Protective

Nolan Russo thought he had his life figured out. As the son of a powerful mafia boss, his future was all planned: step into his father’s shoes and take over the family empire. But those plans are thrown into chaos when his father demands he marry Anastasia Ivanov, the bold and unpredictable daughter of another powerful family. The marriage is meant to unite their families and save the Russo business from falling apart, but neither Nolan nor Anastasia is happy about it. Anastasia has no interest in being anyone’s wife. She’s used to living on her own terms and refuses to be controlled. To her, this marriage feels like a trap. But despite their clashes and fiery arguments, there are few moments of undeniable tension between them—something neither can ignore, no matter how hard they try. Just as they start to find their footing in this uneasy alliance, their world is shaken by betrayal. Someone close to Nolan breaks their trust, setting off a series of dangerous events. To protect Anastasia, Nolan hires Ivan, a quiet yet mysterious bodyguard who seems to understand her better than anyone else. But the closer Anastasia gets to Ivan, the more tangled things become. Secrets start to surface—secrets that could destroy everything they’ve worked for. As the lines between loyalty, love, and revenge blur, Nolan and Anastasia are forced to confront the choices they’ve made. Can they survive the lies and betrayals that threaten to tear them apart, or will the weight of their choices crush them both?

🔞 MATURE CONTENT WARNING! This book contains explicit language, sexual content and adult themes. If it's not your thing, you might want to skip this one. Otherwise; enjoy the ride!🔞 Gwendolyn thought she had the perfect life, a thriving career as a chef and a boyfriend she adored. But when he shatters her heart on their anniversary, she drowns her sorrows in a night of reckless abandon at a gay bar. One steamy encounter with Armando Denaro changes everything.   She never expected to see him again until he showed up with a shocking revelation. Armando isn’t just any man; he’s the ruthless Mafia Don, and their one-night stand has put a target on her back. To keep her safe, he offers her only one choice: a contract marriage.   Thrown into a world of power, danger, and deadly secrets, Gwen must decide if she can trust the man who holds her fate in his hands. But as passion ignites between them, she uncovers a chilling truth—their pasts are tangled in ways neither of them ever imagined.   Now, love isn’t just dangerous. It’s lethal!

Xander (Alexander Michelle) is hated by his family not because he was the sole survivor of the tragic accident that claimed the lives his parents. He’s hated because his father left everything to him—every cent, every asset, the entire Michelle empire. But, the Will provided a clause: until he is married, he can't assess his fortune. For twenty years, Xander was cast out, exiled by the same man who now reminds him of the clause— the same man who spent the last two decades burning through what wasn’t his—his grandfather, Jacob Michelle. Now, Xander is back. And he’s furious. He is ready to marry just to reclaim what’s his. But there’s another condition: he must marry the woman his grandfather chooses: Tatiana Richardson (Tiana), a woman who is willing to marry Xander to escape harassment from her uncle and her mother's taunts. Both are desperate to get what they want, Xander, his fortune and Tiana, her freedom. But freedom isn’t that simple. A deal is struck: 7-days-marriage. No strings. No real vows. Just seven days to fulfill a legal requirement. Will this be enough for Tiana to gain the freedom from her problems? Will these seven days be a total freedom for Tatiana when Xander sees her as nothing but a desperate woman after his money, just like his family? Will there be a chance where Xander will take a pause and look differently at Tiana when he doesn't believe she is as feeble as she looks, especially since Tiana has his grandfather's backing?

Just when I thought life could not get worse after my ex-husband divorced me after I miscarried our child, a sniper was sent to unalive me and while I ran for my dear life that midnight, I bumped into a car. Leaving a marriage and getting into another one almost immediately was one I had never hoped for, not especially when I thought I would be free again. But still, I accepted his proposal. And I married this crippled billionaire, but on our wedding night, he stood up.

Emily Parker has lived her entire life in the shadow of Marcus Kane — the man who stole her mother, tortured her, and claimed her as his own. Escaping him cost her everything. Surviving him left scars too deep to count. When fate ties her to Rhett Maddox, ruthless president of the Vipers MC, Emily finds something she thought she'd lost forever: safety. Love. A chance at a family. But safety is a fragile thing, and Marcus Kane has returned to take back what he believes is his. As war ignites between the Serpents and the Vipers, Emily is forced to confront every nightmare she's tried to bury. Rhett will bleed to protect her. Ghost — the Vipers' most haunted enforcer — will uncover truths that change everything Emily thought she knew about her past. And when the dust clears, Emily will stand face-to-face with Marcus Kane one last time. But vengeance is never simple. It costs blood, brothers, and more than Emily ever thought she had left to give. This is a story of survival and scars. Of love found in the ashes. Of family forged in fire. And of one woman who refuses to belong to anyone but herself. By the time the final bullet falls, Emily Parker will no longer be the girl Marcus Kane broke. She'll be the woman who ends him.

I could hear everything, even with my poor vision. I could hear their horrified gasps and the curses they rained on me. ‘She’s a murderer!’ ‘A pack slut and now a murderer! She needs to leave! We can’t live in fear in our own pack!’ Their curses overshadowed my pleas. This isn’t me—I don’t kill. I would never kill one of my own. I staggered toward where Killain stood—he was shocked. He agreed with them. “Please help me, Killain,” I begged, but he only stared. “You have brought shame to this pack, Samantha,” Killain began. “Tonight was an amazing day—a celebration for the Blood Rose Pack. You give me no choice…” “No, no, please don’t do this to me again. I’m hurt, I’m hurt…please help—” “I, Killain Black, Alpha of the Blood Rose Pack, banish you, Samantha Forbes, from the Blood Rose Pack. You have done nothing but bring shame and disgrace to this pack, and from now on, you will not be associated with Blood Rose.” The pain wasn’t torture—my mate rejecting and banishing me on the same night was torture. I fell to the ground and clutched his robe. “Please, don’t chase me away.” The guards dragged me out of the crowd and deeper into the woods. “This is where you belong! Disgrace!” They dropped me roughly and left. I staggered and tried to get up with the little strength I had left. My eyes landed on the red stain flooding the front of my dress. No, please. My stomach twisted, and I screamed in pain. My babies—not my babies, please. I can’t lose them—they’re the only thing I have left. I need to live. I can’t die—after everything.

"This brutally romantic mafia love story will grip you!" ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Helen Hardt Arranged-marriage, age-gap, Mafia/cartel romance Capo to the Luciano Famiglia was my birthright. The cruelty needed to succeed in this life has been beaten into me since I was a young boy. My father, Vincent Luciano, taught by example and with the slap of his hand. My independent streak took me down paths my father would never have gone. With our enemies gaining strength, it is my idea to attempt an alliance with an unlikely bedfellow. The Roríguez Cartel and the Luciano Famiglia are improbable partners, yet even Vincent Luciano can’t deny the possible benefits. The only way to solidify the deal is for me to marry Catalina Ruiz, the eldest daughter of Andres Ruiz, a top lieutenant in the Roríguez Cartel. Catalina is young, beautiful, and thinks she understands the path she is being forced to follow. There is no way for her to know the monster she is about to wed. A man doesn’t become a made man at thirteen if he is capable of love. That emotion is beyond my scope of expertise. Saving the famiglia is my goal. And once this alliance is made, ours will be but the first of the brutal vows exchanged. Have you been Aleatha’d?

Three years ago, I destroyed the man I loved to save his life. Now I'm crashing Adrien's engagement party because my brother is missing, and my ex-husband is the only one with the power to find him. Adrien moved on and built a safe life with a woman who won't shatter his heart the way I did. His fiancée makes it clear I'm not welcome. She's right. I'm the wife who vanished without explanation, leaving only a note saying I "couldn't handle marriage." But the truth is darker. I didn't leave because I stopped loving him. I left because someone threatened to kill him if I stayed. For three years, I've lived in hiding while my stalker pulled the strings of my life, using my terror to control me. I thought my sacrifice kept Adrien safe. I was dead wrong. Now the monster from my past is escalating his twisted game, and Adrien is in more danger than ever. Forced back into each other's lives, we must uncover a conspiracy that goes deeper than either of us imagined. But working together means risking the one thing I swore I would never gamble with "his life".

Serena Judd is a mess when she's taken to the hospital after being harassed by a freak. As she waits in the corridor for her turn to see the doctor, she sees Justin Farrow with his arm around a young woman. He's coaxing her gently. With a raspy voice, Serena looks at Justin, the guy she has been on and off with for years. "Didn’t you get my text?" "It's Candice's birthday, so I can't upset her. Besides, who knows whether you actually ran into a freak?" He frowns, looking disdainful. "Were you violated?" Serena's blood runs cold at his words. She tenders her resignation the following day, but Justin isn't bothered. He says, "She's more obedient than a dog. She'll come back to beg for forgiveness without me even saying anything." This time, however, Serena leaves without hesitation. … Half a year passes. Justin sits in his car and dials a number he's already committed to memory. As soon as the call is connected, he says tensely, "I miss you." All he hears is a snort. "Why are you disturbing me in the middle of the night with a love confession, Mr. Farrow? You should be asleep." Justin snarls, "Where's Rina? Tell her to answer the phone!" Wilson Quade looks at Serena, who's lying beneath him, her eyes gleaming with desire. He smirks devilishly and says, "We're busy, Mr. Farrow."

When a desperate single mom, Sarah, agrees to a fake marriage with her CEO, he's convinced she's the woman from a one-night stand years ago. But what happens when he discovers the shocking truth: Sarah has a twin sister, Emily, and she was the one he had a one-night stand with... not Sarah.