Title: Forbidden Love Author: Siobhan Davis Genre: Dark, Contemporary Romance
Natalia Mazzone has grown up knowing she is promised to a made man. As the only daughter of one of New York’s most powerful mafia dons, she knows she can’t refuse. It’s her duty, and she would never dishonor her beloved father.
But the man she’s promised to is a monster. And there is nothing but torture, pain, and heartache lying in wait.
So, she grabs happiness when she finds it—in the somewhat reluctant arms of Leonardo Messina.
Leo is her brother’s best friend. A soldato for the Mazzone famiglia. A man with strong ambition and an even stronger resolve. He won’t allow them to give in to temptation, so Natalia is forced to love him from afar.
Until one forbidden night changes everything, and she readily hands Leo the key to her heart.
Leo risked everything for the one woman he can never have. He doesn’t regret it. It saved Natalia from a life of hell, but his actions set her on a different course.
One that doesn’t involve him.
Years have passed, and his feelings remain the same. Yet he keeps his distance, dedicating himself to his new role as underboss to Bennett Mazzone, while the love of his life is married to another man.
Until a twist of fate puts Natalia in his path again, and this time, he is powerless to resist.
Gently, I tuck her hair behind her ears, removing a handkerchief from my pants pocket and wiping her clammy brow. “I need to see the damage,” I softly say. “Can I unbutton your shirt to look?”
Her big blue eyes look too trusting as she nods. With careful movements, I unbutton her white school blouse, hoping she can’t see how my fingers are shaking as I slowly reveal her body to me. I’m instantly appalled at the devastation on her skin. Bruising is already appearing in several places on her torso, mainly centered around her ribs on both sides, but there’s an impression of a shoeprint on her chest and discoloration on her stomach. I stuff a hand in my mouth to strangle my agony, squeezing my eyes shut as I struggle to get a grip on myself.
“Leo.” Her melodious voice is a sensual caress over my skin, helping to ground me. “Do I look that bad?” she whispers.
My eyes snap open at that. “Dolcezza.” I take her hand in mine. “You look beautiful. Like always. But I cannot stand to see what those cunts have done to you. I want to go in there and riddle them with bullets until they stop breathing.”
“I wouldn’t oppose that plan,” she says, and I can’t tell if she’s serious or not.
I shake my head. “No, dolcezza.” I bring her hand to my mouth, planting a kiss on her warm skin. “Don’t say that. I know you are hurting, but that’s not who you are.”
“There is more darkness inside me than you realize, Leo. More hatred than I ever thought I was capable of feeling.” I don’t like hearing that, but it’s naïve to think she is immune to the darkness that is an inherent part of the world we inhabit.
Siobhan Davis is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon Top 10 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold over 1.5 million books and her titles are translated into several languages.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management. She lives in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
He might be one of the best riders in the world, but she’ll give him the buck of his life.
WOULD YOU RATHER… Go through your entire life without ever falling in love? OR… Have a rough-and-tumble cowboy stomp all over your heart with his sharpened spurs before riding off into the sunset like John f***ing Wayne?
Yeah, that happened. And frankly, I knew better. All cowboys are trouble. I’ve grown up around them my entire life, so I know how they operate. I’ve broken some of the toughest horses in the business. But for some reason, I found this thoroughbred impossible to resist.
A lot of good it did me too. Nothing but tears and comfort eating in the aftermath.
Suddenly, after a year away with no phone calls or texts to show for it, he’s back. He thinks we can pick up where we left off. But I’ve got news for him: His eight seconds with me are already up.
Little do I know, there’s a reason why he’s come back. And it’s the absolute last thing I expect.
Melanie grew up in the Midwest, but she loves living in the Southeast (where the beaches are!) now with her husband and daughter. Melanie’s other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible. She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together…ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty. At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love. Go visit Melanie’s website and sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on release dates, teasers, and other details for all of her projects!
Hot as a California summer and off limits. Too young. A rich, snobby princess, but I couldn’t help crave her innocence as much as the next man. No matter how much her feigned hatred stirred up obsessive want inside me, I found myself protecting her from the real predator. Betrayed by Addilyn and my father, I ended up in jail for assault. But I’m a free man now, and I have what I need to get my revenge. I’ll destroy the man who uprooted my life. Make Addilyn pay for her part in ruining me. My obsession has not waned in five years, so to hell with wanting. This time, I’m taking.
WARNING: Taking, the second book of the Forbidden Obsession Duet, contains triggers and mature themes. Recommended for 18+
Addilyn and the asshole eventually exited, moving across the parking lot together. My stare burned on the back of her head. She stumbled and nearly fell—until the blond fucker touched her.
Fucking touched what didn’t belong to him.
Jaw clenched and hands fisting, I roused my self-control to hold still, allowing him to help her right herself, all the while cursing his existence, his smile.
They moved forward once more, and I shifted with the deep darkness of the night, determined to get closer. To stop the fucker from putting his hands on her if he tried.
He bumped her arm a second time, blatantly flirting, and I growled, fingertips itching to rip his face to fucking shreds.
The thought he might kiss her goodnight—or even worse, follow her home to her place, raised my goddamn hackles, and I shivered with the need to unleash some violence. The hunting knife strapped to my waist suddenly felt heavier, the blade seeming to whisper as I slid it out into my palm. One slash would spill blood and keep whoever the fucker was from touching her ever again.
From behind a truck, I gritted my teeth and watched them approach her car.
Waited, every cell in my body vibrating.
She went to open her car door, and he reached out for her arm, halting her.
I took a step forward, the handle of the knife in my hand in a blink.
A few mumbled words—and he turned back the way they’d come, sending me sliding into the shadow of the truck.
Addilyn peered after him for a few seconds before climbing inside her car.
I stayed put and pressed against the truck, contemplating the blade in my hand and the clueless fuck seconds from passing me by.
Twinkie had taught me how to wield a knife and where to best stab to end a life.
And I considered it. Fuck, did I think on it.
Saw it in my mind… A quick grab, a single slash across the fucker’s throat. The spray of blood reddening the snow and slush at my feet. Soothing my rage’s need to unleash.
But he could easily shout before steel met flesh.
And the other people exiting the pizzeria behind me would see.
Five years in prison had been more than enough, and I couldn’t afford to land there again without finishing what I had planned.
Pulling back tight against the truck, I held still. Didn’t breathe.
And the clueless fuck waltzed right on past, not realizing fate had given him a generous second chance at life.
Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.
