Showing results by publisher "Natasha Knight" in All Categories

Forgive me. Those were the first words Santos Augustine spoke to me before we sealed an unbreakable oath. A contract signed in blood binding me to him as payment for my father’s sins. Wearing the mask of legitimacy, this powerful crime family has returned to Avarice to punish those who have wronged them and take what they’ve always been denied, a place among the elite. Forced to marry my enemy, I’m thrust into his world of secrets and betrayals. My husband is a dangerous man. And he has dangerous enemies. But it’s when I’m attacked that his fury is unleashed.

I’m not supposed to fall in love with my husband. It’s not part of my plan. Forgive me. Those were the first words Santos Augustine spoke to me before we sealed an unbreakable oath. A contract signed in blood binding me to him as payment for my father’s sins.

Loyalty. Duty. Deceit. I never imagined my first trip to Italy would be to bury my father. But there I stood, alone in the ancient cathedral with my father’s casket, a handful of soldiers standing guard. It never occurred to me that anyone would disrupt the sanctity of the moment. But the Caballero brothers have little regard for the church and even less for my family. They marched in, weapons in hand, and turned my world upside down.

I didn’t know Raphael Amado when he turned up on our doorstep demanding restitution for an old debt. My grandfather knew him well, though, and he quickly conceded. That restitution? Me. Six months later, Raphael came to claim me. He took me from my home, taking me to his Tuscan estate, where from the crumbling chapel to the destroyed vineyard to that dark cellar, the past stalked him like a shadow. Even the walls held secrets here, and I’d need to uncover them all to survive.

Cristiano is my enemy. He’s also the only man with whom I’ve ever felt safe. Protected. But I have to remember that he married me with one purpose in mind. Revenge. I would be the bridge to his real enemies. I can’t let myself forget that he isn’t the hero of this story. His hands are covered in blood. I saw that with my own eyes.

Monsters don't often look like monsters on the outside. Forced to marry a man I should hate, I'm now bound to Damian. I sometimes wonder what he sees when he looks at me. Deer in headlights, I guess. What I see is clear. Darkness. Desire. Carnal want. A man with too much experience. The day he took me he told me I belong to him. On our wedding night he proved I did. And I believe him when he says he'll keep me safe because he won't let anyone touch what's his. But I can't forget what he is. Can't forget the things he's done. And no matter what, I can't let myself fall in love with him.

I'm the first-born son of the mafia king. The favorite. Destined to rule, I'm a dangerous man, a ruthless one. But in my world, you have to be. Then Natalie stumbles into my life. Wrong place. Wrong time. Twice, fate put her in my path. Twice, fate placed the innocent lamb at the mercy of the monster. I gave her a chance to walk away. Told her it would be better for her if she did. But she didn't listen. And now it's too late. Because I'm not good. I never wanted to be. And I won't let her go anymore. See, I'm not the hero. When I touch her, it's with dirty hands.

Two years ago, I made a deal with the devil. That night, I lost everything. That night, I thought he died. But he's back. Risen, like Lazarus, from the dead. And he's dark. Darker than he was before. Dangerous. Unhinged. A scarred, tattooed savage. The way he looks at me should terrify me, but I'm drawn to him, to his intensity. Consumed by it. By him. Even though I know if I'm not careful, his obsession will destroy me.

She was never supposed to walk into my club. But she did. I shouldn’t have looked twice at her. But I did. The criminal underworld is no place for a girl like her. One night with Katerina isn’t enough, but men like me can’t afford to be weak. So, I tell her to leave me behind. She does, but not before she sees something she shouldn’t. When she goes into hiding, it’s my duty to hunt her down. I have a job to do, and she needs to disappear for good. But four years later, Kat isn’t alone anymore. And the little boy right beside her looks just like me.

Jericho St. James hates my family. Powerful, wealthy beyond belief, he’s the most dangerous man I know. And I belong to him. He’s taken me from my home. He’ll make me his wife.

Monsters don't hide in the dark. When I met Damian Di Santo in a dark corridor of my family home I knew he was a monster. I was a scared girl. He was already a man. That was when his twisted countdown began. Marked by dead roses and sharp thorns, eight years passed each bringing me closer to becoming his. Until the eve of my eighteenth birthday. That was the night he returned to claim me.

I’m one of four Willow daughters. He’s the first-born son of the Scafoni family. And we have history. For generations, the Scafoni family have demanded a sacrifice of us. A virgin daughter to atone for sins so old, we don’t even remember what they are anymore. But when you have as much money as they do, you don’t play by the rules. You make them. And Sebastian Scafoni makes all the rules. The moment I saw him, I knew he would choose me. Even though the mark on my sheath declared me unclean.

When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl. The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her. Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us. A sacrifice would be made. A tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due.

She calls it a devil’s bargain. I call it a deal she can’t refuse. I was owed a debt and I expected payment. That payment? One night in my bed. My rules. The debt cleared, and she could walk away. There are worse things. And besides, debtors can’t be choosers. The night started as it should. She obeyed as she should. But then something happened. Something I was unprepared for. And what I saw changed everything. I broke my own rules after that.

It all started with a contract signed by him, then by me, while our families watched. While my father sat silent, a man defeated, giving his daughter to the Benedetti monsters. I obeyed. I played my part. I signed my name and gave away my life. I became their living, breathing trophy, a constant symbol of their power over us. That was five years ago. Then came the time for him to claim me. For Salvatore Benedetti to own me. I had vowed vengeance. I had learned hate. And yet, nothing could have prepared me for the man who now ruled my life.

When Cristiano Grigori came for me, he didn’t come alone. He brought his army to kill the soldiers at my door and took me for himself. He put his ring on my finger and marked me as mafia property. His property. Cristiano is my enemy. He’s also the only man with whom I’ve ever felt safe. Protected. But I have to remember that he married me with one purpose in mind—revenge. I would be the bridge to his real enemies. I can’t let myself forget that he isn’t the hero of this story. His hands are covered in blood. I saw that with my own eyes.

Stefan Sabbioni showed up uninvited in my bedroom on my 16th birthday. He stood in the shadows smelling of whiskey and death and wrapped a broken, blood-crusted necklace around my neck. I thought he'd strangle me with it. That night, he left a message for my father. He said he'd be back to take something precious. I never delivered that message, though. I wonder if things would be different if I had because now, two years later, he's back. And he's not hiding in any shadows.

We're a match made in hell, Stefan and I. He took me to exact his revenge. I went from being a pawn to my father to being a pawn to Stefan. The only difference is I have a ring the size of a boulder on my finger and a husband I don't want. And the hardest part is I thought he was different. I thought I was falling in love. I guess my father was right. I'm not a very smart girl. Stefan is a powerful man. He doesn't play nice, not if you're his enemy. But I've learned one thing about my husband.

An ancient curse. Two families bound. A forbidden love. When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl. The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her. Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us. A Sacrifice would be made. A Tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due. I would have done my duty as Penitent. I tried.

I never imagined my first trip to Italy would be to bury my father. But there I was in the beautiful cathedral, alone, with my father’s casket and a handful of soldiers to keep me safe. It didn’t occur to me that anyone would disrupt the sanctity of the church. Would march in, weapons in hand, and turn my world upside down. But the Caballero brothers have no regard for the church and even less for my family.