O'block Chicago Novels & Stories

Three years into our marriage, Rylan Shaw brings another woman home. "Maeve, you should learn from the younger ladies. Stop acting like a block of wood all the time." With a calm resolve, I shatter our wedding photo and hand him the divorce papers I've long prepared. "Let's get divorced, Rylan. I'll step aside for her," I declare. His friends insist that without him, I'll starve on the streets. Rylan believes the same. "Once she's suffered enough out there, she'll realize how lucky she was to be Mrs. Shaw." But a week passes, then a month—and I never return. That's when Rylan begins to grow uneasy. Panic and restless nights consume him. One evening, drunk and desperate, he pounds on the door of my new apartment. "Maeve, if it's money you want, I'll give it all to you…" The door swings open to reveal an unfamiliar man—bare-chested, pajama pants hanging low, fresh scratches streaking his abdomen. Jonah Archer arches a brow, dissatisfaction flickering in his eyes as he asks, "Mr. Shaw, what madness brings you to my wife's door in the middle of the night?"

I loved Dante Moretti for seven years. At eighteen, one night at a family gala changed everything. Soon after, I became his fiancee, and not long after that, he was sent to run the Chicago branch for four years. I gave birth alone, raised our son alone, and waited for him in the house that was supposed to be ours. What came back to New York was not a family. He brought Claire and her son with him, and before long, that boy was sitting in Dante's car, taking my son's place in the training program, and showing up in every space that should have belonged to family. Then, on my son's birthday, I saw a video from Chicago. Someone asked, "Dante, when did you feel most at home?" He lifted his glass and said, "One winter night during a blackout. Claire was in the kitchen by candlelight, and Leo grabbed my sleeve and asked me not to leave." I didn't cry. I ended the engagement, erased my son and myself from every Moretti family record, and left New York without looking back.

In my last life, I loved my brother’s best friend longer than I loved myself. I was the princess of the De Luca family, a New York political dynasty. A good girl, through and through. He was Orion Corvo. The king of Chicago's underworld. A ruthless, brutal man. No one thought we belonged together. I never dared to confess. Not until I was kidnapped. That cold-blooded, savage Don took a bullet for me. He shielded me with his body as I bled out. We died together. Only then, seeing the desperation in his eyes, did I understand. He loved me too. Now, I'm back. 18 again. I ditched my life in Europe to stay by his side. For five years, I was his most trusted art appraiser. In private, he’d lose himself inside me. He fucked me like he wanted to own my soul. I became his favorite fuck. His biggest secret. But now, he’s getting married. And the bride isn't me.

The night before my victory gala, I heard my husband, Matteo Bellandi, promise my credit to his mistress. "Vivian, I'll put Sofia's project credit under your name. Consider it an early second-birthday gift for our son." Vivian laughed softly. "Will Sofia agree to that?" Matteo sounded bored. "She has the title of Mrs. Bellandi. That's enough." I thought I had misheard him. But the next night, my award was given to Vivian, and Matteo personally walked her onto the stage. "Young talent needs room to grow," he told the room. "From now on, Vivian will lead this project." The gala went silent. Everyone tried not to look at me. I sat in the corner Vivian had arranged for me and finally understood. Matteo had kept the title for me, then given the credit, the money, and his future to his mistress and their son. Fine. I left the ballroom without looking back. I was done being Mrs. Bellandi. From now on, I was Sofia Valenti again, the princess of Chicago’s most feared family.

To the world, he's the enigmatic Capo of the Chicago Outfit, a man of power, control, and unwavering resolve. He's sculpted his life meticulously, sticking to a code that demands order. Yet, sometimes, even the most disciplined minds can be led astray. Claire “Cindy” Parker is the life of every party, a vivacious burst of sunshine that lights up any room. She's the dance-off initiator, karaoke microphone grabber, and the queen of themed costume parties. But beneath her party-loving spirit, Cindy hides a well of pain and dark memories, mastering the art of masking her inner pain with humor and charm. When these two collide, sparks don't fly; instead, it's like a showdown from an old Western, and shots are fired, both literally and metaphorically. Their personalities are oil and water, refusing to mix, igniting heated arguments that often lead to explosive situations. Yet, beneath the surface tension, an undeniable attraction simmers, their paths destined to intertwine. Slowly but surely, they begin to unravel each other's layers, exposing vulnerabilities they've long kept hidden.

In the gritty shadows of Chicago, Lucian “The Reaper” Moretti, the city’s most feared mafia kingpin, rules with a cold heart and a deadly hand—until Ethan Caldwell, a closeted FBI agent, shatters his world. For two years, Ethan lived a lie as “Evan,” Lucian’s trusted right hand man—battling the burn of forbidden lust while feeding the FBI the evidence to destroy him. But one reckless night, lust wins. In the heat of their only night together, bodies collide—just before the raid blows everything apart and Ethan’s betrayal is revealed. Now, after a year in prison, Lucian is free—and out for blood. Torn between vengeance and the ghost of Ethan’s touch, he begins the hunt. Meanwhile Ethan drowns in guilt, trapped in a fake engagement and a life built on lies. In a city where love is a death sentence, can two broken men survive each other, or will their blood-soaked bond tear them apart? A pulse-pounding MM mafia romance where betrayal cuts deep, obsession burns hotter than sin, and love may be the deadliest weapon of all.

One year ago, Frank Luccasio, the heir to the future Don of Newborough's underworld, saved me when I attempted to commit suicide. He cleared my school debt, admitted my younger sister, Ariana Romano, into rehab, and hired the best doctors in the world to treat my mom's cancer. His only request? I had to become his mistress. I thought Frank was a gift from God—that he was a beam of light illuminating my dark world. When he got ambushed by assassins, I used my body to block the fragments caused by the explosion for him. As Frank scooped my blood-drenched form into his arms, he screamed hysterically, "Isabella!" But… my name was Selena… After I got admitted into the ICU, the real Isabella Messina returned to Frank's life. Knowing that I was just a replacement, I sensibly left Frank, only to be brought back by force. Since then, I became a plaything for the both of them. They humiliated and tormented me incessantly while flaunting their love for each other. Unable to take it anymore, I sent a text to a certain someone and attached a photo to it. "Don Luccasio, the one giving your son head in the photo happens to be your darling wife, Isabella Messina. Those who betray the family must never be forgiven." This time, I would be the one sending Frank and Isabella to hell.

"Why did you buy me? Someone like me can't possibly be your mate." He chuckled low, exhaling the toxic smoke from his cigarette. "Darling, I'm not looking for a mate. I am looking for a slave." ---- After the tragic massacre of her pack, eighteen-year-old Alora Augustus was forced to enter an auction block, bruised and beaten. With her hopes washed down the drain, she decided she wouldn't go down without a fight. Mysteriously, she found herself bought by Alpha Conrad, the feared leader of the Ironfang pack, and a man whose heart is said to be as cold as ice. Even so, rumor has it that he has the charm to make every woman he beds to fall for him. If he thinks that she'd become one of his collections, then he's dead wrong. But little did she know, Conrad did not choose her randomly. He has secrets connected to the murder of her family. He thought she'd be a submissive and obedient slave. He didn't expect to see the fire in her eyes and the stubborn courage she carries with her like a crown despite being ripped off of dignity. In a world where power is everything, Alora struggles to survive while playing the dangerous game of love and trust. Is falling for her heartless captor be the end for her?

Have you ever been madly in love with your childhood best friend, but they never loved you the same way? I mean, not like they didn't love you back, but just not how you wanted it to be? Well, if you have ever been there, then you would most definitely relate to everything you are about to witness in Idara's messy love story. This is a VERY intriguing piece about Idara Thompson, a 25-year-old Nigerian lady who faces insane challenges in college! Her life becomes ridiculously twisted when she stumbles upon her insanely cute childhood best friend in school and starts catching feelings for him. Torn between a literally ‘blind’ best friend named Yomi who never acknowledges her undying love for him, and an estranged mother who just surfaces out of the blue, Idara is forced to make certain decisions that would seal her fate forever. But that's not all. There comes CANDICE, a lovely, beautiful maniac who just happens to be Yomi's special girlfriend and a stumbling block to the ever gentle Idara. How does Idara get past her? How does she balance her love life, family issues and her rivalry with Candice? Find out in this epic story, and you'd be glad you did! Enjoy!

"Damn, you're delicious," he murmured, his touch burning with a desperation that made her heart race. She completely lost herself in him, convinced that for once, the walls between them were finally crumbling. But just as the tension reached a breaking point, his gaze wandered for a moment to a spot behind them. It was only for a second, but that second was enough to freeze the fire in his eyes. In a heartbeat, the passionate man vanished, replaced by the ruthless block of ice he usually was. He took two steps back, his jaw tensed, and abruptly pulled away, shutting down completely. "Enzo," she called out, her voice trembling. "What's wrong?" He didn't respond. Grabbing his shirt, he walked toward his room without looking back, slamming the door between them. Left alone in the sudden, freezing silence, a whirlwind of confusion and sadness settled in her heart. He had rejected her. Enzo had rejected her. After his wife’s death, Enzo Romano swore his heart was buried with her. Cold. Ruthless. Untouchable. But when duty forces him into a contract marriage with innocent Arianna, the girl who secretly adores him, she finds herself falling for a man who will never love her back.