Author interrupting

This is the first time I have introduced my characters six chapters into a story.  I am doing this because the pace of the book will start to get faster, and if the characters get confusing, you can come back to this chapter.

Mercy is a diverse town where people stay, and businesses are owned by the same families for generations. In Mercy, there are two Mafia families who have had a truce for the last decade.

The old Dons are talking about settling down and having their sons take over the business. Hael and Damien are the sons destined to rule the empires, but with two new Dons at the helm, proving themselves as leaders sometimes means old ties need to be cut and new contracts are fought for, new territories built and a new rule will reign as they see fit, no matter the cost.

Raymond is Ari’s best friend.

He is a force to be reckoned with, grew up in foster homes, is openly gay, and was bullied in school until one day Ariana sat down beside him, and they became instant besties. Ariana is his family, and he would do anything for her. Raymond is a black man with a flamboyant personality and secrets that powerful men are looking to capitalize on, but he is not to be mistaken for a buttercup; this man has claws, and he knows how to use them. 

Max is Hael’s best friend.

 Max is the problem solver. He looks out for Hael, is fiercely loyal, and often blurs the lines of right and wrong to gain an advantage in any situation; nobody knows that he’s carried a torch for the enemy's daughter. His family has been connected to Hael’s family for generations, the second in line, the trusted council to the Wilders for generations. Max is Haels right hand.

Daniel, the heir of the opposite criminal family.

Daniel is a nice guy who's caught up in family politics, even though all he wants to do is play football, hang out with his friends, settle down, and start a family. He and Ariana are friends, but as he grew older and Ariana's father laid down the law, they put some distance between them. Daniel hides a secret that could blow up the entire family if it gets out, and even though Gabriella covers for him, the risk of getting caught isn't enough for either of them to stop protecting each other.

Hannah O’Leary is the twins' nanny.

She is the live-in Nanny who has become more like a grandmother to the twins and a mother to Ariana and Raymond. She doesn’t talk about her past, and whenever anyone brings it up, she shuts down. Some think she is running from a jealous lover; others whisper she may be undercover as an agent, but for the family she looks after, Hannah is an angel, and they wouldn't know how to cope without her.

Gabriella, Daniel’s sister

She is a powerhouse, a fiery woman secretly running her family from the shadows. A promised betrothal between Gabriella and Hael, a pact that holds two rival families at bay, is a fool's promise made by old men. Gabriella has her eyes firmly set on the right-hand man of a rival house, and Hael only has eyes for one woman. So many players on the chessboard, too many variables to place bets on only one, but things can't stay unsettled forever.

There are many more characters in the story, minor roles with major impact, and those I will leave nameless; I wouldn't want to spoil the ending, after all.

Happy reading!