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Lucien Vassallo is a powerful and ruthless mafia boss with everything he could ever want-wealth, influence, and control over the underworld. But when he crosses paths with Emilia, an intelligent and independent woman drawn into his world by chance, his entire life begins to change. Emilia's strength and beauty captivate Lucien, and despite the dangers that surround them, he finds himself unable to stay away from her. As their connection deepens, Lucien's dark and dangerous world threatens to consume them both. They navigate a whirlwind of passion, betrayal, and violence, where love becomes a weapon as much as it is a salvation. In a world where trust is a luxury and enemies lurk in every shadow, Lucien and Emilia must fight for their love and their survival. But as the stakes get higher, and the lines between right and wrong blur, they realize that the only way to escape the past and find true happiness is to confront the shadows that haunt them both. Will they overcome the forces threatening to tear them apart, or will their passionate and dangerous love be their undoing? The Mafia Billionaire's Temptation is a sizzling, action-packed love story that explores the limits of power, love, and sacrifice in a world where temptation is impossible to resist. ---
Rain slid down the windows like melting silver as Emilia Romano adjusted the cuff of her worn blazer. The gallery opening buzzed with low conversation and the occasional clink of champagne flutes, but she felt like a ghost wandering through it-present, but never truly seen. She wasn't here to mingle. She was here to survive. Art was supposed to be her escape. But now, it was just another battlefield. One where funding was scarce, patrons were fickle, and survival meant swallowing pride with every forced smile.
As she navigated the crowded room, Emilia's eyes scanned the space, taking in the familiar faces of art critics, collectors, and fellow artists. She knew most of them, but none of them truly knew her. She was a face in the crowd, a name on a catalog, a piece of art to be bought and sold. Not a person with dreams, fears, and desires.
And then-he walked in. Tall. Impossibly tall. Dressed in a black tailored suit that looked like it had been sewn directly onto his body. His presence cut through the room like a blade, silent and sharp, and every head turned-especially hers. Emilia's breath caught as their eyes met across the room.
His gaze swept the space with cool detachment until it landed on her. Dark eyes. Intense. Curious. Dangerous. He walked toward her, every step calculated, like a man who'd never heard the word "no." The room seemed to part for him, people stepping aside as if drawn by an unseen force.
As he approached, Emilia felt her heart rate quicken. She hadn't felt this way in a long time-like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring into the unknown. The air between them thickened as he reached her side.
"You're not drinking," he said, voice low and foreign-Italian, maybe. His accent made her skin tingle.
"I prefer to remember my mistakes," Emilia said, arching a brow. "Alcohol tends to blur them."
A slow, amused smile curved his lips. "And do you make many mistakes?"
She didn't answer. She didn't have to. He reached into his jacket, pulled out a small, black card, and held it out to her between two fingers. No name. No title. Just a single number in silver print.
"I'd like to see more of your work," he said, his eyes locked on hers.
"And you are...?" she asked, not reaching for the card.
"Lucien," he said. "That's all you need for now."
Emilia took the card, feeling a spark of electricity as her fingers touched his. It felt warm, as if it had been pressed to his skin for too long. She didn't know what she was doing-only that her heart was thudding and her body was humming with something reckless and unfamiliar.
As she looked at the card, the number seemed to sear itself into her memory. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she realized she was holding her breath.
By the time she looked up again, he was gone. But the scent of him-something like spice and leather and danger-lingered in the air. And the card in her hand felt heavier than it should have.
Something told her this was the beginning of a story that wouldn't end clean. A story that would unravel in unexpected ways, with twists and turns that would leave her breathless.
As she stood there, frozen in uncertainty, Emilia felt the room come alive around her. The music swirled, the laughter and conversation swelled, and the rain continued to slide down the windows like melting silver. But she was trapped in a different world, one where the only reality was the man who had just walked away, leaving her with more questions than answers.
"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?"
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other. ~~~ Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage. The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back. Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan. Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
She thought he was the villain. He was only trying to save his soul. Rena lives in a world of sunshine, sweets, and simple dreams. Until one reckless decision drops her into a dark realm of secrets, curses and werewolves. Kidnapped, heartbroken. She doesn't know who to trust anymore especially not Logan, the arrogant, cruel Alpha who's keeping her as a hostage. Until she discovers his dark secret. He's been hearing her thoughts all along. Now the walls between them are crumbling. And when feelings grow where hatred once lived, a curse demands that blood becomes a love that demands sacrifice. But how can she give her heart to the one who might need it to die?
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?