Rammstein Skinner is one of the most respected mobsters in the mafia but little does he know I've had a crush on him for the longest time. My feelings don't seem to be mutual and he confuses me by going hot and cold. Then I find out he has secrets. The man who once was held in the highest regard by the mob is now its biggest enemy. And as if things couldn't get any worse... I'm carrying the enemy's baby.
Freya
The best word to describe the whole spectacle is awkward. I've celebrated a ton of birthdays in my time but my nineteenth is turning out to be the most embarrassing one.
My uncle hasn't cut any corners. Fairy lights cover the whole park, surrounding our gothic mansion. Alcohol's overflowing in champagne glasses, strange music that sings about plundering and pillaging plays from the giant speakers.... Exotic animals from the north have been flown in; Nordic lynxes, arctic foxes and even Siberian tigers.
The whole Nordic Mafia is obsessed with exotic creatures from the north but all I feel when looking at the tiger pacing in his cage is sadness. I know what it's like to feel like you're locked in a cage. And suddenly I'm struck by an impulse to just let the giant cat out and give him that taste of freedom.
Freedom. Mmm...I bet it tastes delicious.
"There you are," a male voice grunts and suddenly my head locks in a chokehold. "I've been looking all over for you. Happy birthday, fairy."
Struggling to breathe, I curse inwardly at my uncle. Sometimes he just doesn't know his own strength. Especially when he's been drinking and I search for his wife. When she catches my pleading gaze, she lets out a soft laugh and walks over to us.
"Viper, go easy on your niece," she urges, before grimacing. "You're ruining her gorgeous hairdo." She goes on to groom me, making sure I look respectable in front of all the men that could potentially be my husband.
My uncle snorts. "She looks fine," he growls and I sigh when his knuckles rub my scalp until the skin burns. "Any man will count himself lucky to have her."
His wife looks up at him in awe, squealing something about him being socuuute. It makes uncle all full of himself, his chest bloating and he throws his wife over the shoulder before running away with her into the dark corners of the park.
My cheeks heat from their antics and I squirm when some of the males raise their glasses at me. Oh hell...I just want this to be over. It's way over the top and the males looking at me with hunger in their eyes makes me feel like I'm prey about to be eaten.
I know I'm supposed to be flattered that I'm desired by powerful men. I'm not the prettiest woman around. Most of the other women in the mob are a lot more beautiful than me. They're all walking, talking bombshells while I'm...
Curvy.And that's the nice word for it. The other word is chunky.
Despite my dress being tailor made, I still feel uncomfortable in it. It's too tight, sticking to my limbs until all I want to do is rip off my clothes and erupt into a wild dance. Dancing is my life.
Modern dance specifically, the kind where you pour out all your emotions, the kind where you tell stories with your whole body. When I dance, is the only time I feel amazing. The only time when I feel somewhat at home.
I swallow when I catch the group of girls in the corner, whispering behind their hands while looking at me. Most of them are girlfriends of the soldiers and I wince when I notice Julien is among them. She's the worst. And she doesn't even bother to hide they're talking shit about me, pointing at my shoes and then my dress and I can only imagine the things they're saying.
She looks like a stuffed sausage in that dress.
Those shoes are for hot girls. Fatty will just pop the heel.
Gulping, I reach for a glass of champagne and swipe down in one go. It makes my head spin and when I try walking, I stumble and almost fall nose down onto the grass. The catty girls burst into laughter and I turn red in the face. Unable to withstand it anymore, I run into the house, causing my dress to rip and a split tears all the way up to my mid-thigh.
Struggling to breathe, I climb up the staircase, feeling sick of everything and everyone when I bump into a hard body. It punches the breath out of me and I almost yell out a curse. Strong hands steady me, my eyes darting to great heights until I'm looking into the terrifying face of Rammstein Skinner.
Rammstein joined the mafia a year ago. He works closely with my uncle and is both well-respected and well-trusted. Despite being in his early thirties he doesn't have a family of his own and doesn't live at the compound.
He's mysterious like that.
Out of all the made men, Rammstein is the most...fascinating. His towering height and broad shoulders make me feel tiny and delicate. His tan skin makes him look exotic, and his hair that's a mix of gold and silver blond is always plaited in intricate braids that go past his shoulder blades.
But it's the eyes that get most people talking. One eye is amber, the other a milky white due to the three, thin scars slashing it. It's rumored a made man gave him the scar when he'd been a child.
Right now his eyes fixate on me and I feel like I'm under a microscope. As if everything that I am is on display for him, my body, my face...my heart, everything's ready for his taking. And my skin heats underneath his strong hands.
"Are you okay?" he rasps and I whimper in response, overly flattered by the sudden concern. His brows knots and I figure I sounded like a strangled cat just now but then he adds, "If anyone gives you any trouble, you tell me and I'll deal with it."
Speaking like a true protector. But I'm not his woman. I'm not his to protect.
"How kind of you but I'm perfectly fine," I squeak, flinching when fireworks explode outside. Rammstein's eyes narrow as if he doesn't believe me and I quickly excuse myself. "Enjoy the rest of the party."
"It's your party," he murmurs in a strange tone. "What's to enjoy if you're not there?"
Magazine editor-in-chief, bride-to-be, and soon-to-be-step-grandmother at twenty-six, Sophie Scaife is looking forward to married life with her fiancé and Dom, wickedly sadistic billionaire Neil Elwood. As they enter unexplored sensual territory, Neil leads Sophie to the very edge between pain and pleasure-and she discovers a surprising new side to her sexuality. While Sophie balances her hectic work routine with her devotion to her unconventional family, Neil has to adjust to life as a retired mogul. With their big day drawing nearer, they have to forge through pre-wedding jitters, personal crises, and an unexpected houseguest to get to their kinky ever after. But a decades old trauma still haunts Neil. When the private details draw public interest, Sophie learns that the scars of his past are greater than he let on-and he'll need all of her love to heal them...
Have you ever mistaken a guy for a stripper and had a scorching hot one-night stand with him only to find out he's your new boss? No? Just me? The first time I met Van, I was instantly drawn to his charismatic smile and stunning good looks as I shoved dollar bills into his waistband. The second time I saw Van, he walked into my bakery as the new owner and boss. That time, I kept my dollars to myself. But there's a problem, owning a bakery wasn't his choice and all he wants is to sell. Somehow, I need to persuade him to keep the business, so I can keep my dream job. When he admits he doesn't know the difference between frosting and icing, I realize I have my work cut out for me. With each passing day, our chemistry ignites like a chocolate flambé. But it's a distraction I don't need. I know from experience that when I wish for everything, I end up with nothing. Van's young and irresponsible, he can't possibly know anything about running a bakery or falling in love. But he's determined to prove me wrong. It turns out he has a few cupcakes up his sleeve that just might satisfy my sweet tooth.
After a run of bad luck, Elizabeth Walker is desperate to make some extra money. College is so important to her, and she won’t do anything to risk losing that. So, signing up to a Sugar Daddy website, where older, wealthy men find younger women, really is the only way to go. But no one seems interested in her as she’s a chubbier candidate—until lawyer Daniel Clark asks for a date. Daniel is tired of women declaring undying love for him, when all they want is his bank balance. There’s only one love in his life, and that’s the law. Seeing Elizabeth’s picture, he wants her, no doubt about that, and he’s going to have her. Before he agrees to anything, he gives her his ground rules: 1) He’s in charge. 2) He’ll give her more pleasure than she’s ever had. 3) Under no circumstances is she to fall in love with him. Can Elizabeth follow his rules? Will Daniel finally fall in love? Will Elizabeth walk away with a broken heart? They’re Daniel’s rules, but like he says, rules are made to be broken.
Xavier is the type of boss who likes women and loves to fuck a lot. Until he finally decided one day that he wants to have a child with his secretary Anya. It’s up to Anya now if she is ready to birth her boss’s child after knowing his true character.
A young girl who lives with her cruel stepmother and sister, accidentally meets 3 young and rich cousins who live a luxury life in a big mansion and is hired by the boys grandpa to look after their bad behavior.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..."Â But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"