C.M. Barnes

Where it all began. Forever is always supposed to be a long time until you're delivering the eulogy at your best friend's funeral and watching his wife hold on to her last shred of sanity. Caleb Black and Dr. Layanna James find themselves forced to start over, but what starts as family grieving...

As CEO Calla Black by day and the masked dominatrix known only as The Black Dahlia by night, I built a life that kept everyone at a distance. And then James Carter Jr. walked into my world with his slow Southern charm and a hunger that matched the darkness I thought I had buried.

Cadence Samuels has always believed in numbers, formulas, and solid foundations; after all, she's a Geotechnical Engineer who builds dams, not dreams. After too many dating disasters and lukewarm talking phases, she's officially done gambling with her heart. She's a pretty, nerdy, plus-sized...

Ajaih Jeffries is a veteran with battle scars you can't always see. After years of unraveling generational pain and rediscovering her voice, she's found refuge and pleasure in the arms of a loving polycule. But when a deeply buried trauma resurfaces, Ajaih finds herself in the emergency room…

Dr. Layanna James has mastered the art of healing broken hearts—except her own. At forty, she's one of the world's top cardiothoracic surgeons, but the sudden loss of her husband Angel has left her emotionally hollow and clinging to the routine of a life that no longer fits. Caleb Black knows...