Aurora Saints has learned how to disappear in plain sight. At twenty-seven, she is a nurse who works double shifts, a daughter holding together a fragile home, a sister who never lets herself need first. Quiet. Careful. Good. The kind of woman the world leans on without ever stopping to ask what it costs her. Matteo De Luca is a man the world listens to. A brilliant lawyer from one of the most influential families in the city, he commands rooms without raising his voice and carries his power like a second skin. Wealth, legacy, whispers of darker ties-none of it has ever shaken him. Control is his language. Restraint is his choice. They meet where power is not supposed to matter-hospital corridors, late nights, stolen glances that linger too long. Matteo sees her immediately. Aurora feels it-and resists. He does not chase. He does not corner. He waits. Because he knows that when she finally steps forward, it won't be because he took something from her... It will be because she chose him. And when a man like Matteo De Luca is chosen, he does not give pieces of himself. He gives everything. Slow-burn tension. Quiet dominance. Possession without control. A love story where restraint is the most dangerous thing of all.

Editing -------- Highest Ranks- 1# Mafia 1#hostage 1#complete 1#good girl 1#italian 2#opposites 3#Mature 4#morallygrey Rosie has always been independent, caring, loyal, polite, but most of all, lonely. Growing up without a family she learnt the hard way that love was most of all, a fairytale, only found in worn books and illogical movies, but that never stopped her from feeling everything so deeply, daydreaming and romanticising a life that's never truly been hers. All she's ever wanted was a little bit of love. Will moving into the busy streets of Brooklyn to get away from the loneliness she's always felt and potentially find the boring love she wants so badly be the easiest choice she ever makes? Probably, and quite possibly...the worst... Now Rosie will learn the hard way that sometimes when a 6'4ft man with piercing green eyes, the mouth of a sailor and an obviously not so alluring demeanour tells you to walk the other way, just walk the other fucking way...

Those blue-green eyes that I've memorized in every shade of light, in every expression, in my dreams and my waking thoughts-they're focused on my face. Seeing me. Knowing I'm here. The moment lasts maybe two seconds. Maybe less. Could be my imagination. Could be that she's just scanning the crowd and her gaze happened to pass over my corner. But for those two seconds, the world stops. There's no music. No crowd. No stage. No club. Just her eyes and mine. Just recognition. Just... connection. Then she looks away. Continues her routine. The moment is over. But my hands are shaking. My whole body is shaking. Did she see me? Really see me? Or did she just see another man in a dark corner, another customer? [Book #2 in House of Halgrave Series] 📖 Can this be read as a standalone? YES! This is a complete story with its own beginning, middle, and end. However: This is Book 2 in a connected series. Book 1 tells a different couple's story where this character appears. Book 2 reveals truths that reframe everything. Read in order for maximum impact, or start here - both work! ⚠️ CONTENT WARNING ⚠️ This book contains extremely dark and potentially triggering content, including: Human trafficking and sexual slavery Child abuse and trauma (non-graphic) Graphic sexual content (consensual between main characters) Death of a major character Grief, PTSD, and suicidal ideation Kidnapping and stalking elements References to organized crime This is a DARK romance. The love story exists within deeply traumatic circumstances. The main character makes morally reprehensible choices under impossible conditions. If any of these topics are triggering for you, please prioritize your mental health and skip this book. This story is intended for mature audiences (18+) only. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

"WHY CAN'T YOU GET IT INSIDE YOUR HEAD?" He trapped my trembling body between his arms and slammed his fist into the wall. I flinch at the sound as I feel tears forming in my eyes. "I'M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR CRYING. JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NEVER LEAVING. THIS IS YOUR LIFE NOW, WITH ME" He spits, anger consuming his voice as I push myself further against the wall. Shutting my eyes closed and turning my face to the side as I do. Moments later, I feel his rough hand on my waist and his finger grazing my cheek. "Look at me, love." His hand grips onto my jaw, his thumb playing across my lower lip. He turns my face to meet his as I lower my gaze to the floor. He lowers himself to my level and I feel his breath fanning my cheek causing my breathing to become unsteady. "I love you so much, darling. But you need to learn. You need to learn that you won't be going anywhere. You're mine." With that being said, his other hand slides down to my waist "Your entire body, your mind, your soul. All mine." All I could do was tremble at his touch. How can someone so beautiful be so heartless? ~~~~~~~~~~ All a 19 year old Aurora Shaw wanted to do was work to make a living and volunteer at the orphanage. Unfortunately for her, ruthless and cunning 26 year old Mafia leader and billionaire Tristan Black had other plans for her. He's been waiting for the perfect moment to kidnap her and finally make her his queen after 2 years of watching and stalking her every move. He'd kill anyone who gets in the way of getting what he wants. What will happen when he ruins everything she wanted and forces her to marry him? Will she escape and resist him? Or will she submit and accept her fate?

"You looked at me like I was no one. That was your first mistake." Eva Mirova lives in pages-quiet, romantic, untouched by the world she writes about. But fate doesn't ask for permission. It delivers her straight into the line of sight of Ivan Volkov, a man who doesn't believe in chance... only ownership. He wasn't supposed to notice her. He was there for a deal. But one glance-one moment-and she became his next decision. Not for a night. Not for a taste. Forever. She doesn't know his name. He knows everything about her. She runs. He doesn't chase-he commands the world to close in around her. This isn't a love story. It's a dark vow wrapped in silk and sealed in blood. Because when Ivan wants something, he doesn't court it. He claims it. Marries it. Breaks it, if it resists. And Eva? She just became his bride... whether she says "I do" or not.

Mila: I thought I knew my family. But everything changed the moment they told me I was getting married, to a man I'd never met. Now I'm being pulled into a dangerous world I never asked to be part of, tied to a cold, distant Russian who makes it very clear he doesn't want me. He's cruel. He's unreadable. He looks at me like I'm a problem he didn't ask for. But the more I learn about this life, and about him, the harder it is to ignore the pull between us. I can't fall for him. I won't survive it if I do. Nikolai: I never wanted a wife. Least of all the wide-eyed Italian girl who's been dropped into my world like a lamb among wolves. She doesn't understand how things work here. She's soft. Too soft. And yet... there's something about her I can't seem to stay away from. She was never supposed to matter. But she's starting to. And that makes her dangerous. ♡ Arranged Marriage ♡ Dark Romance ♡ Mafia

"You think you're a ghost in these halls, Aurora, but I have memorized the frequency of your breath. Go ahead-run. But I am the horizon; no matter how far you go, you are still within my sight. I will dismantle every version of a life you've built without me until the only thing left for you to lean on is my shadow. You aren't just a part of my world; you are the pulse I use to measure it." - Evander Laurent __________ In the hallowed, gothic halls of Ardencrest University, being a 'Ghost' is a survival strategy. Scholarship student Aurora Lane knows the rules: stay invisible, protect her brother, and avoid the gaze of the Elite. But she made one fatal mistake. She was noticed by the Crown Prince. Evander Laurent doesn't just lead; he possesses. He is a mastermind who views people as chess pieces, and he has decided that Aurora is his most prized prize. He doesn't want her heart-he wants to be the very air she breathes. He is systematically isolating her, tearing down her world until he is the only thing she has left to hold onto. In a game of psychological warfare and dark obsession, Aurora must decide: will she break under his control, or will she learn to rule the shadows he created? He's not just watching her. He's rewriting her reality. ____ "The Crown Prince |18+" is the first book in the Princes of Ardencrest Series

𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕. 𝑯𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒔. Sophia was naive, ordinary, a village girl with a simple dream-to see the king's palace. One day, curiosity woke her. Innocent, childish, she walked into the grand halls... unaware she had just caught the eye of the ruthless king. From that moment, she would no longer be just a girl-she would become HIS OBSESSION. King Adrian sat on his throne, dark and terrifying. The hall trembled; heads bowed, no one dared meet his eyes. Then the gates opened. Guards dragged a small, trembling girl to his feet. "Your Majesty... we found her roaming the palace," they said. Thrown to the floor, Sophia looked up at king, voice shaking. "I... I just wanted to see the palace..." Everyone flinched at his gaze-but she dared to meet the king's eyes. And in that moment... she became his obsession. Top Ranks ❤️ 30 March 2026 #1 captivity #1 naivegirl #1 ruthlessking #1 Dark All in first rank ❤️ 🥺 #2 manipulation #2 childish #4 dangerouslove #4. #forcedproximity

In the heart of Paris, Eloise lives a beautiful life, a life she's always dreamed of. She has a loving family, a best friend, and a degree in cyber security. Her goal is simple: to make her parents proud, to stand on her own feet, to travel the world with her best friend. But fate has other plans. A trip to Italy to celebrate her success will change everything. One encounter, one night and Eloise will cross paths with the Marchesi brothers. Her kindness, her innocence, her very heart will become the most dangerous temptation of their lives. Will her world stay the same or will it shatter completely? Eloise Marie Bennett is smart, soft-hearted, and kind. But in the shadows of Milan, her light is about to meet darkness she cannot imagine. ● ● ● Meet the architects of her new reality: the Marchesi brothers. Nathan and Aaron Marchesi are legends of fear. Mafia kings whose names alone send shivers through governments, gangs, and the underworld. Ruthless, sadistic, and merciless, they take what they want and no one dares to refuse them. Their power is absolute, their desire uncontrollable. And then comes Eloise. One girl. One spark. One forbidden obsession that awakens a darkness even they cannot resist. She is everything they should never touch and yet everything they crave. Her refusal ignites a fire they will stop at nothing to satisfy. Every rule, every limit, every line they've ever known......will be broken. They will stop at nothing to make her theirs. To cage her, to control her, to break her gentle spirit and remake it in their image. In their world, love is ownership. Care is control. And freedom is a concept they will burn to the ground to erase from her mind. Will Eloise survive the obsession of two men who fear nothing? Or will their dark, relentless desire consume her completely.....body, heart, and soul? Read Prologue for detail description.

"Tell me." He whispered, voice husky with amusement. "If I take this dress off of you and touch you here." His thumb traced slow circles over the tightening nub, rubbing gently, deliberately making it harder. "Would you be wet, Олонок?" Heat surged through me like wildfire. My breath hitched before I could stop it. My lips parted, and instinctively, I bit down on my lower lip, tasting my own flesh. His thumb continued its torturous dance over the areola, small circles that became firmer, coaxing every nerve to attention. I could feel the skin puckering under his touch, my body betraying me in slow, shuddering responses. I wanted to pull away, to stand, to breathe but the grip of his gaze held me captive. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Elara Sinclair came to Maryville to disappear. After fleeing the engagement her father arranged, one that would have chained her to a life she didn't choose. She only wants quiet, classes, anonymity, and a future of her own making. But quiet shatters the moment she enrolls in Russian during her third year. Her professor, Draven Volkov, is everything she should avoid. Commanding Magnetic Impossible to ignore. His dark eyes promise more than language lessons, and his words curl around her like silk. But behind the sharp suits and the accent is a man with secrets far more dangerous than she realizes. Because Draven Volkov isn't just a professor. He's Lucius Romanov, heir to a ruthless Russian mafia dynasty, hiding in plain sight. As Elara struggles to outrun her past, she finds herself entangled in his. Desire wars with fear, attraction with survival, and every step closer to him pulls her deeper into a world of power, deception, and sin. In Maryville, falling for the wrong man doesn't just break hearts. It can cost lives.