1443 Book(s) Related to ruined a novel

I had to claim Caleb tonight.

I had paid a six-figure premium to contract a high-level werewolf mate from the nation’s top "Fated Mates" agency. I had chosen him for his elite stats, the "absolute submission" guaranteed in his file, and most importantly, a face that could put any Hollywood A-lister to shame.

But over the last few months, things had completely derailed from my expectations.

He refused to let me touch him!

I have to figure out what's going on.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF VICE (Book #3 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, follows a fresh lead for her abducted daughter. It leads to a violent confrontation with The Collector—which, in turn, offers more clues that may, after all this time, reunite her with her daughter.Yet at the same time, Keri is assigned a new case, one with a frantic ticking clock. A teenage girl has gone missing in Los Angeles, a girl from a good family was who duped into drugs and abducted into a sex trafficking ring. Keri is hot on her trail—but the trail is moving fast, with the girl being constantly moved and with her abductors’ single, nefarious goal: to cross her over the border with Mexico.In an epic, breathtaking, cat and mouse chase that takes them through the seedy underworld of trafficking, Keri and Ray will be pushed to their limits to save the girl—and her own daughter—before it is all too late.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF VICE is book #3 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #4 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF MURDER (Book #2 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter. Encouraged by the new lead that has landed, the first in years, she pursues it with all that she has, determined to find her daughter and bring her back alive.Yet Keri, at the same time, receives a phone call from a frantic husband, a famed Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, who reports that his wife has been missing for two days. A wealthy socialite with no enemies and little reason to leave her life, he fears the worst has become of his wife.Keri takes on the case, assigned a new partner whom she hates, as Ray still recovers in the hospital. Her investigation leads her deep into the elite Beverly Hills world of the idle rich, to encounters with lonely housewives, and those with shopping-addicted, empty lives. Keri, in over her head in this world, becomes increasingly puzzled by the conflicting signals: did this woman, with a stalker and a lurid, secret past, run away, or was she abducted?Or did something far more sinister happen?A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF MURDER is book #2 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #3 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

"With blood, fire, and magic I claim you Urmah son of Abdi_ili and Anunit, the descendant of royals, blessed by the two gods of the sun..." ... "I am Tiye daughter of pharaohs, I am Sekhmet daughter of the great god Ra, we claim you, body and soul to the rest of your days in this world and the after to be our lord and guardian, to be our love and spirit, here we bound you to us. May we never be set free forever and ever."

Princess Tiye was meant to be a goddess queen, she would sit on Egypt's throne and rule with Sekhmet's blessing, but before her eighteenth name day she was betrayed by her uncle and cousin, and she became a fugitive, a murderer.

on her journey for safety, she meets prince Urmah, The forsaken son of the Akkadian king. He promises to help her to take back what is rightfully hers and get her revenge after his visit with his father. But their plan fails when her troubles follow them to Akkad, and that's when the goddess makes her presence known to the world.

Who would prince Urmah choose, the woman he renounced his God for, or his father's approval and acceptance? And what would Tiye do when she is forced to witness the murder of her loved ones for the second time? Are her throne and revenge worth the sacrifice?

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A SONG FOR ORPHANS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Three), Sophia, 17, journeys in search of her parents. Her quest takes her to foreign and strange lands—and to a shocking secret she could never imagine.Kate, 15, is summoned by the witch, as her time has come to repay the favor. But Kate is changing, coming of age, become ever more powerful—and what will become of Kate if she makes a deal with darkness?Sebastian, a romantic, follows his heart, throwing it all away to reject his family and find Sophia. But Lady D’Angelica is still bent on killing her—and may have other plans.A SONG FOR ORPHANS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Three) is the third book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #4 in the series will be released soon.“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)

The club is planning a team retreat, and sophomore Ashley suddenly raises her hand at the meeting.

"Doesn't Clara's family own a hotel? Cresthaven, right?"

"Since it's your family's place, we could each just chip in fifty bucks for the venue, like you're supporting your own business or something."

Cresthaven is the hotel my grandfather gave me on my eighteenth birthday.

Because it never advertises, outsiders assume it's just some bed and breakfast out in the countryside. In reality, the basic suites run eighty-eight hundred dollars a night, private dining rooms have a hundred-thousand-dollar minimum, and the ingredients get flown in fresh from around the world every single day.

She wants to hand me fifty dollars and get a free two-day retreat for fifty people.

I turn her down on the spot. Next week is already fully booked.

But that night at ten, Ashley posts in the group chat anyway:

[Good news! Thanks to Clara's generous support, the whole club is heading to Cresthaven next week for a two-day retreat, completely free!]

The replies underneath are wall-to-wall flattery.

She wants to use my hotel to buy herself goodwill and build her own reputation.

But that's up to me, not her.

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.In A TRACE OF CRIME (Book #4 in the Keri Locke mystery series), Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, follows a fresh lead for her abducted daughter. She winds her way through a twisted underworld, and step by step, she gets closer to finding her daughter.Yet she has no time. Keri is assigned a new case: a dad calls from an affluent community and reports that his teen daughter vanished on the way home from school.Shortly after, ransom letters arrive. Twisted, filled with riddles, they make it clear that there is little time to save the girl. They also make it clear that this is the work of a diabolical killer who is toying with them.Keri and the police must scramble to find the kidnapper, to understand his demands, to decode the letters, and most of all, to outwit him. But in this master game of chess, Keri may find herself up against a foe even she cannot understand, and for the missing girl—and her own daughter—she may just be too late.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF CRIME is book #4 in a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #5 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success.”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A CLASP FOR HEIRS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Eight), Sophia, Kate and Lucas finally meet their parents. Who are they? Why were they in exile?And what secret message might they hold for them about their identities?Meanwhile, the Master of Crows ravages Ashton, Stonehome lies in danger, and Sebastian must find a way to whisk Violet to safety.Will Sophie, Kate and Lucas return in time to save them?Will they return at all?A CLASP FOR HEIRS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven) is book #7 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. “[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A CROWN FOR ASSASSINS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven), Sophia, Kate and Lucas finally get the chance to journey in search of their long-lost parents. Will they find them?Are they alive?And what message do they hold for them?Their journey demands a price, though. Ashton is left without a ruler, and the Master of Crows still lies in wait, ready to strike. As the fate of the realm lies in the balance, help may come from the most unlikely place of all: Stonehome.A CROWN FOR ASSASSINS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven) is book #7 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #8 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two), Sophia, 17, finds her world upside down as she is cast from the romantic world of aristocracy and back to the horrors of the orphanage. This time the nuns seem intent on killing her. Yet that doesn’t pain her as much as her broken heart. Will Sebastian realize his mistake and come back for her?Her younger sister Kate, 15, embarks on her training with the witch, coming of age under her auspices, mastering the sword, gaining more power than she ever imagined possible—and determined to embark on a quest to save her sister. She finds herself immersed in a world of violence and combat, of a magic she craves—and yet one that may consume her.A secret is revealed about Sophia and Kate’s lost parents, and all may not be what it seems for the sisters. Fate, indeed, may be turned on its head. A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two) is the second book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #3 in the series—A SONG FOR ORPHANS—will be released soon.“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five), Sophia, 17, gets word that Sebastian, her love, is imprisoned and set to be executed. Will she risk it all for love?Her sister Kate, 15, struggles to escape the witch’s power—but it may be too strong. Kate may be forced to pay the price for the deal she made—and to live a life she doesn’t want to.The Queen is furious at Lady D’Angelica for failing to woo her son, Sebastian. She is prepared to sentence her to the Lead Mask. But Lady D’Angelica has her own plans, and she won’t go down so easily.Cora and Emeline finally reach Stonehome—and what they find there shocks them.Most shocking of all, though, is Sophia and Kate’s brother, a man who will change their destinies forever. What secrets does he hold about their long-lost parents?A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five) is the fifth book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #6 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six), it is time for Sophia to come into her own. It is time for her to lead an army, to lead a nation, to step up and be the commander of the most epic battle the realm may ever see. Her love, Sebastian, remains imprisoned and set to be executed. Will they reunite in time?Kate has finally freed herself from the witch’s power, and is free to become the warrior she was meant to be. Her skills will be tested in the battle of her life, as she fights at her sister’s side. Will the sisters save each other?The Queen, furious at Rupert and Lady D’Angelica, exiles him and sentences her to execution. But they just may have their own agenda.And all of this converges in an epic battle that will decide the future of the crown—and the fate of the realm—forever.A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six) is book #6 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #7 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“A dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.”--Midwest Book Review, Diane Donovan (regarding Once Gone)From #1 bestselling mystery author Blake Pierce comes a new masterpiece of psychological suspense.Keri Locke, Missing Persons Detective in the Homicide division of the LAPD, remains haunted by the abduction of her own daughter, years before, never found. Still obsessed with finding her, Keri buries her grief the only way she knows how: by throwing herself into the cases of missing persons in Los Angeles.A routine phone call from a worried mother of a high-schooler, only two hours missing, should be ignored. Yet something about the mother’s voice strikes a chord, and Keri decides to investigate.What she finds shocks her. The missing daughter—of a prominent senator—was hiding secrets no one knew. When all evidence points to a runaway, Keri is ordered off the case. And yet, despite pressure from her superiors, from the media, despite all trails going cold, the brilliant and obsessed Keri refuses to let it go. She knows she has but 48 hours if she has any chance of bringing this girl back alive.A dark psychological thriller with heart-pounding suspense, A TRACE OF DEATH marks the debut of a riveting new series—and a beloved new character—that will leave you turning pages late into the night.“A masterpiece of thriller and mystery! The author did a magnificent job developing characters with a psychological side that is so well described that we feel inside their minds, follow their fears and cheer for their success. The plot is very intelligent and will keep you entertained throughout the book. Full of twists, this book will keep you awake until the turn of the last page.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (re Once Gone)Book #2 in the Keri Locke series will be available soon.

They told me the baby was gone, but they didn't tell me my heart was being carved out, too.

I woke up on the operating table, paralyzed. Through my blurred vision, I saw my beloved husband, Marco, trembling with excitement as he held my medical chart.

"Her blood is perfect," he whispered. "It is a perfect match for Isabella. We can proceed with the transplant now."

"Finally. It wasn't in vain that I brought her back." My revered father let out a sigh of relief. "If it weren't for this day, how would someone who wandered outside for so many years be qualified to step into this house again?"

When my husband said "I love you," he actually meant "Your heart is perfect for the woman I truly love."

I couldn't scream; I couldn't move.

I could only watch helplessly as the silver scalpel pierced toward my chest, while my sister, Isabella, lay on the operating table next to me, smiling in her sleep.

I was never a long-lost daughter, nor was I a beloved wife.

I was just a mobile blood bank waiting to be slaughtered.

Reader Advisory!!!
This story contains steamy scenes, mature language, and forbidden romance.
Recommended for readers 18+ who enjoy emotionally intense and sexually charged love stories with depth.
~
“I’m going to turn every dirty page you’ve ever read into your reality, Teyana.”
And Jeremy Carter did.
~
It started with a simple party dare and ended with my legs wrapped around the ever-addictive Jeremy Carter’s waist.

I never thought the boy who never noticed the nerdy me in high school, the emotionally unavailable biker god I’d secretly fantasized about, would become my stepbrother.

Or that I would find a naked painting of myself hidden in his closet — painted by his own twisted hands.

Jeremy is inked sin, raw dominance, and a filthy mouth.

I was just the quiet, virgin bookworm, that took solace in dark romance novels… until he dragged me into his dangerous world of racing, rage, and ruin.

I should run. I should regret it.
But when a man like Jeremy Carter kisses you, there’s no coming back.

But what happened when family, friends, and even the campus tried to pull us apart?

This is the story of how I got ruined by the one man I might never have… and how I let him.

died as Seraphina Volkov, the deadliest Alpha Commander in the Eastern Territories, betrayed by my own second-in-command. The Moon Goddess offered me a second chance in a body that desperately needed my strength.

I woke up as Zara Thorne.

Eighteen years old. Wolfless Omega. Silverfang Academy's favorite punching bag. The girl who just died from being pushed down the stairs for spilling soup on the wrong shoes.

They expect me to cower. To submit. To know my place at the bottom of their pathetic hierarchy.

They have no idea who they're dealing with.

I crash a combat trial to save my sister and destroy their undefeated champion without even shifting. The entire academy loses their minds. And the Nightshade twins, Cassian and Dante, the arrogant Alphas who rule this school, decide I'm their new favorite toy.

They think they can break me, make me submit and force me to bow like everyone else.

Pathetic.

I've commanded armies. Survived wars. Killed legends. These spoiled brats playing at dominance don't scare me.

I'll put them all in their place and show them who's bossy.

She betrayed him. He destroyed her. And death may not be enough to separate them.

Eve Carter's testimony sent Sean Winters to prison for three years. When he emerged as Wall Street's most ruthless CEO, his vengeance was calculated and complete—seizing custody of the daughter she hid from him and watching her suffer with cold satisfaction.

What Sean doesn't know: Eve was forced to lie by her powerful mayor father. What Eve can't tell him: she's dying of terminal cancer with six months left to live.

Their daughter Grace, a bright-eyed six-year-old with a failing heart, builds fairy houses and whispers to her stuffed animals about the mommy and daddy who never smile together. Her innocent laughter masks the tragic legacy of two broken families.

When Eve takes a knife meant for Sean, his dismissive words cut deeper than the blade: "We're even now."

But nothing is even in a game rigged by fate.

After Eve chooses death over suffering, leaving behind a devastating confession, Sean's world shatters. A year later, still broken and raising their daughter alone, he glimpses honey-blonde hair in a crowd and hears that haunting laugh.

Is Eve defying death itself to reclaim what was stolen? Or will the truth destroy what remains of Sean's sanity when he discovers what really happened six years ago? Read now to find out!

I fumbled with the lock, my pulse hammering. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't want this.
"Alaric," I breathed, but his name barely made it past my lips before his hands were on me—hot, demanding, unstoppable.
"Tell me to stop," he murmured against my throat, his fingers sliding beneath my dress. "Tell me you don't want this."
I opened my mouth—to argue, to push him away—but all that came out was a soft, shuddering gasp as he found the one place that betrayed me.
His dark chuckle sent a shiver down my spine. "That's what I thought."
Betrayed and humiliated at the altar.
Isla never planned to ruin herself in the arms of another man. But heartbreak led her straight into the grasp of Alaric Voss—powerful, ruthless, and twice her age.
One night. No names. No future.
Or so she thought.
Because when the sun rose, Isla came face-to-face with her new boss—the same man who had just claimed her in every sinful way possible.
Now, resisting him is impossible. He's everywhere—watching, teasing, owning her with every smirk, every touch. She swore it was a mistake. He swears it's just the beginning.
And the more she fights him, the more she realizes the truth:
She was his from the moment he laid eyes on her. And Alaric Voss doesn't let what's his slip away.

On the day she’s meant to marry the man she’s loved for years, Liora Reynolds’ world is ripped apart when a powerful stranger storms the ceremony and claims her as his bride.

Nikolai Volkov is ruthless, untouchable, and used to owning whatever he wants—and now, that includes Liora. Forced into a marriage she never agreed to, she’s determined to hate him, to fight him, even as the walls around her life begin to close in.

But nothing is as it seems.

The man she thought was her forever isn’t the person she believed. The one she’s been told is her enemy might be the only one who can protect her. And as dangerous truths unravel, Liora finds herself trapped between two men, two worlds, and a choice that could cost her everything.


"You should go rest," he says, eyes glinting with mischief.

"R.. rest?" I stutter.

"Yes little bride," he drawls, smiling. "You're going to need it."

"Wh.. what do you mean?"

"By night, we consummate our wedding."

The words slam into me like a physical blow. My throat closes, and I instinctively step back, but his hand shoots out, catching my chin between his fingers.

"Don’t look so pale," he murmurs, tilting my face up to his. "You’re my wife. It’s only natural."

"I.." My voice trembles. "You wouldn’t.."

"Oh, I would," his tone softens in the most chilling way. "And I will. You made your choice, Liora. Now you live with it."

My heart hammers so violently I think it might burst.

I saved my father.

But I think I’ve just sold myself to the devil.

When I woke up in that hospital bed, legs wrapped in casts and burning like hell, everything came flooding back. This time, I wasn't the naive fool I'd been before.
Tyler, my brother Ryan, and that bitch Savannah—they destroyed me. Turned a gymnastics prodigy into a cripple.
Tyler had the nerve to grab my hand, begging me to forgive Savannah for ruining my legs. My brother chose outsiders over me, screaming about "family reputation."
Fuck their love. Fuck family.
This time around, I've got evidence of the $1.2 million they owe me. I know all their dirty secrets. Round two has started, and I'm done being their victim.
Those three bastards are going to pay back every damn cent they stole from me.

"NEXT DOOR is full of completely unexpected twists—you will read it on the edge of your chair. It is Blake Pierce at his best! Another masterpiece of suspense and mystery. I highly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate an excellent thriller, full of psychological suspense and with a completely unexpected ending. This is the first in what promises to be another excellent series. I can hardly wait to read the sequel."--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto MattosA NEIGHBOR’S LIE (A Chloe Fine Mystery) is book #2 in a new psychological suspense series by bestselling author Blake Pierce, whose #1 bestseller Once Gone (Book #1) (a free download) has over 1,000 five-star reviews. FBI Violent Crimes Division Special Agent Chloe Fine, 27, still reeling from the secrets of her past, finds herself thrown into her first case: the murder of a nanny in a seemingly perfect suburban town.Immersed in a world of secrets, of unfaithful couples, of pretense and artifice, Chloe soon realizes that anyone—and everyone—may be guilty. Yet at the same time, with her own father still in jail, she must battle her own demons and unravel her own secrets, which threaten to bring her down before her own career even begins.An emotionally wrought psychological suspense with layered characters, small-town ambiance and heart-pounding suspense, A NEIGHBOR’S LIE is book #2 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #3 in the CHLOE FINE series will be available soon.

I loved Finley for two years.
Until 1:00 AM on a Tuesday, when his best friend, Orion, sent me a half-naked photo and a jarring voice note."
If I actually bag her, don't go flipping out on me. A deal's a deal."
I booked the first flight out to confront him, only to catch the boy I loved naked and thrusting into another woman.
But that wasn't even the part that broke me.
When my roommate bypassed the hockey team's private Discord server, I found a channel named: #locker-room-bets.
There was my boyfriend, typing the words that shattered my world: "She's boring... She's like a lost puppy, you can't shake her... Play with her all you want."
My loyalty and two years of my life were nothing but a sick joke.
The entire hockey team had put money down on when I would willingly spread my legs for his best friend.

Lucy, a twenty year old college girl who is completely obsessed with cock and nonstop sex, never expected her single mom to bring home the perfect man. Ethan is in his late thirties, ripped from years of construction work, hung like a horse, and naturally dominant. After she reluctantly accepts the marriage, Lucy turns into a total seductress. She starts wearing the skimpiest outfits and teasing him without mercy. When her mom leaves town for a business trip, one dripping wet encounter leads to Lucy blackmailing Ethan into raw forbidden fucking. Their secret affair quickly explodes into daily risky creampies all over the house. But everything changes when Mom, Sarah, comes home early and catches them right in the middle of a hard fuck.

I faked my death to escape one monster, only to wake up in the bed of a worse one.

To flee an abusive marriage, I staged my demise and hid as a plain corporate assistant. Until one reckless night, I surrendered my secrets to a dangerously seductive stranger—only to discover he is Kieran Ferrara, my family’s most lethal, sworn enemy.

Now, I’m his assistant by day, and his forbidden obsession by night.

But the ultimate ticking bomb just dropped: I'm pregnant. Kieran is a cold mafia tyrant who was told he’d never father a child. I am carrying his miracle heir. But if he learns the truth beneath my mask—that his precious assistant is the daughter of the man he hates most—my sanctuary will become my execution.

When the masks fall, will his dark obsession protect her, or ruin them both?

Then, with deliberate slowness, he reached for a small black bottle. “I thought you would prefer the gentle way,” he murmured. “Guess I was wrong.”

The poison burned down my throat—Deadly Nightshade. It was once my favorite. I had used it to end others. Now, he was using it on me.

“Sometimes,” he whispered, “the person you once loved is the one who finally kills you.”


Brinda Virginia’s life has always been a battle—against fate, against her own fire, and against a heart that beats too weakly to match the storm inside her.


Abandoned as a child and raised by the only woman who ever truly loved her, she’s now facing her biggest loss yet. Her stepmother is dying. And the clock is ticking—seventy-two hours. That’s all the time she has to save her.


But then he returns.


Francesco Dante. Her past. Her ruin. A man cloaked in shadows, bearing a twisted bargain—submit to him, body and soul, or lose everything.


To save the only family she has left, Brinda must surrender. But submitting, in a world ruled by power, lust, and betrayal, is never truly submission.


Because this man doesn’t just want to own her—he wants to unmake her, unravel her, and turn her fire to ash.


And the most devastating part?


She might just let him. And love, in this kind of story, always draws blood.

Kate Brady doesn’t exist. She’s a name on a passport, a voice Jackson Ruspoli has started to trust, a lie built carefully enough to survive inside the walls of Ruspoli Industries. Underneath her is Natalie Cromwell, a woman who died the same year her father did, when his ruined name became the only inheritance she had left.

Getting close to Jackson was supposed to be simple: find the buried proof that clears her father, and disappear before anyone learns her real name. But Jackson isn’t the careless mark she expected.
He’s sharp enough to know something about her doesn’t add up, and dangerous enough that being caught could cost her more than the job.

Then someone else starts using her real name.
Someone who remembers exactly what happened ten years ago, and wants the kind of ending that doesn’t leave room for the truth to matter, only for everything to burn. Now Natalie isn’t just racing to expose what Jackson’s family did. She’s racing to stop a stranger from destroying her only chance to do it right, before she becomes the one person left to blame.

The closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to Jackson. And the more she has to lose the moment he finds out who she really is.

She came here to be the hunter. She’s starting to realize she might already be the prey.

I have once killed a man.
He was my first love. Everything about him was like a dream come true until my blindness was lifted, and I realised he was my greatest mistake.
Eugene would beat me to a stupor, yet I played the role of a happy wife on the outside. I had lost two pregnancies because of him, but I hoped he would change. He promised to. He would buy me tons of gifts to apologise, yet he always returned to being the beast he was the very next night.
I could tell no one about the unexpected turn my relationship with Eugene had taken because no one would believe me.
Even when I escaped and ran to an old lady for help, he made me look like the villain.
I had lost hope. I was seven months into my third pregnancy when he tore my skin with a blade. I struggled and struggled until I stabbed him mercilessly.
That should have been my happy ending.
I gave birth to my child and started a new life in a new place.
Like a new dawn, my life was finally becoming perfect... until I woke up to see my daughter drowning in the bathtub.
Written on the mirror was a message in blood.
'I'm back.'
Now, he haunts my baby every night, and I wake up covered in bruises as though he abuses me in my sleep.
I reported every incident to the police, but even though there were clues, no one could find him.
However, in my lowest moment, only Detective Dorian stood by me. He was the only one who made me feel safe.
And he promised to help me catch the person behind my misfortunes.

What do you do when you catch your fiancé's best friend, who hates you with every fiber of his being, jerking off with your photo on his phone?


Nadia's almost perfect life was almost coming to an end when she mistakenly sent nudes meant for her fiancé to his best friend, her boss, the cold, ruthless Mr. Jeremy Kellason.

And on the same night, they had a late-night meeting at their office suite, where they had to share the same wing.

It was 1 AM when Nadia went to return the files she mistakenly took from her boss's office... That was when she heard it... In his bedroom... He was jerking off with her photo in his hand.

She should have run away, but she didn't make that decision in time, until his eyes met hers... That was the moment everything changed for Nadia.

Now, trapped in a forbidden web with her boss/fiance's best friend, she had two options... Call off the wedding and marry her boss, or he tells her fiancé that the baby she was carrying belonged to him, and he wasn't going to let her go for any reason in the world.

BOOK 3 OF THE CORPORATE SIN SERIES. All BOOKS IN THIS SERIES CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE.


TRIGGER WARNING!!!

This book drips with everything you’ve been warned to stay away from: obsession, coercion, power imbalance, and a morally black anti-hero who plays god with people’s lives.

It is raw, twisted, and unapologetically toxic.

"Why are you in my car?" Sammy asked horrified, "And where the hell are your clothes?"

He was sat beside her in nothing but a pair of loose shorts, that left nothing whatsoever to the imagination, and now Sammy was nervous, he was so close, and he smelled surprisingly good.

His stare was intense as he looked into her blue eyes. She was clearly annoyed and uncomfortable, and he feared he may be the cause. But, even so he couldn't walk away.

This beautiful woman was his mate, and he had to fix this, because her current opinion of him, was killing him.

****The Blue Valley Pack, came close to being discovered late one October evening. They were practicing for a haunted house. Ever since, they found people ask less questions if they know a little, and they find that little out, under the pack's control. So, every Halloween since, they open the doors to their pack house and orchestrated a show.

It all went fantastically for six years, until, the beta's mate walked in.... She's human.

Sammy is a sweetheart, she works as a vetinary ranger at a wildlife sanctuary. She rarely goes or sees anyone outside of work, preferring her quiet life.

Then her work mate's buy her a ticket to go with them to see the most amazing haunted house ever.

Her life was much less quiet after that...

This is a collection of werewolf stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat, flipping through the pages and wanting more.


Book1: Her Alpha Mate
Freya is the joy and life of the pack. All revere her as the daughter of Alpha.
She's blessed by the moon goddess. The Moon Goddess blessed her with a heart of gold.
But her mate Zack, an alpha, doesn't want her because he doesn't want a mate.


Book 2: Her Broken Mate
Sarah is now twenty-three and still without a mate.
When visiting the packhouse, she finally found her mate.
The son of the Alpha. The hottest man she ever met.
But he is a mute.


Book 3: Her Passion
Ava is a rogue who is forced by a new law to attend a school for werewolves for a year. There she meets her mate, a certain Alpha, who has a grudge against all rogues. Will he get the life he has always longed for, or will his pride get the better of him?

Truth or dare,Jasmine?” Erik asks, looking up from where he’s teasing me.

“Truth,” I say, because tonight is all about open communication.

He arches a brow and twists his lips into a sexy smirk. “Which one of us do you want to fuck you first?”

I look at each of them. Damon, caressing my leg as he spreads me for his friend;Harry , his dark stubble brushing against my thigh as he pauses to look up at me from between my legs; Ian,his dark hooded eyes seeming to cut through to my very soul, and Erik,his expression merry while his tattooed chest heave with mischief.

“All of you,” I say, because I could never choose.


Jasmine was invited to a drag race by her friend to celebrate their college graduation where the four expensive and luxurious cars caught her attention but little did she know that she will end up being entangled and becoming the rogue for the four wealthy alphas.

Jasmine is only allowed to have one mate, who will Jasmine choose among the four?

18+ WARNING: This is a hooking reverse harem with a lot of explicit scenes.

Akira Kuromiya is just an average high schooler who gets killed by a robber. He wakes up and is now a chicken!? Even worse he becomes the familiar of a girl who"s apparently the heiress of a powerful clan.

That was for a short while though, as he was abandoned and woke up to find out he, now she, is trapped in a deadly magical forest with all sorts creatures trying to kill her.

The world she finds herself is one of magic and monsters like the manga she's been reading. Akira, now Hinotori is trying to live her life as a chicken in another world!

Tags: Isekai, Adventure, Action, Weak-to-strong, Monster, Evolution, System, LitRPG, Yuri, Overpowered MC, Harem, Demons

The book is quite slow paced, with some arcs seeming quite useless and boring. However, I promise, every arc is important and I urge you to continue. If you can't, I won't try to stop you because the choice is yours.
Over the few months this story's been up I've come to notice one common comment. The MC is stupid. Well, that's just how she is at the the beginning. A selfish entitled brat who believed the world was against her(previously him) after some mistakes she made. I mean, what's a story without personal growth? The character growth is slow and annoying, but it's there. MC will have to learn to make the bigger and smarter decisions with not only his life on the line. If you also can't wait to see a person change, that's fine too. I can't change your mind on that. All I'm saying is give it a shot.
Anyway, that's it for my blurb!

My name is Alex Smith, just an ordinary employee at a company. Yesterday, two idiotic female colleagues framed me, and my boss didn't even give me a chance to explain before firing me. I prided myself on my skills, working tirelessly and loyally for the company, only to be accused of leaking company secrets.
Maybe I've just been unlucky lately. Yesterday, I got fired, and today, I survived a plane crash and ended up on a deserted island with no cell signal. To my utter disbelief, not only did I run into my attractive colleague on the island, but I also encountered the boss who framed me.

Anna Miller

"I see...even after a year apart, your ice barricades hadn't melted yet Kardoula mou...." He was looking at her with a faint hint of aversion.
It was like waving a red cloth in front of an angry bull. She felt mad. 'How arrogant can a man be? A year ago, she had barely escaped the cell, where he had locked her up - in his ancestral castle in Greece ......after marrying her, and then throwing her away like a used toy that no longer interested him.

And if that hadn't been enough.....he had then done the most despicable thing ever, by taking another lover to his bed and keeping that woman as his mistress in his city apartment.
Spending night after night with that woman, while SHE - his wife remained in his home, waiting for him in the empty castle, like a lost soul!

Eros Kozakis
This time, he was going to get his wife back!
And then he will whisk her back into his bed where she belonged, her lithe body thrumming with uncontrollable passion underneath him, as he surged inside her over and over again, to satiate the unquenchable fire that burns between them.
He will keep her barefoot and pregnant for the next few years, until she gives him a few children and until the idea of ever leaving him is completely and utterly eroded out of her mind!

I found my angel. Then I broke her wings.

Alexis should’ve never set foot in my world.
Men like me stain girls like her. We take their innocence and tear it to shreds.
She thinks she’s tough. She thinks she can handle me.
But she doesn’t know just how deep my darkness goes.

It was for the best that I claimed her for a night and left her behind.
Anything more than that would have been cruel.

I thought I’d seen the last of Alexis Wright.
So imagine my surprise two years later when the door to my office opens…
And she walks in.
The girl I ravaged. The girl I devoured.

Now that’s she’s in front of me again, I have just two questions for her:
First—what is she doing here?
And second…
What does she mean, “our baby”?

Being the middle Child ignored and neglected, rejected by family and injured, She receives her wolf early and realizes she is a new type of hybrid but doesn't know how to control her power, she leaves her pack with her best friend and grandmother to go to her grandfather's clan to learn what she is and how to handle her power and then with her fated mate, her best friend and her fated mate little brother and grandmother start their own pack.

Diana, to save the one thing she adored the most, had to substitute her sister and get married to a Disable, unwanted Alpha, after being rejected by her own mate who choose her elder sister over her. Heartbroken and sad, she discovered this disabled Alpha was her second chance mate, but he also rejected her, and continuously made her life miserable despite they were soon to be married.

Somehow, Diana had a night of pleasure with him, leading her to get pregnant. She thought this would save her marriage and was about to inform her husband but then overheard him, the disabled Alpha, Dante plotting to kill her. Scared for her life, Diana made an escape into another realm where she discovered her true identity and realized everything she knew was a lie.

After she ran away, Dante regretted all his actions and started to desire to have her back but then she was nowhere to be found. Four years after, Diana returned back to the werewolf community, now a powerful Luna about to get Bethrothed to Dante's cousin.

How come?

Will Diana ever forgive Dante especially when her mind is set to ruin him?

It's the year 2063 and the whole world stood in fear awaiting the impact of the approaching comet which scientist believed its impact will have significant changes in the whole world.
Simultaneously, another strange signal was discovered transmitting from one remote village in Nigeria; a democratic republic located in West Africa.
The special America intelligence unit quickly arranged a three men squad to visit the area and find out what is transmitting and it's connection with the approaching comet. On landing at the venue some hours later, the squad were amazed to discover that the only object of reverence on the location was a Scepter that was believed belong to a mythological Demigod.

The sect of aliens known as the hurras invaded the earth with the aim of destroying humanity for there atrocities against mother earth. To them , human are destroying a place that have been existing even before they were created. Through pollution, deforestation, hatred and bloodshed, human seemed to be moving towards self destruction, they are here to make it quick. There first mission is to destroy the Scepter

What’s more embarrassing than a butt dial?
Butt dialing your boss…
And leaving a dirty voicemail when you’re uhh… “thinking” about them.

Working as Ruslan Oryolov’s personal assistant is the job from hell.
After a long day spent tending to the billionaire’s every whim, I need some stress relief.
So when I get home that night, that’s exactly what I do.

Problem is, my thoughts are still stuck on the bosshole who’s ruining my life.
That’s fine—because of all Ruslan’s many sins, being gorgeous might be the most dangerous.
Tonight, fantasies of him are just what I need to push me over the edge.

But when I look down at my phone squished next to me,
There it is.
A voicemail for 7 minutes and 32 seconds…
Sent to Ruslan Oryolov.

I panic and throw my phone across the room.
But there is no undoing the damage done by my very vocal O.

So what can I do?
My plan was to just avoid him and act like it never happened.
Besides, no one that busy checks their voicemails, right?

But when he schedules a one-on-one meeting with me for exactly 7 minutes and 32 seconds,
One thing is for certain:
He.
Heard.
Everything.

By day, Nora Ellis is the efficient, sharp-tongued secretary to the elusive billionaire, David Reid. By night, she becomes Mistress Scarlet – the masked dominatrix who commands The Red Room.

Her two lives never touch.
Until the night her boss walks into her world as a new client.

David's no stranger to control: by day, he's the ruthless CEO with a hidden mafia empire; by night, he's her most demanding client, unaware the masked submissive he craves is the woman who knows his every secret. What starts as forbidden pleasure turns into a dangerous obsession, one that blurs the lines between power, pain, and love.

As enemies close in and Nora’s past resurfaces, she must decide which part of herself to save… the woman he commands, or the woman who could destroy him.

Trigger Warning: This story contains explicit BDSM scenes (including dominance/submission dynamics, impact play, restraint, and sensory deprivation), graphic depictions of gun violence and murder, kidnapping attempts, mafia-related threats and organized crime elements, alcohol use, and themes of secrecy, betrayal, and emotional manipulation. Reader discretion is advised – safe, sane, and consensual practices are emphasized, but content may be intense for some.

It's the first look on my wedding day.
I turn... but my husband isn't there.
Instead, I see the stranger who ruined my life.

Here's the story:
Six years ago, I was on the worst first date in history.
A blind date with some jerk who wouldn't take no for an answer.
The handsome stranger swooped in.
Saved me.
And sat down to finish the date.

I thought it was crazy.
But we had insane chemistry.
We got to talking, one thing led to another, we ended up in the restaurant bathroom, and...
You know.

I got pregnant.
He disappeared.
Life: ruined.

I tried to move on.
For six years, I thought I succeeded.
But now, out of nowhere, he's back--on my wedding day, of all days.
Saying things that don't make any sense.

"Your fiancé isn't who you thought he was...

I'm not letting you marry him..."

And, worst of all...

"You're marrying me instead."

One wardrobe malfunction.
Two people who don’t belong together.
Three awful words: “Be my wife.”

Everyone else is at this party to marry the host.
I’m only here until I can get a ride home.
When my dress rips in the world’s worst-timed wardrobe malfunction,
I go find somewhere quiet to fix it.

So I’m standing there in nothing but my heels when,
As my luck would have it, the door opens…

And the man of the hour walks in.

I wish I could say I played it cool.
But it’s been a looong time since anyone has seen me in my birthday suit…
Much less the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.

All I want to do is fix my dress, click my heels three times, and be back on my couch in fuzzy slippers.
But Ivan has other ideas.

He’s decided who he’s taking to the altar…
And I don’t have a choice but to say “I do.”

What's worse than being dragged to a wedding?
Finding out the groom is your ex.
And he’s still not over you.

Yulian Lozhkin was crafted by the Good Lord Himself.
Stormy-gray eyes. GQ stubble. Cheesegrater abs.

Too bad he's one of the most dangerous, powerful men in the city.

He needs a fake fiancé to seal the deal that will crown him king.
And I need his help to get my son the special care he needs.

So I make a deal to be his date for the night.
But imagine my surprise when we arrive at the ceremony and I see who's getting married...

MY EX.

And as the wedding unfolds, I realize just how not over me he is.
I broke up with him for good reason.
Namely, he’s a terrible person.
Him awkwardly hitting on me in front of his wife-to-be explains it all.

But Yulian needs to close this deal and stay.
And I can suck it up for one night for my son’s well-being.

Which brings me to maybe the worst moment of my entire life…
When the pastor asks, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
And my ex says, “No…
I want HER instead.”

What would you do if you walked in on your husband cheating?
I'll tell you what I did:
Ran out the door with nothing but the clothes on my back.

A month later, I'm broke, jobless, almost homeless.
But then, while filling in as a waitress at a fancy restaurant, I trip and land in the lap of a gorgeous stranger.

One thing leads to another and we end up hooking up.
Afterwards, he leaves.
That's the end of that... right?

WRONG.

Because the next day, my temp agency sets me up for a job that seems too good to be true.
But when I arrive for the interview, my jaw drops.

It's the stranger.
Turns out he's rich. Like, very rich.
And powerful. Like, very powerful.
And here's his offer:

"Live in my house.
Be my wife.
Have my baby."

Needless to say, I start to freak out.
I stand up and stammer, "Um, I'll have to get back to you..."
And he replies:
"You're misunderstanding.
It wasn't a question.
You're not going anywhere."

Molly May was disowned by her wealthy adoptive family at seventeen when she mysteriously became pregnant with triplets she couldn't explain. She spent five years raising Alex, Ben, and Claudia alone in a foreign country, working herself to exhaustion to keep them safe. When a job opportunity brings her back to Northfolk, her brilliant eldest son discovers that their father is Sean Anderson, a ruthless billionaire who has spent six years pretending that one night never happened. As Sean is forced to confront the woman and children he left behind, he must decide whether he has the capacity to change. But dark secrets from his past and Molly's present threaten to destroy them all. In a world where power and money can hide the truth, can love survive when it's built on a foundation of lies, forgotten memories, and hidden pain?

I found out my husband of three years had cheated on me and his mistress is the one who told me—because he didn’t have the balls to do it himself. I move out and get a new apartment, a job as a bartender, and try to move on with a broken heart. I wonder where it all went wrong, if I hadn’t been enough for him, if I’d been stupid for marrying him in the first place. I’m at work one night when he walks inside—the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. He sits at the bar and a forest fire burns between us. I was depressed the moment before he entered, but the second I look at his blue eyes, I forget the dumpster fire that my life has become. I invite him back to my place and it’s the most passionate night of my life. I expect to never see him again. I just want him as an anti-depressant—but he wants me all to himself. I just got my heart ripped out of my chest so I want something easy and no-strings-attached, but he wants all the strings because he’s hooked. I don’t get much of a say in the matter, and that’s not surprising when I learn why—because he’s the Butcher. The crime lord of all crime lords, the boss that overshadows all of Paris, that makes everyone abide by his rules—or pay. And now I’m his.

Vania never imagined that the man she once called her future would become the very reason her dignity shattered.
She had given him everything—her soul, her body, her trust—believing her fiancé would protect and cherish her. But behind the sweet promises and the nearly perfect wedding plans, a cruel bargain had already been made: she had been turned into a wager.
To save his family’s company from the brink of collapse, he chose the most despicable path—selling Vania’s innocence to his own best friend as “capital” to keep the business alive.
The love she thought was sacred became a transaction. The sacrifice she believed was devotion transformed into an unforgivable betrayal.
Now, standing among the ruins of her dreams and the fragments of her stolen dignity, Vania must decide: remain a victim of someone else’s greed—or rise, reclaim herself, and demand justice for what was taken from her.

She once believed she was the happiest woman in the world.
Her husband was gentle and wealthy, attentive to her every need, always treating her like she was precious and irreplaceable.
Then she came home early, wanting to surprise him.
The bedroom door was slightly ajar. From inside came a woman's soft, breathless voice:
"I'm carrying your child. When are you going to divorce her?"
In that moment, her entire world collapsed.
What made it even more cruel was that on that very same day, she found out she was pregnant too.
The child she had waited five years for finally came — on the exact day she decided to leave.
She slipped off her wedding ring without a word. No confrontation. No tears. No begging for an explanation.
She walked away from the lie she had called a marriage and chose to rebuild her life on her own terms. She was done being a kept woman, caged and pampered and disposable.
She would take back everything she had once given up, with her own two hands.
It was only later that her husband finally understood what he had done. He had lost her.
He began showing up wherever she was, humbling himself, careful and desperate, asking her to come back.
But this time, she was already gone.
And she wasn't coming back.