Dared

CASTELLO DI CARTE MAFIA CHRONICLES, BOOK 2 [Also known as POSSESSION: THE GAME OF CLUBS] 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 What is worse than being forced to marry a man you’ve never even met? Drinking with a man who’s off-limits and sleeping with him to prove a point. After one drunken mistake, I swore to never entertain him again. But the next time we met, things did not go as expected. He was the enemy, one I should've known better than to involve myself with, but I couldn’t resist his unbreakable allure. was not the only reason. It was the way he softly whispered sweet words into my ears and the way he held me. It was the intensity with which he looked at me and made me feel desired. There was one tiny problem. His marriage was in four months. To the woman who called me her friend. 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 They say there’s pleasure in tasting the things you cannot have. Forbidden has its own mind when deep-rooted inside someone. I never knew the depth of these words until I saw her. She was the brightest pink rose in a sea full of white ones. She was covered in thorns, a boundary only I dared to cross because I had nothing to lose. Only, she wasn’t mine, nor I, hers. Every moment we spent together reminded us of the reality meant for us. Some sacrifices are made for the greater good, but what good comes from leaving behind the one thing you never had and have finally found? She surrendered herself to me. Until the end of our agreement. So what if one of us wanted more in the end? What if the one was me?

"Your insecurity is my temptation," I groaned, lowering my head and kissing every one of her exquisite curves. Araceli Serrano — innocent, sheltered, and trapped under the mercy of a cruel stepmother and a venomous stepsister — had no control over her own life. So when she was suddenly handed over in marriage to Matvei Orlov… a man she had never seen, never spoken to, never even dared to imagine — fear became her only companion. He was darkness where she was light. Power where she was powerless. Danger where she had only ever known silence. Thrown into his ruthless world, her insecurities and fragile naivety clashed violently with the cold man she now belonged to. But somewhere between his dominance and her fear… something began to shift. Because the more his dark world tried to swallow her whole, the more it awakened a confidence in her no one had ever seen before. Matvei Orlov — a powerful mafia king, feared, obeyed, and never questioned — was a man carved from ice. Cold. Cruel. Proud to the bone. So when he chose to marry a mere commoner, Araceli Serrano, it wasn’t out of love… It was revenge. A calculated move meant to spite his father and prove that no one — not even blood — could dictate his choices. To him, she was nothing more than a pawn. Soft. Powerless. Easy to control. But Matvei had ruled empires, not innocence. What he never saw coming was this —trying to tame someone so untouched by his dark world… might be the very thing that would drag the mighty Matvei Orlov to his knees.

“You’re trembling, Zarelia,” he murmured, his breath fanning my face. I hate this—how my body reacted to this monster. “I’m not. I hate you!” “Hate?” He chuckled, his eyes caressing my body. “You say one thing and your body says another.” My breath hitched. “You’re crazy.” “For your body? Yes, Zarelia. I am.” ~ ~ ~ What's worse than being branded as an adulteress, rejected by your mate and stripped of your title as Luna? Death? Wrong answer. Worse is being offered as a tribute to HIM. Kaelric Ashvyr Greythorne III The King of Alphas. A monster feared by all and hated by many. No one dared cross his path. Many hadn't seen his face but there were rumors. Some said he was half-human, half-beast. Others say he was the devil himself, with horns, and fangs long enough to drain an elephant in seconds. He'd killed an army of rebels by himself. Captured the Orc King himself… They say his immense strength and dark powers comes from the heart of people he eats every fortnight. Others say it is from eating the virgin womb of young maidens. I want nothing to do with him. I'd rather die. But my life was no longer in my hands. I must submit to survive this demon king. Only… submitting isn't easy. Not when he HATES the very sight of me. The feeling is mutual. And yet, behind those cold, hateful eyes… is a secret I was never meant to find out.

I was born with a one-track mind—I take everything seriously and do exactly as I'm told. When my adoptive father cursed a rival company, calling them bloodsucking vampires, I immediately went out, bought ten pounds of garlic and a crucifix, and stormed into their CEO's office to perform an exorcism. When my adoptive mother said she was willing to sell a kidney for the sake of the company, I contacted an underground black-market clinic on the spot and asked when they could schedule her surgery. Over time, no one dared joke casually around me anymore. Everyone in the family chose their words with extreme care, terrified I might take them at face value. That is, until the day of the family reunion banquet—when the fake heiress, who refused to leave no matter what, showed up as well. She hooked her arm through my brother's and flashed me a provocative smile. "Arista, Benji dotes on me the most," she said sweetly. "He said if anyone dares to make me unhappy, he'll chop them into pieces and dump them in the river to feed the fish." The banquet hall erupted in laughter. I was the only one whose face went deathly pale. The next second, I kicked my brother, Benji Collins, straight onto the dining table. I grabbed the silver steak knife and pressed it against his throat. "Everyone, stay calm," I announced loudly. "I've already called the police! For publicly advocating premeditated murder, desecration of a corpse, and antisocial personality tendencies… The minimum sentence is the death penalty!"

Evangline Carter was prepared to getmarried to the man she loved her entire life, but suddenly, she discovered that her fiance's heart was captured by another woman who was no other than her stepsister. She was humiliated, face slapped, destroyed for loving a man who despised her. She was willing to sacrifice her youth, time, energy, love and heart for that man, but all her good intentions lead to pain and mystery.Trying to drown her sorrow with alcohol after her ruined wedding with her fiance who hooked up with her stepsister. Evangeline unexpectedly had a one night stand with a stranger who turned out to be the rich and powerful Damien Cross.Damien Cross, the king of the Business world, was a man to be feared. A man who was known as the devil as just the sound of his name made people tremble, cold, ruthless, heart of ice, merciless but extremely enticingly handsome.  There was not a single person in this world that dared to offend him. He had avoided many women who tried so hard to gain his attention. That was until his path unexpectedly collided with Evangeline."I need a wife." Damien declared and they both got a marriage license.After so many years of being in pain and heartache, it was now Evanglines turn to witness and experience a love grander than anyone.The smarter, feistier, witter and cunning Evangline who knew how to survive the cruel, backstabbing and harsh upper class society smiled.Challenges will arise, chaos will commence, and a lot of drama will ensue. But then again, what is a love story without interruption? The story of love without any drama is simply just a crush and the story of Eva and Damien was way different than just an ordinary relationship.

Hera Delacruz thought she had escaped the shadows of her past. Once a fearless soldier, she sacrificed her career, her family, and her freedom to marry Mateo, the man she thought was her salvation. But love turned dangerous when rumors surfaced that Mateo, the feared "savior of the mafia", orchestrated her father’s death. Pregnant and heartbroken, Hera fled. Five years later, Hera lives a quiet, nomadic life with her daughter Mila, a bright, spirited child battling diabetes. Constantly on the move to evade Mateo’s relentless pursuit, Hera works as a waitress in a sleepy town, keeping her past hidden and her daughter safe. She’s a survivor, hardened by military training and sharpened by heartbreak. Mateo Delacruz is as ruthless as he is determined. Known as a savior to the criminal underworld, he has spent years hunting the only woman who dared defy him. When he finds Hera, he is prepared to bring her back into his world, but nothing prepares him for the revelation that she has been hiding his daughter. Now, with two Delacruz women to protect, Mateo will stop at nothing to reclaim his family. But the mafia doesn’t forgive easily. Mateo’s family and men resent Hera for abandoning them and leaving them in the hands of their merciless boss. As Hera fights to shield her daughter from the danger that follows Mateo, she must also confront her unresolved feelings for the man she once loved, and the truth about what happened to her father. Can they find a way to trust each other again, or will their pasts destroy the fragile bond between them?

My brother was a twisted, paranoid psychopath. When I was ten, my parents were murdered. Both my legs broke off while I tried to save my brother. I became his only family and also Achilles’ heel. Those who mocked me as a crippled would have their bones broken, and anyone who tried to hurt me would be smashed into a pulp. As he reclaimed our family’s fortune, he became “the Devil” in Amberwater, a man no one dared to offend. Yet, he alone spoiled me like I was a little princess. Everyone knew that Lucas’s sister was untouchable. He had sent me abroad to receive the best treatment. The day that I could finally stand up again, I received an invitation to my brother’s engagement banquet. “Veronica, we’re going to have a new family member soon.” I heard that his fiancee was the daughter of a wealthy family. She was gentle and virtuous. I dressed beautifully to meet her and planned to give her the jade bracelet that my mother had left behind. However, she had me kidnapped and taken to an abandoned construction building. “You lowly little witch. I’ll rip that face of yours since you’re such a seductress. I’ll see how you’ll steal my man now!” She crushed my mother’s heirloom, broke all my limbs, and ripped my face off. Then, she ordered a dozen men to torment me to death. In the end, she stuffed me into a gift box and sent it to my brother. “Dearest, this is your wedding gift. Do you like it?”

With one of the best college grades and her degree in medicine, Emma Newton’s next plan is to move to Abuja to pursue her dreams. Her goals in life were easy; get a great job at a private hospital, pay back all her family's debts and make her parents proud. That was before her father got very sick in front of her eyes and is fighting for his life. She reluctantly moves to Abuja with one major goal at the top of the list; Save her father from dying. Alex Lightwood is the CEO of the billion dollar technology company; Pearl mobile, and one of the top business moguls in Abuja. He's also one of the hottest men in the city. But what no one knows is the pain he carries in his heart from mourning the death of his wife and first love. Because of that, he has become cold hearted and ruthless. His wife left him with their three kids but he can't stand to look at them because they remind him of her so much so he hires nanny after nanny to take care of them. However, his mischievous and ill mannered kids have sent away all THIRTY nannies he's hired. That's when he realizes he needs major help. Fate causes Emma and Alex’s paths to cross and he offers her a job to be 'His Caretaker’. Desperate for the money to save her father, she accepted. To Emma Newton, Alex Lightwood must be the coldest, insufferable, arrogant and bipolar person she has ever come across. But, to Alex Lightwood, Emma Newton is the only girl who has ever dared to look him in the eye and question him. Will they let love win or their egos?

Victoria Henshaw discovered her husband’s affair with her sister, Katherine Henshaw on the night of their third year anniversary. She also learned that the child they had adopted two years after their marriage was her husband and her sister’s son. At that spot, she proposes divorce and left the house. She went to a bar, got drunk and had a one night stand with Alexander Blackwood, the CEO of Blackwood Empire, believing he was a gigolo. Weeks later, Victoria Henshaw found out she was pregnant, and at the same time, got a job as a mechanical engineer designer at the Blackwood Empire. She learned Alexander wasn’t a gigolo as she had thought, but a wealthy billionaire— The owner of the Blackwood Empire. On the other hand, Christian Santiago was reluctant to divorce her as his company is about to go public and he needs to maintain a stable family image. Also, he's still attracted to Victoria’s gentleness so he proposes an open marriage instead. When she refused, he constantly harassed her, until he learned that Katherine’s child was not his own and was diagnosed with asthenospermia. Victoria tried to tell Alexander about the pregnancy, but learned that he disliked children and anything about marriage. She dared not tell him about her pregnancy, and kept it to herself. While dealing with life challenges, Victoria gradually developed a sense of dependence on Alexander’s help as he’s always there for her. Christian, frustrated and jealous, tried to gain control of Victoria, but Alexander in turn suppressed his career, rendering him penniless. Victoria had believed Alexander was a cold, playboy and indifferent to women’s feelings. Until she realized just how intense and unwavering his devotion truly were as the two get along. But, for how long?

Fiona Garbera was forced to face a harsh false ideology that love was never enough at her early age. She grew up with the mindset that love only makes one weak, judging by her parents failed marriage. Watching her father age with a sadness that years couldn’t erase made her swore never to give love a chance until hell freezes over. But a drunk one night of sexual bliss with her new boss Colt Harper who fate made them meet again became a threat to all her years of discipline against love. Colt Harper wanted more than a night with her, he wanted her heart and was determined to change her misconception about love and this brought a crack to the walls she had built as a defense against love all her life. Fiona was caught in a dilemma of either holding on to her walls of insecurity to be at the safer side or give into the undeniable attraction between them and stand a chance to risk her heart being broken or mended forever. She had to make a life changing decision as she realized that she couldn’t stand the chance of missing out on sharing the rest of her life with the one man who had taught her that love was a beautiful emotion. Fiona was done with running away from her feelings and the uncertainty that she feels comes with love because of the trauma she had as a kid as a result of her parents failed marriage. She dared to believe that a night with her billionaire boss could lead to happily ever after as she found a partner to deal with whatever crests and troughs life threw at them and she lived happily ever after in love as she chose love over fear.