Power and riches mean nothing if you have nothing to live for. A lifetime of wealth beyond imagine and a throne to rule have kept the pain at bay. With a tragic beginning I was prepared for a tragic end: the death of our kind and the final reign of the dragons.

I'd have chosen her above all else...if only I could go back. Even if it meant I never got to kiss her, to love her, to be consumed by the woman she is and the love she gave me. She deserves more than this... She deserves more than this dangerous life I lead. She was never supposed to be involved. She was mine to lust after, to have in the darkest hours of the night, to love in secret even.

Sometimes you meet someone - maybe meet isn't the right word. You don't even have say hello for this to happen. You simply pass by them, and everything in your world changes forever. Chills flow all the way from the crook in your neck where you imagine he'd kiss you, all the way down, with only a single glance. I know you know what I'm referring to. The moment when something inside of you ignites to life, recognizing their other half that's been gone for far too long. It burns hot, destroying any hope that it's only a coincidence, and that life will go back to what it was.

I should’ve known she would ruin me the moment I saw her. Women like her are made to destroy men like me. I couldn’t resist her though. Given to me to start a war; I was too eager to accept. But I didn’t know what she’d do to me. That she would change everything.

Dominic Valetti is only interested in two things: getting paid and getting laid. He's a bookie for the Valetti crime family, and he knows his shit. Dom's busy doing business, no time to dabble in social niceties. The women that chase after him wanting more than a dirty, hard f--k are only gonna get their hearts broken. That is, until Becca stumbles into his office to pay off her ex's debt. A hot brunette who's just as guarded as he is and has a body made for sin...and for him.

I didn’t get to where I am by being nice. I’m the boss, the CEO, the owner of whatever I want. Right now, that includes every person in this building of the company I just bought. I stop at nothing once I’ve decided I’m taking something. And then she showed up...full of spitfire just for me, the man she's decided is her worst enemy. Like I said, I stop at nothing once I’ve decided I’m taking something. This pretty little thing just moved to the top of my "must acquire" list.

They don’t go to the brick wall. No one in the village does. Ever since I was a little girl, everyone has warned me not to go or even to look at it. And if you happen to find yourself close to the wall, run as fast and as far away as you can. The magic from the beast creeps beyond the wall, but not by much. No one who values their life approaches the enchanted area, let alone searches out the gate. Everyone is sure not to provoke the enchanted area. Those who do, don’t come back to tell their tales. The magic is dark. And it’s all from the beast.

I ran from him, even though my heart knew better. Love was one thing, but survival another. I should have known he'd come for me. Men like him always get what they want. The temptation in his eyes, the heat of his touch...it's all still there, but his gaze is harsher now and his grasp unrelenting. He's not the boy I fell in love with, although pieces of what we once had are still there. I can feel it. I know what he wants from me, and I know it comes with a steep price. I'll pay it though, if for no other reason than to touch him again.

Rule number one of Wall Street: don’t fall in love with your billionaire boss. I hate my boss. The Wall Street tycoon is a jerk. A world-class alpha-hole. Devastatingly handsome but terribly flawed. He goes through assistants like I go through vanilla lattes, and I need this job. But I went to school with bullies like him, so I’m not afraid. I hate my attraction to him. How sparks fly when we spar. The way he barks orders and dresses me down. I hate how I fantasize about him during and after work hours.

I should have known when I couldn’t keep my eyes off her that this would be a mistake. I was hired to protect her, this woman who’s lost everything, yet there’s an obvious fire that blazes behind her beautiful gaze. She stares back, daring and tempting me. It calls to a side of me that’s darker and longs to tame her. The moment she agrees to my terms, I know I’ve crossed a line. One of many rules I’m willing to break. No one can know, not a soul, but secrets in the life I lead never last for long.

It was never love with Daniel, and I never thought it would be. It was only lust from a distance. Unrequited love maybe. He's a man I could never have, for so many reasons. That didn't stop my heart from beating wildly when his eyes pierced through me. It only slowed back down when he'd look away, making me feel so damn unworthy and reminding me that he would never be mine.

We were never meant to be together. He’s a bartender with noncommittal tendencies. I’m looking for…the opposite. Commitment. Period. But drinks and a bet led to something it shouldn’t have: a fake relationship. Worse, a first date, a first kiss…and then more. He’s addictive and I can’t bring myself to accept the reality. That it’s all a lie and I’m fooling myself by thinking he could want more. That I could change him.

I've got a thing for men who work with their hands. I thought I learned my lesson years ago. But here I am, back in the small town I grew up in, staring down at the man who broke my heart years ago. I intended to tell him off. My plan was to flip him the bird and prove to both of us that he hadn't ruined me. I sure as hell wasn't going to sleep with him. Until he tells me he's sorry. Until he gives me that smoldering look I still dream about. Until he whispers just beneath the shell of my ear.

They say the gods will accept no small sacrifice. To appease them, you must give your all. I’ve sacrificed everything. Lived through loss and learned to love. To take the beauty with the pain. The rose with the thorns. This love story isn’t perfect, but it’s ours. We’ll hold onto it forever. And hope our forever is longer than a day. From the USA Today best-selling authors Stasia Black and Lee Savino comes a story of love, loss, surrender, and rebirth told in three parts, now complete in this trilogy collection.

His smile is what got me. It was charming but held a hint of the sexy thoughts I was hoping he had in his head like I did with only our first glance. He may be tall, dark, and handsome, but I’m telling you, it was his smile that got me. I’m sure of that detail. Too bad all I did was avert my gaze and let a blush rise up to my cheeks, outing me for having sordid thoughts about my son’s preschool teacher.

It’s the flight before Christmas and Molly just got an unexpected gift: a free first-class upgrade on her plane trip home for the holidays. Bring on the complimentary cocktails! But after one too many, she spills all her secrets to the hot guy seated next to her—only to wake up mortified when her buzz has worn off. At least she never has to see Liam again ... or so she thinks. When Molly arrives at Christmas House, the festive rental home that she and her family are sharing with her sister’s fiancé and his wealthy family, she discovers that Liam is one of the new in-laws. Oops.

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year. When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

Living in a year around Christmas town has its drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave - I mean housekeeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits. And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

There's no place like home for the holidays ... especially for Lesley Carver. Life in the big city just wasn't her jam and now she's back in Hickory Falls, working at the family diner and helping her mom after she took a tumble. Lesley longs to build a life here, working at the cafe, selling her handmade ornaments and ... er, apparently reviving her high school crush on her best friend’s older brother. Only one problem, her mom wants her to leave Hickory Falls far behind.

Evie Crowe is starting over in a strange town with her newborn, and men are the furthest thing from her mind. If only the quiet, hulking farmer, Luke Ward, would stop coming into the thrift shop and piquing her reluctant interest. Evie wants to stay single all the way—she can’t trust anything more than friends-with-holiday-benefits. But Luke is in it for the long haul. He’s fixed on making this a Christmas Evie will remember forever. If she gives him a chance.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

Clark Griswold was onto something...at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

After a snowstorm grounds her flight, Lucy makes a last-ditch effort to get home for Christmas using a rideshare app. She thinks she’ll be taking a road trip with a stranger...but the guy who shows up is someone she knows all too well. He’s the hookup she ghosted a few months ago, and now she’ll be stuck in a car with him for the most awkward road trip of her life.

After a bad breakup, Nola wants nothing to do with Christmas, especially in her quaint hometown of Bright Harbor, Maine. Infuriatingly charming and cheery, Nola’s surroundings only worsen her sour mood. To make matters worse, Caleb, the boy who broke her heart years ago, is all grown up and still living in town. While doing her best to avoid him, Nola bumps into the local mailman, who gives her a mysterious letter. And when she finds that the writer is a fellow Scrooge, she can’t help but feel her spirit lifting.

Power and riches mean nothing if you have nothing to live for. A lifetime of wealth beyond imagine and a throne to rule have kept the pain at bay. With a tragic beginning I was prepared for a tragic end: the death of our kind and the final reign of the dragons.

Some love stories are a slow burn. Others are quick to ignite, scorching and branding your very soul before you’ve taken that first breath. You’re never given a chance to run from it. That’s how I’d describe what happened to us. Everything around me blurred and all that existed were his lips, his touch.... The chase and the heat between us became addictive. Our nights together were a distraction, one we craved to the point of letting the world crumble around us.

I've got a thing for men who work with their hands. I thought I learned my lesson years ago. But here I am, back in the small town I grew up in, staring down at the man who broke my heart years ago. I intended to tell him off. My plan was to flip him the bird and prove to both of us that he hadn't ruined me. I sure as hell wasn't going to sleep with him. Until he tells me he's sorry. Until he gives me that smoldering look I still dream about. Until he whispers just beneath the shell of my ear.

We were never meant to be together. He’s a bartender with noncommittal tendencies. I’m looking for…the opposite. Commitment. Period. But drinks and a bet led to something it shouldn’t have: a fake relationship. Worse, a first date, a first kiss…and then more. He’s addictive and I can’t bring myself to accept the reality. That it’s all a lie and I’m fooling myself by thinking he could want more. That I could change him.

Sometimes you meet someone - maybe meet isn't the right word. You don't even have say hello for this to happen. You simply pass by them, and everything in your world changes forever. Chills flow all the way from the crook in your neck where you imagine he'd kiss you, all the way down, with only a single glance. I know you know what I'm referring to. The moment when something inside of you ignites to life, recognizing their other half that's been gone for far too long. It burns hot, destroying any hope that it's only a coincidence, and that life will go back to what it was.

Some love stories are a slow burn. Others are quick to ignite, scorching, and branding your very soul before you’ve taken that first breath. You’re never given a chance to run from it. That’s how I’d describe what happened to us. Everything around me blurred, and all that existed were his lips, his touch. The chase and the heat between us became addictive.

There's a moment when I forget he's not mine. This small spell of time, when I let my thoughts carry me away. He holds me. He kisses me. He makes all of this better. That moment when I'm his and everything is all right, is gone in an instant. It's quick and fleeting, moving so fast that it slips through my grasp. If I could catch it, I'd hold on to it forever. I always thought this thing between us would only ever be just that. A passing moment, a pleasant dream that helped lull me to sleep at night.

His smile is what got me. It was charming but held a hint of the sexy thoughts I was hoping he had in his head like I did with only our first glance. He may be tall, dark, and handsome, but I’m telling you, it was his smile that got me. I’m sure of that detail. Too bad all I did was avert my gaze and let a blush rise up to my cheeks, outing me for having sordid thoughts about my son’s preschool teacher.

We made a deal… one I thought I’d never make. I’m trying not to judge myself but it’s a bit shameful. Rent was due and I simply didn’t have it. I love the big city and I’ve done everything I could to make it. But after a rough few years, a break up that nearly destroyed me, and a personal issue that I just can’t talk about… I’m broke and hit rock bottom. Then there’s Graham.

It was never love with Daniel, and I never thought it would be. It was only lust from a distance. Unrequited love maybe. He's a man I could never have, for so many reasons. That didn't stop my heart from beating wildly when his eyes pierced through me. It only slowed back down when he'd look away, making me feel so damn unworthy and reminding me that he would never be mine.

I'd have chosen her above all else...if only I could go back. Even if it meant I never got to kiss her, to love her, to be consumed by the woman she is and the love she gave me. She deserves more than this... She deserves more than this dangerous life I lead. She was never supposed to be involved. She was mine to lust after, to have in the darkest hours of the night, to love in secret even.

I thought I had life all figured out…and then you kissed me.

They don’t go to the brick wall. No one in the village does. Ever since I was a little girl, everyone has warned me not to go or even to look at it. And if you happen to find yourself close to the wall, run as fast and as far away as you can. The magic from the beast creeps beyond the wall, but not by much. No one who values their life approaches the enchanted area, let alone searches out the gate. Everyone is sure not to provoke the enchanted area. Those who do, don’t come back to tell their tales. The magic is dark. And it’s all from the beast.

Expensive. Powerful. And entirely f--ked up. That sums up the pretentious but elite circle I grew up in. As much as I hate it, this life has its perks. If I want it, it's mine. It's as simple as that. Until she showed up. She's a tempting little vixen I'm not allowed to have. One intense night changed it all between us, threatening to shatter everything we knew. She came up with a lie. I came up with a cover. Because the truth is… I can't keep my hands off her, and one night would never be enough.

I ran from him, even though my heart knew better. Love was one thing, but survival another. I should have known he'd come for me. Men like him always get what they want. The temptation in his eyes, the heat of his touch...it's all still there, but his gaze is harsher now and his grasp unrelenting. He's not the boy I fell in love with, although pieces of what we once had are still there. I can feel it. I know what he wants from me, and I know it comes with a steep price. I'll pay it though, if for no other reason than to touch him again.