Triplets Make Five

For our honeymoon, we went to the island, naturally. It was fun to relive the memories of our first trip there – spontaneous and magical. We took the boat out, making love on the deck, and not only on the deck. We hiked and surfed, and at some point, Owen even wanted to teach me to fly the plane, but the pilot advised against it. I agreed.

We had truly started our life together. It was odd to think of the times when we’d not been together. It was as if that had happened to someone else. The more I got to know my husband, the more I loved and admired him, and the feeling was mutual.

I was lucky.

We were lucky.

A month after our honeymoon, we learned that Declan’s cancer had gone away for good. There was no trace of it left. He looked healthy and happy, finally. I even stopped joking about his gaining weight.

One evening, when we were cooking dinner, I said, “You know, had you asked me a year ago if this is where I saw myself, I would’ve laughed in your face!”

Owen smirked. “Tell me about it. I’d have told you I saw myself spending weekends at the Chicago Buyer’s Club!”

We always had a good laugh when someone mentioned the club.

“Whatever happened to it, by the way?”

“Oh, you know,” Owen said, “it always seems to be there. Waiting to make its next match.”

His Naughty Nurse

A Bad Boy Doctor Romance

By Nicole Elliot

Prologue

My skin burned from the cigarette.

“Don’t you cry again, you little weasel.” She sneered at me and took a puff of tobacco.

“I’m… I’m not crying.” The truth was I was trying hard not to, but I could feel the tears stinging the backs of eyes, threatening to betray me.

I wouldn’t let them, I couldn’t.

If I did she’d just hit me again.

That wasn’t going to happen, not tonight.

“I don’t know why your father didn’t make a man out of you. Jesus, he’s as useless as you are, isn’t he?”

“Don’t talk about him like that.” I was going to pay for that comment, I knew it. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Just as she reached out to slap me, I woke up. Sweat dripped from my forehead.

The military, being overseas, should have been the hardest moments of my life. But instead I had nightmares full of burns, pain, and harsh childhood memories.

Fuck my childhood.

And fuck everyone who ever hurt me.

Someday, I would make them wish they didn’t.

CHAPTER 1

Tessa

“How’s it going, Tessa?”