city on fire don winslow

I stared at him, wide-eyed, aware of the heat from his body, rolling off in waves. Awareness swept through me, my stomach clenched and wetness flooded my core as I felt his nearness; and I sighed. He gripped a handful of my hair with an oath and brought his mouth down on mine, his hard lips slanting as they claimed my mouth. His heavy, strong body forced me against the wall and I trembled with need and fear… I was rigid for a while, unable to understand what was happening. My body begged me to hold his shoulders, to stroke him, to let go. But my almost Puritanical upbringing made me stay stiff and resistant. Till he sank his teeth into my lower lip and I opened my mouth in a gasp. * When the cynical, jaded Mafia Don Lucien Delano, meets eighteen-year-old, Proserpina Martinez, she falls in love with him without realizing that she is just a plaything for him. By the time she comprehends the reality, it is too late. Pregnant and alone the spirited young woman does something that takes the Don by surprise. She runs away. What happens next? Read it to find out how the stormy, passionate lovers battle their emotions and themselves. *

Charlotte Simmons was not just betrayed by her fiancé, who cheated on her with a mistress. Her family business was also taken from her, and she was tricked into sleeping with a stranger on her wedding night. She eventually gave birth to a stranger's child! Her fiancé used her adultery as an excuse to dump her in public, making her the laughing stock of the city. That night, Charlotte Simmons drank herself to oblivion and vowed to seek revenge. However, when she woke up, she found herself lying in Zachary Connor’s bed! She was even more surprised when Zachary asked her to marry him! "Marry me and I’ll make you shine." Who was Zachary Connor? He was known as the emperor of darkness and he also happened to be filthy rich! There were rumors that he was gay. Well, who cared? He was a douchebag anyway, so she decided to go along just so she could punish him for his behavior! They signed and made their marriage official. From then on, Charlotte Simmons got ready and started her plan to torment Zachary Connor. After tormenting him, she knocked on his door that night and said, "Mr. Connor, I want a divorce." However, the next day, Charlotte Simmons walked out of the room with a pale face. "How dare you try to leave when you’re already mine?"

“Go on, Grenade. Pull the trigger.” An annoying smirk was plastered on his face, as he leaned on the wall. My heart contracted, and my eyes stung. A click of my gun, and all these would be over. This was the mission I'd worked so hard on. “Wasn't this what you wanted, Grenade? Wasn't this your plan all along, when you snaked into my life, pretending to be who you weren't? Why are you hesitating, then?” “For the last time, Dante, my name is West. Don't ever call me Grenade.” I hissed. He advanced towards me slowly. “I don't care if I die now, Grenade. But don't you ever let the King of Hearts fall into the wrong hands. Give it to me.” His tone was soft, yet there was no denying the order behind it. “You wish.” *** West, the most powerful undercover agent for Lucchese, is suddenly given a mission by her Capo. She is to infiltrate a powerful Mafia group in Italy, and make the boss let down his guard around her. And then, she has to bring back 'The King of Hearts,' a powerful computer program that's capable of destroying, and changing the world. But she must never fall in love with him. However, her mission isn't going to be as easy as it seems. Especially as she unravels the secrets surrounding her birth, discovering that her whole existence is a lie. In the midst of all, the cold hearted West finds herself falling for Capo Dante, the head of the 'Ndrangheta, and her enemy. There was one rule, and one rule only… The King of Hearts must never ever fall into the wrong hands. But…who was the bad guy? (#1 The Mafia Princess Series)

Binar bersimpuh dengan kesepuluh jarinya yang saling bertaut di depan dada. "Bunuh aku," lirihnya bersama bulir-bulir kepahitan yang membasahi wajahnya."Tidak sekarang, aku masih ingin bermain-main denganmu," bisik Rigel di telinga Binar dengan posisi menunduk. Pria itu menegakkan tubuhnya kembali, menarik gesper yang melingkar di pinggangnya hingga terlepas. Dengan seringai liciknya, ia layangkan gesper itu pada tubuh Binar yang semakin lemah."Berhenti!" pekik Binar memohon ampun. Namun, bukannya berhenti, Rigel semakin bersemangat mengukir bercak merah di tubuh wanita itu.***"Argh! Ayah ... tolong aku! Sakit!" Pekikan memilukan itu terdengar seiring tetes darah yang mengucur deras dari jemari mungil Leya."Berhenti memanggilku ayah! Kau harus tahu, aku tidak peduli akan kematianmu!"***Tak ada yang lebih menyakitkan bagi Binar saat ini, selain harus kehilangan sang buah hati, apalagi penyebab dari kematian buah hatinya adalah Rigel, pria yang teramat ia cintai. Di matanya kini, Rigel adalah jelmaan iblis yang telah membuatnya hanyut dalam tangis yang kian melimpah ruah, tertatih di atas bara api yang tak berujung, dan menghujamnya dengan ribuan anak panah beracun, serta tak pernah puas mengukir maha karya bertinta darah di tubuhnya. Rasanya, sakit sekali!Haruskah Binar bertahan dan memaafkan Rigel di saat terlampau banyak luka yang menganga di hati dan tubuhnya? Ataukah sebaiknya ia pergi, membuka lembaran baru, dan membuka hati untuk pria lain yang diharapkan bisa menjadi penyembuh lukanya?

Out of humanity she saved his life but what did he do to her; instead of thanking her he took her in as his prisoner. But, she had no problem with it. She was more than just happy as long as she could adore this stone faced Adonis from a close radius. Wearing a pink hoodie and holding a candy she would run around, pestering that iceberg like man. "Mr. Nguyen, can you buy me a teddy?" "Mr. Nguyen, can you change the curtains to pink?" "Mr. Nguyen, can I take your heart?" Little girl, are you aware? The man you are fooling around with is the ruthless leader of the Mafia gang which rules over the shady underground community. Seems like she had no effect of this dark identity of this man. Okay, this was bearable! What made them have a jaw drop was when their heartless boss, who hardly let any woman near him, was especially doting and caring towards this little prisoner. It was after she came they realized that their boss too had a heart which was capable of loving a girl. But... Why this little fool who didn't even have an identity. Did she really move his heart or... resembled someone hiding in his heart. A funny and warm story of a dominant mafia boss and... a girl he picked up from street.

"There should be rules if we are even going to do this," he said without looking at me. "I have always lived by the rules." He slid a file towards me. "This is the contract. The rules are stated there." I opened the file and glanced through it. "You can take it home and study them; give me feedback tomorrow evening. But I will read out the rules for you now because they start now, and in case your brain can't comprehend them, then I can explain." Anger seethed through me, and I almost threw the file back at him, but when I thought about the money involved and how it would benefit little Sophie, I bit my lower lip to push back the anger. He continued. "Rule number one; don't you fall in love with me." His eyes flipped up to me. "Crystal clear," I said. "That would never happen." Ellen never had fun in college. One night she decided to have fun with her friends and slept with a handsome stranger who disappeared before she woke up. A month later, she found out she was pregnant and searched everywhere for him, but to no avail. Five years later, she moved to a new city and met the same man she never thought she would ever see again. He didn't remember anything about her, and he was now a cold, arrogant man who needed a wife, and she needed money. They agreed to contract marriage with strict rules, one of them being never to fall in love with each other. They were sure they wouldn't break the rule, but as sparks grew between them and became too much, they found themselves trying hard to keep to the rules. Who will break rule number one between them?

Artemy Loskutov... Known for his icy demeanor, merciless nature, and lethal skills, I command respect and instill fear in everyone who crosses my path. Love and affection have no place in my existence; my sole purpose is to exact vengeance upon the detestable Cavalieri mafia, responsible for my mother's untimely demise. When I stumble upon a young woman, battered and hiding beneath my bed, I spare her not out of kindness, but view her as a mere possession, a toy to be manipulated. Rebecca Cavalieri... I had grown accustomed to men who sought to exploit, harm, and discard me. Trust is an elusive concept, and my heart remains hidden beneath layers of anguish. Artemy, however, managed to unearth and rekindle the flickering flame within me. He awakened my dormant emotions. But if he uncovers the true extent of the danger I pose to him, I risk losing not only his affection but also my very life.

Warning: 21+ Renee's family used to be a wealthy family. For Renee, their family is a happy family, even though her mother is a weak woman who is sickly, but apart from that she is the perfect mother. Until then Sean Bramasta came into their life. Sean literally destroyed her family, somehow her father's ownership of the business was just countered, everything was taken by Sean and controlled under his hands. Her father had nothing more than a monthly allowance for him and his family. Renee's family fell into poverty instantly. Renee was strong enough to endure it all, but not her mother. She broke down more the poorer they got, the more she suffered. Then one morning, her mother just died. After the death of her mother, her father was devastated. One day, her father drove their car, the only thing they had left. He crashed into the parapet until the car rolled over several times and her father died instantly on the spot. Because of that, the resentment that was buried deep in Renee's heart became even more intense after the death of her parents. All of this has its roots in Sean Bramasta. What will she do next? Will the plan work or is it futile?

"Has anyone heard of this city?! No one seems to remember it, and something horrific might have happened to it."

Nadya sudah berjanji pada dirinya sendiri tidak akan jatuh cinta pada laki laki dengan mudah. Namun ketika bertemu dengan Ethan hatinya mulai melemah. Apakah Nadya akan melanggar janjinya sendiri? Ethan tidak tertarik dengan pesona setiap perempuan yang mengejarnya karena yang menarik perhatiannya hanyalah bukunya sendiri. Tapi ada seorang perempuan yang berhasil menarik perhatiannya bahkan perempuan itu membutuhkan perlindungannya. Apakah kali ini ia sudah berubah? Mungkinkah mereka berdua terjebak dengan kata kata mereka sendiri.