Quotes from J.R. Ward

His first thought as he stared death in the face was that he was never going to meet his daughter. At least not on this side of the Fade. His second and final was that he couldn't believe he'd never told Blay he loved him. In all the minutes and hours and nights of his life, in all the words he'd spoken to the male over the years they'd known each other, he'd only ever pushed him away. And now it was too late.

Isn't it wonderful not to have to be perfect to be loved?

The contraption was something V had bought but had never used: He'd kept it only because it had terrified him, and that was reason enough to own the thing. To be robbed of sight and hearing was the one thing guaranteed to make him lose his fucking shit—which was precisely why Butch picked the mask. He knew too well the buttons to push—physical pain was one thing . . . but the psychological stuff was so much worse. And therefore more effectual.

Humans are threatened by anything different, and their response is to fight. They're bullies, picking on the weak, cowering from the strong.

Phury laid a hard one on the male's mouth, the kiss a punch between faces, not anything even remotely sexual. And he did it only to wipe the expression off the bastard's face. It worked. The Reverend stiffened and growled, and Phury knew he'd called the guy's bluff. But just to make sure the lesson was learned, he clipped the male's lower lip with a fang.

True. This gluten-is-the-enemy thing is total bullshit. And don't get me started on kombucha tea, kale, anything with antioxidants in it, and the fallacy that high-fructose corn syrup is the root of all evil.

I don't bite," Saxton whispered darkly. "Unless you ask." Blay

Good. We're done." Wrath shook his head ruefully. "And shit, you think you have problems? At least you don't have to go back home with that." As

If any harm shall befall him, I will come after you, and find you where you sleep. I do not care where you lay your head or who with, my vengeance shall rain upon you until you drown.

Sometimes the fact that you were forced to be strong

When you were having the sex of your life, the aftermath was not what you concerned yourself with.

Sometimes the changes in life came at you so fast, and with such fury, there was no way to keep up with reality.

was enough to actually turn you into what you had to be.

I can't change what happened and I know there's no going back…all I ask is that you don't fall for appearances, okay? You've had ten years around this family, but I've been with them and the people who surround them all my life. That's why you're the one I want. You're real. You're not capable of being what they are and that's a very, very good thing.

But that was the beauty of inner thoughts. No one had to know your weaknesses. And once you'd finished dwelling on them, you could toss them into the mental trash bin they belonged in.

she thought about what happily-ever-afters were about, and decided that true love didn't mean effortless, and ever-after wasn't about cruise control.

At the end of the day, people have to earn the right to be in your life

Caregivers had to take care of themselves, and part of that meant having a life beyond whatever illness had put them in their role. God knew Ehlena told this to the family members of her chronically sick patients all the time, and the advice was both sound and practical. At least when she gave it to others. Turned on herself, it felt selfish.

When a figure materialized from out of nowhere right next to him, Qhuinn nearly pulled his trigger, but the blond and black head of hair was unmistakable. "Do you want to get shot?" Qhuinn demanded. In a Darth Vader voice, the angel shot back, "Your weapons are nothing against me." "For fuck's sake—" -Qhuinn & Lassiter

She felt sorry for the female who had been driven to such traits. Who had kept herself apart from all emotions. The female had been born under a curse. The female had done evil and had evil done unto her. The female had hardened herself, her mind and her emotions becoming steel. The female had been wrong about that locking down, that self-containment. It was not a case of strength, as she always told herself. It was strictly survival...

Shit, this had to be how Alzheimer's patients felt: Their personality was intact and so was their intellect...but they were surrounded by a world that no longer made sense because they couldn't hold on to their memories and associations and extrapolations.

Qhuinn was a male's male. And not just because he was a fighter and had a mate who was a dude. Yeah

That was the thing about life. Habit and routine made things feel permanent, but that was all an illusion based on the very flimsy foundation of repetition. Change and chaos was a far better bet to put your faith in. At least you would never be surprised when things went tits up.

When it came to being a legend, all it took was one person to recognize that you were epic. That was it.