Vladimir Perazzo is the devil of Venice. He is everything sin stands for. Ruthless, remorseless, and merciless are the words that do no justice to what he is and what horrifying and monstrous things he has done. Zarina has always been an unordinary girl. Being raised in terrible circumstances, she thinks she has seen the worst of the worst and that no one in the world really cares. When fate intervenes and entwines their lives together, they will learn they have much more in common than they thought.
"For God's sake! Leave me alone!" screamed Zarina as she was involuntarily dragged out of her room.
Tears rolled down her swollen, red eyes as she struggled against the unknown. The fierce hour of midnight saw her being pulled out of 'Sapphire Aurora', a lavish and luxurious hotel in Venice, by a tall male captor with broad shoulders and a husky build.
Her free hand struggled to free the other, which was firmly grasped in a firm grasp, unwilling to let go.
The hotel wasn't exceptionally crowded that night, but there were a few vacationers checking in and out. The workers remained still and looked around with empty looks, but no one had the courage to raise a finger to help the unfortunate girl. The survival instinct clamped their lips and shut off their conscience, as if everything happening in front of them wasn't there.
"Please! Let go of me." her voice quivered, body trembling with fear. "Somebody, Please!...Please!!... HELP ME!" she cried out for help, looking around at the people, silently watching and ignoring her plight at the same time.
As the man dragged her away, her dress fluttered behind her. Her hair flew frantically given that she never had the opportunity to tie it up before this brutish man barged into her room and yanked her out. Her sharp nails bit into his flesh, but it did nothing to slow him down.
Vector only kept walking, forcing the girl along with him and discarding all of her attempts to flee. His tanned face remained cold, focused, and ready for a kill if he had to.
Exiting the hotel, Vector slightly slowed down his pace.
The cold wind slapped Zarina's exposed skin, sending shivers down her spine. Her face drained out of colour, however, when she saw three long black cars parked neatly and waiting on the porch, outside the hotel. Four men wearing black suits and glares were looking in her direction with stoic and rigid faces, emotionless and expressionless, but everyone had a cold, calculating look in their eyes. For some odd reason, she knew they were waiting for her, to deliver her like a piece of lost property.
A sudden spike in adrenaline surged through her veins, and she panicked, knowing what was coming next. Her fight-or-flight hormones seemed to kick in and she started pulling herself backwards, planting her feet on the ground firmly and tugging at her arms. It was a now-or-never situation for her, and she was ready to risk everything.
"No no no no no no no...Please! please! Please! Let me go. Please!" she cried out with huge sobs and gasps erupting from her lips while scratching at Vector's hand. His grip, however, was firm as stone.
Her vulnerable cries melted the heart in the distance. A stranger, in his early forties, was standing on the porch, waiting for his car. When he heard the shouts and cries of the young lady, his brows furrowed and his instincts told him to make it his duty to try and save her. She was crying, screaming, and begging the man, clutching her hand with an iron grip and it was obvious she was being held against her wish.
Seeing the girl in such a situation, sudden anger boiled in the stranger and he couldn't stop his steps from advancing toward them. All fear was crushed by his determination to stop this disgusting man.
"Hey, you!" the stranger called, "Leave the girl right now, and get outta here!" he demanded, pointing at Zarina and looking at Vector. Zarina shot him a grateful glance, yet her face was still twisted with sorrow. She hoped all this was just a misunderstanding, and the aged man would help her out of this mess.
But it didn't seem like that at all. In fact, as she watched them, she saw irritation flash across Vector's steel-gazed face as he did not like this man's interference. Vector noticed him from the corner of his eye and simply scrunched up his nose in annoyance. He used his free hand, moving it to the back of his waist. His coat flew in the air with a slight movement.
The next thing Zarina saw was a gun in his hand. He didn't think twice before pointing it at the stranger without sparing him a single glance.
Vector was the most dangerous and trustworthy liege of his 'Boss' and needed no specific orders to get rid of anyone who dared to cross his path. It was simple, he knew how to do his job and he did it well. One wouldn't be as close to The Boss if he weren't as skilled as Vector was.
"No!" she whisper-shouted in shock and agony. Her eyes grew wide and her lips parted in surprise as her body shivered. She gulped down the saliva, taking in her first encounter with a gun. Though she always enjoyed watching James Bond playing with those things, right now, it only made her sweat cold.
The man stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at Vector for a minute. He couldn't believe his eyes. Is it a joke? He thought. How could someone dare to point a gun in a public place like this?
He was taken aback for a second, but wasn't the one to be afraid and back off. It must be a ruse, right? No one would dare shoot a gun in public, or at least that's what the man thought as he took one more tentative step forward, thinking Vector wouldn't do anything foolish in front of a posh hotel like this.
Unfortunately, that mistake cost him his life. A wisp of smoke escaped Vector's gun, following the loud bang moments before. The man, a stranger who had been brave enough to try and help, lay on the concrete ground. Blood gushed out of his chest and his soul was on the verge of leaving his body. The colour drained from the corpse as it lay there, lifeless.
Zarina was shocked. Her mouth fell open, and her eyes went as wide as was humanly possible. Whatever had just happened had been enough to freeze every cell in her body.
Vector still hadn't ceased dragging her. Even though his pace had slowed down because of the small 'inconvenience'.
Zarina glanced back at the blood-soaked man. She just couldn't believe an actual human being was shot dead in front of her. Was that because he tried to help her? She started feeling a pang of guilt and the dry sobs just racked out of her body even harder.
How can someone be so ruthless? She thought miserably to herself, not having enough courage to speak out to Vector, not with the gun in his hand.
"Pin-point shot! Are you kidding me? You gotta teach me that!" laughed Marcus, one of the four men in a black suit with a wide, unsympathetic grin stretching his lips as he opened the car's door for Vector to push Zarina in.
"Clean the mess! I'm driving to the mansion." Vector said with a straight face and dead-serious tone, ignoring Marcus's compliment completely.
"Uhh, yeah, no problem," Marcus replied, his smile faltering slightly.
Whatever happened next was completely a blur for Zarina. She never registered being pushed into the car, nor did she realize the door of the car closing on her, or the engine roaring to life. Her eyes were still glued to the dead saviour.
She felt a pang of something. That something was tearing her apart, eating her from the inside. Her cheeks were wet and her lips and throat were dry. She was looking no less than death itself, pale yet beautiful.
As the car moved, she watched as the hotel started getting smaller. Sitting inside, in the plush seats of the car, she was too shaken up to move or struggle at this point. Her whole body and mind were numb, gone too far to feel anything.
Thank God, breathing was an involuntary function. If it were left up to her, she would have forgotten to breathe. She couldn't stop blaming herself for what had happened. She knew it wasn't her fault, not entirely, but the grief kept swelling up her heart, the weight crushing what was left of her self-confidence.
The last thing she remembered before her exhausted body shut down on itself, was cursing her fate for involving her somewhere she didn't belong, in this dangerous game of the unknown.
When Mila runs away on the day of her wedding, she knows it's the only choice she has. But when the flight she’s about to board is hijacked and brings her back to where it all started, she quickly realizes that the marriage arranged by her stepbrother was a trap, and that the man she was set to marry is even more of a monster than she had thought. While Mila wants to stay as far away as possible from her new husband, the mysterious Mr. Zakharov seems intent on having her for himself. "You're mine, Mila," he whispers into her ear as he presses her against the wall, her back against his chest, his hand over her mouth so she doesn’t alert anyone. "Your body," he adds, sliding his other hand between her thighs and finding her panties wet for him. "Your mind," he continues, pushing the hem of her dress up over her hips. "Your fucking soul."
After a short-lived marriage with the cold and arrogant billionaire Ronin Logan, Carmen Price is eager for a break. Her attempt to unwind leads her to another wealthy billionaire, Simon Walsh. Little does she know, she’s about to encounter a whole new set of problems. Ronin Logan doesn’t do things without a purpose. Marrying a lowly employee from his company wasn’t a random choice; it was to salvage his family’s reputation after his lover bailed on their wedding. And when he cuts ties with Carmen after less than a year of marriage, it’s to shield her from a situation even he’s struggling to grasp. Caught in a web of love, deceit, and betrayal that seems to lurk around every corner when they’re together, will Carmen and Ronin find a moment to catch their breath and truly understand each other? Can they ever find it in themselves to grant the second chance that both of them might just deserve?
Lizzy is trying to escape her past. Shielding herself from the dangers that may lead to her death one day. She has managed to keep a low profile and be safe for the last five years. But after a stupid video goes viral, she is not so sure anymore. Now, she is terrified all the time. Panics at the sight of men in dark suits and black cars. Even the thought of stepping out of her home fills her with dread. What would she do when a certain dangerous man from her past is done with the game of chase they have been playing? What if now he is desperate for a confrontation? And has a proposal that she might not refuse? How would she answer all the questions she left behind after escaping the world from which no one ever returned alive?
Clara Meadow is a woman of focus and absolute dedication. She doesn't have time for romance or anything that has to do with either love or the lack thereof. So when a marriage proposal arrives from the new chairman of the company, the only way she can stay the CEO and not have to give up on everything she had worked so hard for, she does what any sensible businesswoman would do: she accepts the proposal and makes it clear that it's strictly a business arrangement. But what happens when Mr Chairman isn't ready to settle for just a business partnership and decides he wants to make the marriage real? What happens when he is determined to make her his forever and not stop until she belongs to him in every way imaginable?
Ava Monroe is struggling to pay for her college fees. After a terrible loss in business when her family went bankrupt overnight, Ava saw all her dreams shatter right in front of her eyes. It doesn't help that her family is obsessed with becoming wealthy again. The shock of being poor had turned them into something Ava could no longer recognize. However, eager for some quick money, Ava works as an escort over the summer before college begins. The money is good, and she hasn't had any strange experiences yet. That has to be worth something, right? Brian Reinhold is rich, successful and soon turning forty. But his home is anything but happy. After losing his sixteen-year-old daughter in a car crash, Brian doesn’t know how to go on with life anymore. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes him lively. His friends believe Brian needs a break. A long pause in his hectic life so he could grieve and make amends for the sadness that is dousing him from inside. But instead of packing his bags and moving to his hometown, Brian thrusts himself more into work and pretends that moving on is a choice, not binding. But life takes a toll when the next client on Ava’s list turns out to be Brian Reinhold. The dear daddy of Valerie. Ava’s best friend. Now, Ava doesn’t know why the idea of sleeping with a man double her age is electrifying. Brian Reinhold might be forty soon, but he looks anything but old. His arms are a thing of beauty and his charming grey eyes can suck you in so deep that reality gladly withers away. But this arrangement has cons of its own. And truth has the power to destroy the lives they both care for.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
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?