Los Angeles is a city of shadows, and Adrian "The Reaper" Valenti has spent years hunting the man who destroyed his family. Cold, ruthless, and relentless, he has built his empire on blood and vengeance. But when his war leads him to **Valeria DeLuca-the daughter of his greatest enemy-his plans take an unexpected turn. Valeria has spent her life in a golden cage, raised to be a queen in her father's underworld. But when Adrian kidnaps her, she learns a truth more brutal than any captivity: her father planned to kill her all along. Betrayed and furious, she strikes a dangerous deal with the very man who swore to destroy her family. Together, they bring down the DeLuca empire. But when the dust settles and the bodies fall, Valeria realizes that vengeance has a price-and she refuses to let Adrian, or anyone else, control her fate. She walks away from the only man who ever truly understood her. But in the underworld, no one ever really escapes. And as whispers of a new power rising in the city spread, one thing becomes clear-Valeria DeLuca didn't leave the game. She just started playing by her own rules.
The city never truly sleeps. Beneath the glow of neon signs and the hum of expensive cars, violence brews in the shadows.
Adrian Valenti watches from the rooftop of a high-rise, his piercing icy-blue eyes locked on the estate in the hills-the DeLuca mansion. The house where his family was betrayed and slaughtered fifteen years ago.
His grip tightens around the pistol in his hand. Tonight, he begins his revenge.
A low voice crackles in his earpiece. Lorenzo.
"Guards are positioned at the entrance. Back gate is unguarded. Your move, boss."
Adrian doesn't respond-he doesn't need to. Lorenzo knows the plan.
He takes one last look at the mansion before disappearing into the night.
Tonight, he comes for Salvatore DeLuca.
Inside the DeLuca Mansion
Valeria DeLuca moves through the grand ballroom with effortless grace, a mask of control hiding the unease curling in her stomach.
Her father's latest business deal is being celebrated, but she knows the truth-it's a cover for something darker.
She grew up surrounded by criminals in expensive suits, men who shake hands over champagne while ordering deaths in the next breath.
Her father, Salvatore DeLuca, is the worst of them.
But tonight, something feels... off.The guards seem uneasy. Conversations are hushed. A cold shiver runs down her spine.
Something is coming.
She just doesn't know what.
The Reaper Strikes
Adrian slips through the shadows, taking down two guards with silent precision.
His path is clear-straight to Salvatore's office.
He moves up the staircase, past familiar hallways-the same halls where he once lived, before DeLuca's betrayal turned his world to ash.
His fingers twitch against the gun in his hand.
One bullet. That's all it will take to end this.
But as he rounds the final corner, he isn't met with Salvatore.
Instead, he comes face-to-face with her.
Valeria DeLuca.
Dark waves of hair, golden eyes that burn with defiance-a princess raised in a kingdom of blood.
She lifts a gun, hands steady. She isn't afraid.
But Adrian?He doesn't hesitate.
In a single motion, he knocks the gun from her hands, slamming her against the wall. Her breath catches, but she doesn't beg. Doesn't plead.She fights.
She kicks, trying to free herself. Adrian dodges easily, twisting her arms behind her back. She gasps-angry, breathless.
"Let me go," she hisses.
Adrian leans in, his voice a low, deadly whisper.
"Not tonight, princess."
Before she can react, darkness takes her.
He catches her body before it hits the floor. Lorenzo's voice echoes in his earpiece.
"Boss?"
Adrian lifts Valeria into his arms, his expression unreadable.
"Change of plans," he says. "We take her."
Because killing Salvatore DeLuca?
That would be mercy.
Instead, Adrian will take his most valuable possession.
And when Valeria wakes up?
She'll realize she belongs to him now.
Adrian carried Valeria's unconscious body through the halls of the DeLuca estate, his footsteps silent against the marble floors.
His pulse was steady-as if he hadn't just taken the daughter of his greatest enemy.
The mansion was still alive with the hum of celebration below, oblivious to the war that had just begun.
Lorenzo's voice crackled through his earpiece. "Adrian, we need to move. Now."
Adrian didn't need the warning. Time was running out.
He stepped onto the balcony and glanced at the estate's perimeter. Guards patrolled near the front, but the back gardens? Unguarded.
Exactly as planned.
With practiced ease, he descended the vines covering the side of the mansion, Valeria's limp body held against him. She was light, smaller than he expected. It didn't matter. She was leverage. A weapon against her father.
By the time he reached the ground, Lorenzo was waiting by the open car door, his expression tight.
"Shit," Lorenzo muttered, eyes flicking to Valeria. "Tell me you didn't just-"
Adrian shoved her into the backseat. "Drive."
Lorenzo exhaled sharply but obeyed. The tires screeched against the pavement as they sped away from the estate, vanishing into the dark Los Angeles streets.
Behind them, the DeLuca mansion loomed in the distance, untouched-for now.
But by the time Salvatore DeLuca realized what had happened?
It would be too late.
The Awakening
The first thing Valeria felt was cold.
The second? Pain.
Her head throbbed, her limbs felt heavy, and the faint scent of gunpowder and leather filled her nose.
She forced her eyes open.The dim glow of a single overhead light illuminated the space around her-a warehouse, empty except for a table, a chair, and the man standing before her.
Her heart pounded as her gaze landed on him.
The man from the mansion.
The man who had taken her.
She was tied to a chair, her wrists bound behind her back. Panic flared-but she forced it down.
Valeria DeLuca had been raised in a world of criminals. She knew fear would get her nowhere.
Instead, she squared her shoulders, leveling him with a glare.
"Untie me," she demanded.
Adrian smirked, his blue eyes cold, unreadable.
"You're in no position to be making demands, princess."
The nickname made her blood boil.
She knew who he was now-Adrian Valenti.
The name her father had erased from history.
Her stomach twisted. She had heard the stories.
The Valentis were once one of the strongest crime families in Los Angeles-until her father betrayed them, had them slaughtered.
Now, only Adrian remained.
And he had just kidnapped her.
Valeria lifted her chin. "If you're going to kill me, do it now."
Adrian's smirk deepened, as if amused. "Killing you would be too easy."
Valeria's heart pounded, but she kept her voice steady. "Then what do you want?"
Adrian crouched in front of her, his gaze sharp. Dangerous.
"I want your father to suffer," he murmured.
Something cold slithered down her spine.
She knew her father was ruthless. But for the first time, she realized just how many enemies he had created.
How many ghosts haunted him.
Valeria didn't flinch. "If you think taking me will break him, you don't know him at all."
Adrian tilted his head, studying her. "Maybe. But I know men like him. He values power. Control." His lips curled into something dark. "And I just took both away from him."
Valeria clenched her jaw, refusing to let him see the flicker of doubt in her eyes.
Because deep down, she knew the truth.
Her father would not come for her.
Not because he cared about her. But because her disappearance was a weakness he could not afford.
She swallowed hard, forcing steel into her voice. "You're playing a dangerous game."
Adrian stood, his presence towering over her.
"So are you, princess."
And the worst part?
She wasn't sure which of them would win.
Elias is lost-haunted by a past he can't escape and desperate for something real in a world that's forgotten him. One fateful night, a mysterious club and a pair of burning crimson eyes change everything. Lucien is ancient, dangerous, and devastatingly beautiful. A vampire bound by laws and shadows, he's sworn never to love again. But when Elias walks into his world, desire threatens to consume them both. Drawn into a dark romance of blood, obsession, and forbidden longing, Elias finds himself craving more than just Lucien's touch-he wants his soul. But in the vampire underworld, love comes at a deadly price.
In the dazzling world of fame and fortune, power is everything-and love is just another game. Beatrice, Hollywood's reigning queen, has spent years crafting her perfect empire. Fierce, cunning, and irresistible, she plays by her own rules. But when she finds herself entangled in a secret relationship with the industry's most desired leading man, Lucas, her thirst for control takes a dangerous turn. Lucas is charming, successful, and emotionally torn. He loves Amy, the sweet and devoted woman who believes in his goodness. But his undeniable attraction to Beatrice pulls him into a web of deception, where passion and ambition collide. When Beatrice drops a bombshell-she's pregnant-Lucas is forced into a flash marriage to protect his career. But behind closed doors, it's a battle of dominance, love, and betrayal. Amy, heartbroken yet determined, won't go down without a fight. As she manipulates the media to expose the truth, Beatrice moves to secure her ultimate victory-complete control over Lucas. In this war of love and power, secrets will be exposed, revenge will be served, and no one will emerge unscathed. When love turns into obsession, who really wins? ✨ A dark and steamy fantasy romance filled with passion, power plays, and shocking betrayals.
In the high-stakes world of billionaires and betrayal, "Tangled In Desire" tells the story of Zoey, a woman whose life of comfort shatters when her family's empire collapses. Desperate to salvage their legacy, she's thrust into an arranged marriage with Eric, a seductive yet enigmatic playboy. A chance encounter leads to a night of unbridled passion between them, their identities concealed. When fate forces them into a union, the revelation of their prior intimacy ignites a storm of resentment and desire. Publicly, they play the role of the perfect couple; privately, they're locked in a battle of wills. As Zoey uncovers Eric's lingering ties to a former lover, she embarks on a daring quest for revenge, setting off a chain of events that tests their resolve. But when an unforeseen accident threatens to tear them apart forever, both must confront the depth of their feelings. "Tangled In Desire " is a tale of passion and redemption, where two souls must navigate the treacherous waters of love and trust to find their true path.
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!