It was the annual Alpha meeting. Due to me being the Alpha of Blue Lagoons, I had no choice but to come to these events. Of course, I brought a date with me, but when I smelled his delicious scent of caramel and coffee, I instantly searched for his scent. Our eyes locked, and Zoe, my wolf, began chanting the words I never wanted to hear “Mate!” “Really, Zoe? I like this guy!” I told her. Instead of the usual run to each other’s arms and professing our love, he nodded his head to one of the offices. I walked toward him after telling my date that I needed to use the restroom. Once we were in the office, he turned around to look at me. I could see his eyes turning black and then back to his original hazel ones. “Just know that I don’t care about this stupid mate bond.” He told me as soon as we met. If he only knew me. “To your luck, neither do I.”

The doctor said that I should be healing from the injury on my abdomen, but one week away from my daughter was enough time to heal. The day that I gave birth was one of the happiest days of my life. The day I woke up and found out that my daughter was taken from me was one of the worst days. A mother would do anything to protect their children. I will do anything to bring my daughter home. Together with my husband, we will find our daughter and bring her home. Anyone that comes in our way will suffer the consequences. Anyone involved in her taken will know what happens when a mother unleashes her wrath. I will not be holding back this time. I will become ruthless if it means that my daughter gets to come back home. My only question was, who has her and why? ~ This is the second book for Esmé

“You will never be anything! You are just a piece of shït!” Were the words my stepfather would yell at me daily. The words that till this day haunt my dreams at night. My mother was a drunk. My father bounced as soon as I turned three, and my stepfather was a drug addict. The beatings started as soon as he got with my mother when I was five. My mother was too drunk to ever notice or to ever interfere. When I turned fifteen, I decided to look for my father in the hopes that he would save me from my misery. I knocked on his door, and when he answered, he told me to fūck off and never come back. I bounced from corner to corner, doing despicable things no boy should be doing at the age of fifteen. Until I met her, my Angelica. I thought she was the love of my life. Little did I know she was screwing my best friend behind my back. I beat the shït out of him, leaving him unconscious on the floor, and exited our apartment. I couldn’t handle another despair. I wanted something for myself. I went straight to the Armed Forces Registration and signed up for eight years. Eight years later, I was on my way to Italy. I was running from my life in America, running from my stepfather, that had found me and wanted to continue using me as his punching bag. Running away from my mother, who never did anything for me. One thing kept running in my mind— will they ever find out who I truly am? Will they see the demons that I fight daily? Then I saw her. One look at her and all sense of right and wrong flew out the window. My hands itched to touch her, but she seemed so fragile that I was afraid to get close to her.

My name is Amelia Lombardi, daughter of one of the strongest Capo’s in Italy, Mateo Lombardi. If you don’t know who he is, consider yourself lucky. He always managed to keep me away from that lifestyle since he was so overprotective. One day, I convinced him to visit my best friend in New York, unbeknownst to him that I had been talking to a guy from there. Everything went well until it was time for my boyfriend and my family to meet. Will love conquer all? ::::::::::::::::::::: “Promise me that you will come back!” My best friend told me as I said goodbye to her before leaving to go to the private airstrip. “I promise! Now let me go, so I finally leave. You know how my father is. He will send the whole team out here.” I told her as we both cried on each other’s shoulders. “You! You better take care of her. You hurt her, and I will make sure that you never have kids.” She said, pointing her finger at Yanex. He shook his head while smiling. “I promise.” He replied, grabbing my hand and bringing me towards his chest. He looked down at me and then kissed my forehead. “Call me when you land!” Somalia, my best friend, yelled at me over her shoulder. I nodded, then continued to walk. If I looked back at her, I would definitely start crying again. “You ready?” I asked Yanex as we sat on the private jet. “Ready as I will ever be.” He replied, slightly squeezing my hand. Of course, my father had Jacob there waiting for me once we landed. He glared at me but didn’t ask. We drove to my parent’s house, and when we got there, Yanex got out first and then helped me get out. “Dad!” I called out to my father as we walked hand in hand. “This is Yanex Tarantino.” I said, introducing my boyfriend to my father, making the biggest mistake of my life. Both my parents held their breaths before opening their eyes wide. It happened so fast. Suddenly, my father and Jacob pointed their gun toward my boyfriend as Yanex now pointed his gun at my father. My mother pulled me out of Yanex’s grasp, but I pulled out of her grasp. “What the fūck is going on?” I yelled at everyone. “Honey, Tarantino is the man that tried to kill us all those years ago.” My mother whispered to me, making me widen my eyes in shock. What the fūck did I get myself into?!

Ten years have passed since the Mafia killed my family, leaving me on the run. On my 18th birthday, I decided to stop running and avenge my family’s death. I prepared myself. I trained to become invisible. I trained to kill without showing emotions. I had no feelings. I never got close to anyone. I didn’t want them to get killed because of my past. Usually, when you are on the run, you change your name. I did the opposite. I wanted them to find me. I will kill each one of them and their heirs. When no one came, I went to them. Which is where I am currently at, standing outside of the house where I grew up. The place where my family was slaughtered. “Ma’am, do you have an appointment?” The guard, standing outside asked me. I removed my glasses, placing them above my head. “This is my house. I suggest you tell your ‘boss’.” I said using air quotations. “To come outside.” “I’m sorry, but I think you are wrong.” He replied, moving his hands closer to his gun. “I would advise against it, now. My name is Esme Gonzalez.” I told him, placing my gun between his eyes.

Sebastian Draghi is a well-known police chief in New York City. He has a strong addiction to hiring the best prostitutes owned by the Italian mafias. After years of falling into debt with the mafia, his luck ran out when the mafia requested all past payments. Without a dime to his name, the mafia had something else in mind to rid him of his debt. One thing that all the capos could agree on was collecting his daughter as payment. Sebastian’s oldest daughter, Aria, just turned 23 years old. She loved being around her father but hated when her dad associated with ‘dangerous-looking’ men. Things take a sudden turn when one morning Aria receives a call from her mother informing her that her father has been missing for a few days. She had a gut feeling that it had to do with those ‘dangerous-looking’ men that her father constantly met with. The moment she sprinted out of her apartment, she ran into the hard chest of THE Mateo Lombardi. Everything about him screams tall, dark, handsome, yet very ‘dangerous’. “I’m so sorry!” She told him and as she turned around to leave. Mateo quickly grabbed her by the arm before whispering in her ear. “Where are you going, Principessa?” Aria furrowed her eyebrows as she attempted to remove her arm from his grip, only causing him to hold onto it tighter. He smirked before shaking his head. “Tu Vieni con me!” (You are coming with me) Mateo commanded before throwing her over his shoulder. What will happen when Sebastian has promised his daughter as payment not to one capo, but to two? Mateo from the Lombardi Mafia Family in the South of Italy and Beau from the Tarantino Mafia in the North of Italy. Who will end up collecting payment and keeping her?