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The Power of Love and Murder
The Power of Love and Murder

The Power of Love and Murder

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For thirteen years, Penny Sparks has managed to hide from the political powers who murdered her family. When she unwittingly exposes her true identity, not only is she marked for death, but the people closest to her risk meeting the same fate. Jake Winters is out of rehab and coming to grips with his demons. When he meets his sister’s roommate, Jake believes Penny might be that someone who can help him find life after rock star status…until her secrets blow up his world. With a government agent turned hit man closing in on her, Penny and Jake race to expose the presidential contender behind the murders of her family. Even if they win the race with death, the murder that stands between them could end their hope for a new life.

Thrill
Action-packed
Assailant
Speculative
Crime
Romantic Suspense

Chapter 1

Feb 4, 2022

Prologue

Thirteen Years Earlier

As she drove onto her street for home, Jianna Ricci’s thoughts were on the unexpected afterschool meeting with her counselor. The news Ms. Saleg had given her had her bubbly with giddiness. She couldn’t wait to tell her parents that her counselor had taken a personal interest in her and sent letters of recommendation to five top schools. One of them: Oxford.

Her imagination took flight as her cell chimed a text message. She tipped the sunglasses up on her head and glanced at the phone. John, her brother.

The smile on her face turned to stone as she read the two-letter code.

GU

A cold chill prickled her spine as she snapped her gaze back to the road. GU. Go under. Her stomach swam with nausea and sweat dampened the whole of her body. She focused ahead to the middle of the block, spotted her house and the black sedan parked in the driveway, and eased her foot off the gas. Confusion added to her dismay. There had to be a mistake.

But she couldn’t risk it.

While increasing her speed to the posted limit, she punched the photo button on her phone with a shaky hand, then turned her attention back to the road ahead. As she drove by her home, she held the camera to the side window and snapped a picture, capturing the car with government plates parked in the driveway.

Attention still on the road, heart pounding, she tossed the phone on the passenger seat and sped past the lake and out the gate of the Rock Springs Country Club community. By the time the eastside of the parking lot at the Red Rock Mall came into view, three miles away, her hands still shook. She stopped precisely where her father had directed, where the security camera on the corner of the roof couldn’t quite reach, opened the glove box, and removed the pre-paid phone. As she turned on the cell, a silent plea to her family left her lips.

Please call. Tell me it’s a false alarm.

Pings and lights held her attention as the phone came to life. For a moment, she stared at the cell, but when the hoped for tone of a message didn’t come, she shoved it into her leather hobo bag along with her own phone.

Jianna grabbed her corduroy jacket and lifted her backpack to the front seat. From the side pocket, she plucked a bracelet stowed there yesterday, an early Christmas present from her mother. No sense taking anything else from the pack. A survey of the parking lot showed holiday shoppers bustling in and out of the mall, so there was a good chance no one would notice her. She eased open her door, set her feet on the black top, and as a dusty wind ruffled her hair, stood.

When the door clicked shut it was as if some part of her life had ended. Her knees gave way, and she fell back against the car. The Spring Mountains rose above the rooftop of the one level shopping mall. While gazing on the familiar sight, she wanted to rest a second, make some sense of the last several minutes. But the need to act quickly spurred her on. After two deep breaths, she slipped into her jacket, slung her bag over her shoulder, and strode across the lot, all the time darting glances side to side and behind her.

A green, metal trash barrel stood beside a No-Parking sign at the edge of the sidewalk. She took her cell out of her bag, removed the SIM card, and dropped the phone through the swinging lid. As she walked, she unzipped an inside suede compartment in the bag and deposited the card.

At the far end of the mall and across the parking lot, The Mohave Bank of Nevada anchored the corners of Fifth Street and Main. The mushiness in her legs had firmed by the time she pulled open the glass door and shivered against the air-conditioned assault still blowing in defense of a warmer than usual December in Red Rock, Nevada.

She cleared her throat and with a deep swallow, strode to the safety deposit counter. “Hi. I’d like to get into my box. Number fourteen twenty.”

“Uhm, sure.” The elderly lady gave her a quick once over. Maybe teenagers didn’t normally have safety deposit boxes.

Jianna dug in her wallet for ID. “It’s our family box, and you’ll see I have permission.”

The woman consulted a screen on the desk. “Oh, yes. Of course, Miss Ricci.”

Alone in the closet-sized room, she wasted no time. Her father had versed all of them, repeatedly, on what to do if the code came. Do first. Think later. Get the job done. She removed her driver’s license and high school ID from her wallet, then skimmed through a side pocket and slipped out her Dillard’s charge card, Eddie Bauer rewards card, and zoo membership ID, and set them beside the metal box.

She opened the box, stared at the contents for a moment, and tightened her stomach muscles to still the flutters. The family’s new future glared back. Her father’s instructions played in her head, causing her palms to sweat and her breath to come faster. When any one of them received the code, they were to follow his instructions to the letter, regardless of what they felt. He’d warned that if the safety deposit box should be breached, no evidence of the new life could be left for someone else to find.

Their lives depended on it. Whoever survived.

Now, staring at the contents, Jianna had to remove everything except for a portion of the money. After a deep breath, she lifted out the four passports, drivers’ licenses, and Social Security cards. When the rest of the family could escape whatever obstacle they’d encountered that necessitated the code, they would come to the bank, leave their identification, and take the money to help with joining together in Flagstaff, Arizona. She would be waiting with their new identities.

Stop thinking.

After wiping her palms on her jeans, she took the remaining items, four Visa cards, and five of the stacks of banded one hundred dollar bills, leaving three in the box…for her family. She had to believe they would follow.

She stashed all of the contents in the main compartment of the hobo bag, and in their place she deposited her ID and the other cards from her wallet then closed the metal box on Jianna Ricci.

Once the bank aide had assisted her in replacing and locking the box, she stepped from the vault, scanned the interior of the bank to make sure no one took undue notice, and made a straight line to the exit. Her hands didn’t shake, her knees didn’t buckle, and the plan she’d put in motion numbed her to all but what she had to do. Jianna Ricci, a senior girl in high school with a bright future, had entered The Mohave Bank of Nevada on a December day, but twenty-one-year-old Penny Sparks with uncertain days ahead was the woman who exited through the glass and chrome door.

The Power of Love and Murder

The Power of Love and Murder

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Passion Exclusive

The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife

Carmen Venetti thought she had everything: a powerful husband, a thriving empire, and the strength to hold it all together. But when Arianna De Luca, Marco's cunning and beautiful ex-lover, reappears, their once-unshakable marriage begins to fracture. Arianna claims she's here to help the Venetti family crush their enemies, but her true motives are as dangerous as they are secretive.As Marco grows increasingly entangled in Arianna's web of manipulations, Carmen is forced to make an impossible choice. Pregnant and heartbroken, she leaves the life she's fought so hard to protect, vowing to shield her unborn child from the venomous chaos threatening to consume them.But Carmen's absence only deepens Marco's descent into Arianna's trap. Blinded by ambition and haunted by whispers of betrayal, Marco dismisses the warning signs and lets Arianna tighten her grip on his empire. All the while, Arianna plays a dangerous double game, secretly aligning herself with the De Luca family and plotting to take the Venetti throne for herself. As trust crumbles and alliances shift, Carmen and Marco are thrust into a high-stakes battle of loyalty, love, and survival. Will Marco uncover Arianna's true intentions before it's too late, or will her schemes destroy everything the Venettis have built-including their chance at a family? In a world where power is deadly and betrayal is the ultimate weapon, the question isn't just who will survive-but who will come out on top.

Romance

The Double Life of My Pregnant Ex-Wife

The Barren Ex-Wife Gave Birth to Twins

When Amelia discovered she was pregnant with her billionaire husband Ryan's child, after three long years of longing and heartbreak, she was happy. She couldn't wait to share the joyous news with him and finally bring a piece of their love into the world.  When she got home, her excitement turned to icy dread when she saw the divorce papers Ryan had prepared for her to sign, unaware of the miracle blossoming inside her. Five years later, the past haunted both of them. Ryan's world shatters when he learned the son he had dutifully raised with Brenda, for the last five years, wasn't his flesh and blood and that Amelia was with twins five years ago.  Ryan unexpectedly shows up at Amelia's door, driven by desperation and a tormented desire to reclaim his lost family. Will Amelia allow the man who shattered her world back into their lives? And how will their children react to the father they barely know?

Romance

The Barren Ex-Wife Gave Birth to Twins

Love, Lies and Redemption

Vincent Austin's perfect life crumbles after a drunken mistake leaves his fiancee, Abigail Jones, betrayed and heartbroken. When another woman one day confronts him claiming to be carrying his child, Vincent is forced into a marriage of obligation, sacrificing the love of his life. Abigail finds solace in the arms of Nate, a kind and supportive doctor offering her the happiness she deserves. But Vincent, consumed by guilt and longing, refuses to let go, determined to win her back. As lies are exposed and shocking truths come to light, Abigail must navigate a whirlwind of emotions and choices. Will she trust the man who shattered her heart or embrace a future with someone new?

Romance

Love, Lies and Redemption

Hiding My Twin Pups From their Alpha Dad

Felicia finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage to the cold and domineering Alpha Damien.  Despite her hopes that a child might soften his heart, her world shatters when she discovers his passionate affection for another woman.  Heartbroken yet determined, Felicia demands a divorce. Five years after leaving her powerful Alpha husband, Felicia is living a quiet life with her twin sons, hiding from the past.  But when the Full Moon Festival brings her face-to-face with Damien, the father of her children, everything changes.

Romance

Hiding My Twin Pups From their Alpha Dad

Luna Aurora

Aurora, the devoted Luna of the Shadow Pack, has spent years by Alpha Fenrir's side, supporting him and nurturing their pack as his fated mate. But when his first love, Arianna, returns, Fenrir's heart falters. In a moment of weakness, he dismisses Aurora and demands a divorce, shattering her world. Unknown to him, Aurora carries his child-a secret she vows to protect as she retreats to her family, heartbroken but resilient. As Fenrir embraces his rekindled relationship with Arianna, he soon realizes that she's not the woman he once loved. Her cruelty toward the pack and unfaithful ways become impossible to ignore, while memories of Aurora's warmth haunt him. When Fenrir discovers the truth about Aurora's pregnancy, it's almost too late. Determined to reunite his family, Fenrir sets out on a journey to find Aurora, hoping she will forgive him and let him back into her life. But can he mend the wounds he caused? Or will he lose his fated mate and child forever?

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Luna Aurora

The Queen of Hearts

The Blackthorn Academy is a private boarding college for the children of high society-heirs of corporate giants, European aristocratic families, politicians, and celebrities. Despite growing up in a single-parent household, Andrea Riley worked tirelessly to secure a coveted scholarship, earning her place at the academy with hopes of a brighter future. The academy's mission is to prepare its students for admission to the world's most prestigious universities, but the social environment among its students trains them for the harsh realities of life-realities the academy's leadership remains blissfully unaware of. At Blackthorn, a student's social rank isn't determined by their family's influence or the number of zeroes in their bank account but by a high-stakes card game held at the start of every semester. Andrea has no choice but to participate, as refusal means being automatically assigned the role of the class scapegoat. When she receives her role, however, she unintentionally captures the attention of the Sinclair brothers - heirs to a powerful arms manufacturing empire with operations frequently linked to the mafia. Andrea didn't plan to let romance distract her from her studies and dreams of success, but everyone at The Blackthorn Academy knows damn good at least this one thing: when one of the "kings" wants something, he always gets it.

New Adult

The Queen of Hearts

The Pharaoh's Favorite

Neferet is the daughter of the High Priest of Amun, dreaming to become a priestess herself in temple of Isis. Her marriage to beloved Sahety, a rising military commander, would unite two powerful families beneath the Pharaoh. However, her world shatters when she discovers Sahety cheated with her younger sister near the sacred waters of the Nile.

Romance

The Pharaoh's Favorite

The President's Secret Daughter

Zorina thought marrying Kael Veridan, heir to the powerful Veridan family, would bring her love and respect. Instead, it turned her into an invisible servant in her own home. When Kael announces his engagement to the glamorous governor's daughter, Liora, Zorina's world crumbles. Betrayed and humiliated, she demands a divorce, ready to reveal her true identity-the secret daughter of the president and the hidden force behind the Veridan family's success. But as Kael realizes the powerful, independent woman he's underestimated, will his love for Liora hold, or will he come running back to the wife who was always his greatest ally?

New Adult

The President's Secret Daughter

Luna Vengeance

"I, Tyler Xander, the future leader of the silver moon pack, hereby reject you, Aurora Watson, as my mate and Luna of the Silver moon pack," The guy whom I've loved since the first year in school, said with a smirk as his beta pinned me against the wall. My already weak heart shattered into a thousand pieces, and I felt a physical ache in my body as pain penetrated through me. My legs wobbled under me, as I held on to them to keep my body in place. "There is no competition here, girl. You should leave, Tyler is mine!" Debbie piped up as she wrapped herself around my fated mate. That's me - Aurora. And welcome to my life...

Romance

Luna Vengeance

I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship

I've always been "the quiet, nerdy girl." The girl with her nose buried in a book, the girl people barely notice. But my world is a lot more complicated than it seems. You see, I'm absolutely, hopelessly in love with my best friend, Logan Reyes-the bad boy everyone wants but nobody can quite hold onto. And he has no idea. Logan and I have been friends forever. We banter, we laugh, and we're close. But to him, I'm just Emma, the girl he'll confide in about everything-except his new flings, like Vanessa, the school's reigning queen bee. She's got her sights on Logan and everyone knows it. Meanwhile, Logan and I share this strange, unspoken chemistry that I can't ignore, even if we act like it's no big deal. But everything changes the night I get roped into a game of spin the bottle at Vanessa's party. When the bottle lands on Logan, he kisses me in front of everyone-and suddenly, it's like I'm seeing Logan in a whole new light, and he's seeing me differently, too. Now he's paying me attention in a way that's unsettling, thrilling, and absolutely forbidden. And just when I think I can ignore it, Logan begins pursuing me-unabashedly, against all the rules he's lived by and despite his so-called girlfriend's wishes. Now, I'm caught in a whirlwind of gossip, jealousy, and emotions I can barely handle. Logan's breaking his own rules for me, and the harder I try to resist him, the more I find myself pulled back. But when we're toeing the line between friendship and something much more dangerous, my heart-and his-are on the line.

New Adult

I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship

The Chosen Luna: Alpha’s Unwanted Daughter

Isla Thorne has always been the outcast of her pack, a disappointment to her Alpha parents and a mystery to everyone else. As the daughter of powerful leaders in the Midnight Crest pack, she should have had a promising life-but her twin sister, Seraphine, made sure that never happened. By spreading rumors that Isla lacks a wolf, Seraphine has kept her confined to the shadows, practically a prisoner in her own home. Despite her family's scorn and her sister's cruelty, Isla hides one precious secret: a fierce wolf named Lira, who came to her in a moment of desperation on her eighteenth birthday. Every day, Isla waits for her mate-the one person she believes could love her unconditionally and maybe even break her free from this life of shame. But as the months pass, hope fades, and Seraphine's torment escalates. When a dangerous betrayal by her sister forces Isla into exile, she discovers just how far her family is willing to go to keep her hidden, a truth that shakes her to her core. Driven to survive, Isla escapes, finding herself alone and uncertain in the rogue lands beyond her pack's territory. But as her bond with Lira strengthens, she realizes that survival may be her only choice. Facing dangers from both rogues and hunters, Isla sets out on a journey that will test her in ways she never expected. With every step, she uncovers secrets about her family, her powers, and her destiny. But will she find the life she always dreamed of, or will her past catch up with her in the harshest of ways? As Isla ventures into the unknown, fate will reveal that perhaps she was meant for more than even she ever imagined.

Paranormal urban

The Chosen Luna: Alpha’s Unwanted Daughter

Never Just Friends

Seventeen-year-old Hanna is navigating her first year of high school while still grieving the loss of her parents. With her brother Jacob and best friends Emily and Elordi by her side, she's determined to survive the pressures of fitting in and finding her place. But things get complicated when Ciara, the queen bee of the school, targets Hanna out of jealousy-especially over Finn, Jacob's best friend, who's caught Hanna's eye. As high school drama unfolds, Hanna must learn to stand up for herself while holding onto the people who matter most.

New Adult

Never Just Friends

Her Husband's Secret Affair

Sophie's suspicions about her husband Adam's infidelity grow when she learns he's been taking his secretary to the family doctor.  After hearing the doctor confirm that his secretary lost the baby, Sophie confronts him and demands a divorce. Adam desperately tries to convince her to stay, but Sophie's mind is made up, and she packs her bags to leave.  In a heated argument, passion takes over, leading to a night of unexpected intimacy.  The next day, Adam leaves work early to make things right, only to return home to find Sophie gone without a trace.

Romance

Her Husband's Secret Affair

The Rebirth of My Dead Billionaire Wife

When Tori Kane awakens in the hospital after a suspicious accident, she discovers she's been given a second chance at life - with all her memories intact. A several weeks ago, she was betrayed and almost killed by her husband, billionaire CEO Damian Blackwood and his mistress - her adopted sister Selena, who orchestrated her downfall and seized control of her family's company. Now, with new allies and shocking information left by her late grandmother, Tori crafts an intricate plan for revenge. But as she infiltrates her old life under a new identity, she uncovers darker secrets that challenge everything she thought she knew about her family's legacy and her own past.

Romance

The Rebirth of My Dead Billionaire Wife

Love by the Contract

A pragmatic executive assistant agrees to a temporary marriage with her billionaire boss to help him secure his inheritance. Two years into their convenient arrangement, she discovers she's pregnant - just as his former flame returns to reclaim him. Now she must navigate office politics, pregnancy, and her own heart while dealing with a husband who's ready to end their marriage for his first love.

Romance

Love by the Contract

Dear Diary, The Cross Brothers are After Me

"Dear Diary...The Cross Brothers Are After Me" is about Lila, a girl who moves to a new town and becomes the focus of the Cross brothers-Aiden, Asher, and Grayson. They start by bullying her, but their behavior turns obsessive and manipulative, dragging her into their twisted games. Through her diary, Lila reveals her struggle to endure their torment, navigate their dangerous intentions, and figure out how to take control of her own life.

New Adult

Dear Diary, The Cross Brothers are After Me

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