the diving bell and the butterfly

“Loving him is like shaking hands with the devil. It will be exciting at the same time, scares you to death.” In her never-ending life, 23-year-old Ashley wanted nothing but a decent job to escape her poverty. But her life took a sudden twist and turns when she accidentally met Vincent Sergio, Capo of an infamous Mafia group. Ashley got dragged into his world and never thought it was going to haunt her in every way. He’s a dangerous man, and more importantly, he has special attention on her which she finds so frightening. Stuck in between her boring world and in his risky yet thrilling life, Ashley put in a compulsion to choose one, and he made sure that it has to be his world! Can Ashley evade his charisma? Or is she going to stop her mind that kept thinking about him?

The Wolf King had a million soldiers under his command, but he could not defy his master’s order to marry a woman that he barely knew. When Andrius and Luna met, they agreed to call off the marriage arrangement, but when things took a surprising turn, the couple decided to fake their marriage and pretend to be husband and wife. Can the Wolf King charm his ‘bride’ within the stipulated duration or will the bride lose her future before they can even get a divorce?

Someone close once told me that our generation's love knows no bond. It's against all odds as the saying goes to say, strengthening the bent one, and right the wrong. As long as they love each other and were willing to bend rules, that is all that matters.As starters, I was gifted with a 6'4 ft height. Fair glowing skin, sinewy, metallic blue eyes, but most of all, I was dubbed as one of the living proof of the most beautiful man ever to exist in history. I love music that's why I chose to spend my time with my acoustic guitar and a band every night.With that one-of-a-kind gift, I have been with a lot of women, young and old, human or wolf. It is also when I learned how to differentiate between love and lust.I was collecting and picking women at the age of twelve, thinking I could find the right one. Not to boast off my confidence, I broke the Guinness Book of Record, breaking with a hundred and sixty girlfriends in three years.However, I never expected that the kind of love I've been searching for offered from the rest of the wolf and human world. And it all started at this very particular event. The Mating Night.

BOOK TWO of COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE: When the line between allies and enemies blurs, a king and queen must trust each other—even when trust seems lost. A rogue pack seems to possess almost impossible knowledge to evade capture as King Alexandar and Queen Lucianne learn a difficult truth - the leader of the rogue pack is bonded to one of their allies. To make matters more difficult, something is stirring in the vampire community. Rumors, reports, whispers of kidnappings and invasions. With threats pushing in from every angle the king and queen must fight to protect their kingdom, their allies, their friends, and even one another. As bonds are forged and broken, the royal pair must face a sinister thought—perhaps the threat looms within their circle. And as their love and trust for another are put to the test, they must remember that dark forces are no match for their bond. But how can anyone fight an unseen threat with the ability to bring the kingdom to its knees? When all seems lost, even a pinprick of light can ignite the fires of hope… *** BOOK ONE: The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King BOOK THREE: The Indomitable Huntress & the Hardened Duke

All my memories are the same for as long as I can remember. Pain, abuse, and being torn down by those who were supposed to care for me the most. All them intermingle and stab at my heart and self-esteem, attempting to turn my very soul to ice. However, amongst all the pain and suffering, there is a moment in time when I truly felt like maybe I wasn't such a wretched existence. And in those memories, it is always the same person that is by my side. The boy with the dark hair that is just a bit too long and stormy gray eyes that take me in as if I'm the most precious existence he has ever laid eyes on. Maybe if this boy hadn't reached out a hand that day I wouldn't have survived, but now I can't even consider looking him in the eye if we ever meet again as I fear seeing that smile and that look of complete and utter devotion being given to someone like me who no longer deserves it.

In exchange for a modeling career and wanting to chase her dreams, Beauty Acuesta agreed to substitute her sister as a secretary at Monde Corporation. However, she soon realizes the job is not as easy as she thought, and the office work is quite chaotic. Fresh from a cheating breakup, Beauty realizes she missed out on many opportunities due to her ex. Beauty then unexpectedly encounters Drew Mondragon, the man who rescued her from hell that night, not realizing his true identity as her sister's boss, the CEO, and owner of Monde Corporation. Drew Mondragon, a member of the Royal Mondragon family, is a billionaire known for his short temper and perfectionism, tempered by his kind heart. When his secretary filed for an extended leave, a substitute was provided, and her name was Beauty. Drew had met Beauty before, and that night was unforgettable. Beauty had captured Drew's heart. Shockingly, Beauty is a headache! She's obviously out of Drew's standard, but somehow, Drew wants to keep and protect her. And whenever they get close together at work, the intense attraction between them escalates like fireworks. Beauty dreams of becoming a supermodel, and Drew wants Beauty to be his wife. One heart desires to chase a dream, while the other craves a family. Can love conquer ambition? Or will the Billionaire be able to keep his Beauty forever? Matured content 18+ This is under The Mondragon Billionaire's Boys Club, a stand-alone series. C.M. LOUDEN

"Listen to me, little rogue. You deserve nothing but my rejection!" Dominic seethed at her, accepting the same reaction from years ago. "One day you will beg me to accept you. Then I will tell you what you deserve." Athena said in a strong stance while looking directly into his eyes, shocking him. ______'______ ' Dominic was the leader of all alpha's in the north side and he hates rogues with passion. So, when he finds out that his mate was none other than the daughter of the rogue alpha, he ought to reject her without caring for anything. Athena was a mere rogue who was unaware of her past and just after the rejection, she had only one way to protect the valuable secret of her life. Being enslaved by the most abusive alpha. But when the alpha of the pack tries to be the darkness of her life, her heartless mate comes back as the light. Things will turn brutal when fate pulls a string and after years, they are standing in front of each other again. He is going to push her away again and she is determined to accept the rejection this time. But what will happen when fate pulls another string? Will they be successful with their goals? Or they will get lost in the world of secrets, revenge and MATE BOND? Things are definitely not the way they believed it was. But instead of pushing her away like the last time, he is adamant to not let her go away.

*BOOK 1: THE ALPHA KINGPIN TWINS* Navigating the harsh criminal underworld is no easy task, especially for women. Mira, an unwanted omega born from an Alpha's mistress, has experienced this reality firsthand. Deemed worthless, Mira is sold to the merciless Russian Alpha, Mikhail Popov, who subjects her to unimaginable cruelty. Forsaken by her family, Mira faces a life of suffering and violence under Popov's control. But Mira has a plan. On a fateful night, she seizes the opportunity to escape, taking with her secrets that could destroy Popov. Mira believes she has found freedom, but instead, she stumbles into the lair of Alpha Nikolaos Ioannides, a Greek Alpha with an even darker reputation. As a brutal pack war rages around them, Mira's options grow scarce. However, Alpha Nikolaos makes her an offer: her freedom and independence in exchange for one thing – giving him an Alpha heir. Mira is left with a crucial decision: is she willing to bear a child for the fearsome Alpha in exchange for her freedom? And perhaps more importantly, will she even have a choice? *** “You want to breed me?” He winces at the term, but nods.“Yes. I need an Alpha heir but in my position, I don't have time to go out looking for a mate nor do I want a Luna.” Mate; the one thing every wolf wants but no one seems to have. The Mate Bond is so obscure that many wolves have decided not to chase after it anymore. Would I even still be fertile after all the abuse I've suffered? What tests did the doctor run that she concluded I was fit to bear an Alpha's pup? *** Side Stories Included: Beta's Runaway Bride - Completed BITTERSWEET: The Gamma's Stories - Ongoing

Needing to get married before his grandfather dies, Dr. Lyrek Cole goes to the bar to drink away his problems. There he meets the most beautiful bartender he has ever saw. Captivated by her beauty, he tries to catch her attention. Veronica Reed, however, is too preoccupied with her own troubles to notice him. She is drowning in medical bills and her brother is dying of a brain tumor, which is why she is works four jobs. Her brother's brain tumor is inoperable, but she is doing everything she can, in hopes of saving him. Little does she know, Lyrek is exactly who she needs to save her brother. Only if she agrees to marry him. Not only because is the best brain surgeon in the world, but also because he has more money then he knows what to do with.

We’ve all read the books where the Alpha’s mate is hurt or gets kidnapped and the Alpha has to save them. But what happens when it’s the strong Alpha that gets taken? And something so traumatic happens to him, that he’s left completely broken. Left as only a shell of who he once was. And it’s his Luna that needs to rescue him… Maddox is the Alpha of the Night Wolf Pack. He was once full of life, a jokester and known for pranking his loved ones. Addison is a rare, enchanted witch & his beloved Luna. His pack was once abused and tortured until it’s previous Alpha was killed and it’s people set free. Maddox is now determined to bring peace to his new pack. However, things take a turn for the worst when someone close to the old Alpha seeks revenge. And he plans to take that revenge out on the new Alpha. Finn is an abused pack slave. His only dream is that one day his mate will find him and rescue him. But what happens when his mate wants absolutely nothing to do with him? Will he ever know freedom? Find out, in this journey where they discover what the true meaning of family, friendship, love and loyalty really is. ** Trigger Warning! Abuse, rape, torture. ** This is book 3 of A Broken Alpha series. This book can be read as a standalone.