Lucy Darling – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Lucy Darling – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:08:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.wownovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Lucy Darling – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.wownovels.com 32 32 Meet Cute the Hitman Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/meet-cute-the-hitman-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:08:58 +0000 https://www.wownovels.com/meet-cute-the-hitman-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love, Novella, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Advertisement

Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)

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What happens when a recluse heiress hops into the wrong car that belongs to the hitman that's been searching for her? Glitter, tiaras and bullets fly.

Killian's whole hitman life is spun into chaos when a quirky, innocent heiress with a head full of rainbows and unicorns hops into his car, mistaking him for her driver. He was sent to find her, and she fell right into his lap wielding a lightsaber and wearing a crown of real jewels. She has a knack for doing that. New mission: keep the girl alive and kill anyone who tries to dampen the sunshine she gives the world. She is, after all, his Zolotse.

Teddy has luck on her side when all her planned sneaky adventures start to crumble away. The luck comes in the form of a sexy Russian tatted driver that is three times her size. He may appear intimidating, but he's the sweetest man she's ever met. When her flight gets cancelled, Killian is there to save the day! He has a knack for that. How lucky can one girl get? New mission: have the adventure of a lifetime with the most handsome man she has ever met. He is, after all, her sweetheart.

"Meet-Cute the Hitman" weaves humor and heart in a story where love and danger collide, leaving readers wondering if love can truly conquer all

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

TEDDY

Iimpatiently wait for my best friend to come online. Okay, she might be my only friend under the age of sixty, but that’s beside the point. This is the one time of day she can always be online. The man who keeps her trapped is going out for a few hours. He has the same routine every day. Where he goes, we don’t have a clue, but one day, I’ll figure it out. It is my new mission, my first really, but you gotta start somewhere.

I perk up when I see the little green light flick on, telling me that she's online. Quickly I put my headphones on and make sure that I’m connected. Roland sets a Shirley Temple down next to me with extra cherries. My absolute favorite, but he says I call everything my favorite.

What? Can't a girl love a lot of things?

"Do you need anything else?" he asks.

I hadn't even asked for the drink, but I swear Roland can read my mind at times. He's been in my life since before I could really remember, having worked for my grandmother for decades. I suppose now he works for me, but it's strange to think that. Also sad at times because it’s a reminder that I’m on my own now. Roland is the closest thing to family I have left.

"I'm good, but thank you," I tell him.

Roland gives a stiff nod before turning to leave. He lives on the estate, and we never have guests except for staff, but still he insists on wearing that butler suit outfit thingy. It appears too stuffy to me, but I’m not the one who has to wear it.

I should zip it on the topic. I'm not one to talk. I never go anywhere, but every day I get up and get ready like I'm going to a tea party. It’s a habit I formed with my grandma, and now I love it. Just like my Shirley Temple. I take a giant sip of it.

"I'm here." Lily's voice comes through the headphones. "He lingered today." I know the he she’s speaking of is her guardian, Tristan.

"What do you mean?" I ask in a low whisper. "Is he on to us?"

"I don't believe so. He mentioned a trip he has to go on for work."

"Really?" That might actually be rather helpful for us.

Tristan does travel often for work. At least that's what he tells Lily. She checked his calendar one day when she snuck into his office but didn't see any trips scheduled. We wanted to line up our secret plan with one of them, but nothing had been on the calendar in the following months. That was actually more abnormal than anything.

"He said it was last minute, and he'll give me more details later, but I think we're still good to go."

I puff out a breath. "Either way, I can hang around until we can strike."

"Strike?" Lily laughs. Strike her up an escape plan.

Lily can never go anywhere without a bodyguard. Tristan believes danger is around every corner. He takes her care to a whole other level. It’s truly insane.

Tristan had taken over as Lily’s guardian a few years back when her parents died. She came home for the funeral, having been away at school. Lily is always away, or she was when she was still in school.

It's how we met. Years ago, we both participated in a summer program and maintained constant contact. I hated the program. It was about etiquette. It was to train you for high society. My grandmother was more trying to get me out of the house. I'd been excited at first, but it ended up the same as school had, an awful experience that I never wanted to repeat.

I was always the target for bullying. School was miserable, and it also took almost an hour to get to, which is why Grandma had taken me out and hired tutors. When I'd gone to the summer program, it was more of the same until Lily stepped in. She wouldn't let anyone pick on me. Lily might be tiny, but she's got the mouth of a sailor and the audacity of a man. That’s what Grams would say when she’d hear her over my headphones.

This time it's my turn to save her from being locked away in the gilded tower Tristan has put her in. Sure, it's not a total jail, but there isn't much of an option for her, and honestly, Lily believes if she does push back, Tristan would put a lock on it. That's why it's better we just go ahead with our plan and then deal with the fallout. Then she will be back here with me.

Lily might live in the elite society world, but she doesn’t have access to money. That’s where I come in. Apparently, I’m loaded. When my grandma passed away a few months ago, I was left with everything. Though I’d give it all back to have her instead.

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Our Deadly Little Obsession (Kings & Queens Will Rise #3) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/our-deadly-little-obsession-kings-queens-will-rise-3-read-online-lucy-darling Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:15:05 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/our-deadly-little-obsession-kings-queens-will-rise-3-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Erotic, Insta-Love Authors: Lucy Darling Series: Kings & Queens Will Rise Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)

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For years, I lived with one mission. Revenge. I would bring down my father and wipe out the East Coast mafia. Until Naomi Marino.

From the very first look, I’m obsessed. An obsession that turns primal. A single moment alters the trajectory of my life. If I eliminate the mob, I would also be eliminating the Marino family. That meant I had to make her my bride. She’s a queen that doesn’t want a king, but I’ll make her need one.
As the oldest daughter of the city’s most deadly man, she is next in line. I know Naomi was born for a purpose, one that would forever change history.
They call her cold, heartless, and plain. That is far from how I see her. For me, Naomi is the definition of sunshine. You need it to survive, but it could easily turn everything to ash.
But what happens when she finds out about all the things I’ve done? How I’ve woven our lives together far more than she could ever have imagined. Predicted and calculated every step, even hers. Naomi might turn that fiery wrath on to me. The burn will be worth it because my heart beats only for her now.
Where I once wanted to destroy my enemies for all the things they’d done, now I want to because they all want to destroy my bride.
My queen bows for no one… but I will be at her side

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

PAXTON

The last ten years have all been working toward this moment. At the beginning I didn’t know what that would fully entail. Things change, and so do people. It’s all about adapting and being a handful of steps ahead of everyone else.

I’m about to walk into one of the biggest meetings of my life. I reach into my suit jacket to the pocket that I have stitched into every suit that I own and pull out the picture that I always keep there. It’s close and protected. No one knows what I hold most dear in my life.

Except my sister. She has a knack for knowing everything, but she too has been a part of this plan. Our paths are different, but the goals are the same. Each step we have taken was to move closer to them. Now that our father is dead, all has been set into motion. It didn’t take War Marino long to call. The dirt on my father’s casket is still settling in over it.

“Naomi.” I whisper her name, tracing the edge of the worn picture of a girl that likely has no idea of who I am or the plan I have for the two of us. Soon she’ll find out. While it may seem quick to her, it’s been an eternity for me waiting for her to finally be mine.

We have passed by each other here and there over the years, never having a conversation. She is a handful of years younger than me. It’s been a few since the last time we’ve been in the same room, but with how closely she works with her father, I have no doubt she is aware of my name and the connected dealings our families have with each other.

Naomi will be a part of this meeting in every sense of the word except actually being there. I made it very clear that if War wanted to have a meeting and I was coming to his home, it would be only him and me.

I wonder if he told Naomi this. I’m sure that pissed her off, not that anyone would be able to tell. I have never met a person who could remain so neutral in their expression, never giving anything away.

Except if you watch very closely, you can catch small tells. Then again, maybe only I am equipped to see them. I have spent the last few years learning everything I can about her. It was no easy task, but I gained the most knowledge when I was able to watch her from afar when she had no clue anyone was paying close attention to her at all.

In the last year, she has started to venture out more, having made a new friend. That was surprising. Naomi tended to stay close to home when it came to relationships, but the girl she has befriended is now married to one of her cousins.

There are many cousins, but she appears to be closest to two of them. Each is the head of their families, the first born. I’m not quite sure if their closeness is due to being the prospective heads of their families or simply because they were born close together and have remained that way.

I don’t perceive the Marinos to be the type to push each other into working for the family, but it’s clear Naomi is going to, and War doesn’t have a problem with that. If anything, he welcomes it.

I’d been agitated about the friendship at first. The girl, Blair, has a strange past, and now they are all calling her Bonte, and this Blair name has disappeared. I don’t know the whole story there, but seeing as the girl married into the family, I’m sure it’s all linked together in some way if the family is okay with this marriage. They probably had a hand in it.

I trace my finger over Naomi’s angelic face, a smile tugging at my lips. Angelic is not a word I think many would use when it comes to Naomi. The angel of death, possibly. One that is very capable of taking care of herself. Physically at least.

The question is, does she want to fully take care of herself? I think not. My angel of death keeps so many parts of herself tucked away, always playing a role for the rest of the world and I even believe for her family at times. She won’t need to do that for me. I want her exactly the way she is. All the parts of her.

I’m sure in part that has to do with being a woman in her position. It is abnormal for a woman to step in and take over in an Italian family, especially one as prominent and powerful as the Marinos. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the Marinos don’t play by anyone’s rules but their own. They even make them.

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Oh My Secret Wedding Valentine (New Hope #3) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-wedding-valentine-new-hope-3-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:20:58 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-wedding-valentine-new-hope-3-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Contemporary, Novella, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Series: New Hope Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)

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Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who claim.

Tinsley

I have a knack for biting off more than I can chew. I’m not talking about those giant heart chocolates we devour every Valentine's Day either. It’s paired with my inability to tolerate being pushed around. You go low, and I’ll come back with a shovel to go lower.

Only this time I’m not sure I can dig my way out of this. I’ve pissed off the wrong man, and he’s more than happy to not only ruin my life but also the whole town of New Hope as payback.

He claims I destroyed his life, when he did that on his own. Still, he sends his fancy lawyer after me, but now we’re on my turf. They think they can intimidate me. They’ve gravely underestimated me. There is no way I'll let them put up a fancy ski resort that will taint the sweetness of New Hope. So if that means seducing the fancy lawyer, so be it.

It doesn't matter that I have zero clue how to flirt. I'll do what I must, but in true Tinsley fashion, my plan blows up in my face. I wake up married and in his bed. The kicker is he's not even a lawyer, and divorce isn't an option, unless I want to end a legacy. I'd be the first person in the town's history to get divorced.

Pierce

My whole life has been a constructed plan to get where I am once a boy lost in the system to now a man that has the whole world at my fingertips. I am where I’d planned to be, but be careful what you wish for.

All it took to turn everything I thought I wanted upside down was a chance encounter with my little spitfire. One look at her innocent doe eyes and round cheeks covered in glittered freckles had me rethinking everything.

She lights flames to any coldness inside of me, burning it away so that there is only her to fill it. I knew without a doubt that Tinsley Blake was made for me. That there was nothing I wouldn’t do to have her.

So I followed her home to a little town called New Hope and tricked her into marrying me, knowing full well that I was using the town's longstanding tradition of no divorces to my advantage. Now she’s stuck with me for better or worse. Til death do us part, like we said in our vows.

She was the destination I hadn’t known I was searching for. She's mine. And I’ll never let her go.

This small-town holiday romance features a wickedly charming billionaire, a stolen virgin bride with a case of mistaken identity, and a whole lot of secret surprises. Enjoy all the tropes you love this Valentine's Day

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

TINSLEY

If there are two things men hate, it’s being rejected or outsmarted by a woman. I’ve done both to Biff Bradford. Biff isn’t his real first name; it’s Buford, an equally bad name. If you are trying to get away from the name Buford, why choose Biff as a nickname? It’s just as terrible.

Wealthy people do strange shit. Who would swipe left on such a name? Unless you know the last name Bradford. I didn’t, but I do now. I guess it’s a big one from what I have dug up on it.

Family names in the city are a whole lot different than the ones in my small hometown of New Hope. Your last name wasn’t flashy because you had money; nah, you had to mean something to everyone there. It didn’t matter how much money you had; no one gave a shit. They cared if you were a good neighbor who gave a crap about your community. Money can’t buy that.

Now I’ve got a man with too much money and too much time on his hands seeking revenge. How the tables have turned. Revenge is my game. It's one that pays well, and a girl's gotta eat.

My whole life I have done odd jobs. In New Hope, it was easy. I grew up there, and people trusted me to come and go from their homes or watch their little ones. In the city, you need resumes and all that jazz. The whole nine-to-five thing really isn't for me. I was only in the city to finish out beauty school and then I was going to head right back to New Hope.

Biff was at my last job, and now that has all gone to shit. The man is stalking me and making wild threats. All because his wife asked me to test him. He failed, as most spouses do. It was rare for me to test a partner and have them pass with flying colors. When they did, it would restore a bit of humanity for me. That said, the men who don’t do that shit don’t have partners having to worry about their loyalty.

It has really given me a jaded experience of romance. In New Hope, when people fall in love, it's forever. In fact, there has never been a divorce in our town. A part of me was wishing that while I spent a year in the city, I might find the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

As cliché and silly as others might find it, I do want that small-town life with a husband and kids. I grew up with it all around me. I know that the man I will share that dream with one day doesn't already live there. It would have happened before already. Now it's all been a bust, except I did graduate.

It was by accident I'd fallen into this line of work. It started with one of my classmates thinking her boyfriend was cheating. I did recon and came back with proof the next day. From there, it was word-of-mouth. Then, in the middle of one of my jobs, I made an Instagram profile to lure one woman's husband out. It was as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. That led to loyalty testing.

See, this is my problem. I always take things one step too far, and that's why I'm here, standing outside of the tallest building in the city filled with shiny, fancy people and their high-paying jobs. This wife, Monica, had money, and she wanted things to go further than an online loyalty test. She wanted to see if her husband would follow through. Would he show up and meet me at the hotel bar down the street from his work?

Yes, the answer is a solid yes. Monica wanted all the details. I had to sit at the bar with this man pretending to be interested in him. I will say, he's not hard on the eyes, but when he opened his mouth, it was all downhill from there.

After I got all she wanted, I did the old "I need to use the restroom." This might have been after I went up to the room with him and tricked him into taking off his clothes before stealing them. I walked out of the hotel suite, letting his wife right in. She said it would be a whole lot harder for him to try and run if he didn't have clothes.

He was more than happy to drop trow when I suggested we get in the massive bathtub together.

Since he got caught with his pants down and his wife left him, and I’m told because of the prenup and his infidelity, she’ll be leaving with half. Now Riff, Biff, or whatever his name is wants my head on a platter.

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Oh My Secret Christmas Lovers (New Hope #2) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-christmas-lovers-new-hope-2-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:04:45 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-christmas-lovers-new-hope-2-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Erotic, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Series: New Hope Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)

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I don’t care if she’s my best friend’s little sister or if this will put me on the naughty list… Come Christmas, I’ll have her tied up with a bow under my Christmas tree.

Sheriff Hudson

Mundane—that's what my life was before Kindred Cane came bursting into it, full of sweetness and a whole lot of glitter. I'd taken the job as sheriff of New Hope, retiring from being a ranger to be near her. I needed her warmth in ways I couldn't begin to fathom.

I lived in a world full of darkness for so long; now it’s like seeing light every time I lay eyes on her. I wake up and go to bed thinking about a future with her. She drives me nuts but in the best possible way.

Too bad I don't know anything about the opposite sex. I went from military school straight into the Army. Now I'm the sheriff of a small town she all but runs. My words come out in grunts and growls, always ticking her off in one way or another. But I find that I rather enjoy riling her up.

Kindred may think her antics deter me, but I only see it as foreplay.

Kindred

Growing up in a town full of love, I've been waiting for the day when I'd find mine. Lucky for me, my big brother brought him right to my doorstep. As soon as I saw him, all of me lit up like a Christmas tree, and I knew the giant, surly man was mine. But when he opened his mouth, only grunts and growls tumbled out. I seem to be the only one on the receiving end of them.

He chats up the librarians and all the ladies in the knitting club just fine. Women almost slip on the ice turning to check him out when he walks by. Trust me, I’ve seen it with my own eyes; how could I not when every time I turn around, he’s always there?

If I didn’t know better, I would think he was stalking me. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. I know he’s only looking out for me out of duty.

But when a real stalker or maybe two show up, Hudson turns into more than my shadow. He’s demanding I sleep in his bed, and those grunts and growls have turned into dirty talk. This man's filthy mouth is the best hidden treasure I have ever found in my life.

Now I’m not sure which one of us is going to end up on the naughty list, but I’m going to enjoy finding out

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

SHERIFF HUDSON

Who knew glitter could be such a pain in the ass to get off you? I’ve now taken two showers since my last glitter incident. Yes, by "last," I mean it wasn’t the first time I had been assaulted by the sparkly substance. At this rate, I don’t think it’s going to be the last, either.

It should have pissed me off. In the last week, Kindred Cane has hit me with glitter twice. She is always finding places to put it. I think she gets off on thinking it pisses me off. Kindred is constantly trying to get a rise out of me.

That’s why I never let on how much I enjoy it. I’m starting to see her glitter attacks as her own personal mark on me. It’s her way of claiming me. I’m here for it. She can douse me in it night and day if that’s her way of making me hers. Hell, she’s been mine since the moment I laid eyes on her. She’s just not ready to admit it yet. If I told her any of this, it would piss her off, so I won't because I seem to be able to do that without so much as opening my mouth.

The thing is, there are all the guys out there, and I know she claimed my ass a long time ago. She’s stubborn, but I’m a patient man. Even though it's wearing thin lately when it comes to her.

I’ll never forget that first Christmas her brother Ethan practically dragged me to the small Christmas-themed town of New Hope, and I met her for the first time.

In the world of darkness I’ve always lived in, it was like seeing light when I laid my eyes on her. Kindred is everything and a whole lot more when you think of a small-town girl or, hell, the girl next door. I didn’t think that shit was real.

She is full of life and passion in everything she does. There is this sweetness that floats around her that you can almost taste. That is until you piss her off. Then she’s all fire and will scorch the earth in her revenge. I thoroughly enjoy both sides of my girl.

I grab the towel and run it through my short dark hair to dry it quickly before tossing it into the laundry basket. I didn't get much sleep last night with all that went down at the town's holiday party.

I haven't ever needed much sleep. I'm not sure if it's a skill set from my time as a Ranger or from always being on edge when I was a kid, never knowing when my next beating would be coming.

Those days are gone. I made sure of that. I’m no longer that small boy you could hit and he didn’t swing back. My father learned that real quick once puberty hit. He wasn’t so tough when he was dealing with someone his own size.

He thought sending me off to a private military school would strike fear into me. It had to be private; otherwise, that wouldn’t look so nice to the people around him. My father prettied it up in his own way, telling people I wanted a career in the Air Force one day.

As much as I enjoyed the school he was so sure I would hate, I wasn’t going to give him what he wanted. So I did the thing that would piss him off instead after graduation and entered the Army.

My father George was all about appearances. Scared that the world might get a look at the real man behind the mask. All the military school did was make me bigger and stronger. For a man as wealthy as he was, he sure as shit wasn’t that smart, but I’m sure some of his ideas came to him in one of his drunken-fueled rages.

Thankfully, he was dead before I became a Ranger. I didn't want him trying to take credit for any part of me, and he would have tried to. Becoming a Ranger changed my whole life, putting me straight on a path to Kindred.

I rub my hand down the scar on my right pec, a piece of glitter stuck on it. I smirk. See, that's Kindred, taking something dark and trying to add light to it. Even when she doesn't know she is.

George made sure to only hit where no one would be able to see. How fucked is it that I carry more scars from growing up in his home than I do from my time in the Army or as a Ranger?

I flip off the light in the bathroom as I head for my closet to get dressed for the day. I still have a shit ton of paperwork to get done after last light. I don’t bother with my sheriff’s uniform. It isn’t required as long as the badge is noticeable.

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Her Deadly Little Secrets (Kings & Queens Will Rise #2) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/her-deadly-little-secrets-kings-queens-will-rise-2-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 25 Dec 2025 22:04:17 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/her-deadly-little-secrets-kings-queens-will-rise-2-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Dark, Insta-Love, Mafia Authors: Lucy Darling Series: Kings & Queens Will Rise Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >77

The lure can learn to be the prey…

Blair

My life is filled with one crazy man after another. I'm a lure to their obsession and possession. Kidnapped and tossed into a hole, I'm sure my fate is finally sealed. Then I come face to face with Eros Marino and see that familiar look in his eyes.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, I can use their own obsession against them. Sounds easy enough, but what happens when the cold-hearted bastard that feels nothing starts to make you feel everything?

You make all that control he thought he had slip free and take it for yourself. Turning him into a man that no longer evokes fear in me, but love.

Turning him into a man that is more deadly than ever.

I was sent to break her, but now I can't let her go.

Eros

Emotions are something I learned to control long ago. I'm the last cold-hearted bastard you want to appear in front of you. That is, until one sweetly innocent girl turned my whole world upside down.

Blair is a fiery mix of innocence and seduction. The second I laid eyes on her, everything in my whole world changed. Now I'll do anything to protect her, even from the people who sent me to destroy her. The Marinos—my family.

Except maybe she isn't so innocent after all. Her past is cloaked in the shadows of a killer that always lingers not far behind. When two worlds collide, I no longer know who is innocent or if her name is even really Blair.

It doesn't matter any longer who she is or who she thinks she belongs to. Now she's mine. I dare anyone else to say otherwise…including her.

This is the second book in the Kings & Queens Will Rise series. No cheating, no OW drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed! Each is standalone.

It features an extremely possessive hero, kidnapping, obsession, steamy scenes, a smart-mouthed heroine who is not who she pretends to be, and a criminal empire

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

EROS

“It’s unfortunate that it had to come to this,” my uncle, War Marino, tells the chief of police. We had a last-minute meeting with him, one he didn’t know we were having until we walked into his office.

I'd closed the blinds that peered out into the rest of the police station. We didn’t need an audience for this, but they too needed to know there are consequences for their actions.

I didn’t even bother locking the door. No one would dare to enter. Especially with my cousin Naomi standing outside. She might be a tiny thing, but one glance from her could slice a man in half.

"It doesn't have to," Chief Hawkins stutters. The man is in his mid-fifties and has been at the job for years now.

When he started, he had a lot more hair. It didn’t even bother to turn gray. He’s gone completely bald. I didn’t know the top of your head sweats, but his is glistening at this point. That rush of adrenaline of what’s to come is obviously coursing through him, growing by the second.

"We are only as strong as our weakest links. You know that," I tell Chief Hawkins.

"They are your responsibility, just as it is mine to make sure my men"—War glances at the closed door, his oldest daughter on the other side—"and women stay in line. It would be my head everyone would come for otherwise."

He's not wrong. At least at the moment. War is still the head of the family, but in time he will slowly step down. He has already started to make a few of those moves, handing different responsibilities over to people within the family.

War has done his best to clean up the Marino name. Of course you can't be all clean in this business. That's not how the world works. Someone still has to make sure the streets don't run full of chaos with gangs getting out of control. Drugs are killing whole communities.

No, you can't fully stop these things, but you learn to guide them, to keep them in check. That's our responsibility and part of the deal we have. An unspoken one that we all understand.

One of Chief Hawkins’ sergeants was helping cover up a new drug that was trying to hit the streets. It was a mess that we have to clean up, and right now we're plugging all the holes. This being one of them. Not only that—another family entered into our territory, one that this man helped.

We can’t have that. Disloyalty isn’t tolerated. Especially when it puts the safety of our family and community at risk. War has worked hard to polish up the Marino name, and he doesn’t appreciate someone lending a hand to try to tarnish it. There has to be consequences.

"I swear, it's handled. Clark is done for," Hawkins tells us. Idiot still has a glimmer of hope that he'll get out of his punishment. That won't be happening. Not when I enjoy giving it out and do it so well. It's why I'm standing here, after all.

"He is done for." I reach into the pocket of my slacks, pulling out the badge covered in blood and tossing it on his desk. "We had to handle it." Hawkins audibly swallows. "Now put your left hand on the desk," I order him. His brown eyes widen in fear. I relish it.

"Please—"

"Fight me and it will be your right hand. I'm being courteous."

"Careful, Hawkins. Eros isn't as patient as I can be."

"I think that comes with age, old man." War gives a slight shake of his head.

"Maybe so." He straightens his tie. "A good woman can give you that too." I suppose so in his case. The women in this family are rather persistent. Yes, that's the word I'll use for them.

"Hand." Hawkins lays his shaking hand flat on the table. With the cut he gets every year from the Marino family, he can suck it up. I reach into the front pocket of my suit, pulling out the hammer.

"Wait!" The real panic starts to set in.

"Not going to break it. I know you still need it." That's when he sees the glint of the nail. I don't drag it out like I would on others. He's taking his lick, and I'll give it to him.

I'm quick, with one smooth move already driving the hammer into the nail before he feels it pressing into his hand. He screams loudly for all to hear, but no one comes. I flip the hammer over, using the claw, I pull the nail back out, letting it hit the table, leaving a trail of blood.

That scar and the mark it leaves on this desk will be a visible reminder of what happens when you cross us.

"I'm glad that is handled," War tells him. "I'll see you at the New Hope benefit next week." With that, War turns to leave. His daughter fills the doorway as he passes through it.

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Oh My Secret Christmas Baby (New Hope #1) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-christmas-baread-online-new-hope-1-read-online-lucy-darling Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:06:10 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/oh-my-secret-christmas-baread-online-new-hope-1-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Insta-Love, Novella Authors: Lucy Darling Series: New Hope Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 253(@200wpm)___ 202(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >54

This Christmas we're all getting exactly what we didn’t know we needed… But maybe Santa knew better than us all.
Candy

I should have known better, but I was naïve. He was supposed to be my best friend, the person there for me whenever the rug was pulled out from under me. The one doing all the right things to help me. If only I’d known he was the one ripping that rug out from under me all along. Before I could see I was trapped in a game of revenge between powerful families, I was already carrying his baby, or so I thought.

Finding out the baby I agreed to surrogate is not only mine, but also not his at all, I do the only thing I can think of. I run straight to the man who is now my baby daddy… little does he know.

Hollis

When I left the city life behind after an accident, I wouldn’t have guessed that the small town of New Hope could give even the grumpiest man some Christmas spirit. This town has a mind of its own and some say Christmas magic. I growled and pushed the townspeople away; they in turn made me their mayor. Now my mother insists on me throwing a holiday party for the whole town in celebration.

I should’ve known my mother had an ulterior motive. It’s not shocking that she tried to hook me up with the party planner. But this time I was prepared and came up with a plan of my own. I tell them all I'm engaged to my assistant, thinking that should do the trick, but what the town and my mother want, they get.
When the sweetest Christmas treat of a girl ends up on my doorstep, it's already too late. She thinks I'm engaged, and I think she's the party planner carrying another man's baby.

Either way, by Christmas morning, I’ll be making sure both are mine.

This small-town holiday romance features a grumpy fake-engaged billionaire, a pregnant virgin with a case of mistaken identity, and a secret baby. Get all the tropes you love for Christmas tied up with one little bow

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

CANDY

Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. I would always find the silver lining in the holiday. There is magic in the air, or maybe it’s the hope that there will be.

This year is different. I have this unsettling feeling and a sense of dread. There’s no reason for it. I’m in a place that is kind of mine. It’s not a dorm room or foster home, but still, everything is off, and I can’t put my finger on why. It doesn’t help that I got a weird message from a woman at Bloom Fertility. She’s one of the nurses at the facility.

It’s strange for her to reach out to me outside of the office, and that’s what she wants to do. She’s asked to meet up alone, which is harder to pull off than it should be. It's giving me an uneasy feeling and a bundle of worry.

It has to be about the baby. But why does she want to tell me whatever it is at a coffee shop in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday? The thing is, as odd as it is, it also isn’t. Again, things have been off, and it’s as though I’ve been waiting for the universe to tell me why that is. When she reached out to me, I knew this was it.

My hand goes to the small bump that is barely visible. I keep telling myself it’s the baby hormones, but I can only lie to myself for so long. It doesn’t help that my best friend Max has been strange too. Again, I was chalking that up to the fact that I’m carrying his baby. I’m still not sure how he talked me into that one.

Okay, I do know exactly how. The man has done so much for me, and this is the one thing I can do for him that he can’t do for himself. I was more than shocked when he told me he wanted a baby. He can be a bit of a playboy. I didn’t see him ever settling down, but that might be why he’s going about having a baby this way. He doesn’t have to settle down.

I smile when a snowflake hits me right in the eye. Wait, is that the universe telling me to open my damn eyes? I might be missing all the signs or maybe I’m too scared to see them.

I brace my hand on the door to the coffee shop, glancing behind me. There has been this eerie sensation of being watched lately. I even have it when I’m at home. I glance around, and when I don’t see anyone who appears to be watching, I push through the door, a bell chiming overhead.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >54

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His Pretty Little Lies (Kings & Queens Will Rise #1) Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/his-pretty-little-lies-kings-queens-will-rise-1-read-online-lucy-darling Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:27:14 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/his-pretty-little-lies-kings-queens-will-rise-1-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male Authors: Lucy Darling Series: Kings & Queens Will Rise Series by Lucy Darling
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Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >72

Filthy rich. King of Golden Prep. Liar. Stalker… A Marino

The Marino name stretches past the walls of Golden Prep and even the city. It was a last name I was proud to have. Until I saw the fear it put into her eyes.

Kinsley Blake is intelligent, quiet, reserved, and endearingly clumsy. Most of all, she's hellbent on avoiding me. Too bad for her; while she was studying hard for her future after Golden Prep, I spent those years studying her. Learning every single detail I could.

Now it's time to put all that knowledge to use. I don't care what rules or codes I have to break. Even if they're my own family’s, and I'll use the skills they taught me to do it.

It's time to set a trap for my bunny, and I know just the bait to get her to come out and play. I might have to lie and deceive to do it, but in the end, it will be worth it. By the time she discovers who the true predator is, it will be too late for her to get out of the trap I put in place.

I thought I had it all figured out. What I didn't account for was how being so close to her would have me sinking further into my obsession with her. So much so that she’s become my very reason for breathing. My thoughts have turned far from rational when it comes to her being mine.

When people start to take notice, they think they can take her from me or use her as a tool against me. Little do they know how unhinged I’ve become. I’ll burn down this entire world to bring her back, consuming everything around me, the same way she’s consumed all of me.

This is the first book in a brand new series. No cheating, no OW drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed! Each will be standalone.

It features a possessive alpha male, heavy stalking, obsession, steamy scenes, a witty heroine, and a criminal empire

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

JAX

Igrit my teeth when my brother Damon smacks me on the back of the head. Today is not the right morning for his bullshit. I barely got any sleep last night in anticipation.

I’m about to swing on him when he lets out two short, low whistle blows, letting me know that someone is coming. I quickly shut my laptop, getting up from the desk in my bedroom. Damon winks at me, then drops down onto my bed and starts playing with his phone, appearing bored but relaxed. His school uniform already has wrinkles in it. Did he fucking sleep in it so that he could get a few extra minutes of shut-eye? Likely.

A knock hits my door before Mom pokes her head in with a giant smile on her face.

“First day of school.” She steps into the room, giving an excited clap, then her face goes serious, and we know what is coming. It’s Phoenix’s, who we all call Nix, first day of high school. It’s safe to say all of us are overprotective of our baby sister. She and Mom could be twins, and because they are so much alike, I’m confident my sister can take care of herself. I mean, Mom has stabbed a man or two in her day.

“We know, Mom. We got her. We’re about to head out.” I start to move across the room, but Mom is on me, messing with my hair. “Mom,” I grumble but don’t stop her. It doesn’t hurt to let her fuss, at least that's what Dad says.

“I’m making it better. For all you know, you’ll be meeting the love of your life today.”

Damon snorts a laugh, and not because Mom is dead-fucking-wrong. Nah, it’s because she’s right, like usual. The only thing different is that I’ve already met her. I’ve been in love for years with a girl who pretends that I don’t exist. But this is it; it’s my year to shine, and I don’t mean on the football field.

We don’t have a ton of rules, but my dad had one I’m not sure my mom knows about. Don’t fuck with females until you’re an adult. He doesn’t ask for much, but this one has been rough to stick to, and I have—well, kind of. It depends on how you slice it.

“Ma, the only game Jax has is on the field.”

“Whatever.” Mom rolls her eyes. “I see how the girls stare at you when you’re on the field. I don’t think Jax needs game.”

That’s where Mom is wrong. When it comes to Kinsley, I’m in over my head, but hey, I suppose that happens when you set your sights on not only the prettiest girl in school, if you ask me, but also the smartest. I could make a list a mile long about all the things I love about her.

Starting with the way one of her glares can unman a person. There’s also the cute expression she wears when she's concentrating really hard on whatever is in front of her. Her top lip tends to curl up, exposing part of her teeth like she's a bunny. It never fails to make me smile. I don’t think she’s aware she does it, but that only makes me love it that much more.

“So?” Mom asks, making me realize I got lost in my thoughts for a second.

“Are we taking Nix with us?” I ask my own question to hide that I missed what she said.

Mom isn’t a giant fan of all of us being in the same car. I’ve had my license for a few years at this point, and we have driven gators and four-wheelers our whole lives practically.

We all live on what the family calls the farm. It’s a giant stretch of land right on the edge of the city. There are multiple houses on it. The land has been in the Marino family for generations.

My oldest uncle and head of the family, War, lives in the original family home. The place is massive with whole wings, and at one time we all would stay in it when not in the city, but as we kids got bigger, Mom decided to build another house on the land. My other uncle, Ronan, did the same. We’re a tight-knit family. You have to be. That’s how you trust each other, and in this gray world we live in, trust is everything. Without it, people end up dead.

“Nope.” Nix comes bursting into my bedroom. Since my older brother Eros isn’t around as much anymore, now all my siblings have the annoying habit of hanging out in my room. “Not trying to be labeled a dork on my first day.” She smirks.

“Too bad,” Damon tells her. “Mom, we’re taking her. It’s for the best.”

“No!” Nix starts to protest. My brother and I know the real reason she doesn’t want us to take her, and it has everything to do with people knowing she’s connected to us. Does she forget we all have the same last name?

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Finders Keep Her – A New Reign Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/finders-keep-her-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:13:22 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/finders-keep-her-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Insta-Love, Mafia, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Advertisement

Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >67

She might be able to hide from the rest of the world, but she'll never escape me.

I am unworthy to even look at her. The first time I did, it sent her running, but my little fox is always on the run. Besides, I tend to have that effect on everyone. The difference is, this time there will be nowhere she can hide that I won’t find her.

My little fox isn’t just running; she’s watching. I’ve piqued her curiosity. She may think she’s hiding behind her computer screen, but I know she has eyes on me. I”ll do everything in my power to make sure her attention stays there.

Cold. Ruthless. Unfeeling. Monster.

A few of the tamer things people have called me.

They say I’m a monster, and maybe I am. But if that’s true, then I want to be her monster. I want to be the reason she stops running from all the things that go bump in the night.

There’s this overwhelming need inside of me to take care of her. To love and protect her. Most of all, to show she has nothing to fear from the rest of the world. You see, my girl is brilliant, special, and unlike any other.

The world should fear her as she sits upon her throne, my lap. They will all learn that if you come for my little fox, the real monster inside of me will come out to play.

They say I don’t have a heart… but I only want hers.

This is the third book in the A New Reign series. No cheating, no OW drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed! Each will be standalone.

It features a possessive alpha male, heavy stalking, obsession, steamy scenes, a witty heroine, and a criminal empire

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

RONAN

Sitting outside of Bourbon Street is the last place I want to be, but a man has to do what he needs to do to get what he wants, and I always get what I’m after. I just never would have thought that to get the girl, I’d have to enter a brothel to do so.

I reach under the driver’s seat, pulling out my burner phone. All it can do is make and receive calls, nothing more. I've kept a stash of this style of phone since I saw all the shit my now brother-in-law can do with a computer. All those episodes of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have taught me a ton too.

The burner phones have come in handy over the past couple of months. The key is to have them before anyone might start looking into you. They can’t know about them, or fuck if I know what they could do to gain access.

I stash it into my back pocket before I step out of my truck. Can't let her know I've got it. I head toward the entrance of Bourbon Street. Violet is unaware that I'm coming tonight. There was no way to give her a heads-up. Not that it matters. I can show up whenever I want if need be, but tonight is different.

Already, anticipation is creeping in. I roll my shoulders, trying to get them to loosen. It's not a sensation I'm used to having. Don’t get me wrong; I feel shit like irritation, anger, a love for my family, and so on. Fear and worry about what is to come has never been a part of my life.

When I was younger, my mother would tease me, calling me the Hulk. Nothing penetrated, and I didn’t have a fear of anything, especially the unknown. In fact, if there was something to know, and I could test to find out the answer, I would. That might have earned me a few broken bones and a couple of concussions. Oh, and one bullet to my left thigh. But I found the answers.

Tonight I only need one answer, and it’s to know my little fox is still around. She has dropped off the map to everyone, and her friends are worried. Fuck, who am I kidding? I’m starting to worry what might have spooked her.

I’m here to lure her out. Hunting foxes isn’t easy. They have keen senses and are extremely cautious by nature. I don’t want to have to do it this way, but she’s not giving me much of a choice.

I make sure my phone is on before I head straight for the door. Bourbon Street is owned by my family. It has been for generations. War and I have spoken about getting rid of it, but if we didn’t put our protection over it, someone else would simply slip in and take over.

If there is a want for something, then there will be someone willing to pay for it. There is no stopping that. In fact, the more you try to snuff out the issue, the deeper underground it goes. That’s when shit can go bad all around. It’s about finding a balance and protecting those who deserve and need it.

Right now, we let Violet do her thing. If an issue arises, she’ll let someone know. Other than that, she handles all the women and a few men that choose to work here. We leave it to her.

I rap my knuckles against the main door. If you were to drive down this street, it would appear like any other street block. Its appearance is unassuming. People would never guess what’s behind the doors. We own the whole street. Part of it is for the brothel, and the other is housing for any of the workers.

“Ronan,” Violet greets me, her sultry tone unmistakable. I glance up into the camera.

“I need a word.” The lock clicks open, allowing me to enter. It’s a courtesy to knock. Violet has only ever shown me respect, and I return that. The woman has run this place for longer than I’ve been alive.

I step inside; Violet is already in the entryway, in her normal latex. I’ve heard rumors of the things she does to the men who book her for an appointment. They pay a lot for her to smack them around. To my understanding, she doesn’t even fuck them.

“Is there a problem?” I don’t answer her. I give a small nod of my head, knowing she’ll catch my drift. Violet doesn’t miss much. I pull out my normal phone and wait.

With each second that ticks by, the tension in my body grows. That unfamiliar panic claws inside my chest, wanting to explode. I have no fucking clue what that would look like. What I do know is that it probably wouldn't go well for the people around me.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >67

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Honor and Claim – A New Reign Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/honor-and-claim-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Sat, 16 Aug 2025 22:25:28 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/honor-and-claim-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Dark, Forbidden, Insta-Love, Mafia, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Advertisement

Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >66

Cosima was a temptation I couldn't resist.

I was born into blood and chaos. It raged inside of me, bleeding on everything around me after my parents' death. The Marino family took me in as a young boy. They were a powerful family that tried to save me, but I was too far gone—until Cosima came along.

Even as a young boy, I knew she was different. I gave her my heart when we were kids, and it has always belonged to her, the girl who could cool the monster inside of me that was always fighting to get out.

As we grew older, the feelings I had for her changed. They became deeper and more obsessive. A new battle rose up inside of me, one no one could contain, not even my sweet innocent Cosima, so she ran.

I was shaped by the devil himself, and even though I would never be worthy of her, that didn’t mean I would ever allow anyone else to have her… or the secret baby growing inside her. That was mine too.

Little did she know there was no escaping me. No one could keep her from me, not her family, not her, or the man she was being forced to marry. I did what I had to.

Cosima belongs to me, and it's time the world knows.

This is the second book in the A New Reign series. No cheating, no OW drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed! Each will be standalone

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

COSIMA

“We are not getting upset about this or apologizing.” I pace back and forth in my bedroom. It might be the adrenaline, but I can’t get myself to calm down.

I’m a mix of emotions, which isn’t a shocker for me. I have never been great at control, especially when it comes to my feelings. I know that and try to balance myself, but in the heat of the moment, I respond in kind. What energy you give me, I’ll give right back.

Hence why I stabbed the guy; he totally had it coming. The jerkoff backhanded me, but I’d wanted him to. I was doing what I thought was best, protecting my friends and my sister-in-law. That is who the creep was after to begin with.

My sister-in-law has only grazed the world my family lives in. She has lived on the edge of it, and Tova is so sweet. There was no way in hell I was allowing some jerk to take her from us. She and I have become really close since I’ve been home from school abroad.

When that man pulled the gun out, I did what my family taught me. I bided my time and tried to keep his attention off Tova. I knew the second he came through the door who he was after. My sister-in-law married my oldest brother Warren, who we all call War.

War has been taking over for our family, our father slipping into semi-retirement. My father has held a stronghold of the city my whole life; it's really all I know. Now War is in his place, and my brother is different from my father.

He is far more deadly in my opinion, but he's also very rational and was intent on making changes and going more legit, and it has been working. Other people haven’t been happy about that. War didn't give a shit.

That was until Tova. People considered his affection toward her a weak spot and figured he was slipping. That he wasn’t being rational anymore. They made the mistake of trying to go after her.

It didn't play out well for them, and maybe I stabbed someone because they were dumb enough to even hatch a plan to take Tova. These things happen. I should be getting a thank you card, maybe some nice chocolates.

All I got was an ass chewing from Zenzo, who we all call Z, but that's par for the course these days. The man is bossier with me than my own brothers, who he grew up with. Z may tower over me but I can hold my own. I give as good as I get.

I don't get why Z is so pissed about it. I was protecting my family the same way he does. I suppose he doesn’t think I’m competent enough. Not everyone can be a genius like him.

Sure, he does it from behind a screen usually, but it’s the same thing. Such a double standard. But then again, Z and I haven’t been getting along for a few years now. He snaps at me about everything. Not that I’m much better.

I’m not sure when things shifted, but they did. He’s more overbearing than my brothers, which is saying a lot. But at one time we’d been close. I would have called him the closest person to me in the whole world, and damn do I miss that, miss him.

My whole life, Z has been around. My father brought him home when he was only a young boy. I wasn’t born yet. My mom was actually pregnant with me at the time. He grew up with my brothers and was always with them.

Z always was more protective of me, but he also took a more active role in my life when we were younger. Then things changed. I can't even put my finger on exactly when or why, but they had. He and I can only seem to fight anymore.

When I went off to school in Europe, I thought things might get better, but when I would come back, he either ignored me or was on my butt about this or that. He's had a stick up his ass for a while now. Which makes me always snap back at him.

Today, though, it was different. I have never seen Z lose his shit the way he did. This time I didn't have a smart-ass response. I could see not only the anger in his eyes but worry as well.

It was a fight not to burst into tears after he shouted in my face and then kind of lost it. Which is saying a lot because I had had a gun in my face, been backhanded, and then stabbed someone a few minutes prior, and I wasn't anywhere close to tears through all of that.

Even now, thinking about Z’s harsh words, my eyes start to burn. I should go talk to him. Maybe I do owe him a teeny-tiny apology for the whole Marks thing. We hadn’t told anyone she would be showing up too. I may have gone too far this time, but in my defense, we had already planned to go shopping.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >66

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Vow of Obsession – A New Reign Read Online Lucy Darling http://www.wownovels.com/vow-of-obsession-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:14:50 +0000 http://www.wownovels.com/vow-of-obsession-a-new-reign-read-online-lucy-darling Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Erotic, Insta-Love, Mafia, Virgin Authors: Lucy Darling Advertisement

Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >71

She floats at my periphery, sweet and innocent, nothing like the life I’m accustomed to. I can’t help but watch her, follow her, love her from afar. Even though I know I shouldn’t.

But to keep her safe, I'll make her my wife, regardless of whether she wants it or not. Our marriage may be arranged, but my ring on her finger will serve as protection from this dangerous life.

I already know my path, and it’s a dark one. The family reign that I’m to take over will always be dangerous. But the closer I get to Tova the more I realize she’s the only light to the darkness that cloaks me.

Watching her may have been my initial plan, but loving her is now why I live. The only thing is, I’d give my life for my family but I won’t give hers.

This is the first book in the A New Reign Series. No cheating, no OW drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed! Each will be standalone

*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************

Chapter One

TOVA

“Marks,” I warn in a low whisper. Don't die, don't die, I chant over and over in my head.

“I’m cracked, but I’ll make it.” Crap. I’m not sure I believe that, but I keep my mouth shut. If anyone can, she can, though. “I’m going in.” I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t say that’s a terrible idea because what the hell do I know? I’m dead!

“Heal off!” I warn again.

“Not this time, motherfucker.” Marks’ voice is filled with glee before two quick shots strike the target. The body drops. “I'm a big clip that!” Marks shouts, making me pull my headset away from my ear for a second. “Get rekt.” Marks lets out an evil laugh that has me letting out a small one. “Take your L.”

I think Marks enjoys shit-talking more than playing the game. I'm not a giant fan of the game, but she always talks me into playing with her. She carries me. I don't know why I ever doubted her. The girl is a killer shot, hence the nickname Marks. She never misses her mark.

A knock sounds at my door a few seconds before it opens partially, my dad poking his head in. I pull my headphones off.

“Can your mom and I talk to you for a minute?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.” He gives me a nod; his mouth forms a tight line, making me think something is wrong. I slip my headset back on.

“My parents want to talk. I’ll hit you up later?”

“I’ll be here,” Marks singsongs as I flip off my PlayStation.

Marks and I have been friends for a few years now. We met in an online book club. Both of us loved the same books, so we were always recommending ones to each other. Our friendship blossomed from there. We can be so opposite at times but also the same.

I place my headset on the dresser before pulling on a sweater. Dread forms in my stomach because this isn’t normal. If Mom or Dad wanted to talk to me about anything or let me know something, they’d simply come into my room and sit down. The fact that they asked me to come and talk to both of them means this is bigger than normal.

Our talks like this seem to always be connected to the Marino family. The first time my parents ever had a conversation this serious with me was when I was in high school. That time I’d been informed that we were moving. So I’m guessing this is something of that magnitude.

No one wants to hear that they are moving in the middle of high school, but it turned out better than I expected. We moved out of our small apartment into a cute home on the Marino estate, but everyone refers to this place as “the farm”. It does have a farmy feel to it with all the land around us, but we’re not far from the city.

There are a handful of small houses on the farm, a few barns, and sheds. Then there is the main house, which is massive. That is where the Marino family stays when they are in town. Mr. and Mrs. Marino used to stay here more often, but over the past couple of years have traveled more and spent a lot of time in Europe.

They have four adult children. Three are men, and the other is a daughter about my age, but she is also never around much; she’s mostly off at school. It’s the three brothers that are most often here. War being the oldest of them.

He is in charge, slowly taking over for his father. That’s the vibe I get, anyway, and vibes are all you can get when it comes to them because you’re not supposed to ask. Hell, you shouldn’t even be paying attention. Mind your own business is the motto around here when it comes to the Marinos. That was instilled in me from the start by my parents.

It didn’t take long for me to put together that the Marino family might not live by the letter of the law. Which means my dad must not either. He does, after all, work for them. Our lives have shifted dramatically since we came to live on the farm. Mostly for the good. We no longer go without, and there is no more counting every penny.

When I enter the living room, my mom and dad are on the couch, my mom whisper-yelling at my dad. She cuts off when she sees me, giving me a warm smile. This must be bad. It’s not often, if ever, that I see them fight.

I’m guessing this isn’t about the trip I asked to take the other day. I want to go visit Marks. There is no way I could ask if she could visit here. Everyone has to pass through the gate to enter the farm. This place is a fortress. Let’s just say the Marinos don’t like strangers coming and going.

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