Swaby Nolan was born into a world of blood and loyalty, the daughter of one of New York's most feared mafia bosses. But when her family is betrayed and slaughtered in a ruthless coup, she is forced into hiding, presumed dead. For years, she has bided her time, sharpening her skills and building alliances in the shadows. Now, Swaby returns-not as a helpless heir, but as a cold-blooded strategist set on avenging her family. Her plan? Infiltrate the empire of the man responsible for her family's downfall-Matteo Costa, the new king of the underworld. Matteo is as ruthless as he is captivating, a man who trusts no one and sees betrayal at every turn. But when Swaby steps into his world under a new identity, sparks fly in a deadly game of cat and mouse. As the line between revenge and desire blurs, Swaby must decide-will she destroy Matteo and claim her vengeance, or will she lose herself in the dark allure of the man she swore to kill?
Swaby Nolan moved through the dimly lit bar with the confidence of a woman who belonged- because tonight, she did. The air was thick with smoke, the low hum of conversation mingling with the clink of glasses. Men in sharp suits sat in booths along the walls, their conversations hushed but loaded with the weight of business.
She slid onto a barstool, crossing one leg over the other as she waited. She wasn't here for the overpriced whiskey or the lingering scent of danger that came with being in a place like this. No, she was here for one reason-to get close to Matteo Costa, the man who had stolen everything from her.
Seven years had passed since the night her world had burned. The night her father, Alessandro Nolan, and the entire Valenti family had been gunned down in their own home like animals. She had been a teenager then, too young to stop it, but old enough to remember the screams. Old enough to remember the name of the man who had orchestrated it all.
Matteo Costa.
The man who now sat at the head of the empire that should have been hers.
She'd spent the years in exile sharpening her mind, training her body, and learning the underbelly of the world she was born into. Revenge had become her oxygen, and tonight was the first step in executing her plan.
"Drink?" the bartender asked, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Whiskey. Neat," she said, her voice smooth, practiced. She wasn't the same girl who had fled into the night, drenched in the blood of her family. That girl had died alongside them.
A glass slid toward her, but she barely touched it. Her focus was on the man sitting in the private booth at the back of the room.
Matteo Costa.
He was older now, mid-thirties, broad-shouldered with a face carved from stone. Dark hair, piercing eyes, and an aura of absolute authority. A man who had no equal in this city, feared and respected in the same breath.
He hadn't noticed her yet. He was speaking with someone, his fingers tapping lazily against the rim of his glass. The men flanking him were his inner circle-brutal, efficient, and utterly loyal.
Swaby had spent years planning this. Getting here. And yet, sitting this close to the man who had taken everything from her, she felt something unexpected coil in her stomach.
Rage... Grief.
A sick, unwanted attraction to the predator she had come to destroy.
She took a breath, calming herself. This wasn't the time to be reckless. She needed to get close to him, gain his trust, make him believe she was someone he could use. Then, when the moment was right, she would strike.
A shadow loomed beside her, and she turned to find one of Matteo's men watching her. He was tall, built like a bulldozer, and his expression was unreadable.
"Boss wants to see you," he said, jerking his head toward the booth.
Swaby feigned surprise, tilting her head. "And if I say no?"
The man smirked. "Then I carry you there."
She smiled, slow and easy. "Well, we wouldn't want that."
Taking a final sip of her untouched whiskey, she slid off the barstool and followed him. As she approached the booth, Matteo's gaze lifted, locking onto her like a hunter sizing up its prey.
"Sit," he said, his voice deep, commanding.
She did.
"You've been watching me," he noted, swirling the liquid in his glass.
"You noticed," she replied smoothly.
"I notice everything."
Their eyes met, the air between them charged. This was it- the first move in a deadly game. Swaby Nolan had returned... And Matteo Costa had no idea what was coming.
Swaby kept her expression neutral as she met Matteo's gaze. His dark eyes studied her, assessing, calculating. The air in the private booth was thick with the scent of expensive whiskey, cigar smoke, and the raw presence of power.
"You've been watching me," he repeated, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.
"I like to observe," she said smoothly, leaning back against the plush leather seat. She crossed her legs, deliberately slow, letting the slit of her dress reveal just enough to be a distraction. She needed him intrigued. Needed him to wonder. "It's how you learn about people."
Matteo tilted his head, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "And what have you learned about me?"
Swaby smiled, pretending to consider her words. "That you're the kind of man who likes control. That you don't tolerate disloyalty. That the people in this room would rather take a bullet than disappoint you." She paused, lowering her voice slightly. "And that you're used to being feared."
Silence stretched between them. Around the booth, Matteo's men tensed, waiting for his reaction.
Then, to her surprise, he chuckled- a deep, rich sound that sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.
"Smart girl," he mused, taking a sip of his drink. "Not many people have the guts to sit here and analyze me to my face."
Swaby shrugged. "Not many people interest me enough to analyze."
Matteo's smirk deepened. "And yet, here you are."
"Here I am," she echoed.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. The movement brought him closer, and for the first time, she could truly appreciate the intensity of his presence. The way his dark gaze felt like it could strip away any secrets.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice deceptively casual.
Swaby had prepared for this moment. She couldn't use her real name- he'd recognize it instantly. Instead, she had carefully built a new identity.
"Sophia Romano," she said smoothly. "Business consultant. Recently relocated from Milan."
Matteo raised a brow. "A consultant? That's a vague profession."
She smiled. "Vagueness keeps people interested."
His fingers tapped lightly against his glass. "And what does a woman like you want with me?"
Swaby leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough to force him to listen closely. "I've heard things about you, Mr. Costa. About your empire. About the way you handle business." She let her lips curve into a subtle smirk. "I'm always looking to align myself with powerful people."
Matteo studied her for a long moment, as if weighing her words, her presence, her very existence. Then, he leaned back and exchanged a glance with the man to his right-a broad-shouldered enforcer with sharp eyes and a scar across his jaw.
"Vincent," Matteo said without breaking eye contact with Swaby. "What do you think?"
Vincent took a slow sip of his drink before responding. "I think she's got balls." His gaze flickered over her before he turned back to Matteo. "Could be useful. Or could be trouble."
Matteo hummed in thought. "Trouble can be entertaining."
Swaby smiled. "Only if you can handle it."
A flicker of amusement crossed Matteo's face. "I like her," he admitted, finishing his drink. He turned his gaze back to her, sharp and unwavering. "Let's see if you're as useful as you claim to be, Sophia. Come to my club tomorrow night. Midnight. We'll talk business."
She nodded, hiding the satisfaction curling in her chest. "I'll be there."
Matteo lifted his glass in a mock toast. "Welcome to my world."
Hours Later
The moment Swaby stepped out of the bar, the cool night air did little to calm the storm inside her. She had done it. The first step. She was in.
She walked down the darkened street, her heels clicking against the pavement. The city pulsed around her-bright neon signs, the distant wail of sirens, the ever-present hum of danger.
Her mind was a battlefield of emotions. Hatred. Determination. The ghost of something she didn't want to name when she thought about Matteo Costa. He was supposed to be a monster, nothing more. But sitting across from him, feeling the heat of his gaze, she knew this wouldn't be simple. He wasn't just powerful. He was magnetic. That was dangerous.
She turned a corner, her hand instinctively slipping inside her coat, fingers brushing the cool metal of the knife strapped to her thigh. A shadow moved in the alley ahead, and Swaby tensed.
"Following me, Vincent?" she asked without turning around.
A deep chuckle confirmed her suspicion. "Smart girl."
Slowly, she turned to face him. Vincent leaned against the brick wall, arms crossed, eyes sharp with curiosity. "Boss might be interested in you, but I'm not so easily convinced."
She tilted her head. "Oh? And what is it you're so suspicious about?"
He pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "You don't belong here."
Swaby smiled, unfazed. "And yet, here I am."
Vincent studied her for another long moment before nodding. "Tomorrow night. Don't be late." Then, without another word, he disappeared back into the shadows. Swaby exhaled slowly. This was just the beginning. Tomorrow night, she would step even deeper into Matteo Costa's world... And when the time was right, she would burn it all to the ground.
In a world where time is not linear but a series of shifting echoes, Toby's life is anything but ordinary. Born with the unique ability to hear the echoes of the past and future, he lives in constant flux, his memories blending with the moments yet to come. When he discovers a forgotten city buried in the folds of time, Toby learns that the echoes he hears are not just of history-they are warnings of an impending catastrophe that threatens the very fabric of existence. As he uncovers the secrets of the ancient city, Toby meets Philip, a man who claims to be from a future he has not yet lived. Bound by a strange connection that transcends time, Toby and Philip must work together to unravel the mystery of the city's fall. But with each step forward, Toby's reality begins to fracture, and he must decide: Can he alter the course of time without destroying the very future he hopes to save?
When her mother marries a billionaire businessman, nineteen-year-old Lauren Parker is forced into a new life filled with private jets, penthouse rules, and one impossible housemate-Ronan Pitts, her cold and arrogant new stepbrother. He's everything she's not: rich, emotionally guarded, and painfully attractive. From the moment they meet, sparks fly-but not the good kind. Ronan wants nothing to do with her, and Lauren is determined to keep her distance. But the more they're thrown together, the harder it becomes to deny the tension simmering beneath the surface. Living under the same roof, desire turns dangerous, and boundaries blur. Secrets unravel and emotions spiral, Lauren finds herself torn between what's right... and what her heart wants most. She knows falling for him is wrong, but some temptations are too strong to resist.
Cursed by the Moon Goddess, Alpha Andy Parker has spent a century trapped between man and beast-his soul fractured, his fate sealed. The only way to break his torment is to find his true mate before the next blood moon. But time is running out. Barbara Hill never believed in fate. As a rogue, she has spent her life running from packs that would see her as nothing more than a pawn. But when she crosses into Nightfang territory, she finds herself face-to-face with a monstrous wolf-one whose golden eyes burn into her very soul. Andy knows Barbara is the key to breaking his curse, but the shadows of his past threaten to consume them both. As ancient enemies rise and betrayals unfold, they must decide-will they fight together, or will the curse claim them both under the light of the blood moon?
Elena Thorn had one destiny-to be the Luna of the Silverclaw Pack, bonded to her fated mate, Alpha Ryker. But on the night of their mating ceremony, Ryker rejects her in front of the entire pack, choosing another to stand by his side. Heartbroken and humiliated, Elena flees into the forbidden Shadowwood, a place whispered to be cursed. When she awakens, she is no longer the weak, forsaken Luna. She bears the mark of an ancient power, and her scent has changed-no longer tied to the Silverclaw Pack. A stranger finds her, a powerful and enigmatic Alpha named Cassian, ruler of the mysterious Nightshade Pack. He claims her as his mate, but Elena knows fate does not give second chances so easily. Torn between a past that shattered her and a future cloaked in secrets, Elena must uncover the truth of her new bond while resisting the lingering pull of the mate who cast her aside. But as war brews between packs and a dark force awakens, she realizes her heart may hold the key to saving them all-or destroying everything she once loved. Will Elena embrace the mate who rejected her or forge a new destiny under the blood moon?
Harper Quinn has always been a fighter. From working multiple jobs to support her younger sister to chasing her dream of becoming a top fashion designer, she's never let anything stand in her way. But when an unexpected opportunity arises- a high-profile contract with a luxury brand- she finds herself face-to-face with Holden Mercer, the man who shattered her heart six years ago. Holden, a self-made billionaire and CEO of Mercer Industries, never expected to see Harper again. Their love was intense but doomed by his family's interference. Now, with fate throwing them together in a high-stakes business deal, old wounds reopen, and unresolved emotions ignite. Harper is determined to keep things strictly professional, but Holden has other plans. He's willing to fight for the woman he never stopped loving. As past betrayals resurface and new challenges threaten their second chance, Harper must decide- will she let love in again, or is she better off walking away?
When struggling journalist Becky Lynchburg lands an exclusive interview with reclusive billionaire Damien Lancaster, she expects a routine exposé. Instead, she uncovers a world of secrets- one that ties him to a mysterious past and a vow that has dictated his entire life. Damien has spent years building an empire, keeping his heart locked away behind steel walls. But Becky's fiery determination and undeniable charm threaten to crack his carefully crafted facade. As she digs deeper, she finds herself caught in a dangerous web of lies, power, and an attraction neither of them can ignore. But Damien's past isn't just a shadow- it's a storm waiting to break. And when secrets are exposed, Becky must decide: walk away with the truth or risk everything for the man who was never meant to love?
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
Veronica is an eighteen-year-old omega who falls into an emotional breakdown when her Mate, who was soon to be the Alpha of the Sun crest pack, turns against her, hurls hurtful words at her, and rejects her on the night of the full moon festival because he and everyone in the pack, including her, thinks she is an omega. As if the pain of rejection, helplessness, and worthlessness wasn't enough, she lost her best and only friend to the cold hands of death when rogue wolves attacked their pack. Right in the presence of her mate, she was tagged as someone who always attracted problems and calamities anywhere she went and he turned a blind eye and watched as she was banished from the pack. With hatred for her life, she runs deep into the woods that were off-limits and jumps off to end her life, but in a turn of events, something else happens. What would her mate do when he finds out that Veronica is not who he thinks she is? Will she be able to forgive him? What fate lies ahead for them?
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Marrying her best friend was a dream come true for Kelly, but everything truly has a limitation. Pierce is Kelly’s first love, but as his best friend, she knew well there was always another woman deep in his heart. Lexi Gilbert. The woman Pierce could never forget even if he had already been arranged to marry Kelly. *** Kelly finally realized their happy marriage of the last three years was just a beautiful dream when Pierce asked for a divorce just because Lexi returned. She could only be his best friend even if she was carrying his baby. *** Since their friendship had become a cage, Kelly chose to set him free, as well as the miserable herself. But why then, it was Pierce who became the one who refused to move on? To make matters worse, her devil stepbrother also domineeringly stepped in at the same time, asking her to be his. *** Her Prince Charming vs. Her Devil Stepbrother? How could Kelly save her heart in this battle of love and hate?
Rose looked at the reports in her hand and was in shock... The reports said that she was one month pregnant, however, how can she get pregnant when she didn't have any man in her life... "Was it because of that dream? Could I get pregnant because I have sex in my dream?" She thought... She didn't have any mental problems, however, except for this she can't able to think about anything... However, she still didn't get out of her surprise when she met the man in her dream... Kevin Davis looked at the reports in her hand and asked, "Is this child mine?" However, Rose didn't answer but asked... "Was that night not a dream?" Kevin was angry because it was his first time and she thinks it was a dream... Kevin forced her to marry him however, Rose didn't want it... She wanted to abort the child but he didn't let her... In the end... Rose agreed to marry him... She looked at Kevin's blue eyes and said, "I will marry you, however, I had two conditions..." "First, after marriage, you can't control my freedom, I still had the right to do whatever I want. Don't worry I won't harm the child." "Second, if I ever found out that you had cheated behind my back then I will leave with my child and you can't stop me..." Both of them got married... However, after she falls in love with him... She found there are hidden secrets in his past...
I'm a Luna. After three years of marriage to Alpha Nathaniel Blackwood, I'm finally pregnant with his pup. But he's unclaimed me for his first love. I'm leaving the pack with this secret, praying he never finds out. Nathaniel Blackwood is a handsome, powerful Alpha. In a world where humans and werewolves coexist, he has it all: a billion-dollar empire, untold power, a massive pack, and, most importantly, the perfect Luna. But the return of his first love shattered our marriage. When he finds out the secret I've been hiding, will he regret rejecting me? Will I ever be able to forgive him? Dive into this gripping serialized novel to find out more-Enjoy the ride!