Previous book name: Constantine Blurb: Constantine Leone has built his empire with cold, calculated ruthlessness, earning him a reputation as a man without a heart. As one of the city's most powerful figures, few dare to cross him—until April Danielle crashes into his life, quite literally, by wrecking her old Ford into his Lamborghini. April, an eccentric artist with a sharp tongue, quickly catches Constantine’s eye. Intrigued by her fiery spirit, he forces her into his world, blackmailing her into working off the debt. What begins as a tense power play soon escalates into a daily clash of wills, with Constantine taking twisted pleasure in pushing April’s explosive temper. But as sparks fly, Constantine finds himself softening, seeing in her what no one else has. And April, despite her best efforts, starts to unravel the myth of the heartless businessman, discovering a man far more complex than his reputation. Yet, both are trapped in futures they didn’t entirely choose—engaged to others, bound by obligation. As stolen glances and forbidden touches fan the flames, they are forced to confront the impossible, A choice between love and responsibility... ××× Other books like this: Sold To The Cruel Mafia.
View MoreApril's POV It had been a week and a half since I’d arrived in New York, and already, the city felt like it was stitching me back together, piece by piece. My mornings had a rhythm now: a cup of coffee cradled between my hands as I sat on the gallery's front steps, watching the endless stream of people passing by. Each face, each hurried footstep, reminded me of how easy it was to lose yourself in the hum of the city, and in a way, that was exactly what I needed.I was the new manager at Gravia’s Art Gallery—a small but renowned space known for showcasing some of the most daring contemporary artists. The gallery was tucked into a narrow street, surrounded by antique bookstores and cafes that always smelled of freshly baked bread. The job was fast-paced and unpredictable, every day offering something new. I loved it—the feeling of being at the center of something vibrant, of finally finding my place among people who shared my passion for creation and self-expression.In the back room
Constantine's POV By the time the car rolled to a stop outside the address, I’d finished reading into Lexi’s files. The images and texts I found were shocking, I was not expecting this but I knew how to turn a situation in my favour. I kicked open the front door, striding in with Carlisle and Cavalon flanking me.“Darling, I’m home," I called as I stepped into the room to see Lexi and Kate, curled together on the couch like conspiring schoolgirls. They sprang apart upon seeing me and Kate jumped to her feet, instinctively placing herself in front of Lexi. I had to admire her bravery. “Where’s Jones?” Kate demanded, her voice defiant. I tilted my head, amused by her courage as I stepped forward, wrapping my hand around her throat. Her pulse raced beneath my fingers. “You’re in no position to be asking questions, sweetheart.” Kate’s lips twisted into a smirk even as my grip tightened. “If I were straight, maybe I’d actually be enjoying this,” she sneered, trying to keep her
Constantine's POV I was nearing the final hour—the countdown to when Lexi’s captor threatened to end her life if the ransom wasn’t delivered. My security team had identified the woman’s face: Kate Kravosky. I wracked my brain, trying to recall if I’d ever crossed paths with her, but came up blank. Even the mayor didn’t have answers, though he promised to mobilize his security to search every corner of the town. With time slipping away, I requested my best IT guys to hack into Lexi’s phone to dig up her chat history and current location. If only she’d used one of my company’s models, the process would’ve been faster. I grabbed the duffel bag of cash and moved to head out. “I’m coming with you,” I heard Carlisle’s voice, turning to find him standing by the stairwell. “Don’t need company,” I replied, moving for the door. As I reached my car and placed the money in the backseat, I heard Cavalon say, “I miss the times we kicked ass together.” I turned to see him and Carlisle behin
Constantine's POV “Fuck!” I roared, hurling the bottle of whiskey against the wall. Glass exploded, sending shards in every direction; one grazed my hand. I barely felt it. I was too blinded by anger. The sting of her words felt like acid coursing through my veins. I had never been so raw with anyone before, never allowed myself to feel anything. I felt like a fucking fool begging her. But I wasn't prepared to beg anymore. She shook my soul when she put that gun in my hand, asking me to kill her so she could be free from me. I thought I was good to her. I thought maybe she felt something for me after all this time. Why would she leave? Did she have unresolved feelings for Evan… or for Carlisle? I just wanted her to talk to me, but she wouldn't. She kept accusing me, assuming I wanted to shame her into making her my mistress. I flung another bottle at the wall, and as it shattered, a low whistle came from the doorway. Cavalon, ever the calm shadow in my storm, leaned against th
Constantine pulled me away from Carlilse and through the crowd. "Don't say a word and don't make a scene," he warned as he led me away from the dancers. I had no choice but to listen. He wasn't going to stop harassing me tonight and his family was starting to notice the tension between us. We had to resolve this. Whatever it was. He led me to a boardroom and shut the door. "What the fuck?" He demanded. "I don't think I owe you any explanations." I could feel the expression on my face change. He closed the distance between us, his finger tilting my chin up so that I was forced to make eye contact with him. "What do you take me for?" "What do you want, Constantine?" I moved away from him. "You," he crossed his arms casually as if what he said didn't sound insane. "Great," sarcasm laced my tone, "what about Lexi?" I asked. "Our marriage is an arrangement," he repeated the same words over and I was tired of hearing it. "Yeah sure it is," I smiled, but there was no happin
The moment I stepped into the ballroom, it felt like every pair of eyes locked onto me, dissecting, scrutinizing—even though I knew they weren’t. All of them were here for Constantine and Lexi, the city’s power couple.I was just another guest—or rather, a pawn—trapped in a ridiculous green dress Lexi had personally picked out. She’d said it "matched the theme." In reality, it was hideous: a swampy, sickly color that felt more like a taunt than an outfit. The fabric scratched against my skin, and I caught hidden laughs from the other staff dressed in equally unflattering shades.We were a parade of walking insults.Clenching the stem of my champagne flute, I forced myself to smile through the growing sense of discomfort, nodding politely to a few members in the crowd. My hands felt clammy, and I took a shallow sip to calm my nerves, the bubbles tickling my nose. Finding a safe corner near a tall potted plant, I blended into the background—hidden enough to breathe but with a clear vie
"April, what have you done?" my mother shouted over the phone as I rushed to get into the elevator."Mom, it's not what I wanted," I admitted."Evan came by earlier and told us everything. Did you have an affair with your boss?" she yelled."Evan just assumed because I didn't want to marry him. I wasn't having an affair," I said, infuriated. Why would he tell my parents that?"April, you need to make this right. Evan is a good man. You're being silly, and you're not a child anymore. It's time to grow up.""With all due respect, Mother, it is my life. Evan is someone you want me to marry, but I do not want to marry him. I would be miserable. He doesn’t support my ambitions, and I don't feel that spark when I'm with him. I want what you and Dad have." There was silence. "Just because I'm not a doctor, lawyer, or accountant doesn't mean I'm not grown. Those aren't my passions, and I'm tired of pretending to be something I'm not just to make everyone feel comfortable with me. Accept me as
The city lights flickered like a million eyes watching me as we sat at our table in the restaurant. The hum of conversations and clinking glasses surrounded us, but I couldn’t focus. Everything felt surreal. Evan sat across from me, leaning forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement.“I can’t believe how perfect the timing is,” he said, his hand reaching across the table to take mine. “This new job—it’s everything I’ve been working for. And now we can finally start planning the wedding. We’ll get married right away, and then we can move to Los Angeles. Think about it, April, it’ll be perfect." Perfect. The word echoed in my head, hollow and distant. I smiled, but it didn’t reach my eyes. I could feel the tightness in my chest growing, the walls of the restaurant seeming to close in around me.“I’ve even started looking at some places,” Evan continued, oblivious to the panic rising inside me. “A house near the beach, with a big yard… somewhere we can settle down. You could paint there
I paced the living room, the soft hum of traffic outside doing nothing to calm my nerves. Evan was due back from the surgery at any minute. I should’ve been excited. I should’ve been looking forward to seeing him, hearing about his time away. But instead, there was this gnawing dread. I checked the time on my phone again, running my fingers through my hair. I moved to clean up the paints and brushes scattered across the coffee table, remnants of an earlier burst of creativity that had distracted me for a while. But now the nervous energy had returned, curling tight in my chest. This was the life I’d been preparing for—waiting for Evan to come home, talking about wedding plans. Everything we’d discussed since he proposed. It should have thrilled me, but lately, the idea of it all felt wrong. After I had put all my supplies away, I sank onto the couch, hugging a pillow to my chest, my gaze drifting to the half-finished painting leaning against the wall—a chaotic swirl of colors. I di
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