When Isla's estranged father steals millions from the Moretti family and vanishes, Dominic takes Isla as collateral. But he doesn't just want repayment-he wants her. Dominic drags her into his opulent, dangerous world and makes her an offer: either rot in a cell in his mansion or become his personal possession until her father shows up. What starts as captivity turns into a twisted obsession. Dominic pushes, breaks, and reshapes Isla's world-and her heart. But she's not as breakable as he thought, and Dominic starts to realize he might've met his match. As the secrets of her past unravel and the enemies of the mafia close in, the line between love and control begins to blur.
ISLA
Rain soaked through my hoodie as I hurried across the cracked pavement of 12th Avenue. My hands clutched my art portfolio like it could shield me from reality. Another exhibit rejection. Another door closed.
I was used to failure by now, but it still stung like open skin.
The lights in my building flickered. My cheap apartment was just five minutes away, and all I wanted was to crawl into bed, blast sad music, and forget the world existed.
That's when I noticed it.
A black car.
Not just any car-sleek, polished, and utterly out of place in this grimy part of the city. Its engine purred low, like it was waiting. Watching.
My stomach tightened.
I kept walking, faster now, my boots slapping against puddles. Don't look. Don't stop.
But then I heard them.
Footsteps.
I spun around just as a hand clamped onto my wrist.
"Miss Isla Monroe?"
I yanked my arm back with a gasp. Two men stood behind me-tall, suited, and terrifying. The kind of men who didn't just look dangerous. They were.
"Who are you?" My voice wavered despite my best effort to keep it steady.
"We're not here to hurt you," the one on the left said, though his grip said otherwise. "We've been asked to bring you to Mr. Dominic Moretti."
The name hit like a jolt of electricity.
"I don't know him," I lied quickly. "I've never met him."
"You don't have to know him," the other man replied. "Your father does."
Before I could run, scream, or even breathe, a needle of panic stabbed into my spine-and the world went black.
---
DOMINIC
She was smaller than I imagined.
The girl they dropped in front of me was pale, drenched, and trembling. She blinked awake in the leather chair across from my desk, her face etched with confusion and fear.
Not fear of me yet. That would come.
"Do you know who I am?" I asked, folding my hands beneath my chin.
She sat upright slowly, eyes locking on mine. Green. Defiant. I liked that.
"Dominic Moretti," she murmured. "I've heard of you."
"I'm sure you have," I said. "And do you know why you're here?"
She shook her head. "I didn't do anything."
"No," I agreed. "But your father did."
Her brows pulled together. "I haven't seen him in years."
"And yet, he used your name," I said, rising from my chair. "Transferred over three million dollars out of my accounts. Gone, just like that. Then he vanished. Clever bastard."
She stood too, chest heaving. "I had nothing to do with that! I don't even speak to him!"
"I believe you."
Her breath caught in her throat. "Then let me go."
I walked around the desk, stopping a breath away. "Your father thinks he can disappear and leave his debts behind. That's not how it works in my world, sweetheart."
Her fists clenched. "So what? You're going to kill me for it?"
"No." I leaned in, my voice low and calm. "You're not going to die. You're going to stay."
---
ISLA
I took a step back, but his hand shot out, gripping my chin. Not hard. But firm. Dominant.
"I'm not yours," I spat.
His eyes flicked down my body, slow and unapologetic.
"You are now."
She buried her sister, swore to never speak his name. Now she's marrying him. To save her dying brother, Isla Vance agrees to a week-long marriage with the one man she hates most-Lucien Ward, her dead sister's cold and dangerous husband. Trapped in his cliffside estate with no phones, no witnesses, and no escape, Isla enters a twisted game of power, secrets, and temptation. But as the lines between hate and obsession blur, she begins to wonder... who's truly in control?
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”