City On Fire Don Winslow

Being forged from the trauma that clings to your soul like an additional layer of sin has an elegance to it. When my father and I buried my sister, falling in love with her first love wasn't on the agenda. Don Alessandro Valentino has something I want. Something he refuses to depart with and no matter how much pain he inflicts upon me, I will never give up. I vowed to never let him win. I thought I had escaped his grasp, but his torment had only just begun. Despite everything, he still held the power to manipulate my heart and make me crave to be possessed by him. As secrets come to light and the truth is exposed, can I surrender the battle and surrender what I've been fighting for all along, without hesitation? --- He tore his lips away from mine, peering down at me, brushing the pad of his thumb along his lower lip—smearing my touch as far as it would travel. “You taste like mine.” He said in a cold and condescending tone. Then he left. He walked out of the wine cellar without a second glance over his shoulder as Riccardo locked the door behind them.

Chelsea is caught in a web when she is captured by Dylan Cross, the most notorious mafia don of Miami's underworld. But on the surface, he is the sweetheart of the city and a highly generous philanthropist. She tries to escape but all her efforts prove futile. Over time, she accepts her fate and decides to plot carefully on her next escape plan. She also plans to gain his trust and swindle him in the end before escaping. However, she begins to see a side of Dylan that is both endearing and lovable. She is torn in her feelings but she still clings to her plan. Over time, events spiral out of control and put her in an ultimate dilemma. What will she do? Will she fall in love with this devilish mafia don? Or will she go through with her plan to escape?

I was about to kill my mother's murderer…until he almost killed me first. As the daughter of a respected policeman, justice burned in my blood. I watched my mother die at the hands of a Mafia Lord. And I swore to make him pay. But when I confronted Don Theron, I didn't expect to be wrapped up in his arms, his grip choking life out of me. “Say your last prayers, princess,” he growls, tightening his grip like the devil he was. I struggled, I gasped for air, my heart raced but there was no saving from this doom. I thought I was done for. But then he let me go. But my freedom wasn't a gift, it came with a heavy price–a gruesome curse. In a twisted deal with my father, the man who murdered my mother became my husband. Now, every morning I wake up beside a monster who's cloaked in charm, secrets and control. My soul still burns for vengeance, his soul thrives on possession. And with every day that passes by, I wonder… Will I ever make it out of here alive?

What is more unfortunate other than being transported to a world you didn't expect to exist? Zemira Allyson Rivera grew up with a little knowledge of where her father was. The only person that she has was her mother, who inexplicably disappeared when she was seventeen, leaving her all alone in this world. On her way home from the convenience store, Zemira encountered a strange event that led her to the Forbidden forest near the city of Levearûn, an abandoned city in the heart of Hevadale. While finding a way back home, Zemira found out the truth behind the abandoned city. She also met a group of people which she did not expect to treat her as a family.

I loved Adriano Ferraro—yeah, that Don—for five freaking years. He wasn't just my fiancé; he was my anchor in a world where loyalty got tested, and weakness got you killed. We had it all mapped out—dreams, plans, a future we actually thought we owned. Until I lost our baby. I reached for him, shaking, desperate for anything. But comfort never came. Instead, it was her. His stepsister, propped up. "Don't buy her act. She's just fishing for attention—again." That snake smiled like she just won a prize for emotional torture, dripping venom while fanning the flames. And Adriano? He bought it. He turned away. In that moment, it hit me—I wasn't just grieving. I was completely alone. The kid I carried, the future I built in my head? Gone. And so was I. I walked out. On him. On the Ferraro Family I was stupid enough to think I could belong to. All I left behind was silence. Empty space where we used to be. Now Adriano's drowning in regret, but it's too damn late. The life we should've had, the love we should've built? Dust. And her? The stepsister who ruined it all? She's paying for every lie.

Life can be cruel. One moment you’re on the verge of reaching the peak of your career, your sweetheart of five years finally down on one knee, promising forever. The next, your world burns to ashes—literally. Now, I’m not just a prisoner; I’m the plaything of the most feared man in the country. I told myself I hated him, that I’d never break. But what kind of woman starts to crave the way he owns her body, the way his touch sets her on fire? How do you survive when the man who owns you is as ruthless as he is captivating? How do you escape a man who makes you question everything, even your sanity? ~~ When her father’s PTSD causes a catastrophic accident, Lucia Castellano finds herself at the mercy of Dante Romano, a man whose name strikes fear into the heart of Chicago’s criminal underworld. Taken as a slave to pay for her father’s alleged crime, Lucia is thrown into a world of power, control and dangerous seduction. Dante’s control is absolute, his touch both punishing and addictive. What starts as a fight for survival turns into a dangerous game of submission and trust. But as the lines blur between captor and captive, Lucia begins to unravel a dark truth: Dante is haunted by a past that binds them more deeply than she ever expected. Together, they must uncover a web of lies to uncover the truth behind the fire that changed both their lives forever. Author’s Note: This book contains explicit content, strong language, violence, and other adult themes that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

"I know your reputation quite well, Mr. Storm. You're cold, calculating, and a merciless man. Everyone fears you. Well, everyone except me." I tilt my head, intrigued at her answer. At the defiance brimming in the depths of her hazel eyes. "You're almost correct, Ms. Han. Everyone fears me, including you, even if you say otherwise." She bit down on her bottom lips, eyes trained on mine, but her fingers were shaking. I take a step forward. Then another. And another, until I have her backed up against a wall, her head shifted to the side, giving me a good view of her spotless, delicate neck. "W-what are you doing?" "Punishing you." "You're sick." "Wait till I'm done, mio cara. I'm sure that review will change for the worst." — Twenty-two-year-old Reneigh Han has been working for the Storm Enterprises since she got out of grad school. She cherishes her position, but when fate backs her into a corner and forces her to steal from the enterprises, she tries to take the secret to the grave. Elijah Storm is as ruthless as they come. A much feared Mafia Don and leader of the Storm Mafia. No one steals from him and goes scot free. When he finds out Reneigh's secret, he's determined to give her a second chance to prove her loyalty to him. Reneigh would be his for six months. A devious arrangement, yes, but Elijah Storm always gets what he wants. And he wants Reneigh. As his.

"Run little she-wolf, as far as you can because if I ever catch you, your worst fucking nightmare will become your reality.” He whispered dangerously, his grip on me painfully tight. A smile curled the corner of my lips, and I raised an eyebrow, running the tip of my nail down his chiselled jaw challengingly. “Oh but you’re wrong Blue-Eyes because I am the stuff of nightmares, and I'm here to create hell in your life. Not scared, are we?” Icy blue eyes met my unblinking bright blue. “I'm warning you, don’t mess with me.” He growled. “Oh? But the thing is, I always do what I'm not supposed to.” ----- Azura Rayne Westwood. Known for her devilish ways and wild personality, was the youngest child of the renown Westwood couple. From her days at the Academy, word of her antics spread far and fast, yet there was far more to the young nineteen-year-old woman. The skeletons of the past are never left buried, and life isn't all as carefree as Azura portrays it to be. When demons from her past begin to make life difficult, she ends up making an even bigger mistake. Spending a night of intense passion unknowingly with the infamous stone-hearted Leo Rossi, changing her life forever. When Leo finds out that the woman he bedded was from none other than one of the packs he resents the most, he turns away from her, but he forgot one very vital detail; Azura was no angel, and when you mess with the Westwood Devil, you're tied for life. In a journey of passion, fire, strength and rejection, who will triumph? The young girl with the heart of fire, or the Alpha who yields nothing but hatred and resentment? Follow me at author.muse on IG!

Le jour de notre victoire au championnat de cheerleading, tout le stade nous acclamait. Pourtant, mon frère Sacha Baume m'a jeté une bouteille d'eau depuis les gradins en criant : « Pour gagner, tu as blessé Mia juste avant la compétition ! Tu savais pour sa leucémie… Son dernier vœu était de remporter ce trophée. Tu l'as trahie par ambition. Je ne veux plus de sœur comme toi. » Wilfrid Marais, mon fiancé et sponsor officiel, a annulé ma victoire devant tous : « Tu as pris des substances interdites. Tu ne mérites pas ce titre. » Les supporters m'ont boycottée. Ils ont même retouché mes photos en faire des avis de décès et me les ont envoyées. Je les ai gardées précieusement. Je savais que j'en aurais bientôt besoin : mon diagnostic de tumeur maligne au cerveau datait déjà d'un mois. Avant de mourir, j'allais devenir celle qu'ils attendaient de moi : une femme polie, raisonnable, qui protège sa sœur cadette et qui ne ment plus...

"Before anything, before you allow your inner thoughts to go on an overdrive, know that I love you. I love you so fucking much and I don't care who you currently are, Serena or Rosalia doesn't matter to me, it's just a name. But what I do know is that you are mine and under no circumstances would I do anything to hurt you" ** Rosalia had thought her biggest problem was how to secure a new job after losing her current one, and avoiding the ex convict who seemed to be out to get her. But she wasn't prepared for the sudden intrusion of a certain man who claimed to be her husband! Husband? She didn't even know him!. Worst of all, they already had a daughter who looked exactly like her! Rosalia was thrown into a state of confusion where everything seemed to belong to her but not at the same time. She was determined to find out what had happened to her in the past and how to fix the present which seemed already damaged.