Truth is, I really hadn’t come up with another solution for the fucker. Killing him had always been my intention, and I may still consider it despite knowing the effect it would have on Enora. He’d spilled the blood on my bed, and I needed to spill his in return. Plus, he’d been a pain in my neck since I became the leader of the Bratva, so it would be good to get him out of my way once and for all. “I’ll think of something.”“And Enora?” Valentin’s extreme concern for her was getting on my nerves. I’d have kicked him in the crotch by now if he weren’t my brother.“I’ll handle Enora,” I responded simply. “No one must speak of this again.”Clearing of throats filled the air around me, but none of them dared to ask or comment further on Enora being pregnant. “What is it you wanted to tell me?” My question was directed at Dimitri.He stared at Valentin, then at me. “Valentin’s fucking Barnes Chester’s daughter.”Fuck. As if I hadn’t dealt with enough problems for a lifetime. Barnes Che
ENORA I knew Nikolai was lying when he said he hadn’t hurt Camilla, yet a part of me wished earnestly that he had at least spared Maria. It was true that she was the one who informed Camilla that Nikolai was away, but that was all the part she played in what happened yesterday and I honestly didn’t think it was something she deserved to die for.It was also hard to blame Nikolai if he had killed either of them. Aside from the fact that he was a ruthless Russian crime leader, I’d recognized the look in his eyes yesterday as fear. The way his dilated blue eyes bore into mine, the trembling of his hands as he held me, he must have realized he was about to lose the greatest asset he had to bring my papa down.An asset. I guessed that was all I could ever be to him. I rubbed my hands on my belly, it was hard to shake off the feeling that right now, he only wanted me because I was carrying his child. He would probably dump me the moment I gave birth to this baby, and the idea of that made
I forgot how to breathe.We stared at each other.“God, baby.” He gripped my waist, making my clitoris brush on his hard dick. Only a psycho like him could have an erection during a conversation like this, and I was just as much of a psycho as he was because I needed to be satisfied—pulled onto him and ride him till I came. “You think I don’t love you?”“I know you don’t.”“That’s bullshit, baby.” I loved the way he called me baby; I think I loved it as much as I loved when he called me malysh. “I would burn the whole fucking world to the ground if you ask it of me, I would lay my life at your feet if need be for it, I want to worship the very ground you walk on. If that isn’t love, then I don’t know what the hell it is.”“Wait…did you just—”“I’ll kill every single person who touches you, malysh.” He held his hand over my belly. “Fuck, you don’t know how much I want to give the world to you and our baby.”A tear rolled down my eyes without warning. I glanced away in shame, these fu
ENORA I sniffled the smell of omelets and fried beef. I hadn’t eaten those in so long and I don’t know if it was because of the baby, but now that I perceived them, I had a feeling I’d crave them all day.I’d fallen asleep on Nikolai’s chest while discussing possible unisex baby names for the little Lantsov growing inside of me. Nikolai had chosen Liliya because he was positive it would be a little girl that we’d cherish like the lily flower. I’d had a different opinion though; I’d chosen Aleksis because I had a strong feeling it would be a boy.We’d gone ahead and made a bet on one of us granting the winner a wish. I giggled because I knew I’d be right. I had to start thinking of what wish I’d ask Nikolai to fulfill. I moved my hands behind me in search of Nikolai. I supposed he’d rolled away from me in his sleep but quickly opened my eyes when I realized the bed was empty.Sunlight poured into the room, lighting dust particles in the air. I glanced around, noticing the portrait of
NIKOLAI I didn’t take Enora to the other clubs she’d been to; I chose to take her to the biggest Lantsov club in New York. The one where the richest guys with the biggest influence in the city came to have fun at night. I’d wanted to show her off to the whole fucking world and mark her as mine. I also wanted to make it clear that no one was allowed to touch her or hurt her.Flickering that bore my eyes to death welcomed us into the club as we entered, where strippers on heels and spoiled rich kids danced the night away, the smell of alcohol and cigarettes clouding the atmosphere. I watched Enora to make sure she wasn’t irritated by the smell or sound, but she seemed okay with it.“This is the biggest club you own?” Her loud voice pierced the air.I nodded.“It’s really nice,” she said with a gleam touching her face. Her eyes sparkled in the lights, and the smell of her perfume seeped into my senses. “Can we dance?”I wasn’t pleased with that question. I looked at her from head to toe
NIKOLAII hit the wall in frustration before looking over to the source of the annoying voice. Dimitri and Valentin were standing in front of the mahogany door leading into my office. Their expressions were grim, which only pissed me off more. “What the fuck do you want?” “There’s a problem,” Mikhail’s voice chimed in as he joined us, his tone clipped. “Carlos Patrizio knows where his daughter is.” My gaze snapped to Enora instinctively. I could sense Mikhail’s dislike for her radiating off him, but it didn’t matter. She was mine. No one would lay a hand on her, not even him. “You didn’t think to tell me earlier?” My voice was sharp, each word carrying the weight of my rising fury. “I’d have told you if only you picked up your damn cell.” I shoved my hand into my pocket, pulling out my phone. Ten missed calls from Mikhail. Six more from Dimitri. Damn it. “My papa won’t sit back if he knows I’m here. He’d put—” Enora’s words were cut short by a deafening gunshot from the
ENORA Eight months later…“It’s a girl!” Nikolai announced to the room at large, filled with glee and a kind of excitement I’d never seen him wear. “It’s a baby girl.”The doctor and nurse gave me a knowing smile before giving us our privacy.Nikolai came to me and placed the baby in my arms. “She looks just like me,” he boasted. It wasn’t a lie; she had his dark hair and the same blue eyes the Lantsovs were known for. “Looks like you lost the bet, Mrs. Lantsov.”I gave a weak smile; twenty hours of labor was no joke for this cute tiny human to come out looking just like her papa. “What do you want, husband?”He seemed lost in thought for a second, before whispering his answer into my ear. “Kiss me.”“A kiss?”He nodded.“That is all you want with a wish like that?” I rolled my eyes at how naughty he was, suddenly feeling strong enough to give a wide grin. “Choose wisely, Mr. Lantsov, you may never get an opportunity like this one again.”“That is what I want,” he insisted.“Alright.
Blurb:What would you do if the man who ruined you came back for more?Lyra built a quiet life far from the chaos of the Bratva and the man who once set her soul on fire. But now, she’s his again—bound by a marriage as ruthless as the man himself.The man she once loved is now her husband—a darker, more dangerous version of the one she swore to forget.His presence consumes her, his touch ignites a forbidden heat she’s desperate to resist. But desire is a traitor, and every glance, every word, every brush of his skin reminds her of the nights she swore to forget.He doesn’t just want her obedience—he wants her soul. And he’ll stop at nothing to have it.But Lyra isn’t the naive woman he left behind. She’s hiding a secret—a devastating truth that could strip him of the control he craves.Because in this game of power and desire, the Bratva king may think he’s winning.But he has no idea what he’s up against.***Prologue LyraThe smell of grilled steak and fresh lobster filled my sen
When a ruthless Bratva king wins a poker game with more than just money on the table, he walks away with a living, breathing trophy—a girl too young, too defiant, and far too tempting to let go.She wanted revenge. He gave her captivity.Now, locked in his estate with no escape and no allies, she’s forced to play a new kind of game, one where the stakes are her freedom, her body, and the very heart she swore she’d never give away.He says she’s unripe. Untouched. That he’ll mold her into the perfect Bratva wife. She hates his arrogance, his icy control, his ability to make her tremble with just a look.But hate is a dangerous game to play...especially when desire blurs the lines.He owns her now. The question is—will she break free, or beg to stay?
Hey my loves!I’m beyond grateful for each of you who came along for this ride with Roman and Aria! But don’t get too comfortable, because Book Four is coming up fast and it’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait for you to dive back in!Please let me know what you think so far–I’m always excited to hear your thoughts!💕
- AriaThe bookstore was bustling with people the moment it opened for the evening, and a long line went out the door.The cozy store on the corner lit up the dark street with its warm light, and that fuzzy feeling in my chest was something I had looked forward to since I was a child.Nestled toward the back of the store in bookcases and boxes upon boxes of my own work, I sat, Sharpie in hand while I smiled for my readers.At one point in my life, I never thought I’d be able to say that—my readers. Never thought I’d have the chance to follow my dreams and just write.But stacks of my novel sat next to me while each person approached my pop-up table with their copies.Roman had put Lyra and Enora in charge of organizing the signing and launch party, but it was no secret that Valentin had his input taken into consideration too.String lights twinkled above my head to make the evening feel even more special. Paired with the free hot drinks and food, the rush of energy in the air, and the
- RomanMy leg wouldn’t stop shaking from my place in the waiting room chair, nerves completely frayed.I intended on being in the delivery room with Aria, but after seeing her in pain without being able to do anything about it, slicked it sweat and wincing, I’d flushed.The doctor’s attention shifted to me not far into it, and she told me to take a walk. Not wanting to disobey a good doc’s orders, I complied and walked out.I didn’t want to admit to anyone that the thought of witnessing the bloody scene that was to come made me feel woozy, but once the chance to take a break from it arose, I took it.Yet it didn’t make me feel any better about it.I should be in there with her, I thought to myself, fighting a silent battle.I was no stranger to blood or gore. In fact, I had seen the worst of the worst while working, yet it seemed completely brand new to me today.Head in my hands, I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together.“Couldn’t handle it?”Lifting my head, I found Valen
AriaA pleasant haze consumed me as Roman continued to dote on me, taking the time to carefully wash my hair and free me of that grimy feeling. He even rubbed my neck and shoulders, releasing all the tension left there. His touch was like magic and exactly what I needed.I didn’t realize how tense I had been until all the knots were worked out, and I sat more relaxed in the tub.With my long, even breaths, I felt better than I had in quite some time, in complete awe of Roman and his care. It was like he wanted to make up for lost time, and I didn’t mind one bit.“I could get used to this,” I sighed, eyes closed as he returned his hands to my neck and didn’t let up.He chuckled quietly from behind me. “Don’t worry, massages will be an often occurrence. You say the word and I’ll get to it, or I could hire someone to set up a massage table for you.”Both sounded incredibly perfect. I hummed, “Don’t tempt me.”“Whatever you need. Whatever you want, it will be yours,” Roman promised, dipp
Aria It felt like having a rock in my gut to finally put that ultimatum on the table, but I knew it needed to be done. I couldn’t sit around and pretend like this baby didn’t exist. Like it wasn’t a critical conversation we needed to have.Roman paused his scrubbing and leaned against the tub, ensuring our eye contact was held. His tone was genuine. “I know that I didn’t react how I should’ve, but I won’t miss out on a second of raising our child. You shouldn’t have to face this difficult thing alone. In fact, you don’t need to return to work or your old life. As long as you let me, I’ll stand with you and this baby until my last breath. I will take care of you both.”My heart swelled at his words, feeling a sort of relief that I hadn’t known in some time. Tears ran down my cheeks as I was overwhelmed by his sincerity.Roman reached out and wiped a tear away with his thumb. He smiled warmly. “I tried so hard to not fall for you. The first time I saw you, I knew it would be nearly imp
- AriaI never thought I'd miss Roman's house as much as I did until I ended up in that cold basement.The relief I felt upon returning was immense, despite how exhausted I was.I couldn't believe I had been kidnapped again. How had I somehow managed to get caught in the middle of it all? It wasn't ideal, and it certainly wasn't how I had hoped the night would go.But Roman had found me. He risked his life to get me back, and while it didn't fix everything, it was a start.Shaking even as we walked into the warm house, I couldn't seem to get the chill out of my bones.Roman noticed at once, expression riddled with concern. Instead of making me walk another step, he scooped me up in his arms and held me against his chest."Don't worry about anything, I'll draw you a bath."Lacking the energy to fight or say otherwise, I relaxed in his hold, cheek pressed against his warmth.We went down the hall and up the stairs until we reached his master bedroom, to my surprise. I was placed on the
Roman He paused, pretending as if he were giving it some consideration. He sucked in air through his teeth. “No, I don’t think I will. We both know that would never work.”He wasn’t as stupid as I initially thought. He was right, it would never work. Hence why he wasn’t going to make it out of that basement."We wouldn't be in this standoff if you hadn't walked into our house with your guns drawn," Marco said, expression souring. "For full transparency, you were supposed to wait until we moved her. Until I got my answers and had a little fun. But you just couldn't wait. Why are you the only one who gets to bed your captive? God certainly has His favorites."I clenched the gun in my grasp, losing my patience. "And you can't be killed soon enough."Marco laughed at that, relaxing the blade before securing it against Aria's neck again. She flinched. "You're just mad that I managed to pull off what you failed to do. Teresa had been practically waiting to get abducted. It was the perfect
- RomanMy gun was aimed at Marco while Dimitri had his pressed against Sal's head, a warning to Marco that his father's life was on the line and that we would waste no time ending it.With his knife pressed against Aria's throat, we were at a standstill.Marco laughed to himself, starting with a low chuckle that built into a full one, amused by it all.It made my blood boil.Aria closed her eyes despite her tears, trying not to move, should she force the blade closer to her skin by accident.Seeing her there, under his mercy, was my worst nightmare. She was innocent to our world, having only exposed herself to it through her novels. Through her passions. Yet, she found herself in the position that no woman in the mafia world wanted to be in. To the Espositos, her capture was nothing more than a tactic to get us to comply, a means of having something over my head. But to me, her being taken meant everything. Her safety meant even more.I hated imagining how scared she was to be taken