"Morning, Mr. Serious," I say now, setting his usual cup on the table. I add two sugar packets because I can't help myself. He never uses them. He never even looks at them. But I like the idea of them sitting there, taunting him with sweetness. His eyes flick up to mine - stormy gray, the kind that make you feel like you're under interrogation for a crime you don't remember committing. "You should stop doing that." His voice is low, accented, like gravel dragged across velvet. Russian maybe? Or Italian. Or both. Either way, it does unholy things to my stomach. "Doing what?" I ask innocently, sliding the sugar closer to his hand. "That." His gaze drops to the packets. "I don't take sugar." I grin, all sunshine and sass. "You don't know that. Maybe one day you'll wake up and realize life's better with a little sweetness." ●・○・●・○・● Rafael Volkov doesn't do small talk. Or smiles. Or sugar in his coffee. As the mafia's underboss, he's built a reputation on silence, sharp suits, and an expression that could curdle milk. So of course, Lila Parker makes it her mission to crack him. The sunny diner waitress insists on slipping him extra sugar packets, calling him "Mr. Serious" behind the counter, and treating him like a normal guy instead of a walking red flag. He tells her to stop. She doesn't. He growls. She grins. And suddenly, his late-night coffee runs feel less like routine and more like... something he shouldn't want. The problem? In his world, affection is dangerous. Smiles get noticed. Weaknesses get used. And if Lila isn't careful, her little act of kindness might just paint a target on her back. Rafael swore he didn't have a sweet tooth. Turns out he was wrong. ●・○・●・○・● Word Count: 37,478

Alessandro 'Sandro' Bellini's world is one of ruthless control, and his most loyal weapon is his Cane Corso, Cerberus. Across the city, Juniper 'June' Scott's world is a sunlit bakery, where she remains blissfully unaware of the shadows that govern her city. When Cerberus escapes, Sandro is prepared for war. He isn't prepared to find his beast being fed scones by a cheerful baker who has audaciously renamed the killer 'Muffin.' This singular act of canine betrayal forces the cold-blooded underboss into June's warm orbit. Each reluctant visit to retrieve his dog pulls him deeper under her spell, an addiction he can't fight. In a life of calculated sins, Sandro is about to discover his darkest vice isn't a choice, but a dangerous craving for the one woman he should be protecting her from: himself. ∘₊✧──────✧₊∘ Word Count: 55,331

BOOK 1 IN THE MORETTI SERIES A story about an oppressed young woman and a ruthless Mafia man arranged to be married in a world neither of them asked to be born in. *SLOWBURN ROMANCE* *Morally grey Male lead.* *Innocent Female lead.*

❝I've already made up my mind, I want you and only you. No one else... because to me, you're my kind of perfect,❞ In the ruthless world of wealth and power, Adrian Ivanov reigns as a cold-hearted man, devoid of remorse. Love holds no meaning for him, as he indulges in a life of opulence and privilege, yet remains hollow. However, his carefully constructed existence is about to be shattered when an unexpected encounter brings Valentina Russo into his life. Valentina, an Italian girl struggling to make ends meet, crosses paths with Adrian at his exclusive club. Little does she know, this chance meeting will unravel the fabric of her entire existence. Will Valentina possess the strength to weather the storm that threatens to consume her? As their lives intertwine, a profound question lingers: Can Valentina be the one to thaw the ice in Adrian's heart and fill the void that has haunted him for so long? Witness a tale of passion, transformation, and the tumultuous journey two souls must undertake in search of redemption and unyielding love. https://www.patreon.com/c/arihartwattpad

I looked at her possessively before grabbing her by the nape of her neck and pulling her closer to me, our lips a breath away. "You are mine. Only mine. Understand?" I gritted out and she nodded slowly. "Good. Because I'll fucking kill any man who lays his hand on you. On what's mine." I said and crashed my lips onto hers. I kissed her roughly and possessively, I made her know who she belonged to. And if anyone said otherwise, they'd have to deal with a bullet in their head. * * * Nicholas 'Ace' King - Don of the Italian Mafia and the most feared person around. Dove Winchester - A bright college student, with a fire inside her only a few know about. When Dove bumps into the Mafia king at her favourite café, how will he react? She seems to bump into him in various places that her friends say it's fate... but is it? Will Dove grow closer to Nicholas and put his past behind them or will she question all her morals to be with him? Will Nicholas learn to love or will he be dragged down with his bloody past? Keep Reading to find out! #1 in Passion #1 in College #1 in Café #1 in Blue Eyes #1 in Rich #1 in Beautiful #1 in Bad Past #1 in Girl #1 in Guy #1 in Jealousy #1 in Hot Guys #2 in Italian #2 in Bad ass #3 in Dark Romance #4 in Singer #4 in Mafia #5 in Billionaire #6 in Possessive #11 in Friends & Family #11 in College Stories #12 in Love

One of his hands grips into my hair while the other one holds my face. "Behave." He says sternly before letting me go and walking into the bathroom. ~~~ Venice Adams loves lights, she was attracted to it like a mosquito to a flame, after everything her family put her through she needed that light. What happens when she stumbled across paths with Liam Santiago, he was nothing but darkness so why was she so attracted to him... She craved him. Darkness takes a human form in Liam Santiago, He was not the light Venice needed in her life, danger followed Him like a shadow everywhere he went and he knew that he could bring danger to her. But he couldn't stay away from her no matter how much he knew he needed to... he craved her. ____ 18+ ©2022-2024

[COMPLETED] Evangeline Kingston, an 18 year old, knows nothing of the outside world after having been confined to the walls of her home her whole life. All she's ever known is her fathers abuse towards her and her mother. For her, it's normal. Tobias Moretti, 21 year old mafia leader, makes a deal with Evangelines father after realising he's unable to pay his debt off. The deal is that Evangeline is given to Tobias in order to rub away his debt. Without hesitation, her father does so, throwing Evangeline into a crazy world she knows nothing about. Learning about the normal world is hard enough but Evangeline must learn about the mafia world if she wants to take her father and all of his contacts out. Tobias is cold, calculating and a perfect mafia leader. Evangeline is the opposite. She's innocent, kind-hearted and curious. Will his cold heart shut her out for good or open up to her forever? The real question is will Evangeline open up to Tobias about her past and accept the mafia life or will he eventually let her go for good? - "I'd give you the world if you asked for it, darling." "I'm not asking for the world though. I'm asking for ice cream. But it's nice to know what you'd do for me." - "You're really pretty." "Shut up," he grumbled. "You always say that." *Highest Rankings* #1 in trauma #2 in Arrangement #6 in Enemies to Lovers #6 in Mafia Life

Forced into a marriage neither of them wanted, a fierce Greek mafia princess and a ruthless Sicilian underboss must navigate a storm of power, passion, and betrayal-only to discover that their greatest battle might be against their own hearts. *** They hated each other from the moment they met, but little did they know, they were destined to be together. Millicent Rhea Darmos: Princess of the Greek Mafia. At 25 years old, she's established herself as a self proclaimed boss bitch, running her own publishing company. But now it's time she fulfils her duty to her family's organisation. It's time she gets married. Costantino Salvatore Accardi: Underboss and Heir to the Sicilian Mafia. At 28 years old, he has no interest in settling down-he already has it all. He believes in family above all, so why bring in an outsider? Yet, after a strange string of events, the two of them find themselves thrust into married life. It's full of chaos, drama and all kinds of tension. The question is, how do they survive their marriage and the storm that follows? *** "I've never kissed anyone." My voice trembled with a tinge of vulnerability - something I hated. But Costa didn't seem to mind that I was nervous or anxious. "Good. You're mine." He spoke so seriously, without a flicker of doubt as he took my hand in his. "So you want it be special, principessa?" "Every girl's first kiss is special." I whispered, watching as he brought my hand up to his lips. "I only care about yours."

It felt like heaven to fall in love with hell...