In a world where power and loyalty are everything, Valentina Russo is torn between two Mafia kings. After a devastating divorce from her husband, Dante Marino, Valentina thought she had severed all ties to the underworld. But a passionate one-night stand with Rafael De Luca, Dante's most ruthless rival, drags her back into a web of danger, secrets, and betrayal. With each king vying for her love and a dangerous secret that could destroy them all Valentina must navigate a treacherous path where trust is a luxury and love can be fatal.
Valentina Russo's skin prickle. Cameras flashed as socialites, politicians, and elite moguls mingled beneath the pretense of sophistication.
Valentina moved like a queen through the crowd,poised, composed, and breathtaking in a crimson silk gown that she had designed herself. Her honey-brown curls framed her face in soft waves, and the slit of her dress teased her toned leg with each step she took.
It had taken years, but she had done it. She had walked away from the ashes of her past and built an empire from the ground up. In the world of fashion, the name Valentina Russo no longer came with whispered warnings-it carried prestige, elegance, and power.
But tonight, power had a scent. It wrapped around her like a noose the moment she stepped into the venue-dark, musky, and dangerously familiar.
She sensed him before she saw him.
Turning slowly, her eyes landed on Dante Marino.
Time hadn't softened him. He still looked like the man she remembered: tall, commanding, dressed in a tailored black suit that molded to his body like armor. His dark eyes scanned the room with lethal precision, resting on her as if no time had passed.
Valentina's breath hitched.
Dante's lips curled into a smirk,cold, knowing, and sharp enough to draw blood.
She stood her ground. Years ago, she would've flinched. Not now. Not after clawing her way out of the hell his world had buried her in.
He moved toward her, his steps unhurried, calculated.
"Valentina." His voice was low, smooth like aged whiskey, but laced with poison. "Columbia looks good on you."
She tilted her chin. "You've always had a way of finding me, Dante. I suppose old habits die hard."
A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest. "You walked away, cara mia, but don't think for a second that I stopped watching."
Her blood turned to ice. "I'm not yours to watch anymore."
"But you're still mine," he whispered, his gaze lingering on her mouth. "In ways that matter."
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palm. "You have no claim on me."
Dante leaned in, his breath grazing her ear. "Every move you make, every man who touches you-I'll know. Just remember that."
And then he walked away, disappearing into the crowd like a ghost. The music surged, the party roared, but Valentina's world stood still.
She needed air.
Outside, the night was cooler. The sharp bite of wind on her skin cleared her mind, but only slightly. Her heart still raced, her body still hummed with the remnants of Dante's presence.
She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and turned toward the steps leading down from the grand venue. That's when she bumped into someone-solid, tall, and unapologetically male.
"Forgive me-" she began, stepping back.
"No, please, it's my fault," the man said with a small smile.
Her gaze traveled up-olive skin, tousled black hair, and piercing gray eyes that seemed to read her like a book. He was handsome in a dangerous, effortless way. The kind of man whose presence disrupted gravity.
Rafael De Luca.
She recognized him instantly.
He was Dante's rival. Rumored to be just as ruthless, just as cunning. If Dante was fire and fury, Rafael was ice and steel. The media loved him. The Mafia feared him.
"What a surprise," Valentina said cautiously.
"I could say the same," Rafael replied, stepping closer. "You don't usually attend events hosted by the Colombian elite. Not unless there's a reason."
"I was invited," she said. "And I have clients here."
He smiled, slow and lazy. "I'm sure you do."
Valentina bristled at the insinuation. "If you'll excuse me-"
"Walk with me," Rafael said, not a question but a quiet command. "Just five minutes. I promise I won't bite."
She hesitated.
Getting involved with any man in this world was dangerous. Getting involved with him was reckless.
Still, her feet betrayed her. She fell into step beside him as they walked down the grand marble steps and onto a quieter path framed by gardens and low lights. The party music was muffled now, replaced by the sound of crickets and the faint hum of the city.
"So," Rafael began, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. "Dante didn't look too happy to see you."
She gave a dry laugh. "That's not new."
"You rattled him," he said, glancing at her. "He doesn't rattle easily."
"I didn't come to rattle anyone."
"But you did, Valentina." He stopped walking and turned to face her. "You walked in there, glowing like vengeance in silk. He saw you, and for the first time in a long time, he looked... cornered."
She blinked at him, surprised.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying..." Rafael's eyes held hers. "I've been watching you too."
Her breath caught. "Excuse me?"
"Not in the way he does," Rafael added quickly. "I don't believe in chains. But I've followed your rise. Your resilience. You left the Mafia world and survived."
She folded her arms, defensive. "And now?"
"Now I want to talk to you,privately."
"About?"
"Business. Opportunity. And maybe... something else." His voice dropped, velvet smooth. "I'm not Dante, Valentina. I don't want to possess you. I want to work with you."
She studied him for a long beat. There was sincerity in his tone, but also danger behind his eyes. It was different from Dante's fire-it was colder, more strategic-but it was still danger all the same.
"I'm not interested in Mafia business," she said flatly.
"Neither am I," he replied. "But you and I both know, once you're in... the shadows never really let you go."
She didn't answer.
"I'll send a car for you tomorrow," he said. "You don't have to decide anything now."
"Why me?" she asked.
Rafael stepped closer. "Because you're the only one in this city brave enough to burn the past... and walk out of the fire looking like a goddess."
Her cheeks flushed. Not from flattery-but from the way he looked at her, as if she were more than just a trophy or a conquest.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a slim card, handing it to her.
"Think about it, bella donna."
Before she could respond, he walked away, vanishing into the night with the same confidence that had made Dante a legend-and Rafael a rival.
Valentina stared at the card in her hand, her heart pounding.
Her past was returning.
And this time, it wasn't just Dante watching her.
Two kings of the underworld had her in their sights.
And she was the queen no one saw coming.
Camille Hayes never imagined her life would be auctioned off to the highest bidder,especially not to Sebastian Blackwood, a ruthless billionaire with a heart of stone. When her father's company goes bankrupt, she's forced into a contract marriage to save her family from ruin. Sebastian needs a wife for his own reasons,cold, calculated, and mysterious ones. As they clash in a marriage built on secrets and control, sparks fly. But when past traumas, dangerous enemies, and forbidden emotions come to light, will their forced union destroy them,or bring them closer than they ever dared to be.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
Caught in a web of betrayal, Nicole's life shatters in a single evening when her mother-in-law, Veronica, sets her up in an elaborate scheme. Blindsided, Nicole faces her husband Taylor's cold rage as he casts her out of his life and home, accusing her of infidelity and theft. As she tries to defend herself, her best friend, Sarah, adds another blow by denying their loyalty. "Please, Taylor, you have to believe me!" Nicole pleads, her voice breaking, but his icy response is a dagger to her heart. "I don't hate you, Nicole," he sneers. "I despise you." When Nicole reveals she's pregnant, she hopes for compassion, but it only fuels Veronica's determination to rid the family of her. After signing the divorce papers, a dejected Nicole wanders alone, where a brutal attack leaves her bleeding, helpless, and desperate to protect her unborn child. Six years later, Nicole returns from the ashes to inflict seven times the pains upon those who humiliated her and left her to die. "I'll make them pay so dearly that they'd regret ever been born!" She declares. This is a story of romance and revenge you don't want to miss!
Aria Wilson agrees to her step- sister offers to have a one night stand with an old man interchange for large amounts. It will be use for his brother's operation. What they don't know is the man she had sex with is turned out to be Jake Thomson! The most powerful man in Golden City, a multi-billionaire. Her step- sister Ayah, pretended that she is the one he was with that night so she is the on who gained wealth. Aria got pregnant and walked away but after five years she came back and her children...