In His Arms

He was sent to rescue her.
Not to care.
Not to stay.
Definitely not to fall.

Leonardo Nico Russo doesn't do mercy. As the youngest heir of one of Europe's most feared crime families, he solves problems with precision-and leaves no loose ends behind.
Until April Holloway.

April Holloway. Missing. Caught in the shadows of human trafficking.

What begins as a mission turns into something neither of them expected. Pulled from violence and fear, April finds herself in the arms of a man built from danger and silence. And Leonardo-who has spent his life commanding chaos-discovers that some souls don't arrive loudly.

They arrive quietly.
They leave footprints on your heart.

Set against a world of power, bloodlines, and hidden wars, 'In His Arms' is a mafia romance about rescue, resilience, and the fragile connection between two souls-where protection becomes devotion, and survival slowly turns into love.

Because sometimes, the person who saves you...
is the one who changes you forever.

Author's Note

Hello, lovely readers!

This is my first time participating in the Open Novella Contest, and I couldn't be more excited (and terrified 😅).

ONC Prompt #29 (Excerpt) - Some people leave footprints on your heart.

'In His Arms' is unfolding in between lesson plans, late nights, and stolen moments of quiet-because by day, I'm a teacher, and by heart, I'm a storyteller. This story grew during coffee breaks, after-school exhaustion, and those magical midnight hours when the world sleeps and characters start talking.

The story begins inside Leonardo's world-his missions, his shadows, his dangerous precision. The first few chapters unfold entirely from his perspective, focusing on the rescue and the life he inhabits. April's voice enters later-three years after their paths first cross-when she is older, stronger, and finally ready to tell her side of the story.

Thank you for giving this story a chance.

And welcome to my ONC journey. 🤍

With love,
Thiya J