#Book-2 in Lost Royalty series ( CAN BE READ STANDALONE ) He is heartless, While she is a heart specialist He kills mercilessly, And she lives to save lives Both are accustomed to blood, but with different intentions: One to give back life, the other to snatch lives In the collision of their paths, will they find a way to reconcile their differences or remain irreconcilable opposites? What will happen when destiny plays its game, binding them in a knot of marriage of convenience, where both are forced to marry each other, just to fulfill a promise?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐣𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐬 #𝟏 [𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆] She's quiet, soft and fragile, crushed by the power that is abused by the people of her world. Orphaned, and with no one to look up to for protection, she's helpless. He's cold, reserved and hardened by the same world that has tried to crush her. With a family full of chaotic wonders, his life seems to be full, but still so empty at the same time. What is a better deal than satisfying both ends? So they get married. Her for protection, him for... something that runs deeper than the need to fill the void in his life. Will the deal hold up? Or unravel by the fraying edges?

18+ Disclaimer: this book contains violence, sex scene and dark themes that can easily trigger someone. Kindly don't read if you are easily impressed. In the city that never sleeps, where power is won with blood and money, Catherine is the trophy wife of an ambitious financial consultant, living a life of superficial luxury. When her husband, driven by a hunger for power, tries to ingratiate himself with the Italian mafia, their fragile balance is shattered. It is in this chaos that Catherine meets Matteo Caruso, the feared leader of the city's most powerful clan. Matteo is a man of few words, preferring to assert his will through decisive actions and ruthless gestures. Drawn to Catherine's irresistible beauty and magnetic allure, he decides that she must be his, at any cost. Their forbidden attraction turns into a dangerous game, where desire and fear intertwine in a whirlwind of passion and violence. But as Catherine's world crumbles around her, buried secrets emerge, threatening everything she has ever known. --- Prologue. Catherine leaned trembling against the bathroom counter, her breath uneven as she tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart. It had been a terrible idea. She shouldn't have accepted the invitation. She should have convinced her husband to stay home. But now, with Matteo Caruso's burning gaze still etched on her skin, she knew she had gone too far. The door opened behind her, and the enveloping scent of his expensive perfume overwhelmed her. Everything about him was now her sweet curse. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "Don't resist, Catherine." Matteo whispered, his voice low, hoarse, and heavy with a dark promise. "We are meant to be together."