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
Prologue LyraThe smell of grilled steak and fresh lobster filled my senses as our dishes were placed in front of us, accompanied by beautifully lit candles and glasses of red wine. My mouth watered at the perfect presentation, feeling nearly starving.Jazz music floated through the restaurant. Everything about the establishment was luscious, but while I’d told Valentin that takeout and a couch were enough, he always insisted on the nicest restaurants money could buy.Money was never an issue for Valentin Lantsov or his brothers. He belonged to New York’s most powerful family, with the world at his fingertips. While his brothers were serious, he enjoyed letting loose and indulging in the lavish things their success granted.The waiter bowed and left. Valentin’s dark blue gaze, crystal clear as water, looked me up and down before a fleeting smile flashed across his lips. It vanished faster than it appeared. He reached for his wine.We’d been seeing each other for some time. What start
~BOOK 1: CAPTURED BY THE BRATVA~He’s the ruthless king of the New York Bratva. She’s a lethal assassin sent to end him.He rules with blood-stained hands and an unforgiving heart.She’s fueled by vengeance, trained to strike without mercy.He’s untouchable.She’s the chaos he never saw coming.He’s her target.She’s his obsession.Their worlds collide in a storm of blood, betrayal, and forbidden desire.When enemies become lovers, the line between passion and destruction blurs.Will their fire consume them—or will they burn the world down together?***Chapter 1: Busted [Enora] “You’ll be dead in two minutes.” The man, whose time of death I’d just pronounced, pulled his face from a stripper’s cleavage and looked at me with eyes full of disgust, as the disco lights flashed green, red, and blue on him. “Who the fuck are you?” he asked, his Russian accent thick. “Me?” I smiled, because I thought it was only fair for a soon-to-be corpse to be surrounded by cheerful faces.
[Nikolai]I have no issue killing women for one reason: my enemies have no gender. But no woman had ever had the balls to point a damn gun at me—until now. This tiny woman standing in front of me with her ass pressing against my dick was the first one. And she hadn’t just pointed a gun; she’d dared to try and kick me in the balls. The thought sent adrenaline through my veins as I tightened my arms around her small neck, threatening to squeeze the life out of her if she moved the wrong way. Her white hair reeked of strawberry and lavender, masking the stench of alcohol, death, and nitroglycerin. I wrapped the length of it twice in my hands, yanking her head back painfully. She stiffened, her trembling legs betraying the fear she tried to hide. I wondered if she was cursing me or swearing to kill me. Not that it mattered. The chances of me fucking her life out of her were far greater than her taking mine. “Go, malysh (Little one),” I whispered hoarsely in her ear. “Tell him
[Enora]Nikolai Lantsov was killable, and that was all I needed to know. He was like every other egotistical man in the mafia world, looking down on women and feeling impenetrable. Too bad his death would be at the hands of a woman—me.I’d probably thank him before I killed him; I’d always hated my long hair because my papa had a weird obsession with it. When drunk, he’d call me Isabella. Was that my mother’s name? If he loved her, why ensure I had nothing to remember her by?Nikolai’s pale blue eyes and large frame filled my mind. I’d sworn never to get blood on my own hands, but if it meant ridding New York of a tyrant, I’d have a blood bath. My father was just as bad, but I couldn’t kill him—not yet. First, I’d use his power to destroy Nikolai. Ricco’s death confirmed Nikolai wasn’t immortal. Loyal to papa for 27 years, Ricco deserved more than a simple *okay* before papa sent me a second job: a mother and her son, Pedro. As the breeze carried the scent of roses, I imagined a
[Enora]The laughter from the foyer was poison to my ears. Papa had told me he’d signed me off like property, but not who my soon-to-be husband was.I glanced at the ice bucket arranged with unopened whiskey, swallowing my saliva to keep from grabbing a bottle and gulping it down. I was curious—desperate—to meet my new owner. Knowing Papa, I’d be surprised if my groom was a prospect, but the deep, old voice from the foyer suggested otherwise.A whirlwind swept my thoughts to Nikolai. Not that I liked him—he was forty-two, almost twice my age. Yet, with dark gelled hair and toned muscles beneath his suit, he didn’t look his age.My God, what was I thinking?The voices drew closer, spiders creeping up my spine. My jaw dropped as Mario Luigi, Papa’s underboss, entered. Older than Papa by six years, he even had a son ten years my senior. Maybe I’d marry the son, not him.“Enora,” Papa called. Mario kissed my hand disgustingly. “You’re just as beautiful as always,” he said, eyes on my
[Nikolai]The first thing I noticed was the way the tips of her hair made contact with her shoulder. Most men liked women with long hair, but I liked mine to be distinct—short hair with smoky eyes was my kink. And that was exactly how she looked when she walked into my club, fearlessly.Enora Patrizio didn’t strike me as a woman who would be stupid enough to walk into a den of vipers, so there could be only two reasons she would do so.One: this was a fucking trap, probably set up by Carlos Patrizio.Two: she was actually stupid.I preferred to go with the first option because the second wasn’t only very unlikely, but it was safer never to underestimate your enemies. And as it seemed, I had more enemies than friends.Our gazes were locked on each other, hers cautious, mine observing. Her gray eyes glittered something sad in the disco lights, her lashes were wet, her black mascara smeared beneath her eyes. She looked nothing like she did when I first met her a week ago. I supposed th
Prologue LyraThe smell of grilled steak and fresh lobster filled my senses as our dishes were placed in front of us, accompanied by beautifully lit candles and glasses of red wine. My mouth watered at the perfect presentation, feeling nearly starving.Jazz music floated through the restaurant. Everything about the establishment was luscious, but while I’d told Valentin that takeout and a couch were enough, he always insisted on the nicest restaurants money could buy.Money was never an issue for Valentin Lantsov or his brothers. He belonged to New York’s most powerful family, with the world at his fingertips. While his brothers were serious, he enjoyed letting loose and indulging in the lavish things their success granted.The waiter bowed and left. Valentin’s dark blue gaze, crystal clear as water, looked me up and down before a fleeting smile flashed across his lips. It vanished faster than it appeared. He reached for his wine.We’d been seeing each other for some time. What start
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
NIKOLAI “We can’t just give her back to Carlos. I know she is his daughter, but he may kill her,” Mikhail complained. He didn’t seem to like her the first time I brought her here, but he’d warmed up to her now.“Do you think I’d hand my wife to that animal?” I put a cigarette between my lips and lit it. “I won’t.” I wouldn’t give up either my wife or my baby.I stared at the pool in front of us. The mere fact that I was sitting in front of the pool where that bitch Camilla almost killed Enora and our baby made my muscles quiver. I gritted my teeth and threw my head back on the upholstered chair to look at the sky.The ornaments in it shone very bright, beautifully, I would reach out and pluck some stars and even the moon for Enora if I could. It pained me that I couldn’t, being human sure came with a lot of limitations.Mikhail furrowed his brows as if he hadn’t expected me to say that. “You’re sensitive when it comes to her.”“And you need to get laid, maybe you’ll cool off a bit.”