Criminal

I thought he was my savior. I didn't know he was the heir to a blood empire that had been stalking me for months. The life of Ruby Lane, a reserved art restorer, is shattered the night she witnesses a mafia execution in the shadows of a prestigious gallery. But the man who "rescues" her is no fairy-tale hero. He is Nevan, a lethal mercenary with ice-blue eyes and a dark, dangerous fixation. After being kidnapped and locked away in an isolated cabin, Ruby discovers a terrifying truth: Nevan is no stranger. He has been her shadow long before that night, watching her every move, knowing her secrets and the dangerous legacy her father left behind. As an army of assassins closes in, Ruby is caught between a killer who wants her dead and a man who is not only her protector, but also the future head of a criminal syndicate that claims ownership over her. In this game of survival, the line between protection and possession is blurred, and the forbidden heat of Nevan's touch becomes more dangerous than any bullet. He was hired to protect her. He decided she belongs to him.

We had a plan. It wasn't as far-fetched as plans to end world hunger or as extreme as plans for world domination. It was a simple plan, wasn't foolproof but it was going to work, it had to work. We were gonna prove that I wasn't a boy-crazed stalker who caused her parents death. We just had to make Kingston confess that the accusations against me were false. Infuriating Jeremy Vongov wasn't a part of the plan we'd anticipated. Yes, we sought out him as an ally but he declared war on us. This bastard heir with criminal ties thinks to make me his toy but I'll show him that I'm not the cowering and weak Dian Fibarthorn of four years ago. My name is Josephine Dukes and I get what I want. Or what I think I want. And right now, what I want is to repeatedly stab that irritating smirk off his chiseled face or make a few babies with him… And I might do both if he keeps staring at me like that.

I was anonymously reported for fraudulent credit card use and arrested. The victim turned out to be my own husband. I pulled out my phone to show them our marriage certificate to prove my innocence, but the police officer frowned as he looked at me. "Ma'am, the Lucas Richardson on this certificate is not your husband. You're still unmarried." I could not believe it and asked the officer to check again immediately. He looked at me with sympathy, but quickly spoke again, "Our records show that Lucas Richardson's spouse is Vivian Clarke and that they have a three-year-old child together. Ma'am, if you cannot prove your relationship with him, you will face criminal detention." I felt like I had been struck by lightning. Six years ago, Lucas had a secretary named Vivian who was obsessively in love with him. On the day Lucas and I got married, she caused a scene and threatened suicide. In the end, he had to personally handle the situation for three days before coming home. It turned out that his solution was to marry Vivian instead.

"I am going to die" he said as menacingly silent as ever. Another thing Jason would be very good at, was acting. "No why would you say that?" She said slightly louder than normal. "Shhh... I'm telling you because you are the only one who cares about me. If I die, it's not going to change anything for any other person" "What's happening? Are you going crazy?" Juana was scared. Dead scared. "I'm a criminal, a wanted one at that" he said, his breath short "I know. What's new?" "Before I get caught and sentenced to death, I'd like to do something. That's why I'm here" he sighed. "Do what?" In this novel, Juana, the genius tells the story about her alienation, her weird ability, coping with grief after losing her mom first to plane disappearance and then to dementia, her meeting with a ghost-seer and also her school life experiences which included bullying and notoriety, and most challengingly, her encounter with a good looking criminal.

Just one week into my new job, I was wrongfully accused of cooking the books, and it cost me five years behind bars. After that, my wife found out she was pregnant. She insisted on having the baby and promised to wait for me to come home. Out of gratitude, I threw myself into work after my release. I did everything I could to give them a good life. It was until one day, I overheard a conversation between my wife and our son. “Mom, don’t let Dad come out with us. It’s embarrassing! Why did you pin Mr. Scott’s crime on him back then?! And now, the girl next door keeps making fun of me, saying my dad’s a criminal!” My wife gently pulled our son close and comforted him, saying, “I promised Mr. Scott I’d help him. Your dad’s so naive. He’ll never find out.” It turned out that my supposed happy life was nothing but lies and betrayal!

In the shadowy depths of Italy's criminal underworld, Lucas Firmino is well known for being ruthless. Feared by all rival mafias, he eliminates threats without hesitation and acknowledges no authority. Successfully reclaiming his seat as the tough mafia boss, Lucas is a force to be reckoned with. On the other side, Camila is a committed carer, willing to go to any lengths to protect her baby brother, Camillo. Her sole aim is to ensure his happiness, and she remains resolute in her commitment, even if it means sacrificing her own well-being. Caught in a complex web of loyalty and betrayal, Camila's world is upended when her father, known as Papa, engages in concealed dealings that lead to her being pushed into an arranged marriage with Lucas. The unexpected union between Camila and the ruthless mafia boss sets the stage for a tumultuous journey. As Camila steers the disloyal waters of her forced union with Lucas, the promise she made to protect her brother hangs in the balance. Will she find a way to uphold her commitment amidst the chaos, or will Lucas's influence force her to break the very promise she made to protect her brother? Find out more in the story.

Dante Santoro is a ruthless Mafia lord, feared and revered in equal measure. His empire stretches far and wide, and his control is absolute. But behind his cold, commanding exterior lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect what is his. Ethan John, an undercover agent and former doctor, has been assigned to infiltrate Dante's inner circle. Posing as Dante's personal physician, Ethan’s mission is simple: gather intel and bring down the Mafia kingpin before his criminal empire can expand further. But as the weeks pass, Ethan is torn between duty and desire. The cold, calculating mob boss he was sent to destroy begins to pull at his heart in ways he never anticipated. As passion ignites between them, Ethan finds himself in a perilous game of lies, deception, and betrayal. With the government breathing down his neck and Dante's trust tightening like a noose, Ethan must decide where his true loyalties lie, before it’s too late. Can love bloom in the most dangerous of places? Or will the Mafia lord’s grip be too strong to escape?

The goodness in everybody varies by how they were taught as they grow up. Taking an example, Iris was another girl who just hopes for a better and happy life with her family but fate became a determining factor to wash all her happiness in just one night, a night before her birthday and that’s where her revenge started. A revenge where she became hungry for power and changed to be a villainess to punish the people who destroyed her family and who destroyed her. She’s the most gorgeous woman in the whole empire that every guy could ever ask for marriage but too bad with her past she became different, she changed herself and name as she was adopted in the Killford Duchy. Psyche Killford, the name that will shatter everyone’s happiness when messed with and a brutal seeker for revenge. As the name implies, Psyche in the empire meant soul seeker and the deeper meaning was criminal killer, implying that she should be the judge of the villains a Queen Villainess for the criminals. “Let’s just say you’ll dream a happy one after you closed your eyes” - Psyche AN ORIGINAL STORY

Jacob Blake never expected to be married to a man who might kill him in his sleep. But when his brother's life is threatened by the mafia, he signs a contract with the devil himself, Leo Moretti. Rich, ruthless, and wrapped in shadows, Leo is the dominant heir to a criminal empire... and Jacob’s new husband. The marriage is a transaction. No love, no promises, just power, silence, and secrets. But Jacob quickly learns that Leo’s world runs deeper than blood and bullets. Behind the cold exterior is a man hiding an identity no one dares speak of. And behind Jacob’s defiance is a heart that refuses to stay untouched. They hate each other, but that hate burns. They fight each other, but every fight draws them closer. And when danger closes in, what began as survival becomes obsession. This is not a love story. It’s a war, between control and chaos, lies and longing. And when you fall for your killer, happily ever after isn’t guaranteed. In a world of lies, power, and blood, can hate burn into something even more dangerous?

Jesse sets the flowers down on the dining table, plucking the card off the little holder to read out the contents. “Dearest Jesse, just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you. I hope you're thinking about me too. Love--" He pauses and squints before cocking an eyebrow and pursing his lips turning to face his brother. "Wal, why is the boss of your little boy band gang professing his love to his son’s babysitter?" Wallace drops the noodles on the floor with a loud curse as he burns his hand. ************* Jesse offers to be a babysitter to a kid he hasn’t even met until he realizes he’s babysitting a mafia’s kid. The same mafia he had a one night run in with. Infuriated, he tries to back out since he has been trying his hardest to avoid the criminal life for a long time despite being born into it, but a cute kid and an infuriating Mafia Lord keeps pulling him deeper into the mix.