candicenovellvs
- Reads 245
- Votes 116
- Parts 8
In the freezing winter of 1998, twenty-four-year-old Samone is drowning under the weight of survival. Between grueling shifts at a grease-stained Brooklyn diner and her architecture studies at Pratt, her life is a relentless grind of cheap coffee, unpaid bills, and crushing tuition-until Carmine walks in.
Wrapped in tailored wool and exuding a dangerous, lethal calm, Carmine is a high-ranking figure in a deadly crime syndicate. Drawn to Samone's sharp mind and quiet ambition, he offers an irresistible escape: her debts wiped clean, ultimate luxury, and a world where she never has to struggle again.
Swept from the frozen streets of Bed-Stuy to the neon-drenched opulence of Las Vegas, Samone is plunged into an intoxicating reality of private jets, diamonds, and untouchable privilege. But in a city built on illusion, the line between sanctuary and trap rapidly dissolves. As Carmine's brutal underworld wars escalate and his possessive grip tightens, Samone realizes that the man who saved her may be the very monster she needs saving from.
Inspired by the haunting, sweet-yet-bitter mood of Lana Del Rey's "Cinnamon Girl," this atmospheric romance explores love, obsession, and the terrifying cost of a gilded cage.
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"You won't see me ever again," she countered, backing away further. "Stay away from me. If you come back here, I will call the police."
An agonizing silence fell over the sidewalk as Carmine's expression darkened into pure ice. He closed the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps while Samone took a frantic step back. He did not halt his advance, reaching out with sudden, terrifying strength to seize the hem of her jacket, dragging her body flush against his chest as he glared down at her.
"Call them right now," he purred dangerously, reaching deep into her coat pocket to retrieve her mobile phone and shoving it hard into her hand. "Let's see how quickly they get here."