loyalty lisa scottoline

BOOK ONE OF THE KEITH SISTERS SERIES Nella, a woman disillusioned by heartbreak and betrayal, faces a series of challenges after losing both her corporate HR job and her relationship with Sam, who cheated on her. Seeking a fresh start, she takes a job at a flower shop and later lands a prestigious position at Elevé Cosmetics, where she becomes the personal assistant to Roy Logan, a cold and ambitious CEO with whom she shares a past one-night stand. As Nella navigates the complexities of her new job, she finds herself torn between Roy, whose vulnerabilities stir her, and Ethan, a steady and reliable friend who is secretly Roy’s fiancée’s brother. Meanwhile, Maya, Roy’s scheming ex, plots to tear Nella and Roy apart, and Nella’s toxic ex-boyfriend, Gray, becomes obsessed with her once again. When Nella uncovers dark secrets about her boyfriend and her connection with Roy deepens, she must confront conflicting desires, loyalty, and betrayal. Amidst the chaos, Nella faces an impossible decision—whether to follow her heart and embrace a tumultuous love with Roy, risk betraying her friendship with Ethan, or break free from the toxic relationships that bind her. In a world of shifting allegiances, Nella’s choices will shape her future, forcing her to decide whether true love is within her reach or if she is forever trapped by the tangled knots of her past.

“Five million dollars may have bought my chains, but it didn’t buy my loyalty — and it definitely didn’t buy my heart. I never dreamed my life would come down to a transaction of five million dollars. But my father’s betrayal puts me at the mercy of Adrian Costa, the ruthless Sicilian, head of Cosa Nostra whose name makes the mafia world quake with fear. Including me. He bought me in an auction saying he saved me, but did he? He is dark and dangerous, more dangerous because I have done underhanded work against him using my hacker identity, CIPHER. I swear that I will escape his gilded cage. Each of our battles ignites a deadly game of power and lust, while resisting him might just cost me everything. As secrets unravel and Adrian’s enemies close in, I find myself faced with the ultimate dilemma: Will I fight for my freedom, or will the king I hate become the one man I cannot live without? ***** “You think you can outrun me, Elena? You're wearing my ring on your finger.” I don’t flinch, meeting his gaze with defiance. “So what? I don’t belong to you.” He leans in, his lips brushing against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. “You don’t, yet. But I can make you. Do you want that?" I swallow hard, my pulse racing. “Don’t flatter yourself.” Adrian chuckles darkly, his hand lingering on my waist. “Trust me, I’m not the one who needs to be flattered.” ***** # Dark Mafia Romance #18+ #Hacker Female Lead and Italian Mafia Lord # Touch her you die #Marriage contract # He falls first #Fast Paced #Strong FL and ML #A Not so cute Pet (Oh he is cute. Don't go by his looks) #HEA

In a world where love and danger intertwine, Catherine Delarasma's life spirals into chaos when her grandmother is brutally attacked, forcing her into a desperate bid for money. Torn between her feelings for her professor, Vincent, and the hospital owner, Calvin—who are secretly twin brothers—Catherine finds herself entangled in a web of passion, betrayal, and dark family secrets. As she navigates her newfound life in Canada, she discovers a twin sister, also named Catherine, whose rebellious spirit ignites jealousy and rivalry. With their father, Debbie, lurking in the shadows and plotting against the twins, the stakes rise. When love turns into sacrifice, can Catherine protect those she cares for, or will her family's greed tear them apart forever? Prepare for a gripping tale of loyalty, ambition, and the lengths one will go to for love.

Hugo: I am the undisputed king of the underworld. I rule the country and being the only manufacturer of quality weapons, I own every life. As the head, I get to choose first and then I can choose to throw the remains for everyone to have a bite. There is no one who can leave my claws, I can have whoever I want, be it a boy or a girl. No strings attached. My heart is woven in black. No time and space for any colors in my life. I can’t tolerate deceit and breaking trusts. Loyalty means everything to me. To me dishonesty is equivalent to death, that’s why I never trust anyone. I am happy being the emotionless person in this world until she came into my life as a payment and I was supposed to kill her after using her, only if I knew…. Caterina: I was living my life in a romantic fantasy. I had dream of a prince coming and taking me away to a far land. There came someone to take me away. But he wasn’t a prince. He was a ruthless king of underworld. I had heard about him in hushed whispers but I had never thought of meeting him face to face. I was nothing to him, nothing worthy. And I had accepted my fate but he took away from me the only thing I had vowed to keep for the one I would love. I hate him and he gets off my anger and hurt. He likes to flaunt himself with a new girl everyday and every night. It should not make me feel anything but hatred towards him. And I want to run away from this dark world. And I did succeed but at what cost….. .

Luca Castillo is a name that strikes fear across every pack. Ruthless, powerful, and cold-blooded, he rules with an iron fist, never hesitating to eliminate threats. Mates are a weakness, and love is a luxury he can’t afford. His only loyalty is to his pack—until the night he hunts down a rogue and everything changes. Raven was never meant to exist. Marked by a forbidden prophecy and hunted since birth, she’s spent her life running, hiding the dangerous secret buried in her blood. When she crosses into Luca’s territory, she knows she won’t leave alive. But she doesn’t expect him to hesitate. She doesn’t expect him to claim her. The bond between them is instant, raw, and impossible to ignore. But Luca refuses to be ruled by fate, and Raven refuses to be owned. As enemies rise and secrets unravel, they’ll be forced to choose -betray their hearts, or destroy everything they’ve ever known. Because some bonds aren’t just made by the moon. Some are forged in blood, fire, and destiny.

Fate has cruel twist in store for Aria Moon, a quiet outsider in the ruthless world of Silverclaw Pack, where only the toughest can survive. She is unwilling to battle for dominance and hopes fate play its supposed role of bringing her to where she truly belongs: by the side of her mate, Alpha Kael Blackwood. Kael is a wolf of unmatched strength, a leader who commands unwavering loyalty without trying too hard, everything Aria has ever dreamed of. Aria is shattered when Kael rejects her in the most demeaning manner. To survive Aria must learn to face her deepest fears and pick up her broken pieces. When danger begins to loom around her, she has to decide if relying on her own will can save her or fight for the love she desires the most.

Her life had been perfect once—a child on the way, the loving husband she thought she had, and being the Luna of the powerful Northern Range Pack. Then the cruel deception: finding husband and sister together and then the child taken from them. Shattered and banished to the edge of pack territory, Elena waits out a languid death. Fate, though, plays different hands when the infamous Alpha Lykan Blackwood knocks on the door and presents an old blood debt. Learning of the betrayal of Elena's husband James, Lykan takes Elena as payment instead of Elena's treacherous sister—the woman she was pledged to. Pressed into the harsh life of the Black Mountain Pack as their reluctant Luna, Elena is shocked to learn surprising secrets about her past and why she is childless. As dangers to his position multiply and Elena faces demons of the past, they create an uneasy partnership and then something more as their connection takes hold. In a world where loyalty is paid dearly and love more dearly, can traumatized souls heal one another? Or will the promise of treachery destroy their happiness when Elena's former pack returns to take back what they once relinquished?

When my father died, he left me The Costa Mafia, a broken family and a target on my back. Our enemies are waiting for their chance to destroy what’s left of the Costa name. My siblings are counting on me to save them, but I can’t do it alone. There’s only one man powerful enough to keep us safe. Luca Marino. The cold, ruthless Mafia king with blood on his hands and ice in his veins. THE MONSTER. The man everyone fears. I walked into his life with nothing to offer but my name and a desperate proposal. A marriage contract. No love, no romance. Just protection for my family in exchange for power and status for him. But Luca doesn’t trust easily. He doesn’t take chances, and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. To him, I’m just playing in a deadly game. And the closer I get, the more deadly it becomes. My mother betrays us, then his father, then Luca dies. Or so I think. In our world, loyalty is a weapon, betrayal is expected, and love is a weakness that can destroy you. And now, I’m caught in a contract I may not survive. And falling in love with him daily.

Carmenta Bloom’s life is the epitome of gilded misery, and she is no stranger to controversy. With wealth and glory as her inheritance, she has everything but the freedom to live on her own terms. When a scandal threatens her family’s ironclad reputation, Carmenta is cast into a prison of her own making under the watchful eye of her bodyguard, Perion. Perion is her captor in every sense. He moves mountains and pounds them to ground again. He controls her, isolates her, and refuses to allow any escape—except one she never anticipated: his presence begins to consume her. Perion isn’t who he claims to be. He isn’t just a hired hand—he’s tied to a powerful mafia syndicate, his motives shrouded in secrecy. To him, Carmenta is a key piece in a high-stakes war his syndicate is waging. As Carmenta’s fiery spirit challenges Perion’s icy resolve, the line between duty and love begins to blur. Perion starts to see the woman behind the façade, and Carmenta, despite her mistrust, feels drawn to the man she thinks is her protector. He begins to question everything—his loyalty and the woman who has somehow gotten under his skin. Torn between duty and desire, Perion must face the consequences of his lies, while Carmenta must decide if she’s willing to risk everything—her heart, her life, and her very soul—for the man who was never meant to protect her. As war closes in and trust crumbles, they must confront what they’ve both been running from or be destroyed by it.

In a world where everything is about loyalty, two young werewolves from warring packs must risk it all for a forbidden romance. It would be all too easy to go down the path of the hate to love trope, especially as Luca, the heir to the Lunari pack and Aria daughter of the Umbra alpha have been sworn to hate each other. But when their paths inadvertently collide, their passion ignites a spark that threatens to either destroy or redeem their family’s legacy. Will their love hold the keys to peace or spark sport of war?