Mateo Costello rules with fear. A rising mob boss with blood on his hands and enemies at his feet, he's built his empire on brutality, loyalty, and the unspoken promise that betrayal ends in death because that is all he's ever known. Nobody crosses him twice. Nobody survives long enough to try. Then he meets Malia Sofia. Defiant, elusive, and impossible to control, Malia burns through every wall Mateo has spent years building around himself. She's all sharp edges and wildfire fury, the kind of woman who would rather start a war than bow her head. And for the first time in his life, Mateo finds himself undone by someone he can't intimidate, buy, or break. What begins as dangerous attraction quickly spirals into obsession. Drawn together by violence, secrets, and a hunger neither of them can resist, Mateo and Malia are forced into a world where love is lethal and loyalty comes at a price. Because in the mafia, blood binds deeper than promises... and once you're pulled into the darkness, there's no escape. Bound in Blood is a dark, action-romance, filled with power, obsession, betrayal, and devastating consequences. In a world ruled by fear and fuelled by revenge, love may be the deadliest weakness of all.

[complete; editing, ROUGH draft] "Say something in Spanish." I snorted, "Like what?" "I don't know... I just want to hear you speak it." Our gaze stayed on each other for more than it should've. But I couldn't look away. Her hair laid out behind her on the pillow, her hands under her cheek and her head nearly under my arm. I inhaled, "Puede que me esté enamorando de alguien que nunca me amará." She parted her lips and for a second I thought she understood me, my heart skipped a beat until she spoke, "And what does that mean?" "It means, this woman beside me asks too many questions," I lied. ***** Oakley Marrero has been nothing but a rebel since witnessing her parent's murder at the age of eight. Leaving everything behind ten years later, she settled down in New York City in hopes to track down the killers that have never been found. While on her mission, she had what she thought was a one-night stand with August Creed. But when she collides with him while just mere seconds away from catching her parents killer - getting away yet again - the two find out they have more in common than just sexual attraction. ***** -Does not portray IRL Mafia's- Start date: May 22nd, 2021 End date: Nov 18th, 2021 Status: Complete Achievements: 50k reads- July 22nd, 2021 2k votes- Aug 13th, 2021 100k reads- Sept 16th, 2021 3k votes- Sept 24, 2021 4K votes- Dec 10, 2021 150k reads- Dec 10, 2021 200k reads- Dec 18, 2021

Caution: This story contains some consensual BDSM(Bondage, Discipline, Sadism, Masochism). Read with caution. --- When Maria Delsante attends a BDSM meeting, hoping to research the topic for her next book, she never expects to meet Sylvester Jackson. A man who sets her body on fire. Much to her surprise, their meeting continues in a broken down elevator, followed by rope, handcuffs, and a little bit of murder. ---- 1m reads - Dec 06, 2019 #2 - New Adult tag - Nov 9th, 2019 #1 - Masters tag - June 8th, 2019 #1 - hotguys tag - Feb 20, 2019 #61 - Love tag - Jan 12, 2019 400k reads - Jan 3rd, 2019 200k reads - Nov 24, 2018 #3 - NewAdult tag - Nov 17, 2018 100k reads - Nov 09, 2018 #4 - Dare tag - Oct 17, 2018 Story started: August 2018 Story completed: November 2018 Image purchased from Canva