“We’ve been together for over six months now. I’ve never lasted that long before,” his friend said. And he was grateful that Julian had shared that personal information with him.
“Julian,” he sighed, shaking his head. “In all of the five years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you so attached to anyone before. This Kimberly, she’s really the one, I guess?”
“Kimberly was a spoiled child, but she changed me, did something to me, and now my plan is no longer significant. What’s important is keeping her safe. I hope I’ve done the right thing by bringing her here. Maybe she really should have gone back to Brisbane. But then I couldn’t keep an eye on her.”
“You are in so deep with this woman,” Giovanni concluded.
“I knew she was the one for me from the first moment I saw her. What about you? Found your Jennifer, yet?”
“Still looking,” he muttered sourly after a sip of his flat white.
“Tell me your story again?”
Giovanni leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.
“Fourteen years ago, this kid asked me to marry her. Told her I’d rather have her as my lover instead. Know what? She agreed. Damned cute kid, she was. Only six or seven years old back then. I was bloody fourteen. Always giving me coffee she’d made. Guess that’s why I’m so damned addicted to coffee these days. But nothing tasted like her coffee. Guess it was ’cause she was my only friend.”
“You had a horrible childhood?”
“Don’t want to talk about it. Too damned pathetic. But you know what’s interesting in my life right now?” he said, after contemplating for a bit. “I think I’m totally captivated by the coffee my maid makes.”
“And you said you were only addicted to your little friend’s coffee.”
“No... this...” He tapped his cup. “This is something else. Whenever I drink this, I remember my little friend Jennifer.”
Yes, soon he would find his little friend Jennifer. But for now, he was happy with just this cup of coffee, made by his maid, Jenny Stone.
Side story 2: Dawson’s Gift
Author’s Note: This event happens within the timeframe of Totally Intoxicated, when Jenny went to visit Dawson’s house in Singapore. I included this chapter as a side story, because it’s related to Dawson’s story and how he came to be interested in Crispin.
Dawson loved showing off his collection. When he had a guest around, that would be the first thing he would do. His collection was of an unusual nature. Some might call it weird. Others called it fascinating. While others again might squeal with joy. But there were some who just plain said, ‘what the hell?’ He didn’t care. That didn’t affect him. They were simply too ignorant to know the sentimental value of his collection.
But Jenny did. Oh, sweet little Jenny. Where in the world had she come from? Why didn’t she appear sooner? He was so lonely. Up here, being in his own stratosphere, it was sad. He had to resort to being an anonymous user online, just to indulge in his hobby. If any of the socialites knew, he’d be a laughingstock.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked Jenny.
And the look in her eyes said it all.
From wall to wall, there were mangas of all series, from One Punch Man, to Attack on Titans, from Ajin to Fruit Basket. Then there were action figures, toy figurines, soft toys, plushy toys. You name it, he had it. The merchandise, his collection, covered the whole floor-to-ceiling wall. But most of all, her eyes lit up when she saw that poster of Misaki and Usagi-san. Junjou Romantica: Pure Romance, a boys’ love series that took the internet world by storm.
“You have that limited-edition poster of Misaki and Usagi-san.”
“Yep. You like them?”
“I love them. I’m a fujoshi. A fangirl. I love anything boys’ love.”
“I’m a fudanshi, a fanboy, love reading and watching anything with boys’ love, too.”
“You’re so cool, Dawson.”
“You couldn’t tell when we first met?”
“Well, I can kind of tell you’re easygoing, but I never thought you’d be into this kind of cool stuff.”
“Well, I’m gay, you know. So I support all kinds of love.” Dawson found himself telling her about his sexual orientation. He didn’t really care what others thought. His love life was his personal business, but when talking to Jenny, he just couldn’t help blurting out the truth.
“Do you have a lover?”
“Not right now,” he found himself saying. “They come and they go. None really stick.”
“Wow, you’re a playboy, then.”
He laughed. He didn’t take offense at her statement. He was a serial playboy in the past. But now, not so much. He hardly dated. “I wouldn’t call myself a playboy. Just haven’t found the boy I like enough, yet.”
“Why not? I see you are not that poor. I mean look at this house. It must cost in the millions to own. And this room, with all this merchandise. These are limited editions. You can’t get these anymore. You must be loaded to have bought these by yourself. Surely, there must be someone out there who would like you.”
“I don’t want them to like me for the money. I want someone to like me because of me.”
“A bit hard these days, since everyone is out for cash.”
“What about you? Are you out for Giovanni’s cash?”
“No. I don’t really see him as my cash cow. You know I used to be his maid. But even though I’m his girlfriend now, I still don’t act like some rich girl. I still cycle to school. I still do the same things as before. Except now, I have a boyfriend, and I have a nice roof over my head.”
“What do you like about him? That guy is a foul-mouthed bastard.”
“Wow, he’s your friend. How could you say that?”
“Because he’s my friend, that’s why I can say that.”
“It’s something in the pounding of your heart. When you meet the right guy, your heart will pound.”
“Look at the little girl who’s preaching about love,” he teased her. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind next time. If my heart pounds, I’ll know he’s the one.”
“Yes, make sure you do that.”
“Come here. I’ll give you something of my collection.”
He walked to a cabinet filled with figurines of characters from Junjou Romantica. There were Misaki and Usagi-san, Hiroki and Nowaki and Miyagi and Shinobu, all in various poses of embrace.
“Wow. They are all so beautiful.”
“Which one do you want? I’ll give it you.”
“You’re giving it to me? You can’t. They’re so special to you. Plus, I can’t afford these.”
“Just think of it as my payment to you.”
“What do you mean? You’re giving this figurine to me, and yet you say that it’s a payment. For what?”
“I’m buying your friendship.”
She laughed. “You don’t need to pay me or bribe me with the figurine to get my friendship. I’ll offer it to you for free.”
“I knew you’d say that. Come on. Pick one. Which one do you like?”
“Mmm. They are all so cute-looking. If Crispin was here, he’d help me pick.”
“Is Crispin your friend?”
“Yes. He’s my best guy friend. He’s also a fudanshi. Look, I’ll show you a picture of him. We were there together when they held the anime convention last year.”
Jenny grabbed her phone and started scrolling through Facebook. And she stopped at that one image of her and this boy.
The boy.
Fuck!
Did his heart just pound?
“That’s your friend?” His voice wavered a bit when he spoke.
“Yep. That’s Crispin. See, that’s where we went. There were lots of figurines, too. Crispin wanted to buy the one of Misaki and Usagi-san, but they were too expensive. So we could only take photos of it.”
Dawson opened a drawer, got out two black boxes, and grabbed a figurine of Misaki and Usagi-san
embracing, and placed it in the black box.
“For your friend.”
“Are you buying his friendship, too?”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll offer it for free.”
“I still want to give it to him. Take it and give it to him. On my behalf.”
“Okay, then. I’m sure he’ll love it.”
A week later, Dawson heard the phone ringing. It was Jenny.
“Dawson. Crispin won’t accept your gift. He said, and I quote, ‘unless I physically see him and know him face-to-face, I don’t accept gifts from strangers.’”
And the phone disconnected.
Dawson licked his lips, his heart giddy with this unknown excitement. Damn, he was like a young boy again.
So Crispin wouldn’t accept gifts from strangers until he knew them, right? His interest in Crispin just compounded.
Well, the challenge had been accepted. If that’s what Crispin wanted, then that’s what he’d get. Tomorrow he’d planned to fly over to America. Some business meetings he had to attend. He could stop over and visit Giovanni and Jenny on the way and make sure to make some time to introduce himself to Crispin.
He hoped Crispin ate his own words, because by the time he was done introducing himself, they would be more than friends.
Maid to the Mafia 4: Totally Devoted
Synopsis
Giovanni Dente
She was his maid.
She was his lover.
But now…
She was gone.
Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of the Dente Clan, exudes power, arrogance, and charisma. No one dares to cross him, until one did, taking away his most beloved, Jenny Stone.
They had kidnapped her. And now there’s hell to pay. He’ll go in with guns blazing, not stopping until she’s with him again.
Because to her, he’s totally devoted.
Jenny Stone
I was his maid.
I was his lover.
But now, who am I?
Jenny is in love with the billionaire mafia boss, Giovanni Dente. For the past four months, she’d experienced it all. The love he gave to her, the care he bestowed upon her.
It was all like a sweet dream. But it really was a dream, because now she has to wake up and face reality. She was not the person Giovanni loved. She was not his Jennifer.
Reality hit her like a punch to the gut.
Is it too late to tell him she loves him?
Is it too late to make him love her?
Because no matter what he says and does, her heart is totally devoted to him.
The Billionaire’s Twisted Love
Kimberly and Julian’s love story
Interested to know how Kimberly and Julian meet and fall in love. Check out their story. Book 1 and 2 are available to download for free. Click on the link below.
Book 1: Captivated by You
Free to download on selected online stores
“I want to be scorched by your flame. I want to be enticed by your touch. Let me in. Open the door to your heart so I can save you.”
What is it about the enigmatic and taciturn Julian Devereux that captivates me so? His kind and selfless acts towards others ignite my compassionate nature to protect him from the bitter onslaught of his brother, Joshua Devereux.
But is it merely my nature to help the weak, or is it simply to indulge myself in pleasure, watching in delight as two brothers battle for my attention and their family inheritance?
Maybe deep down, I already know I love him and am willing to sacrifice and back him up in every ordeal. But I didn’t anticipate the path I chose would eventually spiral out of my control, tearing at my heart and tossing me into a labyrinth of illusion.
The Billionaire's Twisted Love series contains content and themes suitable for mature readers. Beware, the love scenes are super hot. This first book ends in a cliffhanger.
Her Majesty is Here
A Reverse Harem Royal Fantasy Romance
Getting crushed under a monster truck is never a pleasant feeling. If I could relive that moment, I would never have taken that route. But we never really get a second chance at life. Or do we?
I want to say I died a noble death. And for that reason, I was given a second chance at life. I don’t hesitate to take the offering, outlining the criteria on my wish list.
Enjoy life to the fullest
Fall in love with a man
Would like to have a warm loving family
Eat plenty of delicious food as I was starved for most of my life growing up
All is well and good, until I open my eyes to a strange new world, with four strikingly stunning men staring back at me. They said they were the four kings, in charge of governing the four nations of Alyria, and I am their queen, the overall ruler of their kingdom.
But it isn’t just pretty flowers and wispy daisies. They suspect I’m not who I say I am. I live under their watchful eyes, as they literally, and figuratively, peel away every layer of my clothing to get to the real me. Trying to keep my real identity under wraps is one thing, but getting tempted by the four kings is another matter, entirely. How am I to survive in my new world?
Her Majesty is Here is a reverse harem royal fantasy romance novel. It is the first book in Her 4 Kings series. With laugh out loud moments, political intrigue, murder mystery and steamy romantic scenes, this first book is coming to you in early 2020.
Click on the link below to preorder your copy today
Her Majesty is Here
Have I enticed you yet? Turn over the page to read 4 chapters of Her Majesty is Here.
Prologue
The End and the Beginning of My Life
I would like to say I died a noble death. But some might say it was my own stupidity that led to my ending.
It was on December 24th, Christmas Eve. Snowflakes fell in wisps as the wind blew from north to south. I was shivering under the blue jacket that was puckered with holes, and the green scarf I’d knitted myself out of discarded wool from the school craft club a year ago. I was carrying my text books, equivalent to four blocks of bricks, waiting for the bus to arrive to take me back to my previous home.
Delta Orphanage, my home since I was put in there at the tender age of eight. A place filled with hunger, hunger, and... more hunger.
I was always hungry. Guess there were too many kids to feed. Maybe that was why I had died. I was too hungry to think straight. Too hungry to even formulate a plan. And when I saw the big red monster truck come careening into the park where a little girl was playing, I did the only thing I could think of. I jumped straight in and saved her.
I was whipped the second my body collided with it, and landed with a hard thud on the ground. A crushing pain seared at my heart until...
Nothing.
I was standing on the sidewalk again, watching people crowding over in the middle of the park. I saw the little girl I thought I’d saved, in her mother’s arms.
Did I really have an accident or was this just all a dream?
My thought was disrupted by sounds of sirens. Possibly an ambulance. Paramedics were running toward the big crowd. I twisted myself aside to get out of their way, but wasn’t quick enough.
Dear Lord. They’re going to run into me.
I shut my eyes and held my breath, waiting for that oncoming collision. But it never came. The paramedics were already crouching down at that busy crowd. I got curious and waded my way in. And I saw the person who was lying on the ground.
Me.
I did die. I really did die. I wasn’t dreaming after all.
I looked down at my body. Bile crept up my throat. I couldn’t recognize myself. My body was all messed up.
I didn’t want to look at myself when I was in this state. Instead, I turned to look at the paramedics who were trying their best to revive my body. I cheered them on, asking only for one more chance at life.
I wouldn’t ask for much this time around. Just the standard, good, loving family,
good food, and a man to fall in love with. I was so lonely growing up in the orphanage. A few friends would be good, too.
As I gave them my full support, standing on the sideline, I was also waiting for some sort of chemical reaction, some sort of magic, whereby I’d go back into my body, with each puff of air or thrust of the chest they were instilling in me. But the more they attempted to perform CPR, the more I felt detached from my body, until I realized I was floating.
I looked down at my feet. Yep, I was no longer on the ground. I was dead for sure now. There was no way I was able to return to my body.
A little piece inside my heart screamed out in regret at all the things I hadn’t done in my short life span.
No! I don’t want to die. Well, not yet, anyway. I want to have my first kiss. I want to eat steak at a fine dining restaurant. I want to finish my degree. And most of all, I can’t leave my little sister, Amy, behind.
I closed my eyes, feeling my body spinning out of control. I took a deep breath, and then a split second later, my body stilled.
I opened my eyes. I was in a white room. There was one couch. It was white. The walls, floor, and ceiling were also white. The florescent light above only emphasized the color white even more.
A small Christmas tree stood at the corner of the room. I was a little relieved at seeing it. It did give me some consolation that I was not alone in this empty white room devoid of all living things. I went to touch the white ferns of the Christmas tree and almost choked to tears. The tree was plastic.
My reality bore down on me. There was absolutely no living thing in this room, me included. Empty of sounds, empty of living things around me, my thoughts on life turned grim. I was at my lowest point and no consolation could get me out of this mentality.
Throughout my life I’d worked hard and studied even harder. Wanting to reach a better life I’d encountered many low points, but none could compare to the feeling I felt right now. I did odd jobs and sometimes had to skip classes for that extra cash that could get me food on the table. Once I had turned eighteen, I was free to live on my own. But without support of any family or friends, I was a lone bird, learning how to flap my wings in this cruel world, which I now had left behind.
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