Novels by Rolando

Tyler's POV Panic filled my chest the moment the gunshot echoed. My heart was racing so hard I thought it might jump out of my chest. People were screaming, running, stumbling over each other, and I could barely make sense of anything.“What the…what the fuck is going on?” I muttered under my breath, my eyes scanning for Emily and Aurora.“I have no idea,” Ethan said beside me, voice laced with worry.But I didn’t have time for confusion. My mind was only on my wife and my daughter. Emily and Aurora had gone into the market just a few minutes ago, and now it was a warzone. People were tripping, goods were flying everywhere, and I saw someone rushing into his car.I pushed through the crowd, trying to make my way forward. “Excuse me! What’s happening?!” I shouted to a man nearby.The man glanced at me with wide eyes. “It’s unsafe here! Two store owners owe some thugs about $10k each. The thugs came looking for them, couldn’t find them, and now they’re… going into a rampage. You don’t

Emily's POV It was our last day on the mini vacation, and I decided I wanted to get a few things we could take back home. It was just me, Tyler, Ethan, and Aurora out. The others were off somewhere else.I turned to Tyler. “I’ll go with Aurora into the market, okay?”Tyler looked at me. “The market?”“Yes. We want to check out some of the stores and get, you know, some nice souvenirs before we go back.”“Yes, Daddy! Let Mommy and I go!” Aurora said happily.Tyler looked at me again. “Okay… I’ll come with.”“No, hang out with Ethan. We’ll be back shortly. We just want to buy stuff, Tyler.”Tyler sighed. “Fine. Tell me how it goes, and be careful. Try not to trip—”“Or lose my balance, bump into someone, hurt myself. I get it.” I completed with a soft chuckle.Tyler smiled. I looked down at Aurora. “Come on, honey, let’s go.”Aurora smiled excitedly as I held her hands, and we began walking into the market.The market was bigger than I expected, bright and bustling, with colours and sm

Emily's POV Later that evening, we were out at the beach, and it felt so wonderful and breezy. The kind of breeze that brushed against your skin gently. The sky was slowly dimming, painted in soft shades of orange and lavender, and the sound of the waves rolling in was calming.Skylar and Ethan had gone off to get some food for us, while Wendy stayed beside me, our shoulders almost touching as we sat on the blanket. Honestly, it was just so fun watching Aurora and Isla giggle and play happily around. They chased each other near the water, tiny feet sinking into the sand, laughter ringing out every time a wave rushed close enough to scare them back.I smiled softly, my eyes following Aurora as she pulled to drag Isla by the hand.“You know,” I said, turning to Wendy, “this was really a good idea.”Wendy smiled proudly, her eyes still on the girls. “I know.”I chuckled softly, hugging my knees closer to my chest. “Mm.”Wendy leaned forward and smiled at the girls. “Oh, look at them,”

Tyler's POV “Does Aurora really have to share a room with us?” I asked again as I pulled Emily closer, feeling her soft skin.Emily chuckled softly, brushing her fingers through my hair. “Yes, Tyler. She’s too little to book her own room.”I sighed, letting my forehead rest against hers. I had been looking forward to this trip to Hawaii since Emily and Wendy mentioned it. We were at a five-star hotel, and finally some time alone with Emily but with Aurora bouncing around.Sharing our room, the idea of intimacy felt almost impossible. “Come on, Emily,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her neck. “I’m starving.”Emily’s cheeks flushed. “Starving, huh? We literally did it last night.”“Not enough,” I added, teasing, leaning closer. Emily, do you think I could ever get enough of you?”I smirked, leaning down toward her lips, just as the moment was about to tip into something more, a tiny, familiar voice broke through the doorway.“Mommy? Daddy? Are you in there?”I groaned, rolling my eyes,

Emily's POV Aurora was still sound asleep in her room when I stood in front of the mirror, getting ready to go to the boutique. The house was quiet in the early-morning. I could picture her curled up in her bed, probably clutching one of her stuffed animals. Moments like this always made my heart ache in the best way.I adjusted my dress and tied my hair back, staring at my reflection for a moment longer. Yes, I had a store now—E Little Ones. A children’s boutique and daycare. Tyler had opened it for me three years ago after I told him I wanted something of my own. I hadn’t expected it to grow the way it did. We had expanded to another city already, and now we were preparing to launch yet another branch. I had staff, managers, and structure. Some of the people who once worked in the mansion now worked there too.Still, as proud as I was, exhaustion weighed heavily on me.I blinked, suddenly lightheaded, gripping the edge of the dresser for balance. I honestly wanted nothing more tha

Author's POV*FOUR YEARS LATER*Emily and Tyler lay asleep in bed, their bodies relaxed but visibly exhausted. There was a quiet peace in the room, the kind that only existed before the day truly began. Tyler had spent most of the previous night awake, playing pretend tea parties, answering endless questions, and negotiating “just one more story” with little Aurora.Aurora was the liveliest child anyone could ever meet. She was full of energy, full of opinions, and dramatic in the most adorable way possible. One moment she was laughing loudly, the next she was pouting over something only she understood. Fun followed her everywhere, and sleep… well, sleep rarely did.Emily and Tyler loved her more than anything. Aurora was not just their daughter, she was the heart of their home, the center of their world. Everything seemed to orbit around her laughter.The peace didn’t last long. A small thud echoed from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps.“Mooommyyy,” Aurora’s voice rang out

GREY'S POVThe camera light went off and I set down the script I hadn't used. I didn't need it. Talking to a camera wasn't difficult when you'd spent fifteen years making people believe exactly what you wanted them to believe. Penelope was already on her tablet. "I'll push it through the pack network first, then the wider city channels.”I nodded, steepling my fingers together. "Good. And the story?""Newlywed wife, overwhelmed after the wedding night incident, stepped out without telling anyone." She looked up. "I'll make sure it's the only version people hear."I leaned forward, my brows scrunched together. "Handle any outlet that tries to run something different.""Already have three on standby," she said. I nodded. "Go."She left but Cade remained where he was. I walked to my desk and picked up the next file but Cade stayed still. I sighed and waved at him dismissively. “Out with it.”"The council contacted me an hour ago," he said instantly. "They want an emergency meeting."

POPPY’S POVThe taxi smelled like pine air freshener and the driver had been talking since I got in. I didn't mind. Silence would have made me think too hard."... and then my sister-in-law shows up to the wedding in white. White!” He huffed, shaking his head vigorously. “Can you imagine? My wife hasn't forgiven her to this day and that was six years ago!”"Wow," I said, which was the fifth time I had said it."Six years! Women remember everything, I tell you." He glanced at me in the rearview mirror. My cap was pulled low and the sunglasses were big enough to cover half my face. If he thought it was strange, he hadn't mentioned it. "So what about you? You said you're heading to the border?"I bobbed my head. "Yes."He nodded then grinned. "Running away with someone?”I blinked."I'm not judging," he said quickly. "My cousin did the same thing. Family didn't approve of the girl, so one night…" He snapped his fingers. "Gone. They have three kids now. Beautiful family.""Something li

GREY'S POVI had booked the clinic out for the day and then made every staff member swear confidentiality.The waiting area was eerily quiet except for the hum of the AC and Annalise sitting across from me with her hands folded in her lap, pretending to look calm.I scrolled through my emails with nonchalance."Did you have to do it like this?" she said finally.I shot her a glance. "Like what?""Book out the entire clinic.” She hissed, then shook her head. “It's humiliating."I returned my gaze to my phone. “Maybe you've forgotten but we're both married to different people, Annalise. I can't afford a scandal.” She went quiet. Just as the doctor came, I stood and shook his hand."Thank you for accommodating this," I said. "I know it was short notice.""Not at all." He glanced briefly at Annalise, then back to me. "Is she the one?” I bobbed my head. “How soon can I get the result?”“Before the end of today,” he said, then turned to gesture for his nurses. “Take her to the exam room.”

POPPY’S POVGrey wasn't home but the moment I told Cade everything, he immediately pulled out his phone then called out for Penelope and Lana."Lock down the east wing," he said into his phone, already walking. "I want you to pull the CCTV from the last three hours and get someone on the perimeter check now."Penelope arrived two minutes later, slightly out of breath, and wrapped both arms around me before she even fully entered the room."I've got you," she said. "You're okay."I held onto her, still holding the card even though my hands hadn't fully stopped shaking.Lana came in behind her and took one long look at me. “I heard what happened. Are you okay?”I shook my head and sucked in a sharp breath. She patted my shoulder just as Cade returned, his brows furrowed together."Tell me exactly what happened," he said. "Walk me through it."I nodded and I told him about coming upstairs, kicking off my shoes, lying down and finding the envelope. I told him I had thought it was from Pe

POPPY’S POVGrey's body went stiff the moment Edric said the words ‘unfinished business’. Whatever it meant, it was something serious. I looked at Edric then back at Grey.What just happened? "Continue what you were doing," Grey said, and his voice was perfectly normal.He wasn't looking at me. He was half-turned toward Edric, already moving. "We'll talk later."And then he just left.I stood in the middle of the training ground holding my staff and watched the two of them walk away.And I had absolutely no idea what to do with the feeling sitting in my chest. I stood there for another ten seconds. Then I put the staff down and followed them.I made it approximately forty feet before Penelope jumped right in front of me, nearly scaring me half to death. “Dammit, Penny!” I gasped, pressing a hand to my chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”She ignored me, gathering my hands together and squeezing. "You missed breakfast again. Poppy, you cannot keep skipping meals, your body n

GREY'S POVThe council meeting was giving me a headache before it even properly started.Twelve people talking at once will do that."... completely unacceptable that Blackhawk operatives were able to infiltrate a secured event!”"... the perimeter protocols clearly failed and someone needs to answer for it!""... at a wedding of all places!”I sat at the head of the table and let them go for exactly three minutes. That was my limit. After three minutes, I pressed two fingers to my temple and said, loudly enough to cut through the noise. "One at a time." I gave them a hard look. “Please.” They fell silent and I sighed. The truth was I was just as angry as they were. More, probably, because it was my wedding and my security that had failed. Three Blackhawk operatives loose in a hotel full of pack leaders and their families was not a small thing. The fact that we contained it before anyone important got hurt was the only reason I was sitting in this room instead of burning somethi