Fragile Masculinity

Ivy Sinclair never expected her father's last desperate move to be selling her off like a pawn—to the coldest billionaire in Manhattan. Lucien Blackwood doesn't believe in love. But he believes in power, and marrying Ivy gives him just that—until the fire in her eyes threatens to melt the ice around his heart. Their vows are signed in ink and built on lies. She’s determined to protect her soul. He’s hiding demons that could destroy them both. But what starts as a calculated business arrangement spirals into a dangerous obsession. Secrets bleed. Betrayals burn. And when the past comes back with blood on its hands, their fragile union may be the only thing standing between survival and ruin. He owns her name. She could own his heart. But only if they don’t destroy each other first. In this house of fortune, love is the most dangerous currency.

Dante "The Bull" De Luca, The ruthless Mafia boss, has made a name for himself for being merciless and cold-blooded, he has one rule: never fall in love. But when he is coerced to marry Emily, the beautiful and intelligent daughter of a rival family to secure a fragile truce, he begins to questions the existence of that single rule which has given him the reputation he has of being nothing less than ruthless and brutal. Emily is used by her father as a bargaining chip to cool down the hatred their families have groomed for many years that threatens to destroy them. Emily, determined to survive in a world of drugs, lies, and murders, she must learn to adapt quickly as the wife of one of the most dangerous men in Chicago as the risks that come with such position are severe. As she draws closer to Dante, she slowly begins to realize that the monster she married may not be as evil as the mafia world paints him to be. Will their love be the cure to a years old family disease of hate and strife, or will it spark a war that destroys everything?"

His hands were firm but careful as they slid down my sides, his lips brushing against mine in a way that left me breathless. “Are you sure about this?” he murmured, his forehead resting against mine, grey eyes searching for any sign of hesitation. I nodded, my fingers curling into the leather of his jacket. “I’m sure. I need this. I need you.” His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking there as if he were trying to hold himself back. “You don’t just need me, Aurora. You have me. You’ve had me for a long fucking time.” I swallowed hard, my heart hammering at his words. “Then show me.” *** Aurora, daughter of a powerful Alpha, thought she was living her perfect love story with Nathan, her destined mate and the future Alpha of a neighboring pack. But on prom night, her world shatters when she finds Nathan with another woman, revealing their entire relationship was a lie. Heartbroken and betrayed, Aurora flees, only to find solace in the arms of Noxon, Nathan's twin brother, where they had a night of passion before Noxon disappeared, leaving Aurora more broken. Six years later, a family tragedy pulls her back into the chaos she escaped. Old enemies, forbidden love, and hidden truths resurface, threatening not just Aurora's fragile peace but also the future of her son, whose extraordinary abilities mark him as a target in a deadly power struggle. As tensions rise, Aurora must decide: will she fight for her son and her pack, or walk away forever?

“I’m done with you, Aurora Fernandez—if that’s even your name.” Mia’s voice trembled with rage as she turned for the door. “You’ll regret refusing me,” Aurora snapped behind her. Mia's hand touched the knob—just as it turned on its own. The door creaked open. Her heart dropped. Standing in the doorway was a face she never wanted to see again. Lucius Lovato. The cold, merciless CEO of the department store where she'd once worked. His eyes swept over her with visible disdain. “Who is this little thing, Eva?” he asked, his voice hoarse and biting. And just like that, Mia knew—she was trapped again. Wrongfully accused. Publicly humiliated. Betrayed by the only man she ever loved. Mia Simpson thought she'd hit rock bottom. Then came the offer—escape prison and start over, under one terrifying condition: seduce and marry Lucius Lovato, the mafia heir with a heart of ice and a soul no one dares touch. But Mia isn’t the fragile girl the world thinks she is. She agrees to the deal—on her own terms. Behind her innocent eyes burns a thirst for revenge, and the deeper she steps into the dark world of power, blood, and secrets, the more dangerous she becomes. Lucius, however, is not a man easily fooled. Every attempt to break him only draws him closer. And every secret Mia hides? He already suspects. As enemies close in and her hidden past begins to unravel, Mia discovers a horrifying truth—she is not just a girl caught in the middle of a mafia war. She is the legacy of something much greater… and much more feared. He was her mission. She was his undoing. But in the underworld, love might just be the most dangerous weapon of all.

Arianne has always been an outcast—an Alpha's daughter with no wolf, treated as nothing more than a burden in her pack. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is revealed as the second chance mate of Damien the Lycan King. Damien still mourning his first mate struggles with his duty to the Moon Goddess and the undeniable bond pulling him toward Arianne. Despite his initial rejection he begins to see her strength. In a desperate bid to prove herself worthy of Damien and the pack, Arianne inadvertently unlocks a power deep within her, granting her a wolf. The transformation, however, comes at a heavy cost.Arianne loses control, leaving behind destruction and death in her wake. Consumed by guilt and grief, she flees, unable to face what she’s become. As Damien tracks her down, Arianne struggles with the monster within her and the pain of her actions. Though he tries to comfort her, Arianne is overwhelmed by self-loathing, fearing she’s beyond redemption. Their bond is tested as Damien refuses to give up on her, But with her newfound powers and the trauma of her past, can Arianne find her place in a world that has only ever cast her aside? Or will the darkness within consume her, destroying the fragile connection she has with Damien?

Olivia married John against all odds—despite the whispers, the wealth gap, and a mother-in-law who made no secret of her hatred. For three years, Olivia gave her all to the marriage, but her inability to conceive became a weapon used to tear her down. When a woman from John’s past reappears with a son she claims is his, Olivia’s fragile world shatters. Betrayed and accused of crimes she didn’t commit, Olivia is cast out with nothing but her pride and pain. But the woman who once crawled through life rises stronger than ever. A new city, a new life, and an unexpected connection with a mysterious prince help her reclaim her worth—but fate isn’t finished with her yet. When Olivia’s job unexpectedly leads her back into John’s world, long-buried secrets begin to surface—secrets that could not only clear her name, but destroy everything the Luther family has built. Love, lies, and legacy collide as Olivia fights not just for justice, but for the truth about her past. And just when it seems the wounds are healing, a devastating revelation threatens to undo everything. The man she once loved is the son of the very people who destroyed her family. Will Olivia choose vengeance, or will love have the final say.

Beneath the cover of a decent society lurks a hidden world, a world of darkness ruled by blood, betrayal and greed. But in this dark Mafia world, years of war and turmoil have left many crime families in ruin and on the brink of extinction, and among them is the once mighty Lorenzo family. Born into this world of blood and power is the beautiful Isabella Lorenzo… born and raised from childhood to obey and serve, in a world where women were nothing but currency for power and alliance. When her aging father, Don Antonio Lorenzo begins to lose his grip on the remains of his once powerful empire, Isabella is forced to become a pawn in a last ditch alliance: a contract marriage to Luca Bastoni, the deadly and emotionless heir of the rival Moretti syndicate. To the outside world, their union is a merging of wealth and influence, but beneath it lies a fragile bundle of chaos waiting to erupt. Luca is every bit a mafia prince… ruthless and power hungry, while his wife Isabella is a beauty who buries her pain under loyalty to her father. However, there is an undeniable attraction between Luca and Isabella, but years of bad blood between both families make trust an impossible dream… they may share a bed, but not a soul. Unknown to Isabella, the Morettis have no intention of keeping their part of the bargain… Their marriage is only a cover for annihilation.

Love is mystical- It could turn a devili into an angel and transform an angel into a devil. Olivia thoughts she was married to the man of her dream, a man who she could trust with all her fragile heart but Maverick Slade broke their oath after Olivia went to jail for his sake, accusing herself for a crime he committed. The career she struggled to build over the years crumbled, her name as an outstanding fashion designer hit the mud but she clinged unto the hope of seeing her husband, Maverick behind her, making up for the lost but she was wrong. In the prison, Maverick came to her with a divorce paper, wanting the marriage quit. “I'm not going to marry a criminal!" He pushed the paper across, his gaze cold and fierce.

Calla’s life has always been a struggle. Rejected by her family members, she’s been treated as an outsider in her own family. Desperate for escape, she’s married off to the cold and distant billionaire, Damian Blackwood, in a union she believes will give her the freedom and respect she’s always craved. But her hopes are shattered when Damian, indifferent and emotionally unavailable, makes it clear their marriage means nothing to him. Soon, another woman enters the picture, further shattering Calla’s fragile sense of belonging. As tensions rise, Calla finds herself falsely accused of a crime she didn’t commit and thrown into jail. Alone and desperate, she’s on the verge of losing everything—until Ethan Hayes, a stranger with his own troubled past, offers her a lifeline. With a promise to help her uncover the truth and rebuild her life, Ethan becomes her unexpected savior. But can Calla trust him, or is he another person who will let her down?

Larissa has always lived in the shadow of her stunning, graceful, and brilliant sister, Brittany—the one destined to become the future Luna of the Halfmoon Pack. But everything changed the day Brittany tragically died. The entire pack—including their once-loving family and the Alpha—turned their backs on Larissa, blaming her for the tragedy she never meant to cause. Even the Moon Goddess seemed to curse her. Choosing her to take Brittany’s place as the Alpha’s mate. Larissa thought her fate might finally change. But she was wrong. The Alpha agreed to marry her, not out of love, but to make her life a living hell. Instead of being treated as his wife, Larissa was treated like a servant, unmarked and unloved. Still, she clung to hope. She swallowed her pride, devoted herself to him, and tried to become the Luna her pack expected. But that fragile hope shattered when the Alpha returned from a trip with the woman he truly loved—his chosen Luna. To Larissa’s horror, it was Brittany. Alive. Staggered by betrayal and humiliation, Larissa gathered the last of her strength and revealed the truth: she was carrying the Alpha’s child. His response was merciless. He cast her out of the pack, declared her a rogue, and left her to fend for herself in a cruel and dangerous world. Just when death seemed her only escape, a mysterious man appeared and offered her his hand. She never imagined that he would be her second-chance mate— And the ruler of the land: the powerful and feared Lycan King.