My grief is a lie. His guilt a weapon. And remembering will destroy whoever I used to love. Maybe this was it. Maybe she had already crossed the line between the living and the lost. The thought of reuniting with Alexei, of seeing him again, wherever he was, felt less terrifying than stepping through that door to meet his killer. Death, at least, would have been merciful. Forget everything you think you know about mafia romance. This isn't a story about an innocent girl stumbling into a dangerous world. Claire lived in that world, she just can't remember how... or what it cost her. A love story where the deepest betrayal may be the one you inflict on yourself. Fair warning: this book will break you, reshape you, and leave you desperate for answers you're too afraid to face. ⚠️ Content Disclaimer ⚠️ This work contains mature themes and potentially triggering content, including but not limited to: violence, death, emotional abuse, manipulation, trauma, sexual tension, and morally complex relationships. Copyright Disclaimer © MaryRose 2025 This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and settings are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental. No part of this story may be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any form without the author's signed authorization.

Katelyn Victoria Darcy, daughter of the late Viscount of Montgomery, whose privilege life has a drastic, changed when her father died. His death revealed the secret of their financial ruination. He had sold their properties to pay the debts, and what were left are an empty title and the house. A lot of problems came into her family life, and it all needed money to solve it. So Katelyn decided to accept the marriage laid down by her grandmother's best friend to her grandson and leave the country where she was born to start a new life with him in New York. But the arrogant grandson, Jared Frederick Steele, who, despite being young, is already a CEO of a multi-billion conglomerate doesn't like the idea of marrying a noble lady, especially the daughter of Lady Montgomery. He thought that she would be like her haughty mother, but as it is his grandmother who asked him and she is the only person in the world whom he can't refuse, he accepted the arrange marriage but only if it is an undisclosed Union and on his terms. What will be those terms? Will it affect Katelyn's newfound job and friends, especially that the company's Big Boss is her secret husband, or it will be the reason for finding lasting love?

Highest rating #1 in emotional roller-coaster #2 in Trauma. --- **He had a wife. She was supposed to be just the surrogate.** But lies have a way of unraveling, and love... love doesn't always follow the rules. Daniel thought he had control over his life-his company, his marriage, his future. But when Mia walks in, desperate and brave, everything starts to slip. She wasn't meant to matter. She wasn't meant to stay. But she did. Now secrets are cracking at the seams, hearts are on the line, and the truth is far more dangerous than either of them imagined. He's built walls to keep the world out. She's spent her whole life trying to survive it. Together, they might finally learn what it means to be *safe.* ---

Participating story in the 2022 Stormy Nights Reading Challenge! Popstar Insomniac Werewolf? Verity Jayne is harboring a secret buried so deep, even she doesn't know what it is. Until one day, she does. Or she thinks she does. Her family and friends worry that she's losing her mind. Either they're right... or they're lying to her. Alek Sinclair knows her secret, but he isn't telling her what it might be. Hired as her bodyguard, Alek's real mission is to watch Verity for signs that she's taking after her mother. Verity believes her mom succumbed to mental illness. The truth is far stranger-so strange that even Alek will be forced to reevaluate everything he thought he believed in. Verity wants to embrace who she's become, but if she does, Alek will have to finish his mission: ending her life before the world finds out what she really is... or what she's capable of doing.

(Book 1: Royal Mafia series) Gabriella Merliah Antonio, leader of 'The Royals,' the most powerful and feared Mafia family that rules all over Spain and the United States. With her beauty and fearlessness, she's learned everything she needs to survive. But her life gets turned upside down when she has to face her biggest rival and ex-lover, Anthony Castillo. Anthony Castillo, the feared Mafia Don of 'The Corleone Mafia' in Italy, is all danger, power, and charm-enough to push Gabriella to her limits. Their families have been sworn enemies for generations, and their past relationship has stayed a secret from both sides. When they cross paths again after four years, things quickly spiral out of control, setting off a chain of events that will change everything. As old feelings flare up and bitterness grows, Gabriella and Anthony get tangled in a mess of secrets and intrigue. The truth about their past comes to light, and the hatred between them threatens to tear them apart. With everyone they care about becoming targets, both rival families are forced to join forces. But can they put their differences aside to survive? Or will their families' feud destroy them once and for all?

BUY NOW ON AMAZON https://a.co/d/0inJedKx Love built the ladder. Power pulled the trigger. When two gunshots shatter the silence of an upstate farmhouse, billionaire CEO Richard Callahan and his daughter's ambitious boyfriend, Liam Carter, are found dead beside a single gun. Murder-suicide. Open and shut. Except nothing in the Callahan family is ever that simple. Avery Callahan was raised to believe in loyalty, legacy, and love. But as she steps into the ruins of her father's empire, she begins to uncover something far more dangerous than betrayal-strategy. The affair wasn't accidental. The ambition wasn't romantic. And the tragedy wasn't inevitable. It was engineered. As secrets unravel and power shifts hands, Avery must confront a truth more terrifying than scandal: sometimes the greatest acts of love are the most ruthless. And sometimes the only way to survive is to decide which lie the world deserves to believe. In a family where devotion is leverage and silence is power, the real question isn't who pulled the trigger- It's who built the room.

A girl who had always lived a rich and happy life with her family, including her sister and brother, suddenly had her world turned upside down. A boy entered her life seeking revenge for his lover, who had been raped and left in a coma. Believing the girl was responsible for arranging the attack, he subjected her to physical and emotional abuse, making her life a living hell. However, over time, he began to fall in love with her. One day, he discovered the truth - she had nothing to do with the crime. Overcome with guilt, he tried to make amends, but she was deeply hurt and angry. Months passed as he repeatedly apologized for his actions. Eventually, the girl forgave him. Just as they began to rebuild their relationship, new enemies appeared, threatening their newfound love. Together, they overcame the obstacles, started a fresh chapter in their lives, and built a happy family.

The story of a woman who is fated to marry a powerful mafia boss in order to bind two families together Viviana, a 21-year-old Italian mafia princess, is temperamental and can't stand fuck boys. She never wanted to be confined by her father's world, but there are a few benefits. She knows how to use a gun. Lorenzo, 26, is the head of his family, taking over his father's position at the age of 22. He's the typical playboy flirt who always wears his famous smirk. He's the life of the party, but when it comes to his work, he'll destroy anything that gets in his way. Neither family can claim to be the most successful underground mafia family; the Moretti and De Luca families are tied for second place. However, they intend to change that. Knowing that connecting the families will strengthen them. Will Viviana allow her father to make a life-changing decision for her? And will Lorenzo abandon his player ways for the traditional life of a married man?

Alessia Ferrari is the Don of the Italian Mafia. Whip-smart and dangerous, she is a woman in a man's world, surviving against all odds. Born and raised to become a lethal killer, even the ground she walks on bows at her feet. She has it all, until that is, her father gives her hand away in marriage. Ace Hernandez is the boss of the American Mafia. He's a cold cruel hearted monster. He knows the game all too well and does whatever it takes to win and if that means breaking someone, he could do that with his eyes closed. Fate is vicious when the two are forced to marry. Will two monsters find solace in each other's arms or will they kill each other? ---------------------------- "I don't recall signing up for strip poker." She replied. Her full lips frowned softly but her eyes were filled with amusement. She knew she couldn't beat me, not at this game. "Are you quitting? Are you a quitter?" I mocked getting under her skin. Her lips twitched before she pursed them tightly. The blues of her eyes deepened and she threw me a dangerous smirk. She shuffled and pulled off one of her sandals. Fuck. So we're doing this the long way. She raised it in the air, dangling it off her finger before tossing it aside. She raised a brow at me, she challenged me. I knew I got under her skin. Just as I had anticipated. -------------------------- BE AWARE: Trigger warnings: MATURE CONTENT 18+ (SMUT) SWEARING VIOLENCE/GUN VIOLENCE SELF HARM/SUICIDE (REFERENCES) EXPLICIT LANGUAGE REFERENCES TO RAPE SMOKING/ALCOHOL/DRUGS BLOOD/DEATH/GORE ©️ All rights reserved ™️ The Walnut Tree BOOK ONE OF THE MAFIA SERIES

{COMPLETE} When Isabella's wedding ceremony is ruined by the one and only Kyzer Caruso, he kidnaps her and forces her to love him, no matter how long it takes. Even if he has to pull a few strings and share a few secrets that might break her heart. Watch this story unfold as Isabella finds out different things about herself while learning a thing or two about love and how it can come from very unexpected places. *WARNING!! ⚠️ THIS BOOK CONTAINS THEMES THAT MAY BE UPSETTING TO SOME READERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. THIS IS ALSO A DARK ROMANCE NOVEL. THIS IS NOT A SLOWBURN NOVEL. THIS IS NOT A SLOWBURN NOVEL. THIS IS NOT A SLOWBURN NOVEL. This book is also more of a romance novel than mafia, fyi!* Book cover by @_navyblueee_ Started; Nov 12, 2021 Finished; Feb 8, 2022