loyalty lisa scottoline

Sold to the highest bidder to pay off a blood feud, I never imagined I would be the pawn in my father's fatal game. Still, here I am before Enzo De Luca, the most vicious mafia leader in the city. Though appealing, he is cold, deliberate, and as lethal. Though my heart races just from his proximity, it is his touch that ignites me. My body betrays me and reacts to him in ways I am powerless over. And I melt as he softly, commandingly says my name. Enzo loves neither me nor another. In his deadly kingdom, I am only another bargain, another transaction. But every time we are alone, the conflict between us snaps—desire becomes a terrible addiction. Although I detest him for everything he stands for, I yearn for the way he consumes me, body and soul. He has made it quite evident—our marriage is more about power than love. Still, every angry gaze and every snatched moment in the shadow reveals something different. Benevolent underneath his icy façade lies something broken that appeals to the darkest sides of me. But depending on a man like Enzo may mean losing everything. Bound to him now, for better or worse, I am caught in a world where loyalty is brittle and treachery carries a bullet. Our friendship gets more perilous the more truths about his empire I find. And as the past calls for us, I have to question myself: will our passion be the thing that ruins us both or can I survive loving a guy like Enzo De Luca? Burning in his arms is me. But in his universe, I could roast alive.

Natalya has always been a Psi within the Green Peaks Pack, a title that keeps her in the shadows of a lineage renowned for its unmatched strength. When Aleksandr is crowned as the new Alpha, he uncovers a truth that changes everything—Natalya is his fated mate. But he cannot accept her lowly status as his Luna. With a cold command, he banishes her from the pack village. Shattered, Natalya flees, her wolf’s cries echoing in the night, until she crosses paths with Vladimir, the newly crowned King of the enigmatic Gray Fields Kingdom. “Come with me, Natalya,” Vladimir whispers, his eyes gleaming with a promise. “Be my Queen, and you will know nothing but bliss.” As Natalya settles into her new life with Vladimir, a bond forms between them—one that feels unbreakable. Yet shadows from her past refuse to stay hidden. Aleksandr reappears, urging her to leave Vladimir’s side and abandon the life she has begun to build. Caught between the destiny the Moon Goddess has scripted for her and the loyalty she feels to Vladimir’s mysterious pack, Natalya faces a choice that will define her path. “Natalya, whether you accept it or not, the Moon Goddess has chosen us,” Aleksandr growls, his eyes dark with intensity. “You are my Luna.”

Freya wants nothing more than a fresh start at Blackwood University, far from the past she longs to forget. But from the moment she arrives, fate has other plans. She crosses paths with Dominic Blackwood—a powerful, brooding alpha whose gaze is as dangerous as it is irresistible. An unexplainable bond pulls them together, but with it comes whispers of a dark prophecy—a curse that binds their fates and threatens to destroy them both. As a rival pack closes in and the line between myth and reality blurs, Freya begins to uncover secrets about herself—truths she was never meant to know. With danger at every turn and love on the line, she must choose: fight for the bond that calls to her or run before it’s too late. Loyalty will be tested. Love will be challenged. And the past will change everything. Can Freya and Dominic break the curse, or will the shadows claim them forever?

After the assassination of his father, marco must now take the reins of the family empire. Confronted with his father's death and the necessity of maintaining power, marco goes to see alfonso, a mafia boss, to seal an alliance through marriage. To his great surprise, he discovers that alfonso's daughter, Laïs, is only an eleven-year-old child, innocently playing with dolls. Despite his indignation at this tragic situation, marco agrees to keep Laïs under guardianship until she comes of age, deciding to place her in a convent to avoid immediate complications. Years pass, and as Laïs grows up, she yearns for her freedom. When Marco returns to marry her, she chooses to flee, seeking to escape her fate. Laïs attempts to build her own life, but she is quickly found by Marco. Over time, a deep connection forms between them, despite Marco's cruelty. However, their love faces many challenges, including rivals and forces seeking to tear them apart. Through trials and struggles, Laïs discovers her own desires and the complexity of love in a world where power and loyalty often conflict. Ultimately, she must confront her past and navigate an uncertain future, learning that love, even in the darkest circumstances, can blossom.

Emmeline Gray's fate was sealed. Her father, Lord Gray, had betrayed the Lunar Council, and now she had to pay the price. The Council had condemned her to serve the ruthless Rogue King, Cedric Silver. As Emmeline entered the dark castle, she felt trapped. The air reeked of malice, and Cedric's piercing gaze cut through her like a knife. "Speak out of turn, and you're dead," Cedric warned, his voice low and menacing. His eyes seemed to bore into her soul, and Emmeline felt a shiver run down her spine. "You'll submit, Emmeline," Cedric continued, his voice dripping with an undercurrent of desire. "Your father's sins won't be forgiven, but maybe you can earn redemption." Emmeline's heart pounded in her chest as their gazes met. She recognized the unmistakable spark – Cedric Silver, the feared Rogue King, was her mate. Cedric's eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire as he took a step closer to her. "You're mine now, Emmeline," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin. "And I always claim what's mine." Emmeline's pulse quickened as she felt the weight of Cedric's gaze. She knew she should be afraid, but a part of her was drawn to the darkness that lurked within him. Tied to the man who embodied her family's destruction, Emmeline's life was now a twisted dance between loyalty, survival, and her own heart. Would she find redemption, or would darkness consume her?

"This is wrong, Collen," I breathed out as Collen's s lips claimed mine. "Shhhh and let's think about the consequences later," he said in a husky voice before spreading my legs open and trailing his lips down to the juncture of my thighs before burying his face between my legs. Here's a rewritten version of the text, with a more engaging tone and language: When Allison transferred to the prestigious Ivy League college, she thought she'd left her small-town life behind. But fate had other plans. With the help of her best friend Hannah, she settled into her new life, only to discover that her one-night stand was none other than Hannah's boyfriend - her fated mate! Torn between loyalty and desire, Allison must navigate this forbidden attraction, all while keeping her secret from her friend. Will she confess her transgression, or will fate and passion prevail in this sizzling werewolf romance?

After surviving a botched assassination attempt, Elena DeLuca resurfaces with a new identity and a thirst for revenge against those who betrayed her. Once a trusted ally of the Moretti family, she now seeks to expose the traitors within. Helios Valenti, the enforcer who failed to protect her, is forced to work with Elena to uncover the plot. As their past resurfaces, tension builds between them, blurring the line between hate and desire. Elena’s return also uncovers long-buried secrets, revealing a hidden assassin network led by Sophia Ivanova and linking Nico Moretti to the plot against her. In the midst of her revenge, Elena reunites with her best friend, Isabella, who never believed Elena was dead. Their reunion complicates things further, as Isabella becomes torn between loyalty to her friend and the Morettis. As Elena and Helios fight to expose the traitor, their bond deepens, but the threat of a larger conspiracy looms. Will Elena’s quest for vengeance destroy her humanity, or will she and Helios survive the growing darkness? Teaser for Book 3: With a deadly assassin network closing in, Elena and Helios face a war that will test their loyalty and trust.

As an entrepreneur, Ashley West has spent most of her time focusing on business, but she decided to take a break from work and go on a vacation to explore and have fun. What happens when she had a one night stand with a stranger who turned out to be her father's best friend and business partner.  Caught between loyalty to her father and a desire she can no longer deny, Ashley faces a dangerous game of forbidden attraction. As emotions flare and boundaries blur, she must decide. Will she follow her heart and risk losing her father's trust or give up on her feelings for peace to reign?

Anna Valerian's life takes an unexpected turn when a single moment of betrayal pulls her into the arms of Jace Lysander, a man as enigmatic as he is dangerous. Their rushed union is shrouded in secrets, their connection electric yet fragile. But as Anna steps into Jace’s world, she realizes her own past is far darker and more twisted than she ever imagined. In a house filled with whispers of deceit and a family bound by treachery, Anna must navigate the delicate line between loyalty and survival. Jace’s gaze promises both salvation and ruin, and every step forward uncovers another devastating truth. As the walls close in, trust becomes a deadly gamble, and Anna finds herself questioning not just her husband’s motive but her own place in a game she never agreed to play. In a tale of love, revenge, and shattered illusions, one question looms above all others: how far would you go to uncover the truth?

Tragedy strikes when 5-year-old Isadora, a bright and beautiful girl, is blinded by unknown gunfire. Her devoted mother, Mrs. Lisa, is determined to restore her daughter's sight, but their financial struggles and lack of resources seem insurmountable. As Mrs. Lisa desperately seeks help, she faces rejection and heartlessness from Mrs. Elena, the wealthy and cruel wife of Mr. Frank. However, a glimmer of hope emerges when Mrs. Elena agrees to help with the surgery costs if a donor can be found within two months. Isadora's resilience and kindness shine through as she navigates her new reality, and a chance encounter with Andrew, the son of Mr. Frank, brings a sense of connection and possibility. Will Isadora's sight be restored, or will her life forever be changed by this tragedy?