I'm terribly wrong, they all like me and they offer me money most times to eat at the canteen which I mostly refuse of course.    I don't want to be tagged as a beggar or known as a freeloader. I have morals and principles, I was taught that by my late parents.    My parents died two years ago in a car accident and I've been living with my grandma ever since. I love them a whole lot and I promised them that I will grow up to become a very successful woman and that's where am headed right now.    I got closer to my classroom to hear my one and only friend's voice yell to me.     "Isabel!" I turn to see the smiling face of Karen.     "Hi," I waved at her.    "Hi, you are finally here." She said as she came closer to me.  "The head teacher wants to see you during lunch period. I think it might be another competition," Karen groaned out in displease.    I smiled. Karen doesn't like me studying too hard at all, she knows I'll study twice as much as I study before when there

Supernatural Doctor novel online reading Chen Jie's nickname was Chen Ergou. After falling in love, his temperament had changed drastically. By chance, he obtained a mysterious ring that allowed him to use lightning. It could cure illness, fight, and heal Gu. *************** "Chen Ergou, I want to break up with you!" "What?" Is it because Wang Siwen is handsome or because I'm ugly? " "You're too poor to support me." "… …" Chen Ergou was squatting on the wooden block in front of his house with his eyes half-closed. In his mouth was a piece of yellow dogtail grass. His face was filled with grief and he had no life left for him. "Gou Fugui, don't forget" was a phrase that everyone in the village often said. Because the village was famous for being poor and poor, basically no one would be able to get rich. Chen Ergou's original name was Chen Jie, and he was born and bred in the Paddy Flower Village. As the third kid in the history of the village to be admitted to a university, he was highly sought after by the whole village. However, Chen Ergou was bewitched by the beautiful white skin and long legs of the class beauty. His studies had plummeted and he had suffered a miserable fate of being dumped. He had not even graduated and had already followed in the footsteps of someone who had dropped out of school. "Er Gou, don't be too sad. The two university students in our village before you have not successfully graduated either. Dad has already remembered the date to you, you are the one who has been studying the longest." Chen Lee thought of himself as a relatively well-educated father, and comforted him as he thought about it. It was a good tradition of the rice and flower village to claim that they were literate, but they could not avoid giving their children a vulgar and destitute nickname. In their previous lives, they had always said that such children were easy to feed. "Is that so? That good? How long have I been ahead of them both? " Chen Jie's decadent eyes glowed a little. His father's encouragement had finally allowed him to regain some of his self-respect. "One week and two days!" "F * ck!" Chen Jie could not help but curse, a huge sense of loss and defeat filled his heart, he suddenly sat on the wooden block by the door and scampered off. "Er Gou, don't be sad. Your mom won't blame you!" Chen Lee looked at his son's sorry figure as he escaped and shouted loudly, his powerful voice could be heard throughout the village, and many villagers had a look of pity and regret on their faces. "Wang Siwen you little white face, just because your family has some smelly money, is it that amazing?" The endless paddy fields, the warm spring breeze, the beautiful scenery, all of it was destroyed by the Chen family's inherited loud voice. Chen Jie cursed angrily, scaring the countless sparrows who were picking up food on the alimentary canal. Wang Siwen was his classmate, his parents were real estate workers, a righteous rich second-generation. "Wu Mengya

Pangu Descendant Warrior novel online reading Q city's summer was not as hot as other cities. As a seaside city, it had the characteristics that a seaside city should have. Although the weather was hot, the sea breeze still gave people a chill, except for those hot-blooded teenagers in high school … The third high school is a comprehensive strong school in the city of Q, not the comprehensive teaching, but the comprehensive students. There were all kinds of students here, be they poor or rich, good or bad, all of them would appear in this school. Some of the students' parents had countless amounts of money, while some of the parents were just ordinary workers. Some students were generous, kind and empathetic, while others were ruthless and sinister. The reason for this is that No. 3 High School is a special school. In high school, the teaching level and promotion rate of No. 3 High School are in the whole world. *************** Q city's summer was not as hot as other cities. As a seaside city, it had the characteristics that a seaside city should have. Although the weather was hot, the sea breeze still gave people a chill, except for those hot-blooded teenagers in high school … Third Middle School is a comprehensive strong school in Q City, not to say the comprehensive teaching, but the comprehensive students. There were all kinds of students here, be they poor or rich, good or bad, all of them would appear in this school. Some of the students' parents had countless amounts of money, while some of the parents were just ordinary workers. Some students were generous, kind and empathetic, while others were ruthless and sinister. The reason it was like this was because Third Middle School was a special school, and in terms of high school, the level of education and promotion of Third Middle School was one of the top in the entire world. However, Third Middle School wasn't like other schools that were completely graded. Some of the leaders of Third Middle School personally went to middle school to pick people to enter the school, and as for what the standard was, no one knew. This was one of the reasons why Third Middle School became the most mysterious high school. Students who have been personally selected by their leaders can be exempted from half of their tuition fees, some even free of charge. There was a motto in Third Middle School: "No matter what kind of student, their Third Middle School can turn them into an outstanding talent." This proved to be true and authoritative. Eighty-six percent of all the key university students in Third Middle School have to go crazy Eh? Who am I? Hehe, I am one of those lucky people who don't have to pay tuition fees at all. Where am I? Hehe, of course, no one would pay attention to me. My appearance is very ordinary, and in this entire school, where most of the students are handsome men and beautiful women, I am naturally an invisible person. Look, I'm the guy who ran around crazily in school apologizing all

At last, the breathtaking, action-packed finale of the #1 bestselling Trials of Apollo series is here! Will the Greek god Apollo, cast down to earth in the pathetic moral form of a teenager named Lester Papadopoulos, finally regain his place on Mount Olympus? Lester's demigod friends at Camp Jupiter just helped him survive attacks from bloodthirsty ghouls, an evil Roman king and his army of the undead, and the lethal emperors Caligula and Commodus. Now the former god and his demigod master Meg must follow a prophecy uncovered by Ella the harpy. Lester's final challenge will be at the Tower of Nero, back in New York. Will Meg have a last showdown with her father? Will this helpless form of Apollo have to face his arch nemesis, Python? Who will be on hand at Camp Half-Blood to assist? These questions and more will be answered in this book that all demigods are eagerly awaiting. To Becky, Every journey leads me home to you WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH WASHINGTON, DC, one expects to see a few snakes in human clothing. Still, I was concerned when a two-headed boa constrictor boarded our train at Union Station. The creature had threaded himself through a blue silk business suit, looping his body into the sleeves and trouser legs to approximate human limbs. Two heads protruded from the collar of his dress shirt like twin periscopes. He moved with remarkable grace for what was basically an oversize balloon animal, taking a seat at the opposite end of the coach, facing our direction. The other passengers ignored him. No doubt the Mist warped their perceptions, making them see just another commuter. The snake made no threatening moves. He didn't even glance at us. For all I knew, he was simply a working-stiff monster on his way home. And yet I could not assume I whispered to Meg, "I don't want to alarm you - " "Shh," she said. Meg took the quiet-car rules seriously. Since we'd boarded, most of the noise in the coach had consisted of Meg shushing me every time I spoke, sneezed, or cleared my throat.

Viper Game (GhostWalkers 11) Read Free GhostWalker Wyatt Fontenot knows the price he paid for the secret military experiments that gave him his special catlike abilities. After all, he left his bayou home a healer and came back a killer. While Wyatt and his GhostWalker brother Gator may have known exactly the sort of game they were getting into, Wyatt never anticipated where it would lead—or to whom.The swamps hold many mysteries, but few are as sinuously seductive as Le Poivre de Cayenne. The woman the locals call Pepper is every bit as enigmatic as the three little girls she’s desperately trying to protect. From what, Wyatt is soon to discover. Right now Pepper needs a man like Wyatt. Passionately. But her secrets are about to take them both deeper into the bayou than either imagined—where desire is the deadliest poison of all.NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHEDINCLUDES A BONUS EXCERPT FROM CHRISTINE FEEHAN’S GHOSTWALKER NOVEL, NIGHT GAME *************** Chapter 1 Wyatt Fontenot tied up his airboat, but stood in it in the dark, listening to the familiar sounds of the bayou. He'd grown up in these swamps, hearing the bullfrogs, the bellow of the alligator and the plop of snakes sliding from the cypress trees into the dark waters. The constant drone of insects had been his lullaby. The soft fall of rain didn't bring the cold, rather just ratcheted up the heat, wrapping one up in a blanket of humidity and the strange perfume of the swamp. He let his breath out slowly, just drinking in the sights around him. He'd always felt at home in the bayou. He'd never really much liked going other places, but now, he wasn't certain it was the smartest thing in the world for him to be back... yet. He couldn't breathe in cities, yet now that he'd come home, he found his chest was tight and his famous Cajun temper had settled into a slow boil in the pit of his stomach. "You all right, Wyatt?" Malichai Fortunes asked softly. He stood just to the left of Wyatt, in the deeper shadows of the sweeping cypress, impossible to see until he moved. Wyatt glanced at him. Malichai was a big man, all roped muscle and cool, with strange, almost golden eyes. He looked into a man, cutting straight through to who and what he was. Wyatt had learned to trust him implicitly. They were both bone weary. Exhausted. Four months and over four hundred rescue operations, most conducted in the "hot" zones of war. The last had gone to hell and them with it. "Yeah, I'm all right. Just breathing in home," he replied. The scent of pipe tobacco drifted to him. The slight wind rustled through the trees, swaying the branches in a macabre fashion. He'd always enjoyed taking his city friends out into the swamp at night and scaring the hell out of them before taking them to one of the backwoods bars where they could get drunk and fight with anyone who looked at them wrong. He could fish with a string or a knife. He could kill a gator with a knife or gun. He was one of the best hunters in the swamps. Few of the b

First Comes Loathe (Blue Collar Bensons 1) Read Free Conceited. Harlot. Easy. Addict.A-list Hollywood actress, Scarlett, has been called every name in the book. Most she’s earned with her attention-seeking antics, high-maintenance personality, and bed-hopping. But even the most glamorous and sought-after actress can have a vulnerable center hidden beneath the glittery exterior. Years in the spotlight have battered Scarlett into a woman she no longer recognizes. Hitting rock bottom in a humiliating public display finally wakes her up to the disaster her life has become. It’s time for Scarlett to hang up her stage name, move somewhere no one will find her, and start over as plain old Michaela Hudson.If there’s one thing mechanic Keith Benson hates, it’s a rich woman who thinks the world should bow at her feet. Someone like that hot mess of an actress Scarlett who can’t take a breath without wanting her adoring fans to shower her with love. Pretentious women make him sick. But he finds a doozy when he comes to the rescue of a stranded motorist. Within five seconds, the gorgeous Michaela rubs him the wrong way. He wants no part of her, no matter how his body responds. Unfortunately, she moves onto his block and quickly befriends his siblings. He has enough problems, including an abusive father bent on screwing up Keith’s life. The last thing he needs is an uppity neighbor he hates but can’t get off his mind.While settling into her new life is smoother than Michaela feared, it’s not all sunshine and smiles. She’s always worried someone will discover her true identity, and she can’t stop thinking about the grouchy neighbor she angered after long her first night in town. While she hopes to remain anonymous for as long as possible, she can’t avoid Keith forever. With a little work, they develop a tentative friendship, which turns complicated once they give into the scorching heat between them.As they cautiously grow closer, Keith’s problems bleed into Michaela’s issues, wreaking havoc on an already tenuous connection. Is there any chance for the disgraced Hollywood star and the man who loathes her? *************** PROLOGUE MICHAELA FIGURED SHE would either vomit or pass out cold on the floor. It was a toss-up which of the mortifying acts would happen first, putting a quick and final end to her dreams. She shifted back and forth as she stood there gnawing her lower lip. No had said anything yet and she’d been standing there at least a full minute. Every person in the room seemed busy with whatever tasks they had to complete. Should she start? Launch into the scene? Or was she supposed to wait for instructions? Maybe she should have asked one of the other girls sitting in the long line outside the audition room for some advice, but she’d been going for confident and experienced, not the unsophisticated noob that she was. “Name?” A man had a placard in front of him with the words Casting Director on it. He didn’t even look up from a clipboard. The man looke

Mack Daddy: Love Begins Again In the cruel blink of an eye, Celia had lost everything. It all started with an innocent glass of wine. If she hadn't accepted the wine offered to her by her half-sister at the engagement ceremony, she would never have slept with another man. She wouldn't have been dumped by her fiance, and would never have been disowned by her family. To make it all worse she had gotten pregnant with no idea who the father was. Desperation consumed her, but she swallowed the pain and anger to pursue a new life. After four years of training abroad, she's back with a new identity; one of the top ten doctors in all of Asia. And now that she's back, she'll make sure the ones who hurt her will suffer. *************** Celia Shi was certain she was going to die. Every direction she looked, raging fire would come before her eyes. She knew it was only a matter of time before the fire would consume her, turning her into ashes. Frightened to the core, she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the doom that would befall. But before the fire could get to her, another force came into action. It was an invisible redemption, freeing her from hell. Her consciousness sank into the abyss with redemption. Ding! The alarm clock pulled Celia Shi out of the abyss. She woke up with a start. Her heart rapidly thudded against her chest. And blood began to pound in her ears, almost deafening her. It was the same nightmare! Since the night of the rainstorm, she had been ...

Living at the Frat House - A College Romance Read Free *************** 1 Juno There’s no way I should have said yes to this dare. That’s the only thought in my head as I walk across campus. In front of me, Granite House looms large on the corner of Elm and Connecticut. My heart rises into my throat, so tight I nearly choke on it. This is the last place I want to be—at the entrance to the most notorious fraternity on campus. Well, technically not a frat anymore. After one too many angry write-ups from the administrators over their legendary wilder-than-a-teen-college-movie parties, they were forced to officially disband. All the same brothers still live under its roof, and to judge by the rumors, they still throw just as over-the-top parties as they did before. But technically they’re no longer a fraternity. Just a collection of college students who live together and happen to be male. Coming here tonight is my ticket into Tri Delta, the sorority I want to join. So, I have to overcome my nerves right now. I blame Taylor, I think as I trudge along the sidewalk, Granite House’s enormous, stately façade looming over me. You can still see the faint outline against the stone where their Greek letters used to hang, sun-bleached into it by time, although the letters themselves have been removed. Another punishment handed down from on high. This is the last type of party I would normally be caught dead at. My parents would kill me if they knew I was standing here now. But after lunch this afternoon… I’m not even sure how I got here. It all happened so fast. One minute Taylor, Bailey, and I were eating lunch in the cafeteria, and the next we were being swarmed by Tri Deltas. Apparently my freshman year roommate and best friend on campus, Taylor, failed to mention the tiny little fact that her older sister is the president of the most popular sorority on campus. Melody swooped right in to kiss her sister’s cheek, all while Bailey and I fired looks at one another across the table like what is going on? Taylor just laughed at the expressions on our faces. “Yes, my sister is the Melody Monroe. It’s not a big deal. Didn’t you guess from my last name?” “I just figured it was a coincidence.” I shrank in on myself, sheepish. Melody laughed too, light and airy. Even her laugh was cool. How was that possible? “Don’t worry, girls.” She touched my hand lightly then, and I felt a thrill go through me. I could feel the eyes of every other girl in the cafeteria fixed on us at that moment—and most of the guys, too. Just being in Melody’s vicinity made us interesting. Worthy of scrutiny. What would it be like to actually be a Tri Delta like her? “TayTay already put in a good word for you,” Melody continued. “That is, if you’re interested in pledging.” My stomach dropped all the way through the floor at the sound of that. Of course I wanted to pledge, but… “Can we?” I asked, hating the way my voice rose at the end, nearly to a squeak. “Of course.” Melody leaned down to ste

The Buchanan's Baby (The Buchanan Brothers 7) Read Free Eagerly-awaited sequel to the best-selling BOUGHT BY THE BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS series!Nolan Buchanan, one of three billionaire brothers, is the cool head with a charming smile but he's about to have his world tipped upside down. He's used to getting what he wants and making no apologies but Nolan Buchanan will soon discover that what is most precious in life...cannot be bought. Find out how the next Buchanan billionaire is brought to his knees in this sequel to the best-selling series, Bought By The Billionaire Brothers, by erotic romance author Alexx Andria. *************** -1- Nolan Buchanan, one of the three owners and CEO of Buchanan Enterprises, stared at the scrawl on the paper in his hand, openly perplexed and rapidly growing agitated. Was it possible? Was this some sort of trick? There were plenty of people who wanted a piece of a Buchanan, but only an idiot would stoop to something so easily disproved…unless it was no ruse and they had the DNA to back up their claim. Sweat dampened his brow and he wiped it away as he dropped the paper to the table and stalked away, needing a moment to collect himself. “You look as if you’ve just seen your past flash before you and you’re about to fall over in a faint,” his twin brother Vince joked as they passed in the expansive hallway of their family home. When Nolan didn’t offer a rejoining quip, Vince double-backed and followed him with a subtle frown. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Is it Penny? Oh, shit. It’s Penny, isn’t it? Where’s Dillon? She’s not due for another month! I warned Dillon she was doing too much in her delicate state but he didn’t listen — ” Just as Vince started to jabber about Penny’s recent mad dash to repaint the nursery for the third time as if he were the father instead of Dillon, their older brother, Nolan gripped his arm tightly and shook his head. “It’s not Penny; she’s fine,” he assured his twin, still not able to fathom the gravity of the situation if it were true. He lifted his gaze to Vince’s and said, “You’re not going to believe this — frankly, I’m having a hard time believing it myself, but…I just got an anonymous note in the mail saying that I’m a father.” Vince’s eyes widened then he shook his head in disbelief. “No way. It’s a shake-down for money,” he said. “Father to whom? And who is the alleged mother?” “Yeah, that’s what I thought, too,” he agreed. “What do you think I should do?” “Was there a name attached to this supposed baby mama?” “No. Just that I’d find her working as the sports trainer for a minor hockey league team called the San Jose Juggernaut.” “There was no contact information?” Nolan shook his head. “Should I just ignore this and see if it’s a hoax? Maybe it’ll just go away if I don’t give it any attention.” Vince’s dubious expression mirrored Nolan’s gut instinct and he sighed, knowing what he had to do. “Looks like a trip to San Jose is in my near future,” he said. “I could go with you,” Vince o

CEO's Evil Sweet Wife novel online reading People said that angels and devils were often separated by a single line, but who knew how much pain and struggle there was between that line … The color of the blood was so bright that it was almost blinding. Girl stared blankly at the wound on his left wrist, watching as hot blood continued to gush out from the wound. The knife in her hand that was stained with her blood slowly fell to the ground, emitting a clanging sound, but she still didn't have any reaction. Her white face was filled with an unconcealable sense of despair and serenity. Those eyes that had once been filled with smiles were now nothing more than ashes. Her eyes were still focused on the blood flowing out of her body, watching it slowly spread on the floor, but she still didn't panic at all. Just flow! Hurry up and drain it! "If she could just let her life end at this moment, she knew that perhaps only death could truly free her right now …" *************** People say that the distance between an angel and a devil is often only a thin line, but who knows how much pain and struggle are mixed in that line … The color of the blood was so bright that it was almost blinding. The girl stared dumbly at the wound on her left wrist, watching the warm blood gush out from it. The knife in her hand that was stained with her blood slowly fell to the ground, emitting a clanging sound, but she still didn't have any reaction. Her white face was filled with an unconcealable sense of despair and serenity. Those eyes that had once been filled with smiles were now nothing more than ashes. Her eyes were still focused on the blood flowing out of her body, watching it slowly spread on the floor, but she still didn't panic at all. Just flow! Hurry up and drain it! If she could just let her life end at this moment, because she knew that perhaps only death could truly release her now … Eight years later, in New York, United States. "An Bowen, tell me clearly, what do you think of me, Mu Xue'er? Your exclusive whore? Do you really think I can be so easily bullied? " Standing in the world-famous Hilton Hotel, Mu Xue'er didn't care about her image at all. Instead, she began to shout at the man sitting in front of her in the dining hall. She was Mu Xue'er, the daughter of a real estate mogul. Ever since she was young, any man that saw her wouldn't be enchanted by her. But why was it special for Ambowen? Why was Ambowen different from other men to her. Had she lost her charm? Or could it be that he had never loved her … Mu Xue'er's shout successfully attracted the attention of everyone within the restaurant. In this foreign country full of golden hair and blue eyes, it was hard for two Easterners like them not to attract attention. An Bowen sat there, facing Mu Xue'er's sharp gaze, but he seemed very calm. He slowly exhaled the smoke from the cigar in his hand. That resolute and handsome male face appeared exceptionally charming amidst the smoke. His black an