What was Tony thinking? Control? Acquisition? Domination? Love? Behind His Eyes - Consequences explores significant scenes as well as behind-the-scenes moments from the first book of the Consequences series. Not a total re-write, this companion explores the mind of the man who thought he set the rules and delivered the consequences. From the beginning. Anthony Rawlings has the perfect world: money, influence, and power. Everything in his life is and has always been planned, executed, and predicted... until Claire. How long can he deny what is right before him? Experience the rare opportunity to see this esteemed man’s world change, from behind his eyes. It is always darkest before the light. Through significant scenes, experience the dark journey into the mind of the man who believes that he controls everything yet controls nothing. Share his thoughts as glitches are overcome and accidents are survived. For the avid reader of the Consequences series, it is recommended that this companion be read after Consequences, Truth, Convicted, and Revealed for more insight into the man who: “Once upon a time, she signed a napkin that he knew was a contract. As an esteemed businessman, he forgot one very important rule. He forgot to read the fine print. It wasn’t an acquisition to own another person as he’d previously assumed. It was an agreement to acquire a soul.” — Aleatha Romig, Convicted

    For years I savored the fear caused by my name, the trembling at the sight of my tattoos. The stars on my knees, the marks on my fingers, the dagger in my neck, all bespoke of danger. If you saw my eyes, it was the last vision you’d have. I have ever been the hunter, never the prey. With her, I am the mark and I am ready to lie down and let her capture me. Opening my small scarred heart to her brings out my enemies. I will carry out one last hit, but if they hurt her, I will bring the world down around their ears. Daisy I've been sheltered from the outside world all my life. Home-schooled and farm-raised, I’m so naive that my best friend calls me Pollyanna. I like to believe the best in people. Nikolai is part of this new life, and he’s terrifying to me. Not because his eyes are cold or my friend warns me away from him, but because he’s the only man that has ever seen the real me beneath the awkwardness. With him, my heart is at risk... and also, my life.

    He’s dangerous. He’s wild. He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.So I hide behind my prim glasses and my book like I always do, because I have secrets too. Then he shows up in the prison writing class I have to teach, and he blows me away with his honesty. He tells me secrets in his stories, and it’s getting harder to hide mine. I shiver when he gets too close, with only the cuffs and the bars and the guards holding him back. At night I can’t stop thinking about him in his cell.But that’s the thing about an animal in a cage—you never know when he’ll bite. He might use you to escape. He might even pull you into a forest and hold a hand over your mouth so you can’t call for the cops. He might make you come so hard, you can’t think.And you might crave him more than your next breath.

    Cruelty ran in my veins like poison. It ran in the veins of every Vitiello man, passed on from father to son, an endless spiral of monstrosity. A born monster shaped into an even worse monster by my father’s blade and fists and harsh words. I was raised to become Capo, to rule without mercy, to dish out brutality without a second thought. Raised to break others. When Aria was given to me in marriage, everyone waited with baited breath to see how fast I’d break her like my father broke his women. How I’d crush her innocence and kindness with the force of my cruelty. Breaking her would have taken little effort. It came naturally to me. I was gladly the monster everyone feared. Until her.Author's note: Bound By Honor in Luca's POV.

    With her older brother being her only living relative and her anchor, Sophia is sure she's destined for a brighter future. But that was until she was taken.Stolen from her mundane, orderly life, she was drugged, and woke to every woman's worst nightmare.With only four grimy basement walls and a rancid mattress, she loses her sense of time, and preserves what's left of her dignity by hurtling herself into the safety of her mind. The men, the beatings, they come and go with no reaction, until she hears one word that sends an arctic chill through her body. Sold.On the eve of Sophia's bidding, all hell breaks loose in the mansion of horrors. Gunfire and screams erupt all around her, as panic rises.Snatched by one monster only to be taken by another, Sophia slowly starts to learn that not everything is as it seems. When secrets unravel, and the twisted game of cat and mouse ensues, The Puppeteer pulls his favorite strings and chaos brews. Lives are lost while the clock ticks, and only time will tell who will be killed next... WARNING: This book contains very disturbing situations, dubious content, strong language, and graphic violence. May contain triggers for abuse victims.

    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.I expected a monster, one I would destroy. But nothing is ever black or white. No one is either good or evil. For all his darkness, I saw his light. For all his evil, I saw his good. As much as he made me hate him, a passion hotter than the fires of hell burned inside me.I was his, and he was mine. My very own monster.SalvatoreI owned the DeMarco Mafia Princess. She belonged to me now. We had won, and they had lost. And what better way to teach a lesson than to take from them that which is most precious? Most beloved?I was the boy who would be king. Next in line to rule the Benedetti Family. Lucia DeMarco was the spoils of war. Mine to do with as I pleased.It was my duty to break her. To make her life a living hell. My soul was dark, I was hell bound. And there was no way out, not for either of us. Because the Benedetti family never lost, and in our wake, we left destruction. It’s how it had always been. How I believed it would always be.Until Lucia.Author’s Note: Salvatore and Lucia’s story is a steamy standalone romance. No cliffhanger and no cheating. It is intended for mature readers.

    Violence is all he knows. Death and brutality are the masters of his fate.After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge...bloody, slow and violent revenge.Revenge on the man who lied.Revenge on the man who wronged him.Revenge on the man who condemned him and turned him into this: a rage-fueled killing machine. A monster void of humanity; a monster filled with hate.And no one will stand in the way of getting what he wants.One woman stripped of her freedom, her morals...her life.Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill ‘The Silencer’ Volkov, head of the infamous ‘Triad’ bosses of New York's Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it’s a virtual prison. Her father’s savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring—The Dungeon—ensures too many enemies lurk at their door. She dreams to be set free.Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. As manager of her father’s death match enterprise, only grief and pain fill her days. Her mafia boss father, in her world, rules absolute. And her fiancé, Alik Durov, is no better; the Dungeon’s five-time champion, a stone-cold killer, the treasured son of her father’s best friend, and her very own—and much resented—personal guard. Unrivaled in both strength and social standing, Alik controls every facet of Kisa’s life, dominates her every move; keeps her subdued and dead inside...then one night changes everything. While working for her church—the only reprieve in her constant surveillance—Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn’t talk. Doesn’t communicate with anyone. He’s a man beyond saving, and a man she must quickly forget...for both their sakes. But when weeks later, out of the blue and to her complete surprise, he’s announced as the replacement fighter in The Dungeon, Kisa knows she’s in a whole lot of trouble. He’s built, ripped and lethally unforgiving to his opponents, leaving fear in his wake and the look of death in his eyes. Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man...this man they call Raze.Dark Contemporary Romance. Contains explicit sexual situations, excessive violence, disturbingly sensitive and taboo subjects, offensive language and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up.

    Vasily needs someone he can trust in Seattle to protect his estranged daughter, Eva Jacobs, while he avenges the murder of the young woman’s mother. Gabriel is unstoppable in a fight, whether he’s using fists, blades, or bullets; but innocent, onyx-haired Eva may just be the most dangerous—and beautiful—thing he’s come up against.Intense sparks fly between the two, tempting Gabriel to mix business with pleasure while in the Emerald City. But once word gets around that Gabriel has shown up in New York, Stefano—his vengeful brother and the de facto head of the family—decides that Eva is the key to ending the feud between them…permanently.In this pulse-pounding romantic thriller set against the backdrop of New York City’s storied underworld, loyalties will be tested, secrets will be told, and mob justice will be served.

    From the rough streets of Moscow to the highest ranks in the Solntsevskaya Bratva, he has seen it all.An attack four years ago left him disfigured and in seclusion, hiding from reactions to his appearance and in safety from those who failed to kill him the first time.Comfortable in his penthouse, managing his billion dollar businesses, he's resigned himself to be alone, simply called The Beast among those who've dealt with him in the past.Columbia Grey is a pseudo-activist trying to save her neighbourhood from a developer intent on levelling it to build apartment towers. She goes along with a plan to confront the CEO of the company on his own turf, to force him to listen to her demands...all in a pathetic attempt to impress a man she barely likes.Little does she know, she's taken herself into the mouth of the beast, a man familiar with death and destruction, sex and seduction, a man used to getting exactly what he wants and a man with nothing left to lose.She's a beauty, but will that be enough to tame the beast and save her life?*** This is not a fairy tale, this is what happens when the music ends and life goes on after the credits roll. This is about simply existing until you find yourself and write your own happily ever after, no matter what form it takes.

    He was aggressive, and dominant, with Mack truck arms, and a bar brawler voice.He was too good looking for his own good, with a hard jaw, and harder eyes.I’d always led a fairly peaceful life, but even I could tell at a glance that this man was dangerous. For so many reasons.Not the least of which being that rough, dirty, sheet-clawing sex fairly radiated off him.I’d thought I’d known how to handle every kind of man, but this one left me baffled.To say he wasn’t my type was putting it lightly.But you couldn’t tell that to my libido.Not even when I found out the truth.My lover had lied to me from the very start.Nothing about our meeting was a coincidence.This book can be read as a standalone.

    We had one of those brief but intense summer romances. OK, so I screwed that up. But now, years later, I've got a second chance. The thing is, she doesn't trust me. I write novels about a brutal spymaster whose craving for blood and torture is insatiable. Hidden in my home is an authentic medieval dungeon. I'm a connoisseur of finely-wrought leather floggers, silken ropes, the restrictive corset, the binding cuff. I don't mean to frighten her. But hey, I want it all. Whips and chains. Hearts and kisses. Mastery and submission, pleasure and pain. I'm looking for that special partner--somebody to torment, somebody to love. The door to my dungeon is open. It is up to her to walk in. The Dangerous Hero is a contemporary romance novel by USA Today bestselling author and Rita Award Winner, Linda Barlow.

    But her latest manuscript is different—more serious, more personal—and she's sure it'll be her breakout book... if it ever sees the light of day.Zachary Easton holds Nora's fate in his well-manicured hands. The demanding British editor agrees to handle the book on one condition: he wants complete control. Nora must rewrite the entire novel to his exacting standards—in six weeks—or it's no deal.Nora's grueling writing sessions with Zach are draining... and shockingly arousing. And a dangerous former lover has her wondering which is more torturous—staying away from him... or returning to his bed?Nora thought she knew everything about being pushed to your limits. But in a world where passion is pain, nothing is ever that simple.

     When you’re done with me, you can walk away with no regrets. That’s how my husband sees me. I try to be the best wife possible for him. After all, he took me on when no one else would. Now--he’s in debt and owes more money to the loan shark than we can possibly repay. But, don’t worry, he’s come up with a solution, it’s just not one I was expecting. ...I’ve been TRADED. **Content Warning: this book contains adult language, Sexual situations and situations of emotional abuse. Please use caution when reading. **THIS BOOK IS MEANT FOR ADULTS 18+ ONLY**

    Ten years later, the boy he used to be is gone. In his place is the shell of a man with murder under his belt. Any emotion he once had was left under the gavel when he was given life in prison. That is until the new nurse in the infirmary joins the block. Putting your hands on a prison employee will get you the hole, but some things are worth their punishment, and something tells him Lyla will be worth more than he bargained for. Lyla Evans isn’t sure about her new job at a maximum security prison, but showing uncertainty and weakness isn’t an option. Taking care of murderers and rapists isn’t ideal, but survival is key. She’s warned ahead of time about a prisoner named X, but when she’s attacked, it’s the dangerous X that saves her. Fraternizing with the prisoners is forbidden, but sometimes the most forbidden things are the sweetest.

    I should never have said yes to helping out my friend, but I did, and the Russian with the dangerous eyes shocked me by how easily he stirred outrageous desires in my body and made me lose complete control. I did the only thing I could. I walked (all right, I ran) away to the sound of his cheap parting shot, ‘you'll be back when you need my help.’ But I haven’t been able to run away from him in my dreams. God knows I’ve tried. Then something unthinkable happens. My sister goes missing while on a backpacking trip, and the ruthless predator is the only one who can help. He sits in his study, a beautiful, powerful man with eyes cold enough to freeze my blood.He says he can help, but nothing is for free … Zane She ran like a spooked deer, but I always knew she’d be back.Now she thinks she can just waltz in here and pretend like nothing’s happened. I'm not buying that bullshit. We both know why she's here and what she really wants from me. She can't get my taste out of her mind.She wants me to satisfy the aching desires that have gripped her body ever since I made her cum on my fingers. Every time she closes her eyes she thinks of what I could do to her. But I'm not a man given to doing favors. I'm an opportunist. There's always a price for my help.Check out the sneak preview of the first three chapters of this two book series in Dirty Aristocrat.