I never imagined that my life would change the moment I was taken. A love I didn't choose, a world I can't escape. As the daughter of a powerful senator, I was no stranger to danger, but nothing could have prepared me for the cold, unforgiving world of Alessandro Ricci. He is everything I feared-a ruthless mafia don with eyes as dark as his past, a man who commands power with an iron fist. He didn't take me out of kindness. I was merely a pawn in his game of revenge. What I expected was simple: brutality, threats, maybe even death. What I never anticipated was the pull of emotions that began to stir between us. He is a monster-scarred, tortured, and cruel-but somewhere beneath his cold exterior, I saw a man. A man who, like me, is haunted by a past that won't let go. I fought him. I fought myself. And yet, each day I spent in his world, I found myself wondering-was I safer with him than I had ever been outside? The stolen glances, the quiet conversations, the touches that lingered too long-they blurred the line between captor and captive. I couldn't deny it any longer: I was drawn to him. But love in this world? It's dangerous. The closer I get to him, the more perilous it becomes. Enemies lurk, Isabella's jealousy threatens to tear us apart, and the mafia's web tightens around us. I'm torn-should I trust the feelings that are growing, or is this a trap I'll never escape? In the end, there are only two possibilities-love that could save us both, or a passion that will destroy everything we've built. One wrong move, and it could all come crashing down. This isn't just my story, it's a fight for my heart, my life, and a love that might ruin us both. Read Bound by the Mafia and dare to fall with me!
"You Took the Wrong Girl"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
My voice cracked against the metal interior of the van, the words bouncing off the walls like ricocheting bullets. The black cloth bag had been ripped from my head minutes ago, but the ropes still cut into my wrists. My pulse thudded against them, hot and angry.
"Sit still," one of the men barked. His accent was thick-Napolitano, probably from the harbor. Rough hands shoved me back against the van's side.
"Do you know who I am?" I hissed. "You better pray my father doesn't find you first."
The driver laughed. "That's the point, principessa. Your father already knows. He's the reason you're here."
I froze. My stomach twisted. Not from the motion of the van, but from the truth behind those words. My father-Senator Lorenzo D'Angelo-he had enemies, sure. But to sell me off? No. He wouldn't.
...Would he?
The van braked hard. Tires screeched. Doors flung open. Hands pulled me out and into cold air thick with brine and twilight.
The villa loomed in front of me like a beast carved from stone and shadows, perched on the edge of the cliff like it had been waiting for centuries to devour the disobedient.
Then, he stepped into the light.
Tall. Calm. Dangerous.
Alessandro Ricci.
A black suit hugged his lean frame, and his hands rested lazily in his pockets like he had all the time in the world and owned it, too. But it was his eyes-void-black, emotionless-that scraped at something inside me.
"Senator D'Angelo sends his regards," he said.
My mouth parted. "You're a psychopath."
"Maybe," he said, stepping closer. "But your father made a promise he couldn't keep. I'm here to collect the interest."
I was dragged inside before I could spit in his face.
But I would. I promised myself that.
If I didn't kill him first.
The door shut behind me with a sound that could've been a gunshot. The walls were painted soft blue, too soft for a place like this, like a nurse pretending to be a nun in a slaughterhouse.
I stood still. My heart was a fist, punching the inside of my ribs.
The bed was too neat. The curtains too clean. The silence too thick.
I spun when the door creaked open again. Alessandro walked in, like he owned the air itself.
"You can scream if you want," he said. "No one will hear you."
"I don't scream," I said. "I stab."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Not a smile. No warmth.
"I'm not here to hurt you, Valeria."
"Oh, sure. Kidnapping is the modern mafia version of a meet-cute now?"
His expression hardened. "If I wanted you dead, you'd already be in the sea."
I moved toward him. "Then what do you want?"
He paused. "Insurance."
There it was. The game. My father's debts. His sins. Paid with my body, my presence, my silence.
"You think using me will make him pay?" I asked.
"No," he said. "I think using you will make him break."
That's when I understood.
I wasn't a hostage.
I was a weapon.
I didn't sleep that night. I sat by the window, knees pulled to my chest, watching the black sea crawl under the moon. Naples glittered far away, but it felt like another world. Another life.
The door opened quietly.
Not the guards.
Not the maid.
Him.
Alessandro stepped into the room like a ghost wrapped in expensive fabric.
I didn't look at him.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
"I don't sleep well next to criminals."
He chuckled softly, like I was amusing.
"You know," he said, standing by the window, "you're braver than I thought."
"And you're more pathetic than I imagined."
He leaned on the windowsill, his face turning toward me. "Your father betrayed you. Not me."
I flinched. Not at the truth, but how close he was to it.
"You think I care what he did?" I whispered. "I've hated him my whole life."
His eyes narrowed. Something flickered. Surprise? Recognition?
I stood and squared my shoulders. "But don't think that makes me yours."
"No," he said. "Not yet."
He walked out.
And left the door... unlocked.
I waited until the hallway was silent-no footsteps, no murmurs, no shifting weight. Just the hum of air and the pounding of blood in my ears.
The door creaked open without resistance.
Every hair on my body stood alert.
I moved fast, barefoot, creeping through the stone corridor like a shadow. My breath came in shallow puffs. One wrong turn. One wrong creak. And I'd be dead.
I reached the stairs. Just a few more steps to freedom. The front door loomed like salvation.
Then-
"Going somewhere?"
I spun.
Isabella.
She leaned against the banister, arms crossed, smile sharp as a blade.
She was beautiful. Cold, elegant, dangerous.
"You must be Valeria," she said. "The senator's little gem."
"Move."
She laughed. "You really don't know where you are, do you?"
I lunged, but before I could touch her, a steel arm caught me from behind.
Giovanni. Ricci's dog.
"Let me go!" I screamed, thrashing.
He held me firm. "Nice try, bambina."
"Alessandro will kill you for this," I hissed.
Isabella sauntered closer, brushing a blond strand behind her ear. "Oh, darling. Alessandro let you try."
Her smile turned cruel.
"And now he knows exactly what you're capable of."
Giovanni shoved me toward the stairs. I stumbled back to the room, every step burning with humiliation.
The door slammed shut behind me.
And locked this time.
It is said that "The heart is a canvas, painted with the vibrant colors of love, but also scarred by the dark brushstrokes of betrayal." In the rarefied world of wealth and privilege, where the elite play by their own rules, one man stands tall - Julian Blackwood, the billionaire playboy with a reputation for being as ruthless in business as he is reckless in love. His name is whispered in awe and terror, a byword for power, sophistication, and scandal. But beneath the façade of his glamorous lifestyle, Julian is a complex and multifaceted individual, driven by a deep-seated need for control and a fear of intimacy. That is, until he meets Emily Wilson, his stunning and intelligent new assistant. With her sharp wit, captivating smile, and unbridled passion, Emily is the one woman who can see beyond Julian's carefully constructed mask and touch the heart he's kept hidden for so long. As they embark on a secret affair, the sparks fly, and the passion ignites. For the first time in his life, Julian feels truly alive, and he knows he'll do anything to keep Emily by his side. As they navigate the treacherous landscape of their whirlwind romance, Julian and Emily must confront the dark secrets of their pasts and the lies that have defined their lives. Julian's reputation as a cheater and a player threatens to destroy their relationship, and Emily must decide whether to forgive the man she loves for his transgressions or walk away from the only love she's ever known. But just as it seems that their love may be strong enough to overcome any obstacle, the ghosts of Julian's past come back to haunt him. The vengeful ex-lovers, the scheming socialites, and the ruthless business rivals all converge, determined to destroy Julian's reputation and claim Emily for themselves. As the secrets and lies begin to unravel, Emily is faced with an impossible choice: forgive the man she loves or walk away from the only love she's ever known. And then, just as Julian is about to confess his deepest secrets to Emily, a shocking revelation throws everything into chaos. A mysterious figure from Julian's past appears, threatening to expose a long-buried secret that could destroy not only Julian's reputation but also his relationship with Emily. As the truth begins to unravel, Emily is left reeling, wondering if she ever really knew the man she loves. Will Julian's love be enough to redeem his past mistakes, or will his cheating ways tear them apart forever? The fate of their love hangs in the balance, as the billionaire's world begins to crumble around him. And as Emily stands at the crossroads, she must decide: will she forgive Julian and risk losing herself, or will she walk away and leave him to face the consequences of his actions alone? The choice is hers, but the outcome is far from certain...
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
"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.
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."