Deana Birch

An online criminal craves real-life danger, but her flawed instincts may cost her new crew everything. Rafael Santos didn't get the nickname 'Goldie Locks' for his shimmering blond curls. His hair is as black as his criminal heart. No, it's his Midas touch. His ability to earn-coupled with a love for theft and technology-has gained him the coveted Number Two position in the Covington Heights crew. The problem is...after a murder that sent their regular clients packing, even his numbers are down. Now, finding new sources of illegal income is his number one priority. Marigold Pfeifer is the fairy princess of online deceit. She can slip her computer viruses into a system at the blink of an eye and steal personal information in a twinkly flash. And that's exactly what she does when screen name 'GoldieLocks' slides into her instant messenger. What'd he expect? A gift card? But when the naïve hacker rides the train uptown to check out mysterious Covington Heights, she's approached by the leader of the crew and forced to think fast on her feet. A hate-filled rivalry sparks between her and Rafael-and with it a deviously sinful attraction. Will real-life criminals and the danger they breed be enough to wise up the goth-pixie with zero street smarts when she must navigate dark waters-or will her flawed instincts burn all she's worked for to the ground?

Hack

FROM POPULAR ROMANCE AUTHOR DEANA BIRCH Book one in The Covington Heights Crew series The only thing she has to give is exactly what they want. The Covington Heights Crew has a funny way of protecting their own. With rapes from rival gangs and human trafficking riddling their poverty-stricken streets, they'll keep the girls from their neighborhood safe—for a price. No money? No worries. They have quite creative payment plans. Messed up? Yeah, they know. They're criminals. Twenty-one-year-old Fiona Thompson was happy to stay off the radar of the twisted drug dealers who encourage her mother's habit. She's sure that she can work her way out of Covington and find a better life for herself and her baby sister. But then she beeped. Loud. Second-in-command Leo Ricci is a poser. The web of lies he's spun for a life unravels every time he's around Fiona—every day he's trying to keep her safe and every second he's avoiding his destiny. When his missteps challenge the authority to which he's pledged his allegiance and Fiona's life is at stake, there's only one solution—become the man he never wanted to be and leave the place that was saving him from a worse, but unavoidable fate.

Escape

Amelia Foster

An Italian Dom guides a Swiss banker through the world of BDSM and she threatens his most important rule. Sparked by curiosity and drawn by need, Swiss banker Claire asks Italian businessman Luca to introduce her to the D/s lifestyle. He agrees, as long as she abides by his number one rule of not falling in love. The two then embark on a slow, complete and realistic path of liberating Claire's true submissive nature. But as their lessons progress, blurred lines morph into a child's scribbled drawing when feelings creep into their playtime. And with new emotions bubbling under the surface, Luca questions Claire's hard no. She calls &“red&” and walks away, leaving the Dom sure he's lost the one sub who finally saw his true desire to be cared for. Now, certain she's broken his only rule and torn by thoughts of betraying her dead husband, Claire must decide between exploring the love she's found or locking away her heart with the ghosts of her past.

Luca's Lessons

Attorney Amee sets aside her own needs to juggle the broken pieces of her life and family until mechanic Ben repairs her heart. Divorce attorney Amee Benton—who has an ex of her own—is pretty sure she's a #MomFail. Showing up late on a Friday night to retrieve her car from the shop and finding the pink frosted cupcakes she forgot to leave at her daughter's ballet camp confirms it. When mechanic Ben Mathis confesses to stealing one of the confections and asks who is taking care of Amee, she knows he's a unicorn—a magical, beautiful beast who surely only exists in fantasies, so she tells him just that, with an F-bomb for good measure. Amee has three things Ben finds irresistible in a woman—brains, a family and a serious potty mouth. During a chance run-in at Ben's own personal hell, AKA the mall, he summons the courage to ask her out. Though Amee is leery of dating a younger man and Ben is more than aware of their social gap, the two take a chance. But Amee's life isn't like his. And when her ex returns and the doubting divorcée blunders, all Ben's insecurities are piqued anew. Now, Amee must prove to Ben that his worth is much more than stand-in dad and rebound boyfriend or she'll watch her magical unicorn gallop off into the forest forever. Reader advisory: This book contains references to alcoholism, emotional abuse, and drunk driving resulting in a death.

Love Repaired

Melissa Eskue Ousley

Ashley Williams

K. M. Pohlkamp

Myra Fiacco

Chris Barnham

Tracy Renee Wolfe

Sarah Evans

Salena Casha

Carla Lewis

Cimone Watson

There's a little fire in all of us. And this collection of short stories proves it. Flicker is comprised of carefully crafted tales, designed to ignite our internal flames. Including a variety of genres, each story comes from the imagination or history of a Filles Vertes Publishing team member, intern, or contest winner, showcasing the company's literary strengths. From heartbreak to justice, from the confines of time travel (or lack thereof) to the spark of personal memories, this collection cannot be extinguished. So, grab a match and prepare to light your own fire. For surely, these tales will ignite the fire in you.

Stories of Inner Flame

Flicker

Attorney Amee sets aside her own needs to juggle the broken pieces of her life and family until mechanic Ben repairs her heart. Divorce attorney Amee Benton--who has an ex of her own--is pretty sure she's a #MomFail. Showing up late on a Friday night to retrieve her car from the shop and finding the pink frosted cupcakes she forgot to leave at her daughter's ballet camp confirms it. When mechanic Ben Mathis confesses to stealing one of the confections and asks who is taking care of Amee, she knows he's a unicorn--a magical, beautiful beast who surely only exists in fantasies, so she tells him just that, with an F-bomb for good measure. Amee has three things Ben finds irresistible in a woman--brains, a family and a serious potty mouth. During a chance run-in at Ben's own personal hell, AKA the mall, he summons the courage to ask her out. Though Amee is leery of dating a younger man and Ben is more than aware of their social gap, the two take a chance. But Amee's life isn't like his. And when her ex returns and the doubting divorcée blunders, all Ben's insecurities are piqued anew. Now, Amee must prove to Ben that his worth is much more than stand-in dad and rebound boyfriend or she'll watch her magical unicorn gallop off into the forest forever.

Deana Birch

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