The Mafia's Targe

« It's you and me. Together, » he says, his voice soft yet unwavering. « Us against the world. » In that moment, I want to believe him. I want to believe that someone like him - untouchable, adored, the golden boy of our school - could really mean those words. That the universe could be kind enough to let someone like me hold on to someone like him. But life isn't a fairy tale. I know that better than anyone. Growing up, I learned to fear men. To distrust their words, their smiles, and their promises. My stepfather was my first lesson - a cruel man who used his fists and his words to break my mother and me into pieces too small to repair. I watched her endure him, and I told myself I'd never give anyone that power over me. I would never let anyone get close enough to hurt me. And then came that morning. The day Jake Spencer - star quarterback, school heartthrob, a boy who lives in a world so far from mine it might as well be another galaxy - saw me. Not just looked at me, but *saw* me. It was the day he saved me. Maybe he didn't realize what he was doing, but it didn't matter. That small act of kindness cracked something open inside me, like sunlight slipping through the shutters of a locked room. But Jake Spencer doesn't remember that day. How could he ? To him, it was nothing - a fleeting moment in a life full of glory and victories. But to me, it was everything. It was a lifeline, a flicker of hope in a world I thought would always be dark. It doesn't matter. I tell myself that every day. He's the golden boy. I'm the invisible girl. We belong in two different stories, and I'm better off blending into the background. It's safer there. For both of us. But fate has never cared about what I want. When it brings us together again, it isn't gentle. It strikes like lightning - sudden, fierce, and utterly unstoppable. He crashes into my life, turning everything I thought I knew into chaos. He tears down my walls, breaks through my defenses, and leaves me exposed in ways I never thought possible. He destroys me. And just like the first time, I'm the only one who remembers. But what I don't realize is that this time, he's breaking too.

Declan Stone was the very definition of certainty. Known for his devastating charm and his ability to make anyone fall for his smile with a single blink, he had always believed himself to be the master of the game. Emotions were for others. He preferred simple pleasures, easy conquests, and above all, no attachments. His life, perfectly controlled, ran on tracks he had laid out with precision. Until Kai Coachman entered the scene. Kai was no mere pawn to be moved. He was a storm, unpredictable and captivating, sweeping everything in his path. His voice carried a sharp humor, and his gaze-piercing, bold-seemed to see beyond the carefully constructed facades of Declan. Kai expected nothing from him, and that was what made the irresistible Declan Stone completely crazy. From their first encounter, Declan had felt something, a shiver, a faint alarm ringing that warned him. Kai was not like the others. He wasn't someone you could seduce and forget. Yet, Declan had always been clear with himself : he only played games he knew he could win. But with Kai, it wasn't a game. It was a growing obsession, a need he couldn't control. He wanted him-not for a night or a week, but for everything. Kai had awakened something within him he hadn't known existed : a burning, unshakable desire, something deep, dangerous. Kai, however, was not one to be captured. The closer Declan got, the more he seemed to slip away, leaving behind a trail of sly smiles and sharp remarks. It was frustrating, exhilarating, terrifying. But Declan Stone never gave up on what he wanted. And what he wanted was Kai Coachman.

Killian King is cold, distant, dominant, and possessive of what's his. He is the undisputed top dog at school, the one everyone fears and admires, known as the bad boy. His piercing gaze and unwavering attitude guarantee him a place at the top among his peers. But everything changes the day Finnick Green, a shy, socially awkward, and reserved boy, accidentally stumbles into his life. A simple misstep, a chance encounter, and suddenly Killian's perfect world begins to tremble. Finnick, unknowingly, causes an uproar, an unexpected chaos. The bad boy, who has never shown weakness, finds himself in a situation he can't control. Because what he feels for this uncertain boy is far more disturbing than he could have ever imagined. An alpha trembling in the face of a fragile soul... What will happen when Killian realizes he might be the most vulnerable in front of the one he considers an intruder ?

Niklaus Wade is a quiet, shy, and mute young man, carrying with him a dark and painful past that haunts him every moment, preventing him from uttering a single word. Every silence he keeps is an invisible scar, a mark of everything he has lived through and lost. His world is one of isolation and introspection, where words escape his lips and emotions hide behind a facade of calmness. On the other side is Gnashton Wade, a violent, reckless man dominated by raw instincts. His anger management issues and distorted view of life make him an uncontrollable man, an enraged alpha, often willing to do anything to satisfy his desires. His explosive temper makes those who cross his path tremble, but everything changes the day Niklaus enters his life. Gnashton cannot take his eyes off this fragile boy, this living silence that intrigues him and pushes him to cross boundaries. More than just an attraction, an obsession is born within him. He has decided that Niklaus will be his, that he will do anything to subdue him, to have him under his control. He knows the mute young man is frightened, and that fear only excites his dominant urges further. Through his violence, Gnashton believes he can transform Niklaus, make him his own and his only. But beneath this facade of authority, will Gnashton realize that love and possession can blur together? And that behind Niklaus's silence, there may be answers he never imagined?

Carrie’s pack life was going perfectly. Chosen mate to the alpha, acting luna to her pack, and in love with her fiancé, she had nothing to complain about. Until the alpha found his mate and everything Carrie loved and worked for quickly unravels before her eyes. Banished from her pack, she works to build a life as a rogue among the humans until the unexpected happens.

She is running for her life from her abusive brother when she finally finds a house deep in the woods. Without thinking, she opens the door to see more than 20 men watching a football game. They turn to look at her, amused and alarmed. “Please help.” Stella is an 18-year-old teenager who was abused for about eight years by her brother. He would hit her whenever he felt like it. She was lucky if he was in a good mood because he would only punch her in the stomach. He claims to have a reason for his abuse. Julian Woods is the soon-to-be alpha of the Graymod pack. He’s 20 years old and has been looking for his mate for about two years now. What will he do when he sees his abused mate in his house?

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.”

After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"

Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."

She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"

Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."