Book picks similar to
Year of the Scorpio: Part One (Scorpio, #1) by Stacy Gail
contemporary
romance
mafia
dark
Even Money
Alessandra Torre - 2018
A connection of eyes across a room, a quickened heartbeat, and everything changes. I was a cocktail waitress with a fondness for partying and meaningless hook-ups. He owned half of Vegas, with the reputation to match. I should have turned away. Instead, I stepped closer. Then, the lies started. Rumors spread. Stalking commenced. And someone died. It didn't stop me from falling in love. *This is book 1 in a duet. The second book, Double Down, will release on June 18th*
Sociopath's Obsession
V.F. Mason - 2016
SapphireLife, as I knew it, was over one year ago.I lost my family, my home and any support that came with it.Living in a crappy apartment with my roommate and working two jobs was not how I envisioned my future.However, that was one of the things my family had taught me.Dreams and illusions held no power in the real world.All this was worth it though as long as I knew I was safe.Until he showed up, shattering any peace I had.SociopathViolence towards those who wronged me was my only salvation and revenge.Nothing brought me greater pleasure than the pain and suffering I inflicted on my victims.Until I met her.She became my obsession.Sapphire.My Sapphire.If I were a better man, I would have left her alone and never made her part of my life.But I was a monster.And monsters didn't have hearts.Warning: 18+ due to sexual content, profanity, abuse, graphic violence, and adult subject matter.Sociopath is a two part series.
A Love of Vengeance
Nancy Haviland - 2014
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.
Notice
K. Webster - 2017
The shiny strands of gold in her silky brown hair. Tiny crinkles between her eyebrows when she frowns. Her passion for neatness. Once I focus on her, I can’t take my eyes from my newest obsession. Ever. I need to know everything about her. Her past. Her present. The way she takes her coffee. Exactly how she smells after a spritz of perfume in the mornings. She’s perfect in every way and I was blind. But, God, now do I see. I notice the organized way she arranges her clothes in her closet. How she visits the same market each Saturday. The sounds of her breathing as I lie beneath her bed in silence. Violet is mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. ***WARNING*** Notice is a dark and unusual romance. Extreme sexual themes and violence in certain scenes, which could trigger emotional distress, are found in this story. If you are sensitive to dark themes, then this story is not for you. If you aren't into super obsessive stalkers, then this story is not for you.
The King
Skye Warren - 2017
My father gambles every night, falling deeper and deeper into debt. When he hits the bottom, he places a new bet: his daughter. I'm his entry bet to the biggest underground poker game. Every kind of danger circles the velvet-covered table, but only one man makes me tremble. A trailer park princess. The son of a criminal king. We don't belong together, but I'm caught in a twisted game. His eyes meet mine with dark promise. And when he puts down his cards, I know I'm going to lose more than my body. I'm going to lose everything.
Coerce
Candice M. Wright - 2021
After witnessing its devastation, I’ve shied away from it,Until Atlas.I never thought I’d ignore the red flags and wave a white one.Surrendering to Atlas in the most delectable way,I didn’t realize he’d been playing me all alongUntil I found myself at his mercy.They say love can heal all wounds,But what about the scars left behind?AtlasI don’t know what love is. I’ve never been touched by its light or fallen into its depths,Until Ivy.When I see something I want, I take it.And right now, all I want is her.Each move I make is calculated and methodical,Until I have her exactly where I want her.By the time she realizes it’s a trap, it will be too late.She’ll never forgive me, and I’ll never set her free.But I feel no guilt, nor remorse.Not when I’ll own every inch of her; body, heart, and soul.And not even Ivy herself will stop me.Author note: If you’re looking for a White Knight, you might want to look elsewhere. Atlas is an Antihero in every sense of the word.This book plays with the darker side of love such as obsession, infatuation, and the power plays made to obtain it.*Coerce is a complete standalone novel*Triggers: It goes without saying that this book contains dark elements that some readers may find uncomfortable including offensive language, graphic violence, and sexual situations. All readers should be over 18 so I don’t have to answer any awkward emails from your parents or dodge pitchforks when I’m doing my weekly shopping.
Dark Protector
Celia Aaron - 2017
Charlie shone like a beacon in a world that had long since lost any light. But she was never meant for me, a man that killed without remorse and collected bounties drenched in blood.I thought staying away would keep her safe, would shield her from me. I was wrong. Danger followed in my wake like death at a slaughter house. I protected her from the threats that circled like black buzzards, kept her safe with kill after kill.But everything comes with a price, especially second chances for a man like me. Killing for her was easy. It was living for her that turned out to be the hard part.Author's Note: This is a full-length romance novel. It's not a super-dark read, no trigger warning. Explicit violence and hot sex included. HEA, no cheating.
Cole
Tijan - 2017
I didn't know his name. We never made eye contact. There was no connection between us at all.But I could feel him.The tingle down my spine. The command in his presence. The snap of tension in the air around him. That was the first time I saw him, and I was captivated.The second time was different.He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed.That was just the beginning.He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name…Cole Mauricio
Mercy
Debra Anastasia - 2017
Murder is in my blood now. It runs through my veins and though I hide the monster I see in the mirror with ink, it doesn’t keep him from coming out. My street name is Mercy, but I never show any. Except for her. I watch Becca, though she doesn’t know. She saved me a long time ago; the day my father killed my mother. Her bravery turned her into a target.My father holds a grudge and knife with the same proficiency, and Becca is the focus of his hatred. And I’m the only monster who can save her.
Beautifully Cruel
J.T. Geissinger - 2020
I didn’t know his name or where he was from. All I knew was that the only place I’d ever felt safe was in his arms. But safety is an illusion. And not every savior is a hero. And—as I’d soon find out—having an alpha save your life comes with a price. Liam Black wanted something from me in return.
Obsidian Liquor
Scarlett Dawn - 2014
But when she’s caught red-handed by a man who kills for a living, her enmity rapidly turns to fear. Daniil Kozar isn't a man to trifle with, and Elizabeth is forced to strike a deal with the mafia king. Her every action is watched, and she needs to decide how to handle the gun-toting criminal--and his seductive charm.Daniil may be the devil her father warned about. Or he may be the sensual awakening Elizabeth never knew she needed. Somewhere, Elizabeth's dad is screaming a prayer...*Originally published in The Obsidian Collection**This work contains sexual material intended for readers 18+*
Crime Lord's Captive
Mia Knight - 2016
She created a new identity and has been living a quiet life, but that’s at an end. He’s found her and is bringing her back to where she belongs. As Lyla navigates through the dark secrets of her past, she’s forced to face a man who won’t accept no for an answer from the woman he still claims as his.
First Touch
Laurelin Paige - 2015
Though the two were once notorious party girls, they haven't spoken in years. Although the message might sound benign to anyone else, Amber uses a safe word that Emily recognizes, a word they always used to get out of sticky situations during their wild days. And what's more chilling than the voicemail: it turns out that Amber has gone missing.Determined to track down her friend, Emily follows a chain of clues that lead her to the enigmatic billionaire Reeve Sallis, a hotelier known for his shady dealings and play boy reputation. Now, in order to find Amber, Emily must seduce Reeve to learn his secrets and discover the whereabouts of her friend. But as she finds herself more entangled with him, she finds she's drawn to Reeve for more than just his connection to Amber, despite her growing fear that he may be the enemy. When she's forced to choose where her loyalty lies, how will she decide between saving Amber and saving her heart?
Broken by Lies
Rebecca Shea - 2015
He changed everything.
The way I breathed.The way I thought.The way I loved.He brought me back to life. He gave me strength and a safe place to land.
And then he broke me.
Finding Emilia was a chance to do something good for once in my life.
I wanted to change.
She believed I was her savior.I ached to be.She found her way into my heart and claimed it as her safe place.I should be telling her the truth about me…instead I break her with lies.This book is a New Adult Romance and contains mature subject matter. It is not intended for those under 17 years of age.
Echo
A. Zavarelli - 2015
He says he owns me. And it’s true. I’ve signed over complete control of my body and life for six months to a man I don’t know. Five years he’s been planning this. They say revenge is a dish best served cold. But my blackmailer serves it up white hot. He’s addicted to my innocence, and I’m addicted to him. He likes to hurt me. I love to let him. He brings me to life. He sets me free. He makes my heart feel things it shouldn’t. But he also scares me. He holds the fate of my brother’s life in his hands. A life behind bars for crimes I know he didn’t commit. My blackmailer can’t give up his revenge on my family, and I can’t be with him if he doesn’t. But I’m nothing more than a butterfly caught in his net. Do I really have a choice?