Novels by Triple G

Serena spent the night staring at the ultrasound photo.Their baby. Hers and Dante's.She'd known, somewhere deep down, that something was wrong with the timeline. Marcus had been distant, cold, barely touching her for months before she got pregnant. But she'd convinced herself it was just stress from his political campaigns."Can't sleep?" Dante's voice was soft in the darkness."Too much to process." She turned to face him in the massive bed. "Tell me about that night. The gala.""What do you want to know?""Everything." She pulled the covers up to her chin. "Why were you there? How did you even get close to me?""I'd been watching you for months, learning your schedule, your habits. I knew Marcus would be at that gala, and I knew he'd bring you as his political trophy wife.""So you planned to seduce me?""I planned to see you. To be near you for the first time in seven years." His voice grew rough. "I wasn't planning what happened between us.""But you were wearing a mask.""Every

Dr. Martinez's office was supposed to be safe.Serena sat in the waiting room for her routine appointment, flanked by two of Dante's security guards. Everything had been planned, coordinated, secured. Which was why the attack, when it came, caught everyone off guard.The lights went out first.Emergency lighting kicked in, bathing everything in red. Serena heard her guards speaking rapidly into their earpieces, then the unmistakable sound of silenced gunshots.Both men dropped."Hello, sweetheart."Marcus stepped out of the shadows, no longer the polished politician she'd married. His clothes were wrinkled, his face gaunt, his eyes wild with desperation."Miss me?"Serena's hand instinctively moved to her bump. Four and a half months along, she was clearly pregnant now. Vulnerable.Or so Marcus thought."How did you get in here?" she asked, keeping her voice steady."Money opens a lot of doors. Even yours." His smile was bitter. "Though I had to liquidate everything to afford it.""Th

"Again."Serena wiped sweat from her forehead and faced the punching bag. At four months pregnant, her growing belly made some movements awkward, but Dante insisted she learn to defend herself."I can't hit any harder," she panted."You're not hitting with your whole body." Dante moved behind her, his chest pressing against her back as his hands guided hers into position. "Feel the power in your core, let it flow through your arms."The private gym in the penthouse was state-of-the-art, but she barely noticed the equipment. All her attention was focused on the way his body felt against hers, the heat of his hands on her skin."Like this?" She threw another punch, this one connecting with satisfying force."Better." His lips brushed her ear. "Again."For the next hour, he taught her combinations, footwork, how to use an opponent's size against them. Every lesson involved his hands on her body, adjusting her stance, showing her where to strike."Why is this so important?" she asked duri

Three weeks later, Serena walked into the Valentino Industries boardroom like she owned it.Which, technically, she did."Gentlemen," she said, settling into the chair at the head of the massive table. "Let's discuss why our hotel occupancy rates are down twelve percent."The six executives shifted uncomfortably. These were men who'd run Dante's legitimate empire for years, and they clearly weren't thrilled about answering to someone they saw as an outsider."Mrs. Valentino," the eldest one began condescendingly, "perhaps you don't understand the complexities—""I understand that you've been charging premium prices for substandard service." She opened the folder in front of her, revealing weeks of research. "Customer complaints are up forty percent. Staff turnover is at an all-time high. And your marketing strategy belongs in 1995."The man's face reddened. "Now see here—""No, you see here." Her voice cut like steel. "I've spent the last three weeks reviewing every aspect of this ope

"I want to show you something," Dante said the next morning, leading her to a room she hadn't seen before.The door opened onto what could only be described as a war room. Multiple screens covered one wall, showing feeds from across the city. Maps, charts, and photographs covered another. At the center sat a massive conference table surrounded by leather chairs."Welcome to the nerve center of my empire."Serena stepped inside, overwhelmed by the scope of it all. "This is incredible.""This is power." He moved to the main screen, touching a panel that lit up different sections of the city. "Hotels, restaurants, construction companies, shipping." Each area glowed as he spoke. "All legitimate, all profitable, all mine.""How many people work for you?""Directly? About three thousand. Indirectly?" He shrugged. "Half the city depends on Valentino enterprises in some way."She stared at the screens showing bustling restaurants, busy construction sites, elegant hotels. "You built all this i

Dante didn't speak for a full minute after her confession.He stood frozen by the windows, his scarred face a mask of controlled fury. The city lights cast shadows across his features, making him look like something carved from stone."Three months," he finally said, his voice dangerously quiet."Yes.""Marcus's child."Serena flinched at the venom in his tone. "Dante—""No." He turned to face her, and the darkness in his eyes made her take a step back. "You will not speak his name in my presence. Not anymore.""You can't just—""I can do whatever I want." He moved toward her with predatory grace. "You're my wife. This is my home. And that child you're carrying will be raised as mine.""It's not that simple!""It's exactly that simple." His hands framed her face, grip firm but not painful. "You belong to me now. Every part of you. Including the child.""The child belongs to—""To me." His voice was absolute steel. "The moment I put that ring on your finger, everything that's yours bec

"I haven't decided anything yet!" "But you will. And you'll make the right choice because you always do. And then you'll tell me what our new life looks like." Emma stood up, anger flaring. "So now it's my fault that I'm good at making decisions?" "It's not about being good at it. It's about maki

Dinner was chicken nuggets and mac and cheese—Charlotte's favorite—but Emma barely tasted her food. Every time she tried to bring up the Maple Leafs call, something interrupted her. First, Frankie spilled his milk. Then Charlotte decided to tell them a very long, very detailed story about her frien

"Daddy! Did you see my spin?" Charlotte was practically bouncing as Alek helped her out of her skates. "I saw everything, little star. You're getting better every week." Alek's voice was warm, but Emma noticed he kept glancing toward the exit where the blonde woman had disappeared. "Mama looked fu

Emma Mitchell-Volkov pulled her coat tighter against the October wind as she watched her four-year-old daughter Charlotte glide across the ice like she'd been born wearing skates. Which, Emma thought with a smile, she practically had been. "Mama, watch this!" Charlotte called out, attempting a wobb

"If that's what you want, sweetheart. You can build whatever makes you happy." "I want to build a team where everyone gets to play, even if they're not good yet." Emma felt tears threaten. "That's a beautiful idea." "Will you help me?" "Absolutely. Daddy and I will help you build whatever you dr

Six months later... Emma stood at the rink-side boards, watching four-year-old Charlotte skate circles around three-year-old Frankie, who was more interested in making snow angels on the ice than actually skating. "She's got your competitive spirit," Alek observed, joining Emma at the boards with

Two Years LaterThe Las Vegas sun beat down on the hotel pool deck as Sarah adjusted her sunglasses, watching Diego teach their son to float in the shallow end. Laughter echoed across the water as little Vincent—named in a gesture of reconciliation that had surprised everyone—splashed with toddler enthusiasm."He's a natural," Robert commented, settling into the lounger beside Sarah. "Just like his father.""And stubborn like both his parents," Sarah agreed with a smile. At eighteen months, Vincent was already displaying the infamous Castillo determination, along with his mother's analytical gaze.The Bellagio suite reserved under "Mr. and Mrs. Castillo" held none of the shocking surprise of their first Vegas visit. This time, they had come deliberately—a family vacation combined with the opening of the newest Castillo Hotels property just off the Strip."Hard to believe it's been two years," Robert mused, following her gaze to Diego and the child. "Sometimes I still expect to wake up

Rain pounded against the study windows as Sarah waited, tension coiling tighter with each passing hour. Diego had been gone for eighteen hours now, his last message cryptically brief: "Contingency implemented. Stay secure."Robert Walsh paced the room, his former FBI training evident in how he periodically checked windows and monitored security feeds."They should have made contact by now," he muttered, checking his watch again."Diego knows what he's doing," Sarah replied with more confidence than she felt. Her back ached from sitting too long, the baby restless within her.The secure phone on Diego's desk chimed—a sound so unexpected that both Sarah and Robert froze momentarily before lunging for it.Sarah reached it first. "Yes?""Package secured," came Antonio's voice, deliberately vague. "En route to secondary location. One hour."Relief washed through her. "Condition?""Stable," Antonio replied. "Minor complications, nothing critical. Primary returning separately."Diego was comi

Six months passed with surprising speed. Sarah's pregnancy progressed smoothly, her body changing as winter turned to spring. The Castillo Foundation launched to positive press coverage, its first initiatives focusing on legal support for low-income families and scholarship programs.Diego's transformation of the family business continued methodically—divesting from questionable enterprises, strengthening legitimate ones, rebuilding the Castillo name as a symbol of business acumen rather than criminal power."The Miami hotel acquisition closed this morning," Diego announced as he joined Sarah on their bedroom terrace, where she was enjoying the early summer sunshine."That's the fifth property this quarter," Sarah noted, marking the location on her tablet map. "The hospitality division is becoming our largest legitimate asset.""Clean, profitable, and excellent for networking," Diego agreed, settling beside her. "How are you feeling today?"Sarah rested a hand on her now-prominent bell

One month after Vincent's surrender, the headlines had faded, replaced by political scandals and celebrity gossip. Within the Castillo organization, however, his absence remained a palpable void.Sarah found Diego in Vincent's former office, surrounded by files and digital records, methodically reorganizing the family's enterprises."You missed lunch," she said, setting a sandwich beside him.Diego looked up, fatigue evident in the shadows beneath his eyes. "I lost track of time.""You've been losing track a lot lately," Sarah observed, perching on the edge of the desk. "Nonna is worried.""There's so much to untangle," Diego gestured at the paperwork. "Vincent's operations were more complex than I realized. Some of these connections go back decades."Sarah picked up a folder, scanning its contents with her prosecutor's eye. "This shipping company in Naples... it's a money laundering front, isn't it?""Was," Diego corrected. "I've already sold our interest. The legitimate businesses ar

Sarah kept Vincent's confidence for three days, wrestling with conflicting loyalties. Her marriage demanded honesty with Diego, but Vincent's plan, though extreme, would secure the family's future. The prosecutor in her recognized its legal elegance, even as the wife in her dreaded the impact on her husband.She found Diego in his study late at night, reviewing contracts by lamplight. His face, serious in concentration, softened at her approach."Working late?" she asked, closing the door behind her."Restructuring the shipping division," Diego explained, setting the papers aside. "Vincent's always handled that sector, but with his legal situation uncertain...""That's what I need to talk to you about," Sarah said, taking the chair opposite his desk. "Vincent's meeting with the Justice Department."Diego raised an eyebrow. "Did he share details with you?""Yes," Sarah admitted. "He's negotiating a plea deal.""We assumed as much," Diego nodded. "His lawyers will ensure minimal—""No la

New York looked different to Sarah as their private jet began its descent—familiar yet foreign, like returning to a childhood home as an adult. Four months had passed since Vegas, since the night that had changed everything.Diego squeezed her hand as the wheels touched down. "Ready?""As I'll ever be," Sarah replied with a small smile.The media frenzy surrounding Kingmaker had mostly subsided, replaced by the methodical grind of prosecutions and congressional hearings. Sarah's role in exposing the conspiracy had made her something of a reluctant hero in legal circles, though her marriage to Diego Castillo remained controversial.Antonio waited beside a bulletproof SUV as they deplaned. "Welcome home," he greeted. "Nonna is eager to see you both."The Castillo estate had transformed during their absence. Additional security measures were visible everywhere—more guards, enhanced technology, even the landscaping redesigned for better sight lines."Vincent's upgrades," Diego explained, n