I was sold to my enemies. There was a deal made to keep the peace. War wasn't good for business. But deals were broken all the time. What did these powerful families have as collateral? Their daughters. A decade earlier, they decided that we were expendable, that we could be sold in marriage to keep their dealings honest. I didn't matter more than the security I could bring to the marketplace. I was twelve when they decided that, in ten years, I'd belong to the Hernandez family. Everyone knew what was coming for me. Everyone...except me. I have no choices. The daughter of mobsters, I now belong to the Mexican Cartel. But even the terrible images those words evoke are nothing compared to what is coming for me. My new family will discover I am more than just a pawn in their chess game. I'm named after a flower, but I don't wilt. I am determined to come out ahead in their Mafia Wars. *Gunmetal Lily is a full-length reverse harem novel in the dark and twisted Mafia Wars world * Recommended 18+ due to mature language, adult situations, and sensitive content

"If you fall in love with a monster, remember he'll always be vicious."I met a boy in the dead of the night and hoped he would save me from the dark.When I lost the last person that cared for me, I ran straight into the arms of his family.The Italian Mob.It was no place for a naïve girl. I grew up and earned my place. Everyone within the family accepted me quickly-all except him.To him, I didn't belong.And he made that clear by being the monster everyone knew him to be:Cruel, ruthless, and cold.My gut told me to leave, but my soul wanted to stay. I gravitated toward the man no one seemed to understand because no one understood me either.I handed my heart to a monster, and he ripped it apart.

Read the forbidden dark mafia romance between Salvatore and Delphine from the very beginning in this special edition boxset. It's true what they say: you never forget your first love. When Salvatore Mancino returns, I'm left reeling. I'm swimming in memories of his passionate kiss. And memories of him breaking my heart. Over a decade later, the violent mafia boss intends on making me his. But dark and wicked forces seek to hurt me. And, in the process, destroy him. The Gangsters & Roses special edition boxset includes: 0 - Forbidden Roses 1 - Wicked Roses 2 - Twisted Roses 3 - Savage Roses ....and BRAND NEW bonus scenes and special short story never before shared! The Gangsters & Roses dark mafia romance series is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. This series includes content that may upset some readers. PLEASE ensure you read the content warning at the beginning of the series before proceeding, or check siennevega.com for more info.

How global organized crime shapes the politics of borders in modern conflicts Separatism has been on the rise across the world since the end of the Cold War, dividing countries through political strife, ethnic conflict, and civil war, and redrawing the political map. Gangsters and Other Statesmen examines the role transnational mafias play in the success and failure of separatist movements, challenging conventional wisdom about the interrelation of organized crime with peacebuilding, nationalism, and state making. Danilo Mandić conducted fieldwork in the disputed territories of Kosovo and South Ossetia, talking to mobsters, separatists, and policymakers in war zones and along major smuggling routes. In this timely and provocative book, he demonstrates how globalized mafias shape the politics of borders in torn states, shedding critical light on an autonomous nonstate actor that has been largely sidelined by considerations of geopolitics, state-centered agency, and ethnonationalism. Blending extensive archival sleuthing and original ethnographic data with insights from sociology and other disciplines, Mandić argues that organized crime can be a fateful determinant of state capacity, separatist success, and ethnic conflict. Putting mafias at the center of global processes of separatism and territorial consolidation, Gangsters and Other Statesmen raises vital questions and urges reconsideration of a host of separatist cases in West Africa, the Middle East, and East Europe.

Mistakenly kidnapped as part of a years-long family feud, Ellen must do whatever it takes to protect herself from her cruel captor, Mischa. Will he show her mercy and kindness — or will he break her? Read the COMPLETED trilogy.

VIKTORRuthless. Brutal. Bloodthirsty.That's my reputation, and as a member of the Sokolov crime family, I've earned it. I'm good at what I do, and although I may not enjoy "conducting business" quite as much as my father, I know how to do what has to be done. Even if it means ruining lives. Even if it means killing.The high point of my week is when we have our business meetings at the restaurant where the lovely Lina serves as a waitress and brightens the room with her sweet, nervous smile. She is the daughter of Darius, the restaurant's owner--and Darius is deep in debt to Bogdan, the boss of the Sokolov Bratva...and my father.Lina is gorgeous. She's angelic. She blushes when she looks at me. But she hates us for what we are.And now, I have to kidnap her. Business is business, after all, and Darius has to pay.LINABusiness has been bad for years now, but my father refuses to close the doors of the restaurant. Rather than wiping down tables to clear away food, I'm cleaning off tables to keep the dust from settling. No one eats here anymore...except them. The criminals. The "businessmen." The Bratva.Every week, they come in and have a meeting in our banquet room, and even though my father puts on a show of friendliness when they walk through the doors, I can tell there is fear in his eyes when he sees them--and that makes me afraid, too. There has to be more to their relationship than a simple love of good comfort food, but my father refuses to talk about the history between him and Bogdan.I can't stand them. They're bad for business and leave a bad taste in my mouth. I hate the way they look at me, and I hate that I have to smile in their faces while they muddy our restaurant with their vile presence. I hate them all.Except one. The one with the icy blue eyes that linger on me, the quiet one with the handsome, brooding face. Despite knowing what he is and what he does for a living, I can't help myself. He's hot. He's mysterious. And damn it all to hell, I want him.Beholden to the Bratva is a standalone full-length steamy romance novel with a heat level (and action-packed drama) sure to leave you dripping with sweat! No cliffhangers, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA!

In a Russian world governed by politics and vicious allegiances, Nikolay finds himself plunged into a life with new dangers following his father's death. He immediately honors his arranged marriage to merge two powerful families before a cold-blooded traitor in the mafia family claims another victim. Nikolay promises he will never love, and he has a list of rules for his virginal fiancée Anya, who promptly breaks them as she strives to remain free of the criminal world. Some destinies are meant to be forged, and the two will find their journey amid the danger that surrounds their every move. This book contains the tropes of arranged marriage, secret identities, touch her and you die, plot twists, surprises, and suspense. Immerse yourself with the handsome morally-gray brothers introduced in book 1.