Scarred

Isabella Marino has spent her life toeing the line between duty and desire, torn between her family’s expectations and her dream of freedom. When her father arranges her marriage to Leonard Ricci, the most powerful and ruthless mafia boss in Italy, she’s thrust into a world of power, violence, and deception. She knows Leonard’s reputation—a man feared by his enemies, respected by his allies, and untouchable in the criminal underworld. But as their marriage forces them into each other’s lives, Isabella soon discovers the man behind the ruthless façade—a man scarred by betrayal, driven by loyalty, and desperate to protect the empire he’s built. In the shadowy world of mafia politics, where trust is a rare commodity and enemies lurk at every corner, Isabella and Leonard must navigate a dangerous game of power and survival. As secrets unravel and bloodlines are tested, Isabella faces an impossible choice: follow her heart and risk everything, or remain loyal to a family that sees her as a pawn in their game. But Leonard has his own battles to fight, and in a world where love is a dangerous weakness, the only thing more treacherous than their enemies is the growing connection between them. Power. Betrayal. Love. When the stakes are life or death, can two souls caught in the crossfire find a way to save each other, or will they be torn apart by the very forces that brought them together?

"You are mine, mine alone." He muttered, sending a rush of terror and excitement through her. Her face crumbled into a frown as she tried to process his words. "Yours?" She laughed nervously, trying to conceal her fear, "You don't mean it, right?" She questioned doubtfully, but the seriousness on the man's face said otherwise. She scoffed, trying to project , What's this? It's nothing. It's just a mistake night." The man's piercing gaze caused her heart to skip a beat. "I don't think it is." He replied, his voice firm and commanding. "I've marked you, so you are mine now." Her eyes widened in terror as she realised the meaning behind his words. "The bite...it's just a bite." She said, attempting to downplay it, but deep down she knew that the bite meant more than that. She was aware that once a girl was marked, she was chosen as a mate. Being betrayed by the one you loved and trusted is the most miserable thing. For Lily, being the daughter of a traitor in her pack meant a life of mistreatment and abuse. But nothing could have prepared her for the ultimate betrayal: her boyfriend, the new Alpha, bringing home another woman and declaring her his Luna, forcing Lily out of the pack.With her world shattered, Lily drowned her sorrows in a bar, leading to a chance encounter with the enigmatic and feared Alpha, Logan Knight. A ruthless leader with a dark past and a thirst for revenge, Logan has been searching for his mate for years, scouring packs far and wide. And then fate brings him Lily. Will Lily, scarred by her previous betrayal, be able to open her heart to Logan's charms? 

Kayla, a shy and introverted music major, is starting her first year of college with a mix of excitement and fear. With a scholarship in hand, she is finally able to pursue her passion, but she finds herself completely alone. Having bounced from foster home to foster home, Kayla never really belonged anywhere. Her unique colored eyes made her the target of teasing, and years of trauma have left her struggling with anxiety and PTSD. Her past has kept her from forming meaningful connections, and the idea of love and support feels like an impossible dream. Meanwhile, three powerful mafia kings—known as 'The Kings'—are on a mission. These blood brothers, triplets bound by a pact made in their youth, have searched tirelessly for their one true queen. Known for their brutal and ruthless reputations, the trio is feared across the world. Despite their many enemies, they have always had each other's backs, and they share everything—everything except the woman they were destined to love. After years of failure in their quest, they decide to take on roles as professors, hoping to finally find the one they've been searching for. When they meet Kayla, broken and vulnerable, will they be able to heal her heart and help her find the strength to open up? Or has her past scarred her beyond repair? What they don't know is that Kayla's story is more tangled than they ever imagined, and the truth about her origins may be more dangerous than they could ever have predicted.

The Crown’s Bargain Emilia Valoria has spent her life in the shadows of her royal lineage, content to be overlooked as the second princess of the Kingdom of Avariel. But when her elder sister defies tradition and elopes, Emilia is thrust into the spotlight, forced to fulfill the royal obligation her sister abandoned: an arranged marriage to the stoic and enigmatic Prince Kael of Arindale. Determined to protect her kingdom from the fragile alliance's collapse, Emilia reluctantly agrees to the union. However, her first encounter with Kael proves more tumultuous than she expected—his cold demeanor hides a kingdom scarred by betrayal, and his heart, she suspects, is locked away behind impenetrable walls. As Emilia navigates the intrigue of a foreign court, political machinations threaten to tear the kingdoms apart. Bound by duty but drawn together by fleeting moments of vulnerability, Emilia and Kael must decide whether their marriage will remain a mere contract or evolve into something neither of them dared to hope for: love. Caught between loyalty to her kingdom and the desires of her heart, Emilia must find her voice in a world that demands silence, proving that even in an arranged marriage, she has the power to rewrite her own destiny.

Blurb: Nicolas Pov: I’ve built my life on control, power, and ruthless decisions. I never wanted to rely on anyone—especially not her. Isabella is young, full of hope, and entirely too naive for this world. I didn’t expect her to become someone I couldn’t ignore. But here she is, stepping into my life, challenging everything I’ve worked for. She doesn’t belong in my world, yet she makes it harder to push her away. I’ve lived in shadows long enough to know better, but something about her light makes me question everything. Still, the world I live in is too dangerous, and trust is a luxury I can’t afford. Isabella Pov: I never imagined this life. Married to a man who is more scarred than I could have ever known, his world of darkness and danger closing in every day. I didn’t sign up for this, yet here I am, holding my ground. Nicolas might think I’m naive, but I see the man behind the mask. He doesn’t know how to love, but I refuse to let that stop me. I won’t run, even if I’m constantly surrounded by threats and lies. This world doesn’t scare me, but what Nicolas won’t let me see—his pain, his demons—that’s what I’m fighting to understand. I didn’t come into this to save him, but maybe it’s time he lets me in.

"Let’s go on a proper date, with flowers and candles, his lips twitched in a cocky smile, he leaned in forward, inhaling my scent like a drug he was addicted to. “And then what?” I replied, quivering. His lips were too distracting as they stood dangerously close to mine. "We can pretend to get to know each other if you want. And after that, I can fuck you senseless." Looking up to meet his dark gaze. I swallowed hard, I had only two choices, but whichever I chose, I knew I was screwed. Zach always knew his mate was out there, but at 25, after searching every pack, he had nearly given up hope. Then came Nicole, on the run from a broken past, scarred by betrayal after a humiliating scandal with her crush who sinisterly released a sex tape of her that would haunt her for life. She’s sworn never to trust any man, but destiny had other plans. What happens when the one person you’re meant to love is the last person you think you can trust?

My best friend and I had been abducted by the Pendragon brothers—a duo consisting of a religious CEO and a top-billed movie star. We became their secret lovers against our will. "I'm pregnant, Lilith," my best friend said, tears glistening in her eyes. "Me too, Lindsay," I replied softly, caressing my belly. "But I won't go through with it." The brothers heard us. Their control tightened. They watched us during mealtimes, while we slept, and even during our bathroom breaks. We could not endure it any longer, so we fought back. In their anger, the brothers kept mistresses who resembled us. We thought we were free until one day, they found us. They called us homewreckers and hurled insults at us. They broke into our house, scarred our faces, broke our legs, and kicked us until we miscarried. It did not matter how much we tried to explain ourselves. They removed our clothes and paraded us in the street. Finally, the Pendragons arrived. They raised their marriage certificates and declared, "Lilith and Lindsay are our wives!"

“I can’t love her. I don’t have it in me to love her. I can give Aliza everything in my power, but I couldn’t love her,” Caspian confessed the truth to his friend. Aliza, who had entered Caspian’s room, heard the painful truth. Her heart shattered from his betrayal. By the time they noticed her standing at the door, it was already too late. “Aliza, please, let me explain,” Caspian begged, but she stopped him. The pain in her eyes was sharper than any blade, cutting straight through his heart. “What you want to explain Caspian?” she snapped, anger and heartbreak lacing her words. “That you’re too much of a coward to admit the truth? That you let me believe we had something real.. that you love me?” her voice breaking at the end as she tried to control her tears and left from there. ________________________ Aliza, a Fae Princess, has spent her life under her mother’s strict rules, unaware of the powerful destiny waiting for her. Her world shifts when she meets Caspian, the mysterious Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, who saves her life and awakens feelings she’s never known. Caspian, scarred by the loss of his first love, has closed his heart to the world—until Aliza’s arrival shatters his defenses. She’s both fierce and fragile, pulling him into a bond neither can explain. While Aliza uncovers her hidden wolf nature and Caspian confronts his painful past, they faced betrayal of their family and secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Their love, already fragile, was on the verge of destruction. Can they mend their broken hearts or will the wounds they carry push them apart forever?

She escaped the mate who broke her—only to bind herself to the monster sent to end her. Scarred by betrayal and branded by blood, Lira survives the Pit with nothing but fury in her lungs and a tether to a man she should hate. Kael is cold, brutal, and bound by secrets—but in the dark, their monsters recognize each other. And when the bond pulls tighter, it’s not just survival on the line. It’s surrender.

“Doctor we’ve been asked to pull the plug.” Hannah could hear someone say from the far end of the operating room. “But if we do, she would die.” The Doctor replied. “The husband says he’s not changing his decision. That’s what he wants.” The man stated and left. Hannah couldn’t believe her ears. “Hayes told them to pull the plug, even though I still have a high chance of survival?” ~~~~~~~ The last words Hannah hears before she dies is the communicated verdict of her husband, sentencing her to death on the day of her surgery operation. Hannah is reborn three years back in time, but this time she isn’t the same timid, devoted wife. She is now a fierce Pheonix who has risen from the ashes with a thirst for revenge against those who have betrayed her. In her journey to reclaim her worth, allies are made and connections are formed but enemies lurks at every corner. Would the path Hannah chooses to thread give her what she seeks or would it consume and destroy her? And having being scarred before, would Hannah still give the flames of love another chance if it arises? Read to find out.