"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

❝He's looking at me with wide eyes, flushed face and body completely tense, as he puts his hands in front of him and crawls to the spot I pointed at. I put my boot clad foot on his shoulder to stop his movements, then plant it back on the floor. "Kiss it."❞ ─── ❦ ─── 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢 is the leader of the dangerous Profati mafia, 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐡 is a shy teacher who finds himself desperate to escape the claws of his deranged family. When she abducts her childhood best friend from his wedding, Nevan's foolish enough to think being her captive is her way of protecting him. But Helena has much more sadistic purposes for him. And she knows just how to make him vow himself to her unaware of what truly awaits. Enter a world of reckless vows and binding chains with this extraordinary duo in 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘝𝘰𝘸𝘴 by AddieBookss ♤ Dual POV ♤ Bad girl × Good boy ♤ Reverse Dark Romance ♤ Mild BDSM

A New York Love Story. Highest ranking #1 in Dominance #11 in Young Adult #1 in General

18+ if 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 and 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 were a man... "i don't think you truly understand the physical and emotional connection i feel with you. i'm desperate for you, i yearn for you, and i'm incredibly greedy for you-God, you make me so fucking greedy you have no...no idea what you do to me because it's not just your body that i crave; i also crave your attention." "haze stop." "fine. then i won't tell you how anxious my chest pounds when we're making love, when i'm tasting and touching you. or how i'm constantly thinking about having children with you and getting married every time you look up at me, especially when you're naked and beautiful beneath me. you have no idea how painful it is to keep my hands to myself right now, and all you're doing is standing there, looking at me with those damn eyes that make me stop breathing the moment they're on me. i'm pathetic when it comes to you, niara." "haze please just stop," she begged, tears in her eyes. "i get so impatient when you're too friendly with others because i don't want no one else to feel that energy. i earned it, i want it all for myself. i'm selfish for you like that. i can't sleep without you lying next to me in bed anymore. i-i have nightmares still and they only stop when you're there, and when you're not, i physically cannot breathe and all i want is to be in your arms where i feel safest. i haven't felt safe since i was ten and you fixed that in under a year. you broke me, niara. you broke my brain more than it already was and now i'm only for you." "and i am here, on my knees, begging and seeping with desperation not to lose you." his name would be 𝐇𝐀𝐙𝐄 𝐀𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍. 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐎: the nanny series #2 ©𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐱𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬

Juliette Moretti had long been the picture of duty. Born the daughter of a notorious mob boss, she grew up in the shadows of the underworld, groomed to play the part of the perfect daughter. Despite her resentment, she did everything right. She wore the dresses. Perfected the smile. Married the man who would finally free her from her fathers grip-Romeo Moretti. But Romeo was more than just an escape, Juliette loved him, naively. She spent ten years of marriage searching for a place in his guarded heart, and for ten years he adamantly pushed her away, tucking her in the shadows, treating her as little more than a possession. No matter their history. No matter what she did, or the child they shared. Now, older, smarter, Juliette has finally gained the resources she needs to leave this marriage once and for all. She'll do anything to give her daughter the life she deserves. The only problem? Romeo refuses to let go of what's his.

"You belong right here, Elysia. Not in New York with Julian, or out somewhere in the city galavanting around with Andrew, or anywhere near Canelley," He mumbled against a fresh mark on the base of my neck. "Right here, nowhere else." For two years Elysia Leal and Salvatore Grant's relationship had been strictly professional. She ran his errands and he ran his business. That is, until, a situation at work puts them in an awkward position causing the lines in their relationship to blur and feelings to ensue.

Watched the world from the sidelines, had nothing to prove, till you came into my life, gave me something to lose.

He's a boxer. Non-verbal. Silent but powerful. She's a woman of distrust. Introverted. Weary and nervous. Terrible circumstances brought them together. That same miserable occurrence joined them together for eternity. In holy matrimony of course. This is an ORIGINAL NUNU novel. A/N: SLOW BURN ROMANCE T/W: Mentions terms like MUTE, and MUTISM.