In the ruthless underworld of 1980s New York, two men are about to break every rule. Luca Bianchi, heir to one of the city's most feared mafia families, has always known his path was laid out before him: loyalty to his family, power, and a life without the possibility of true love. But when he meets Adrian Russo-mysterious, charming, and working for a rival clan-his world is turned upside down. What starts as a dangerous flirtation spirals into an all-consuming, forbidden romance. Adrian has his own secrets. Caught in the crossfire of mafia politics, he's playing a dangerous game, navigating the delicate line between desire and betrayal. The deeper he falls for Luca, the more impossible it becomes to keep his double life hidden. One slip, and it's not just his heart on the line-it's his life. As family loyalty and passion clash, Luca and Adrian are forced to confront a choice that could destroy everything they've ever known. Their love could end the generations-old war between their families... or ignite it anew. Will they defy the rules of their world and risk everything for a chance at love? Or will their secrets tear them apart before they even get the chance to find out?
The bass of the music pulsed through the smoky room, vibrating against the walls like the heartbeat of a living, breathing entity. New York's night had only just begun, but the dimly lit club, with its gilded chandeliers and dark velvet drapes, was already packed. The scent of expensive cologne mixed with cigarette smoke hung in the air, clinging to the leather booths where men in tailored suits conducted business under the cover of shadows.
Luca Bianchi leaned back in his seat, fingers tapping rhythmically against the rim of his crystal glass. The bourbon burned pleasantly in his throat, grounding him in the chaos around him. He glanced across the room, eyes narrowing as they landed on a figure standing near the bar. The man didn't belong here. Not in this club, not tonight.
Adrian Russo.
The name alone sent a jolt of heat through Luca's chest, quickly smothered by a wave of annoyance. The Russo family didn't usually show their faces here-not unless they wanted to start trouble. Luca's eyes trailed over the man's silhouette: tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a tailored black suit that fit him too well to be anything off the rack. Adrian's dark hair was slicked back, the low light catching the sharp angles of his face. He was laughing at something the bartender said, his smile slow and easy, like he didn't have a care in the world.
Luca felt a flicker of something he couldn't quite name-resentment, maybe, or something far more dangerous. He pushed it aside, setting his glass down with a clink. He couldn't afford distractions tonight, not with the delicate deal he was about to broker. But his gaze drifted back to Adrian, pulled by an invisible thread he was powerless to sever.
Just then, as if sensing Luca's eyes on him, Adrian turned. Their gazes locked across the crowded room, the noise fading to a dull roar in Luca's ears. For a moment, it was just the two of them, standing on opposite sides of a line they both knew they shouldn't cross. Adrian's smile faltered, then shifted into something else-something knowing.
Luca's jaw tightened. He forced himself to look away, signaling to his bodyguard, Nico, with a slight tilt of his head. Nico, ever the silent observer, raised an eyebrow but said nothing, merely stepping closer as Luca pushed himself up from the booth.
"Going somewhere?" Nico's voice was low, a rumble that barely carried over the noise.
Luca glanced back at the bar. Adrian had turned away, but Luca knew he hadn't left. "I need some air," Luca muttered.
"Air, or a confrontation?" Nico asked dryly, but he moved aside, letting Luca pass.
The club's back hallway was dim and quieter, the sound of the music muffled by the thick walls. Luca slipped through the staff door, finding himself in a narrow alley that smelled of damp pavement and stale smoke. He took a deep breath, letting the cold night air fill his lungs.
He wasn't alone.
"I didn't think you'd run," a voice said, smooth as silk and far too close for comfort.
Luca turned, and there was Adrian, leaning casually against the brick wall, one foot propped up behind him. He looked like a man who had all the time in the world. Luca's pulse jumped, though he kept his expression carefully neutral.
"What the hell are you doing here, Russo?" Luca's voice was low, edged with the kind of warning that made most men back off.
Adrian's smile widened, infuriatingly relaxed. "I came for a drink. Same as you, I'd imagine."
"This isn't your territory," Luca snapped. He took a step closer, his fists clenching at his sides. "Or are you looking for trouble?"
Adrian chuckled, a low sound that sent a shiver down Luca's spine. "Maybe I am," he said softly, his gaze dropping briefly to Luca's mouth before flicking back up. "Or maybe I just wanted to see if you'd come after me."
The words hung between them, charged and dangerous. Luca could feel his heart pounding, faster now, the rhythm uneven. He knew he should walk away, get back inside, and leave Adrian to his games. But he didn't move. He couldn't.
"Why?" Luca demanded, his voice rougher than he intended. "Why are you here, Adrian?"
Adrian pushed off the wall, stepping into Luca's space. He was close now, too close. Luca could see the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes, the shadow of stubble on his jaw. He could smell the faint hint of Adrian's cologne-something dark and woodsy, intoxicating.
"Maybe I wanted to remind you what you're missing," Adrian murmured. His hand came up, and before Luca could react, he felt the brush of cool fingers against his cheek. The touch was light, almost hesitant, but it sent a bolt of heat through Luca's veins.
"You're playing a dangerous game," Luca breathed, though he didn't pull away. His own hand lifted, catching Adrian's wrist, holding it there. He could feel Adrian's pulse, steady and strong, beneath his fingertips.
"I've always liked dangerous games," Adrian whispered back. His eyes softened, the teasing edge falling away. For a moment, Luca saw something raw there, something real. It was enough to make his resolve falter.
"Adrian..." Luca's voice was a plea now, a crack in the armor he'd built so carefully over the years.
Adrian's smile faded. He leaned in, just a fraction, his lips so close that Luca could feel the warmth of his breath. "Tell me to stop," he said quietly. "And I will."
Luca's grip on Adrian's wrist tightened, his breath coming faster now. He knew he should say it, push Adrian away before this went any further. But the words wouldn't come. He was tired-tired of pretending, of living a lie, of wanting something he couldn't have.
"I can't," he whispered finally.
That was all Adrian needed. He closed the distance between them, his lips finding Luca's in a kiss that was both desperate and tender. Luca's eyes fluttered shut, and he let himself fall into it, his hands tangling in Adrian's hair as he pulled him closer. The kiss tasted of bourbon and smoke and something sweeter, something Luca realized he'd been craving for far longer than he wanted to admit.
When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard, foreheads pressed together. Adrian's fingers traced the line of Luca's jaw, gentle and almost reverent.
"I've wanted this for a long time," Adrian confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"So have I," Luca admitted, the truth of it settling between them like a fragile, precious thing.
But before either of them could say anything more, the sound of footsteps echoed down the alley. They jumped apart just as the door swung open, and Nico's silhouette filled the frame.
"Luca," he called, his tone urgent. "Your father's here. He wants to see you."
Luca's stomach dropped. He glanced at Adrian, whose expression had already shifted back to that calm, unreadable mask.
"Go," Adrian said softly. "We'll talk later."
Luca nodded, swallowing hard. He turned and followed Nico back inside, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just stepped over a line he could never uncross.
To the world, Theo Lancaster is the perfect billionaire-devastatingly handsome, irresistibly charming, and untouchable in his success. But behind the dazzling smile lies a man haunted by a past he can't escape. When his carefully guarded world begins to unravel, he reluctantly hires Nora Bennett, a sharp-tongued therapist with no patience for his walls of pretense. Nora has seen her share of broken souls, but Theo is unlike any client she's ever had. He's infuriating, magnetic, and completely off-limits. Hired under the guise of a "wellness consultant," Nora's job is to help him face his demons. But as their forced proximity sparks a connection neither can deny, the line between professional and personal begins to blur. Just as Theo starts to believe in a future with Nora, his manipulative ex-fiancée, Victoria Langley, returns with a vengeance, determined to shatter everything he's built-including his newfound hope for love. When secrets from Theo's past collide with Victoria's ruthless schemes, Nora must decide whether to stay and fight for him or walk away before she loses herself in the process
Aria Romano never imagined her life would turn into a living nightmare. Trapped in a contract marriage to settle her father's debt, she's now tied to Damien Salvatore-the cold, calculating mafia heir who only sees her as a pawn. But there's a catch: Damien is openly gay, and he makes it clear that their marriage is nothing more than a business deal, devoid of love or intimacy. Damien is everything she despises: arrogant, dominant, and utterly untouchable. He wants nothing to do with his new bride, keeping his distance with a scathing indifference that shatters her hopes of any normalcy. Yet as the days turn into months, Aria starts to see cracks in his icy façade, a flash of protectiveness, a rare moment of vulnerability, and a searing gaze that lingers too long. But just when Aria begins to unravel the layers of her enigmatic husband, Luca Moretti, Damien's ex-lover and the ruthless underboss of a rival family, reappears. Luca's obsession with Damien blurs the line between love and hate, and he's determined to destroy anyone who stands in his way, including Aria. Caught in a dangerous game of power, betrayal, and forbidden desire, Aria must navigate a world where trust is a luxury she can't afford. And as Damien's feelings for her grow, she realizes that the most dangerous secret isn't his sexuality or his hidden past-it's that she might actually be falling in love with her mafia gay husband. Will their love survive the lies and betrayals, or will it crumble under the weight of their dangerous secrets?
Raven Black has always been the pack's weakest link, the frail Omega who is ridiculed and scorned. Her only dream was to find her fated mate, the one person who would love her unconditionally. But that dream shatters when the cruel, powerful Alpha, Smith Lockwood, rejects her in front of the entire pack. Smith, with his piercing silver eyes and unyielding dominance, dismisses her as unworthy. He believes a weak, timid mate would make him vulnerable, but the bond between them refuses to break, pulling them closer in ways they never expected. Trapped in the pack she can't escape and tormented by a mate who both rejects and possesses her, Raven must find the strength she never knew she had. As her hidden powers begin to awaken, Raven realizes she might be the key to saving the pack from a rogue threat lurking in the shadows. But Smith's refusal to accept her as his mate pushes her to the brink. Will he realize her worth before it's too late? Or will his pride cost him the only woman who could be his true equal? In a world where love is dangerous, and power is everything, can a broken girl and her ruthless Alpha find a way to heal each other?
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
"Listen, Gadreel Ødegaar," she looked at him, not hesitating this time. "It's my anniversary present for you. Let's divorce." *** Ivory Remington had sacrificed five years to look after her husband Gadreel who was in a vegetative state after an accident and a few months ago, he finally awakened like a miracle. She thought it was the start of their happy life but Gadreel still had no heart for her. On their anniversary and her birthday, she received a cheating video of her dear husband and her stepsister. Heartbroken, Ivory chose to quit this stupid game. She decided to set him free but the reason she left on the divorce agreement pierced Gadreel's noble pride. *** "Impotent? Are you serious?" He gripped her wrist and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. "I'm a woman, Gadreel. I'm tired of being in a sexless marriage. Let's end it once and for all." "Sexless, huh?" he chuckled lowly and without warning grabbed her chin in between his hands, pulling her face closer. "Turns out my wife was so eager to get a man between her legs? "
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
Accused of murder, Sylvia Todd's mother was deemed a traitor by the entire pack, condeming Sylvia to live the rest of her life alone in humiliation as a lowly slave. All she wanted to do was to prove her mother's innocence somehow, but fate never seemed to be on the side of the traitor's daughter. Still, Sylvia never lost hope. As the future lycan king of all werewolves, Rufus Duncan possessed great power and status, but he had an inexplicable reputation for being cruel, bloodthirsty, and ruthless. Unbeknownst to everyone, he had been cursed long ago to transform into a killer monster on every full moon. Even though fate did not always look upon the two, it brought Sylvia and Rufus together as each other's destined mates. Will justice be served for Sylvia's mother? What about Rufus' secret? Can Sylvia and Rufus defy all societal norms and stay together? Will these two unlucky souls have their happy ending?