In the shadowy underworld of New York City, the mafia reigns supreme. Two powerful families, the Morettis and the Castellanos, have been at war for decades. To broker peace, the heads of the families arrange a marriage between their children: Luca Moretti, the ruthless 35-year-old heir to the Moretti empire, and Isabella Castellano, the innocent 22-year-old daughter of the Castellano patriarch. Isabella, sheltered and naive, is thrust into a world of danger, desire, and dark secrets. Luca, a man hardened by violence and betrayal, sees her as nothing more than a pawn-until her innocence begins to unravel him.
The study was dimly lit, the heavy velvet curtains drawn tightly against the afternoon sun. Isabella Castellano stood in the center of the room, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her heart pounding so loudly she was certain everyone could hear it. The air was thick with the scent of cigar smoke and expensive whiskey, a reminder of the men who ruled this world-a world she had never wanted to be part of.
Her father, Don Castellano, sat behind his mahogany desk, his expression unreadable. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, his voice carried the weight of authority. Beside him stood her older brother, Marco, his jaw clenched, his eyes darting nervously between Isabella and the door.
"Isabella," her father began, his tone firm but not unkind. "You understand why this is necessary."
She nodded, though her throat was too tight to speak. She understood, of course. This was about power, about alliances, about securing the future of the Castellano family. But understanding didn't make it any easier to accept.
The door creaked open, and Isabella's breath caught in her throat. He entered with an air of quiet dominance, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. Luca Moretti. She had heard his name whispered in hushed tones, stories of his ruthlessness, his cunning, his unyielding control over the Moretti empire. But nothing could have prepared her for the man himself.
He was tall, his broad shoulders accentuated by the tailored black suit he wore. His dark hair was swept back, a few strands falling carelessly over his forehead, and his green eyes-sharp, calculating-seemed to pierce straight through her. His jaw was shadowed with stubble, and the faint scar that ran along his cheekbone only added to his dangerous allure.
Isabella felt a shiver run down her spine as his gaze settled on her. He didn't smile, didn't offer a word of greeting. Instead, he looked at her as though she were a puzzle he was trying to solve, his expression unreadable.
"Luca," Don Castellano said, rising from his chair. "Thank you for coming."
Luca inclined his head slightly, his eyes never leaving Isabella. "Don Castellano," he replied, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that sent a strange warmth pooling in her stomach. "I trust we can conclude our business quickly."
Her father nodded, gesturing to Isabella. "This is my daughter, Isabella. She is... agreeable to the arrangement."
Isabella's cheeks burned at the lie. Agreeable? She had been given no choice, no say in the matter. But she held her tongue, her eyes downcast as Luca stepped closer. She could feel the heat of his body, smell the faint scent of his cologne-something dark and masculine, like leather and smoke.
"Look at me," he commanded, his voice soft but firm.
Her heart raced as she lifted her gaze to meet his. His eyes were intense, searching, as though he could see every secret she had ever tried to hide. For a moment, she felt exposed, vulnerable, and she hated it.
"You're younger than I expected," he said, his tone neutral.
"I'm twenty-two," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
A flicker of something-surprise? Amusement?-crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Young," he repeated, more to himself than to her. Then, turning to her father, he said, "The terms are acceptable. We'll proceed as planned."
Don Castellano nodded, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good. The wedding will take place in two weeks."
Isabella's stomach churned at the words. Two weeks. In two weeks, her life would change forever. She would belong to this man, this stranger who exuded danger and power in equal measure.
Luca turned back to her, his expression unreadable once more. "I'll see you at the altar," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the study, leaving Isabella standing there, her heart pounding, her mind racing.
As the door closed behind him, she felt a strange mix of relief and dread. Relief that the meeting was over, dread at what was to come. Luca Moretti was not a man who would be easily swayed, not a man who would tolerate defiance. And yet, as she replayed the encounter in her mind, she couldn't ignore the way her body had reacted to him, the way her pulse had quickened at the sound of his voice.
She was afraid of him, yes. But she was also undeniably drawn to him, a fact that both terrified and intrigued her.
Elena Rossi, a 17-year-old bookworm, has always lived a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her overprotective father. What she doesn't know is that her father, Antonio Rossi, is a powerful mafia boss who has been keeping her in the dark about their family's dangerous legacy. When a rival mafia family threatens to destroy the Rossis, Antonio makes a desperate deal: Elena will marry Luca Moretti, the 28-year-old heir to the Moretti crime family, to secure an alliance. Luca Moretti is ruthless, calculating, and used to getting what he wants. He agrees to the marriage for power, expecting Elena to be a meek, obedient pawn. But Elena's fiery spirit and innocence challenge him in ways he never anticipated. As the two navigate their forced union, they uncover secrets, face betrayals, and slowly fall for each other. When a deadly betrayal puts Elena's life at risk, Luca must choose between the mafia world he's always known and the girl who has shown him a life beyond violence and power. In the end, love triumphs, and they forge a new path together, leaving the shadows of their past behind.
Isabella Bella Moretti, the daughter of a rival mafia family, is forced into an arranged marriage to secure an alliance between two powerful crime syndicates. On the day of her wedding, she discovers her fiancé's brutal betrayal and flees, only to crash into the path of Viktor Sokolov, a ruthless Russian mafia boss with a reputation for being merciless. Viktor, intrigued by her defiance and beauty, offers her a deal: marry him instead, and he'll protect her from her enemies. But as their passionate and dangerous relationship deepens, Bella realizes Viktor's world is far more treacherous than she ever imagined. With enemies closing in and secrets unraveling, Bella must decide if she can trust the man who claims to own her heart-or if he's just another devil in disguise.
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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!"
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?