cake by the ocean

Olivia’s POV The moment Armando left, the dam broke. I sobbed into the silence, my chest heaving with the weight of everything I’d pushed down for so long. I wanted to hold him tight. To kiss him and to tell him how much I loved him and how much I wanted his protection but I just couldn’t because I didn’t trust anyone else and because I never wanted anything to do with love after James. I hated myself for pushing him away. But more than that, I hated that I felt anything for him at all. I sat there, drowning in the storm of my own heart, knowing that love was a battlefield I might never cross again, and yet, for the first time, I wished I had the courage to try. Armando’s POV Back in my study, I poured myself a glass of whiskey, my hand trembling as I lit a cigarette. The tears came slowly at first, hot and unfamiliar against my skin. I hadn’t cried since I was ten years old. But tonight, I wept. For her. For me. For everything we could never be.

LUNA: My entire life, I believed I was a simple human with a desire to assist shifters at the hospital where I work. But I could never have foreseen what fate had in store for me the moment I laid eyes on Blazes. For anyone of us. As soon as our worlds collided, all we could see was each other, and our destinies were soon intertwined by a curse that revealed my true identity. Mated to two shifters, it is up to us to break the curse placed on their pack before their demise is written in stone. BLAZE: With every male born into my pack, I can feel my grip on reality slipping, and I know that time is running out. As the future Alpha, it is my responsibility to track down the witch who has caused all of our sufferings and compel her to either break the curse or accept death. It was not part of the mission to find my mate, but it turns out that she is the only one who can save us, and she quickly becomes my addiction… My every desire… Mine. We are bound by our curse. And our passion will only lead us to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession, beyond our limits. SAFFRON: I can see how Blaze regards our mate, and I refuse to kiss the ground she walks on as he does. My body aches for her, I cannot deny it. Unfortunately for me, my wolf is loyal to the point of willing self-destruction to protect her. And when the time comes for us to fulfill our destinies and break the curse... Will I be able to succumb to my temptation and then turn it off like a dripping faucet once the ritual is over?

"Why do you remind me so much of my wife?" he asked.  "Maybe I am her," she replied.   Sophia agreed to marry Leo, a renowned Mafia lord , after spending the night with him. She spent two years trying to make her marriage work, and just when she thought things were going her way, Leo announced he was leaving her for another woman.   She fled the country after almost being murdered by Leo's new fiancée and met Quinn, another infamous Mafia who promised to exact revenge on those who wronged her.   Now, she returns with a thirst for revenge and a little replica of her ex-husband. What happens when old sparks begin to fly? Will she stick to her quest for revenge or abandon it and follow her heart?

In that moment, our lips were only a breath's distance apart. Antonio's eyes held an unspeakable yearning. His gaze dropped to my lips, his intentions evident. My own desire mirrored his, creating a powerful magnetism. Just as he closed the distance, I placed my free hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks. "Antonio," I murmured, my voice trembling, "We can't..." He froze in place, his warm breath caressing my lips. His eyes held my reflection in them, fluttered shut for a moment as he absorbed my words. I saw a flicker of pain, quickly masked by a stoic calm. He nodded slightly. "I understand," he replied, quietly. His voice was steady, betraying none of the emotions I knew must have been roiling beneath his suave facade. "You aren't going to ask me why?" I asked him, my voice barely a whisper. Antonio smiled, a sad, understanding smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not," he said slowly, "because I understand that you have a valid reason for your actions." "Antonio," I swallowed hard, my voice unsteady, "I...I am getting married tomorrow, to Alpha Boris." His eyes widened slightly, the shock of my revelation clear. "You are the future Luna…" he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. His fingers clenched into fists at his sides. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wilhelmina Growler is a force to be reckoned with, a fierce and dominant female werewolf. Her unyielding determination to become the alpha of her pack, the Gravemaw Hounds. However, her aspirations are cut short when shortly after becoming the Beta, Alpha Boris Gravemaw demotes her and forces her as his Luna. The night of the highly anticipated Moon Goddess' Ball, Wilhelmina's world is turned upside down when she discovers that Antonio Lothian, the Lycan Prince, is her destined mate.

"You taste like warm sweet honey and I want more of you!" He growls as he presses his manhood into my hip. "Give yourself to me tesoro." [Treasure] His words are like fuel to my igniting fire. I want him, I crave him and when his lips start to suck on my heated skin I turn into a puddle of water when his hand dips into the top of my dress. He finds my breast and he kneads it, flicking my erect nipple has my panties moisten with arousal --- Vanessa Maddison: She is as gorgeous and flawless on the outside as she is scarred and tormented on the inside. Luca Venturi: Came storming into Vanessa's life like a raging blaze that burns everything it caresses. He's an Italian billionaire doctor who can have any woman he wants, but, he has his sights set on Vanessa. Intertwined by their secrets, they try to defy the odds. They make their own rules and quickly surrender to the exquisite power of possession. What began as a fling evolved into something far greater than either of them could have imagined. What will the Italian billionaire do to save Vanessa when they are thrown into a world they are both unfamiliar with time and time again?

Maya Davis, a 25-year-old returning from studying abroad, meets the captivating Zane Moretti, a 36-year-old CEO, at a high-society event. Their instant chemistry sparks a passionate one-night romance, which results in Maya's unexpected pregnancy. Maya, forced into an arranged marriage, battles with Zane's mystery past, family betrayal, and rising threats. As Maya struggles with her affections for Zane and the danger that surrounds them, she discovers family secrets, including Zane's hidden twin sister. With foes closing in, will Maya and Zane's turbulent relationship withstand the continual threats, or will evil powers destroy their love?

"Katie, come to the hospital now! Your mom had an accident on her way to the grocery store. She's in a critical condition." Katie's plans of getting her mother out of this hellhole they lived in, Red Moon Pack, was shattered by that single phone call. Being the illegitimate daughter of the Councilor of Red Moon Pack, Katie as well as her mother had lived a life of pure misery. Arriving at the hospital Katie discovered that something was not adding up about her mother's death. The fact that her mother had the best healing abilities in the entire region was questionable, what made her more suspicious about her mother's death was the fact that her mother's wolf was missing. In an attempt to find out what really happened to her mother, her life took a really drastic turn, as she discovered a series of well kept secrets that changed everything she thought she knew about HERSELF, HER FAMILY and HER PACK in general. With each new revelation, Katie realizes that some secrets are best left buried, and that the real cost of finding out the TRUTH may be higher than she ever dared imagine.

Everyone gets their wolf when they turn 18, but I lost mine. ** Now, I'm a rogue, a wolfless rogue. Life is hard, even more so than death, but I have to continue on, as the last survivor and the only hope for my people, for I was told that there is one man who can help me, and I must find him. Fate led me to Moonstone Pack. In the possession of its powerful Alpha, I couldn’t help but wonder, was he the one? I had no way of knowing, what the cruel but extremely handsome man brought to me was not hope. It was rejection and destruction. ** His breath was hot as it twirled with mine, his deep voice rough with desire. "These lips, this body, and this heart. "Mine." I shivered and moaned, "Even if you find out who I really am?" "I don't care who you are or what you are–" A pained gasp flew from his lips and his amber eyes widened at the dagger embedded in his chest. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and blood was dripping from my hand that was still clutching the knife's hilt. "But I do."

Beth Marlowe’s life is turned upside down when she is forced to marry Vitali Marino a Powerful mafia boss. She wasn’t just forced to marry him, she was sold to him as a means of settlement for a debt her father owed him. Vitali, a ruthless and cunning leader is determined to protect his empire at all costs . As he gets to know Beth he begins to see her as more than just a pawn in his game of power . He is drawn to her innocence and finds himself wanting to protect her from the danger that lurks in the shadows . As their worlds collide , Beth discovers that nothing is as it seems . She discovers a huge secret from her past and begins to question everything she has ever known and believed in . As things escalate, she finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her growing feelings for Vitali. She must use her wits and resourcefulness to stay one step ahead of the danger that surrounds her, she must decide where her loyalties lie and whether she is willing to risk everything for a chance at love and redemption. Throughout the story, Beth undergoes a transformation from a timid and submissive woman to a confident and assertive individual who takes control of her own destiny. Meanwhile Vitali’s demons are closing in on him, his past mistakes come back to haunt him and he’s forced to confront the consequences of his actions , he must also confront the possibility that he may lose the one person at has come to mean everything to him. Eventually, Beth and Vitali must work together to overcome their enemies and secure their future ,they must also confront the secrets and lies that have threatened to destroy them.

Shirley McWood goes into hiding and is captured by the Mafia Lord. She had gambled in one of his casino and lost the bet, owing a huge sum. "I would rather die," She spats out a mouthful of blood. Later, she finds out that her father owes a gigantic debt as well. She strikes a deal with the Billionaire Mafia, thinking she could outsmart him, but fails. Shirley is now left with one option, and that is becoming a stripper in one of his clubs and being his sex slave for three month. Would she take the offer? Or runs away?