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.
Their marriage was nothing but for the benefit of the two families. He could choose anyone to be his bride, but the moment he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was the one he wanted. However, their marriage didn't last for a long because of her indifference. Until the moment he signed the divorce agreement, he finally witnessed her true colors. It turned out that she also took advantage of him. Their divorce was not an end but the start of the real love game.
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
Julia and Evan were the perfect couple-or so she thought. But everything changed when Evan abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her heartbroken and unable to tell him she was carrying his child. Years later, Julia has built a life for herself and her son, Andy, while Evan has risen to unimaginable wealth and success. Their paths cross again at a chance meeting, but Julia soon discovers Evan has moved on with someone else. Julia is done with the pain. She's fought battles alone, raising a son who deserves the truth about his father, even if Evan doesn't deserve her forgiveness. When Julia told Evan years ago she had something to say, he didn't listen. Now, it's time for him to listen. But is it too late to reclaim what he lost? "We should break up," he'd said, the words cutting through her like glass. The pregnancy test in her pocket stayed hidden, just like the child they would never share. Now, it's Evan's turn to hear the truth-and to face his deepest regret.
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”