Mia – All any kid ever wants is for their parents to love them. True... I made mistakes, but how could I not? No one but me knows what it was like growing up in a home with Terri. Yeah she paid the bills, fed and clothed me but she never loved me. The man she moved in got all my mother’s love, time, and affection. So as a kid, when you don't get the love you feel you deserve at home... You'll try and get that feeling from anyone. I was young. I made mistakes, I was also taken advantage of. I just hope I don't have to pay for those mistakes for the rest of my life and lose the only people that really love me in the process.Terri- Kids don't appreciate shit nowadays. I worked my fingers to the bone to give that child of mine everything I could. I gave Mia anything a child could want! It's not like she was some starving child living in the projects. So what I moved a man in! Didn't I deserve to have a life? Yeah, Quinton's a little rough around the edges and he's young, but hell I like a young buck! If I'm not happy... no one is going to be. Least of all my bitch of a daughter Mia, and Quinton; the man who I've given up everything for.Quinton- I almost lost the woman I loved messin' around with Terri's crazy ass, but she came back like I knew she would. Who wouldn't wanna have Quinton Jones as their man? Hell you see I got her mama going crazy! I don't give a damn what anyone says... even Mia. What we share is special. Everyone thinks they know me, “ Quinton ain’t shit,” but they can all go to hell. I was the one there for Mia in her darkest times and now Jeremiah's bitch ass thinks he can just have my woman Mia and my son? Anyone who thinks that is as crazy as Terri! Jeremiah- I fell in love with Mia the day I met her and when she needed me I was there for her. Three years ago I walked away from my own life to create one with her, and I've never regretted it. I know her deepest and darkest secrets; and she trusts me not only with her life, but with her child's life also. Blood does not make a family... Love and and loyalty does. The love, loyalty, and bond that Mia and I share could never be broken. I don’t think.

     Winter had it hard growing up. Hell, she still has it hard. She went from hell on Earth for the majority of her childhood and even some of her adulthood while living under her mother’s roof. Her mother, Sandra, was not only physically abusive, but she was mentally abusive, verbally, and psychologically as well. Not many people expressed their love to Winter, so when the first guy said those three words that many people yearn to year (I love you), Winter instantly fell head over heels for him. Her relationship turned out to be a big facade. In fact, it only existed to Winter because he’d already had someone to love. With love lost and now two kids to raise on her own, Winter has hit rock bottom. They say that when you hit rock bottom, you don’t always stay there for long. Cortez is his name, but everyone knows him as Boss because that’s exactly who he is and what he exemplifies. Boss is in a position where he can upgrade Winter’s life and remove her from her temporary struggle, and he doesn’t want anything in return. With all the kind gestures that Boss is doing for Winter, it sure as hell isn’t hard for her to have love for a boss!

    When Wise is locked up and sentenced to fifteen years, he tells Emery to go on with her life if it’s meant to be they would get back together. Now years later Emery is happy with a career and family of her own, when Wise is released earlier than expected he sets off to do what he said he was going to do, find Emery. Emery’s heart belongs to Wise but it also belongs to her husband. Now she is forced with the hard decision to choose between the man who was there with her from the start through everything and the man who picked her up when she didn’t have anything or anybody. Who will Emery choose? Filled with sex, betrayal and drama

    B. Collins together into one e-book for a great value!The Third TargetWhen New York Times foreign correspondent J. B. Collins hears rumors that an al-Qaeda splinter cell—ISIS—has captured a cache of chemical weapons inside Syria, he knows this is a story he must pursue at all costs. With terrorist forces trying to bring down two Arab governments and the U.S. president about to make a trip to the region, can Collins uncover the terrorists’ plot before it’s too late?The First Hostage“The president of the United States . . . is missing.” With these words, New York Times journalist J. B. Collins puts the entire world on high alert. The leaders of Israel and Palestine are critically injured, Jordan’s king is fighting for his life, and the U.S. president is missing and presumed captured. Working with the Secret Service, Collins must locate and rescue the leader of the free world before ISIS’s threats become a catastrophic reality.Without Warning (2017 Christy Award finalist, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller category)As he prepares to deliver the State of the Union address, the president of the United States is convinced ISIS is on the run. But with the Middle East on fire, the Israeli prime minister dead, and Amman in ruins, journalist J. B. Collins fears a catastrophic attack inside the American homeland is imminent. He argues that only an all-out manhunt to capture or kill the leader of ISIS can stop the attack and save America before it’s too late.

    Hephaestus Books represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Hephaestus Books continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge. This particular book contains chapters focused on Vorkosigan Saga, and Vorkosigan saga planets. More info: The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. Most of them concern Miles Vorkosigan, a physically disabled aristocrat from the planet Barrayar whose life (from before birth), military career, and post-military career is a challenge to his native planet's prejudices against "mutants."

    Instead of going away to college or turning up every weekend, she spent her days behind the counter at McDonalds. With a mother fighting Lupus and bills that had to be paid, Azuri put her life on hold to be whatever her mother needed her to be. A night working the late shift changed her life. It was the day she met Kashmir “Gotti” Banks. Gotti is an arrogant, smart mouthed boss from Harlem and used to getting everything he wanted, that is until he met Azuri. Love ‘em and leave ‘em had been his way of life for the past twenty five years. Chasing women was never his style and being caught, had never been Azuri’s style. The chemistry between the two was far more than either of them could ever imagine. Not sure if Gotti is good for her, Azuri built a wall up that he was determined to tear down. A day at the Rucker started a whirlwind romance between the two, but will they have a happily ever after? Lies, drama, murder, sex and deceit threaten to destroy the union the two have built. Will their love stand the test of time? Or will too many lines being crossed, tear the two apart? Find out in this juicy tale, unlike anything you’ve ever read...

    When she realize that her judge is her mother, she is left wanting answers. Will her mother save her? or l will she abandon her like she did eighteen years ago? Finding Shantika in her burning house has Journi on beast mode. Thinking it's someone from his past he goes back to his hometown to wreck hovac. With bodies dropping left to right he is determined to figure out who's behind taking the love of his life out. What he does discovers has him question his whole relationship. Geek has everything a young boss could have except the love of his life. He settles for being with Tangi out of default as he sit around and watch Karrueche be happy with another man. Unbeknownst to him he's sleeping with the enemy and his life could be in danger in more ways than one. Join these characters on this final hectic ride where blood will shed, the truth will come to light, and hearts will be broken.

    Cincinnati, Ohio will either make or break you, it all depends on who you are. Deron "Killa" Hutchins earned his street name as an enforcer for one of the biggest kingpins in the city. Although respected and feared as a cold-blooded killer, Deron has a warm heart for those he loves, including his wife and grandmother. When a special assignment from his boss uncovers a shocking betrayal that scorches Deron's soul, all he can think of is murder, but that's easier said than done when it's his wife who has caused the carnage. In the blink of an eye, Jada went from happily engaged to single and mad as hell. Before she can even begin to process the end of her relationship, she is abducted and held captive in a luxurious environment, but she has no idea why. To add insult to injury, Jada finds herself drawn to Deron, her sexy, stoic captor. During her time in captivity, they become close, but the kidnapper and the kidnapped have more in common than they know, and the results could mean death for everyone.

    

    But when her perfect husband turns out to be a lying, cheating slimeball - and bad in bed to boot - Savannah kicks the jerk to the curb and embarks on life on her own terms. With a new apartment, a new career, and a brand new outlook on life, she's all set to take the world by storm. If only the world would stop throwing her curveballs... CLOSE TO HOME - book #4 Savannah's late. The kind of late that comes with midnight feedings and the pitter-patter of little feet. And while it's a circumstance that should make everyone happy - now she can finally settle down and marry Todd Satterfield, the way everyone's been hoping and praying! - it isn't Todd's baby. And Rafe, whose baby it is, didn't sign on for fatherhood. Add in the murder of Savannah's sister-in-law Sheila, the trial of Sheila's friend Marley, and the disappearance of Rafe's twelve year old son David - the kid he never knew he had! - and things get complicated fast. And there is worse to come: When Rafe comes back to Nashville to help look for David, and learns that Savannah's pregnant, things do not work out the way Savannah had hoped. In the end, she's left with nothing she wanted and a whole lot of trouble she didn't, and for once, Rafe's not there to save the day. A DONE DEAL - book #5 Silver bells, silver bells... It's Christmas time in Nashville, and all Savannah wants to unwrap on Christmas morning is Rafe Collier. Unfortunately, things don't look so good. He's back in town, but not alone: on his arm is a stunning brunette, just the kind of woman Savannah always suspected was his type. When Alexandra Puckett asks her help in figuring out a way to stop Maybelle Driscoll from marrying Alex's father Steven, Savannah jumps on the chance. It'll give her something to think about other than Rafe and the mysterious Carmen, and anyway, she doesn't like Maybelle much herself. Between investigating Maybelle's past, helping her clients Aislynn and Kylie buy a house, and stalking Carmen and Rafe, Savannah soon has her hands full. And that's before someone starts gunning for her. Suddenly it's not a question of unwrapping anything on Christmas morning anymore; it's a question of whether she'll even survive to see another Christmas. CHANGE OF HEART - book #6 It’s late February, just two months after Savannah Martin and Rafael Collier finally worked things out between them, and Rafe is already sneaking out of bed in the wee hours. Catching fellow realtor Tim Briggs rinsing blood from his hands in the office sink makes for a welcome distraction, and when Tim disappears just as one of his clients is found dead in a nearby park, Savannah throws herself into the investigation with abandon. But even the murder mystery taking place right under her nose can’t completely distract her from worrying about personal problems. Has Rafe changed his mind about their relationship, or is something else going on? And what are the chances of Savannah coming out of this latest debacle with her life – and her heart – intact? *** Contains an excerpt of Savannah Martin Mystery #7, Kickout Clause ***

    While the rest of the family are at the restaurant sorting out family secrets, Kahleno and Sutton’s lives hang in the balance. Will they make it out alive or will the love that they have for one another be proven by the ultimate sacrifice? It seems as if Adoreé just can’t catch a break. Every time he turns around it’s like something else is standing in the way of his sanity. This last bomb is enough to push him over the edge and Icelynn may be the only person to help him through his madness, but the way he left her hanging put a bad taste in her mouth. Will she be able to put her pride to the side and bear his demons or will she be consumed by demons of her own. Ziva is on a warpath and anyone with the Maler name is in her sights. After revealing that Adoreé Maler was born from her womb, she has hopes of rekindling what she felt she lost. When things don’t go exactly how she wants them, things heat up real fast and Siya is at the center of her rage. Nothing is ever what it seems when envy is in play, and no one can be trusted. Lines are crossed and truths are revealed in the third installment of this jaw dropping hood love story.

    One forbidden love. Lady Cecily Balfour was always taught that the Hartley men are mad, bad and dangerous to know. When she meets Robert Hartley, Earl of Scarcliffe, she makes a few additions to that list: Stubborn. Infuriating. Handsome. Charming. Tempting. Society expects Cecily to make an advantageous match of her father’s choosing. What can she do now that her own choice is a man she is expressly forbidden to see? The Earl of Scarcliffe enjoys hunting, drinking, billiards, and bachelordom. Love does not feature on his list of requirements. Especially for a woman with a stubborn streak a mile wide and a penchant for riding off on his favourite stallion. And if that same woman is a Balfour? Not a chance! But Cecily just happens to have a pair of striking blue eyes, a taste for adventure and a rapier-sharp sense of humour… Robert’s heart is in as much danger as his head will be in if they are caught together. The Duke's Hidden Desire A reckless duke meets his match in a determined young woman – and throws her future into jeopardy with one stolen kiss. Miss Anna Hawkins, the daughter of a poor country doctor, knows the mysterious stranger who kissed her at the ball cannot really be the Duke of Beaumont. Dukes are virtuous and noble, and this man is arrogant, impudent… and dangerously seductive. Beaumont cannot forget Anna Hawkins. It’s not only her sharp mind and delicate features. It’s not only the flame-red hair he longs to caress. It’s not even that she is the only woman in England to say no to a duke. Anna is not afraid to chastise Beaumont for his lack of virtue, and he has never wanted anyone more. But it takes more than a dukedom to win a woman’s heart. The Lady He Longed For A brooding lord encounters his widowed childhood sweetheart – and they uncover a secret that could change everything… Lord Jonathan Hartley’s first love left him a broken man. Now that Isabella is back, widowed, wounded and more lovely than ever, the last thing he wants to do is revisit the past. But Isabella has a way of digging up all the secrets he thought he had buried. His undimmed love for the tragic heiress is only one of them. Isabella, the widowed Countess of Streatham, knows she belongs in Jonathan’s arms. But she is no longer the naïve debutante who believed in true love, and marriage brought her pain she vowed never to endure again. Jonathan abandoned her once, and if he wants her forgiveness, she will make him fight for it. Whether she falls in love again is quite a different question. The Baron's Inconvenient Bride In his haste to find a marriage of convenience, an arrogant baron proposes to his sworn enemy… Lady Jemima Stanhope has a secret she cannot share, even with her husband. Especially with her husband. Because that husband is the incorrigible rake, Lord Northmere.

    After surviving traumatizing events in their past Tino and Falen have finally taken a legitimate stab at being together. Their relationship is explosive, yet endearing. The two have genuinely found solace in one another, but all good things must come to an end. There are several people who hate that Tino and Falen have united, and will stop at nothing to end their relationship. Will Tino and Falen’s love be strong enough to survive the viciousness of the haters, and will they fold under pressure? Toya is still in the game, hustling better than most men. Her bank account is stacked, while she feels a deep sense of emptiness in her love life. In a world dominated by the opposite sex, she seems to intimidate most. She begins to believe that love just isn’t for her. Then enters Tino’s cousin, Keesy. In true Wiltz’s fashion, he’s arrogant, flashy, and fly. A true reflection of Toya. The two are so much alike that it’s an immediate clash. Still, the chemistry is off the Richter scale, but there’s one problem…Keesy’s girlfriend Skyy. Will Toya finally find love? Or will she find herself in a tangled web of lies and deception? With all the uncertainties in the atmosphere, there’s still one thing for sure. Toya and Falen both carry hustlers’ spirits, and they most definitely gotta get it.

    She ran away.Sickness stole Corbin’s wife and love of his life.Mattie ended her marriage the day it should have begun.Corbin and Mattie are strangers living in Malibu, unaware of each other...Until Valentina Del Torre steps in.The matchmaker brings the lonely billionaire entertainment entrepreneur and the creative Broadway musical writer wannabe together, but it’s up to them to build a relationship.Corbin wants to love Mattie, but something is blocking him.Mattie must face her past and make a choice.But will Corbin wait for her to make it?Is new love just as good or better than first love?

    Shaniqua feels since she's his fiancee it's up to her to take care of him and she refuses to turn her back because of his condition. But will she be able to handle Ronny's mood swings? When she learns who her ex-fiance cousin is she debates if she should tell Ronny or not. She does and it's hell to pay for him! Brooke and Bino is sitting on cloud nine and nothing can bring them down. That is until Amber comes back with a banger that can possibly tear these two love birds apart. She has a secret and is threatening to share it with Brooke. But will her secret comes back and bite her in her own ass? Since Cornell has moved on with his life and started a new relationship with Kandi, Star finally realize everything that glitter isn't gold and leaving Cornell wasn't the best thing to do after all.."