Lylah James – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read

Lylah James – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com Wed, 20 May 2026 17:50:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 http://www.books2020.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/favicon.png Lylah James – Read Books Online Free Ebooks good best novels to read http://www.books2020.com 32 32 Bound by Lies (Fatal Alliances #1) Read Online Lylah James http://www.books2020.com/bound-read-online-lies-fatal-alliances-1-read-online-lylah-james Wed, 20 May 2026 17:50:37 +0000 https://www.books2020.com/bound-read-online-lies-fatal-alliances-1-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Crime, Dark, Mafia Authors: Lylah James Series: Fatal Alliances Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >108

From Amazon bestselling author Lylah James comes a new dark, arranged-marriage romance about a mafia princess and the cruel man who did everything to ruin her in an effort to make her…his.

For the longest time, I had been a pawn between two empires built on blood.
I had been promised to Matteo, who was supposed to be my future.

But it was his brother who ruined me.

Adrian Salvatore—reckless, merciless, carved from sin and evil. The brother no one dared to control. The one who looked at me like I was always meant to be…his.

He stole my first kiss beneath the moonlight, right there at my engagement party.
And he never stopped.
Not when I begged.
Not when I threatened.

Until one night…

One mistake. One unforgivable moment that shattered everything I was raised to protect. My modesty, my virtue, my family’s honor.

Somehow I found myself bound to Adrian in ways I never wanted.

But he didn’t believe in love.
Everything he had ever done was driven by vengeance.

Adrian wasn’t going to protect me.
Instead, he had promised to break me.

Somewhere between the hate and fear became a reckless obsession.
And with that obsession came more destruction.
We were both damned, but only one of us would survive the monster we’d become.

BOUND BY LIES is book one in the dark and twisted FATAL ALLIANCES series. Please read the trigger warnings

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

PROLOGUE

Men have always controlled my life.

First my father.

Then my brother.

And soon my husband.

Every aspect of my existence was carefully orchestrated by them. What I wore, what I ate, where I went to school, and who my friends were.

I was the perfect and poised daughter of Caterina Morelli. The obedient daughter of Santino Morelli. The silent sister of Damon Morelli.

I was incapable of denying them. I never had the choice to say “no.”

They said walk; I walked. They said smile; I smiled. They said jump; I jumped. Even if it was jumping to my own ultimate, pitiful demise.

I merely lived in the shadows of the Morelli family. Usually, the forgotten one. The girl no one saw, so I lingered in the silence — my voice unheard and my heart woeful, until my dreams turned into decaying fragments.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I saw haunted eyes staring back at me. A stranger, a cruel disguise. A decorated facade.

My mother died today. A fatal car accident that seemed too perfectly orchestrated. My father’s enemies were smart, and they were coming for our family with every intention to eradicate our whole lineage.

I should have felt something: heartbroken or devastated, but there was an emptiness gnawing at my soul.

“Serafina.”

The sound of my name in his gritty voice jostled me out of my thoughts. Damon appeared in the mirror’s reflection, towering over me. “You were taking too long,” he said, as if to explain why he was in the ladies’ washroom. Not that anyone would ever dare to stop him.

Damon Morelli always did what he wanted.

He touched the large bow on the side of my hat, fixing it so that it was no longer lopsided. “You have to present yourself better,” Damon admonished. “Mother has taught you better than this. You are to be sophisticated and refined, Serafina.”

I was being berated for a lopsided bow at my mother’s funeral.

Of course, there was no other choice than to be perfect.

“Yes,” I uttered quietly.

“This is your first public appearance in more than three years. Do not disappoint Father.” His hand slid down to my arm, wrapping his fingers around my bicep.

I nodded.

I knew the rules and consequences.

“Matteo is here and he’ll be seeing you for the first time. You are to impress him.”

I nodded again.

“Do you understand, Serafina?” He squeezed my bicep, not hard enough to leave a bruise but enough to make me inwardly flinch. Though, I showed no reaction to my brother.

Docile. Gentle. Compliant.

“Yes, I understand.”

Damon turned me around so I was facing him. I met his eyes through the black net veil attached to my expensive mourning hat.

My brother stared at me for a long second before he let go. When we walked out of the washroom, he offered me his arm, and I dutifully took it.

We would appear as one unit.

Brother and sister.

Two grieving siblings.

We walked into the church where dozens of faces from the New York Famiglie stared back at us. I kept my chin low, avoiding their deceptive eyes.

Gooseflesh peppered my skin and my lower spine tingled.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Damon and I took our places beside our father; I on his left and my brother on his right. The priest began his sermon after my father nodded in acknowledgment.

“We gather today with heavy hearts, in faith and in sorrow…”

His voice faded.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

My skin tingled again the way it did when I first walked into the church. Not because I knew the Famiglie were looking at me.

No—

Because I felt the warmth of his gaze before I could even see him.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A part of me wanted to turn around, to look for him. To meet his gaze with my own.

But I didn’t move.

I was Serafina Morelli.

Obedient. Graceful. Faithful.

The seconds ticked by, and I felt him. Watching me. Learning me. Tempting me.

There was something devious about this game of his.

He thought he was in control.

But he was wrong.

This was my story—

CHAPTER ONE

Serafina

My earliest recollection of a funeral was my grandfather's. I knew of him, that was all. He was practically a stranger to me. We never had a bond, but he loved my brother dearly. I always wondered why our grandfather never gave me any chocolate or hugs, as he would to Damon. Then, I grew older… I realized it was simply because I was a girl.

My worth was nothing in his eyes.

He wanted another grandson, a spare to the heir… but instead I was a liability. A hindrance to our lineage.

I was too young to remember much of his death. Being only knee high I was lost in the shuffle of the day, no one cared to check on me or see how I was doing. I had merely faded in the background.

But not today.

No, this time… I was more than just a shadow. I had a dozen sets of eyes on me.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >108

Advertisement It’s Always Been You (Complicated Us Trilogy #2) Read Online Lylah James http://www.books2020.com/its-always-been-you-complicated-us-trilogy-2-read-online-lylah-james Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:41:43 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/its-always-been-you-complicated-us-trilogy-2-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary, Young Adult Authors: Lylah James Series: Complicated Us Trilogy Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 11601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 58(@200wpm)___ 46(@250wpm)___ 39(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 >12

Grayson Hale was my first love but he broke my heart when he left me so coldly. I spent two years without any answers and closure.
In those two years, my nemesis — Colton Bennett picked up the broken pieces of my heart.
Colton is everything that I should have stayed away from. But he’s exactly what my heart needs; what my soul craves.
My affections for him are reckless.
But his love for me is what healed my broken heart.
Making myself vulnerable again for another man scares me, but what happens when Colton is not willing to wait for me anymore?
“It’s time for me to collect my debt, Sunshine.”

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

PROLOGUE

Riley

My eyes flutter open, and I’m staring at the most beautiful sky. It’s so bright, so blue. The warm breeze caresses my skin and a ghost of a smile whispers across my lips.

I stay like this, lying in the grass.

There’s something peaceful about this place. I can smell the flowers; I can hear the birds chirping and the distant sound of rushing water.

Warmth spreads through my body, but then I come to a slow realization.

What am I doing here?

What is this place?

Why am I here?

I slowly sit up. Is this a dream?

This doesn’t make sense.

I remember going to bed early last night. I had been so tired, my mind weary and my body feeling sluggish. The moment my head hit the pillow, I fell deeply asleep.

And now I’m here?

I rise to my feet and I spin around in circles, taking in everything around me. My lungs squeeze when I finally notice where I’m standing.

In a meadow of yellow lilies.

I’m surrounded by the most beautiful yellow lilies I’ve ever seen.

“Riley.” His familiar, deep baritone voice calls out to me.

My breathing stutters.

My heart ricochets against my ribs.

I hastily spin around and I see him — Colton Bennett.

Standing just a few feet away, in the middle of the meadow. He stretches his arm out, waiting for me to take his hand.

I take a step toward him. He grins…and oh God, he’s devastatingly beautiful.

“Come to me,” Colton rasps.

My feet move on their own toward him. Until I am standing in front of him, so close I can smell his unique musky scent and his rich cologne.

This is a dream. I know it is, but it feels so real.

As if we’re really standing here, just the two of us — away from the chaos of the world and our complicated story.

Colton takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers together. His other arm curls around my waist, pulling me closer. His body is warm and solid: hard and strong in all the right places.

Something catches my peripheral vision, and my eyes flicker to the single monarch butterfly. Its striking orange color is the prettiest I’ve seen. It gleams under the sunlight.

My palm rests against Colton’s chest, and I can feel his heart thudding. Steady and calm.

His heartbeat soothes me.

And I still can’t take my eyes off the butterfly.

Its wings flutter against the stroke of the wind before it settles on Colton’s shoulder.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks quietly.

“About how right this feels,” I breathe, my gaze roving over his face. Memorizing every inch of it. It’s his eyes, I decide.

It’s the look in his eyes that has me so captivated.

His grin widens. “I’ve been waiting here for a very long time. It’s been a little lonely until now.”

“Waiting for what?”

His head lowers, bringing our faces closer. “For you to come to me,” Colton rasps against my lips.

“Riley.”

Colton’s arm tightens around me.

“Riley.”

I hear my name again, but it’s not Colton saying it.

Confused, I look around the vast meadow of yellow lilies. Searching for that second voice. It’s familiar…I know who’s calling out to me.

A sharp pain pierces through my sternum.

Colton pulls back.

His face twitches with a flinch, and there’s a flash of pain in his eyes.

“Wait,” I tell him.

But he’s already slipping out of my arms…already walking away…

Fading right in front of my eyes.

Until he’s gone, and I am left with just the comforting scent of him and the ghost of his touch.

CHAPTER ONE

Grayson

My head hurts. What the fuck happened?

When I open my eyes, my vision is blurred. The place is dark; I can’t see much, but it smells dirty and musky. Like days-old rotting garbage. The scent is almost putrid and I fight a gag.

Blinking a few more times, I try to clear my vision. And I finally make out the shadows around me. It looks like an abandoned construction site. Oh shit.

I remember waiting for Riley at the park. And then she came to me. She was finally giving me a chance to explain myself, to tell her the truth behind our breakup. Riley had been ready to hear me out and maybe, just maybe…give me another chance.

I don’t deserve it, especially after breaking her heart the way I did — but fuck, I want another chance with her.

The pain in the back of my head is insistent. Someone struck me from behind, I remember now. A baseball bat. I didn’t see my attacker’s face but I had heard a familiar, callous voice that I would recognize anywhere. That sadistic voice follows me around in my fucking nightmares.

Goddamn it.

My father had been watching me, lingering in the shadows. Waiting for me to make a mistake. He was waiting for a weakness. And Harrison Avery found it. Her.

I blink, forcing myself to breathe. “Riley?” I call out, straining my neck to look around. My hands are tied behind my back, the thick ropes tight around my wrists.

<<<<1 2 3 11 >12

Advertisement The Beginning Of Us (Complicated Us Trilogy #1) Read Online Lylah James http://www.books2020.com/the-beginning-of-us-complicated-us-trilogy-1-read-online-lylah-james Wed, 26 Oct 2022 19:49:57 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/the-beginning-of-us-complicated-us-trilogy-1-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Contemporary, Dark Authors: Lylah James Series: Complicated Us Trilogy Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 150968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >157

There’s something special about first love. It feels right; it looks right. It’s perfect in every way, until it isn’t.

Grayson Hale — the hot nerd, my first love. He was an enigma. Both mysteriously complicated and beautifully broken. The vacant look in his eyes reminded me of my own, almost as if our misery called to one another.

Colton Bennett — the sarcastic playboy, my second chance. He was a perfect facade. Rich, devastatingly beautiful…and everything that I should have stayed away from. His obsession led to my carefully laid plans crumbling at my feet.

And me? I was the fallen princess. I had given up on finding my soulmate a long time ago, but now they are both in my life. I’m torn between my truth and my lies — but I have to make a choice.

The thing about loving two men is that you know it will always end...

Grayson was my tragedy.
Colton was my heartbreak.

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

PROLOGUE

Riley

The skies are empty, without any stars. And here I am, standing on a hill of misery of my own making.

The night is cold and it reminds me of how heartbreak feels. Because you see, the thing about love and heartbreak is that they are beyond similar, yet also dissimilar. They both collide into your life, so unexpectedly, it leaves you breathless. For two very different reasons.

Breathless in love.

Breathless in agony.

It’s weird when I think about it now.

I fell in love when I was too young to understand what it really meant. The feeling that made me all giddy and fuzzy inside, had my stomach in permanent knots — but it was an exquisite feeling.

And then I was met with heartbreak: ugly and bitter.

It was unexpected, just like when he came into my life.

But the thing about young love and first love is that you never truly forget it. He burrowed himself into my bones, into the marrow of me — even when I tried so hard to erase every part of him from my life. He was there, unwavering. Under my skin, huddled in a deep, dark corner of my heart.

The second time I fell in love, it was just as unforeseen. He was everything that I knew was bad for me; yet, he was there. Like a shadow following me, like the starry sky holding the clouds away. He sheltered my soul from the storm of grief that threatened to consume my miserable life.

All epic love stories have two things in common: havoc and anguish. They all need a catalyst of some sort.

That catastrophic moment for me was when my first love and my second chance collided. Now, the three of us are entangled in a web of broken promises, unspoken vows and devastating oaths.

The thing about loving two men is that it will always end in… heartbreak and tragedy. Maybe for all of us.

CHAPTER ONE

Riley — 16 years old (Sophomore year)

The moment Jasper rolls over, I practically jump off the bed and blindly grab for my jeans. This isn’t what I was expecting, or thought it would be like.

Every girl dreams for their first sexual experience to be romantic and special, right? Okay, fine. It doesn’t have to be romantic or special. Those things are reserved for books and movies, apparently. But at least the sex is supposed to make you feel good.

This was just…disappointing and painful.

“So, happy birthday?” Jasper says, his words laced with amusement. “Give me another minute, and I’ll be ready for another round.”

Another round? What? It feels like my whole downstairs area is on fire, and he wants to go again?

“I’m a little sore,” I respond begrudgingly.

He turns on his side, regarding me with a lewd smile. “Yeah? Well, the first time is supposed to hurt anyway.”

It’s only supposed to hurt this much if I’m not fully prepared, which means that Jasper didn’t even bother making sure that I was ready for him. Sure, this was my first time, but I’m not completely uneducated on the matter.

I read romance books; I watch porn — so I knew what to expect.

My thighs rub together, and I wince at the painful twinge that comes with the friction. I so did not imagine my birthday sex would end up like this. Once I’m dressed, I grab my wallet and phone. “Do you mind driving me home?”

His eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Home? I thought we were spending the day together.”

Jasper convinced me to skip school today. It’s my first time missing class since the academic year started. But he coerced until I relented. It’s your birthday. I planned something special for you.

His something special was this — bringing me to his parents’ cabin and birthday sex. Takin my virginity was his birthday present to me.

It’s not like I was expecting roses or a cake; Jasper is not that type of romantic guy. But this has been underwhelming, to say the least. I missed my classes for shitty birthday sex.

“Yeah, and the day is ending. I have to be home soon.” I exhale slowly, feeling another dull throb in the back of my head. This tells me that I need to get someplace quiet and dark, to ride out the dreadful storm in my brain. The pain would soon ebb into a lonely haze. Because my headache comes and goes. “You know the rules.”

“Jesus, you’re sixteen now. Your curfew is still 7 p.m.?”

Of course I still have curfew. I probably will for the rest of my life.

Parenthood is the ultimate power trip for Thomas and Nora Johnson. They dictate every aspect of my life. What I eat, how I speak, who I talk to, how I dress, when I wake up, where I go, when I sleep. It’s a tight leash they have around my neck, and it’s something that I’ve involuntarily grown accustomed to.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >157

Advertisement A Vow Of Forever – A Vow Of Hate Novella Read Online Lylah James http://www.books2020.com/a-vow-of-forever-a-vow-of-hate-novella-read-online-lylah-james Sun, 09 May 2021 22:51:31 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-vow-of-forever-a-vow-of-hate-novella-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Billionaire, Dark, Novella, Romance Authors: Lylah James Advertisement

Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >27

Read Online Books/Novels:	A Vow Of Forever - A Vow Of Hate Novella
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	B08Z5Y3G7L
Book Information:
A Vow of Hate Novella They say happy endings come after marriage. But my marriage to Julianna was anything but pretty and happy. Our beginning was tainted with lies and deceit. We were poison until we found the cure. The truth liberated us from our hate, and we found our happy ending. Or I thought so… Leaving our past behind has proven to be difficult when we’re surrounded by evil. Gracelynn’s death still haunts Julianna and she’s trapped in a never-ending cycle of nightmares. And me? I’m shackled by the unspoken fear of losing her again. Julianna’s father asked me: How far will I go to protect my wife? As far as I need to go. The world asked me: What will I give up for my wife? Everything. This novella is a sequel/extended epilogue to Killian's and Julianna's story. A VOW OF HATE must be read before A VOW OF FOREVER TW: This story deals with sensitive themes like infertility, miscarriage and child loss. If you find yourself uncomfortable reading such material, please proceed with caution
Books by Author:	Lylah James

CHAPTER ONE

Julianna

The last time I walked down the aisle, I was left a broken mess.

The last time I spoke my vows to Killian, I was self-destructing.

He had left me at the altar, after whispering vows of hate in my ears and without a kiss to seal our union. Without even lifting my veil. In my path of martyrdom, I thought that was what I deserved. I pushed Killian to hate me… for my own selfish reasons.

To atone for my sins.

To seek redemption.

Forgiveness.

But I only ended leaving a trail of pain and destruction in my wake. I tormented Killian with my lies while blindly believing I was doing the right thing.

How the tables have turned.

Fate has a way of messing things up, oh well… fixing things that we are so hell bent on breaking.

Maybe it was a work of kismet, maybe it was meant all along…

I was playing with our fates, risking both our hearts in my attempt to fix our chapter.

Except our love story had already been written in stars, long before we were born. No matter how hard I tried to change it, Killian and I found our way back to each other again.

They say you never forget your first.

First love. First kiss. First touch. First everything.

And it was all true. We never forgot our firsts, but now, we wanted to rewrite our story.

Starting from the very beginning.

Our vows.

I never thought I’d walk down the aisle again or renew my wedding vows. Except Killian had other ideas.

His kisses woke me up. A kiss behind my ear and then his mouth trailed down lower. The back of my neck tingled at the soft touch of his lips. “Good morning,” Killian said in his raspy morning voice. He was spooning me from behind, his chest against my back and when I wiggled back into him, I felt his hard length probing into the curve of my ass.

“What are you doing?” I teased.

“Kissing my wife.”

I pouted even though he couldn’t see my face. “You woke me up.”

“I’m sorry for waking you up,” he said and I could feel his smirk against my flushed skin. “But I’m not sorry for kissing you. I’ve got three years of missing kisses to make up for, Princess.”

Was I swooning? Yes, a bit. My heart melted at the sound of adoration in his voice. I missed this side of Killian. The romantic side who treated me so delicately. Three years of hate and I finally had my old Killian back.

I let out an involuntary shudder when his strong arm curled around me and his hand drifted up to my chest. He cupped my breast, squeezing gently and a whimper escaped past my lips before I could stop myself.

“Sensitive?”

I gasped in response when he rolled my tight nipple between his fingers. “Yeah. More sensitive than they were yesterday.”

My husband kissed down my spine before he rolled me on my back and settled himself between my spread thighs. He cupped my tiny baby bump, barely protruding but it was there. Visible and slightly swollen with life. Killian grinned down at me and I found myself lost in his dark bedroom eyes, once again. God, he was rugged and handsome. His nose was slightly crooked, his eyebrows thick and his lashes long – I was most definitely envious of them. His lips full and that sneaky dimple under his rough stubble.

I got very lucky with this man.

“Why are you smiling like that?” he questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Why are you grinning like that?” I shot back.

His hands curled around my hips. “Because I get to hold you and kiss you every morning.”

“That was quite cheesy, Spencer.”

“I spent three years waking up alone and cold,” Killian muttered. “I’m not wasting any more moments, Mrs. Spencer.”

I didn’t think it was possible for my heart to be broken again, but this right there – his words and the torment in his eyes that he tried so hard to hide – it killed me.

“I’m so–”

His lips crashed against mine, silencing my heartbreak and swallowing my words. He slid his tongue across my bottom lip, teasing me. My lips parted for him and then his taste invaded my mouth. The kiss sent shivers through my nerves and it felt like every cell in my body was finally coming alive.

A tender kiss of apology.

A slow kiss of forgiveness.

A delicate kiss of mercy.

I drew in a staggered breath as a phantom fist squeezed my heart. I thought it’d be easy to move on, to start anew – but this was no fairy tale. My lies caused both of us indescribable pain and that hurt couldn’t just be forgotten. It was forever inked onto the pages of our story, a train wreck of a chapter before finding our happy ending.

“Marry me,” he rasped into my lips.

Confused, I pulled back. “What?”

“Marry me,” Killian repeated. “Marry me again.”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >27

Advertisement A Vow Of Hate Read Online Lylah James http://www.books2020.com/a-vow-of-hate-read-online-lylah-james Sat, 23 Jan 2021 20:31:30 +0000 http://www.booksnovels.com/a-vow-of-hate-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Billionaire, Dark, Mafia, New Adult, Romance Authors: Lylah James Advertisement

Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 117176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >123

Read Online Books/Novels:	A Vow Of Hate
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
ISBN/ ASIN:	B08NTTQJ5H
Book Information:
"An all-new standalone hate-to-love, arranged marriage romance with a TWIST from Lylah James." “Once upon a time…” Hate consumed him. Love wrecked me. That night changed both our lives, turning our beginning into something toxic. We were poison together and there was no antidote. Our story began like any other fairy tale ended. With a beautiful wedding. One kiss. Two rings. Three vows. Killian Spencer became my lawfully wedded husband and I, his dutiful wife. But he was no Prince Charming. He didn’t come to save me… and he vowed there would be no happily ever after. And me? Just like the legends I'd read as a little girl, I always thought I’d be the princess in my fairy tale. Well, I was the villain of our love story. “Till death do us part…”
Books by Author:	Lylah James

PROLOGUE

Julianna

My father always told me that life is about choices; some that are impossible to make, while others we live to regret. But we’re human after all, born to make mistakes. Humans are faulty, we are both good and evil – a perfect yin and yang.

What he forgot to tell me was that… some choices would haunt me forever.

A choice I made…

A moment of impulsiveness.

A destiny I couldn’t rewrite.

After all, we can’t stop time, right?

And all it took was a second.

I killed her that night.

My sister.

Gracelynn.

My story was tainted from the beginning, tainted by her blood. And her death was a sin for me to bear for the rest of my breathing days. I wasn’t evil, but I was the villain anyway.

I pulled the black veil back over my face.

This is my atonement.

CHAPTER ONE

Julianna

The ugliness of life is that sometimes we can’t undo what has been done. It doesn’t matter how devastating the outcome is; we can’t turn back time – can’t change the past – can’t fix the future.

“It is what it is,” my father had said that night.

The night I woke up from my coma, bedridden with two broken legs, three fractured ribs, a messed-up spine and a fractured skull… and more scars than I could bear.

One night, four months ago, I made a mistake that ruined more than one life.

Since then, I have learned that grief is just a stage of coming to terms with the situation.

Just like denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. Except, I was still on the fourth stage. Depression, my therapist would say with a pitiful sigh.

Misery still choked me every morning as I swallowed down my breakfast and every minute of the day. While it wasn’t as heavy as guilt, the imbedded grief still festered pus like an untreated wound.

But it was the guilt…

Guilt was what killed me everyday.

Pain became my companion; grief was my nightmare and guilt turned out to be my soulmate.

“Julianna, you haven’t had your breakfast yet.”

I could feel her presence behind me but I didn’t turn away from the window. “I’m not hungry.”

Selene, our elderly maid and my only friend, made a sound in the back of her throat. “Your father–”

“He doesn’t need to know,” I said, my nails digging into my palms.

“Your sister–”

My lungs caved in, my body growing cold. “Stop. Don’t even finish that sentence.”

“Julianna.”

“Please, stop. Stop trying. Just take the food and leave.”

My shaky voice was followed by silence and then the door clicked close. Her presence disappeared and I was finally able to wallow in self-pity again.

My window overlooked the stables from behind our mansion. My father’s estate expanded many thousand acres, but this spot used to be my favorite view.

Except now, it was nothing but a bitter reminder.

How could our lives change so quickly in merely four months?

If only we hadn’t sneaked out…

If only I hadn’t been so stubborn…

If only I hadn’t been driving that night…

My hand came up, trembling as I touched the black veil. The thin fabric started from below my eyes and hid the rest of my face. I kept my black hair down, with bangs that I never had before, keeping my forehead covered. Only my eyes were visible.

I hear she’s ugly now, that’s why she hides behind the veil, the whispers would say.

It’s good she keeps it covered. I don’t want her to give me nightmares.

Beasty, some sneered.

The poor girl, others pitied.

The whispers didn’t hurt. In fact, they had little effect on me. I had learned to shut the world out while I surrounded myself with my own misery. Jolie, my therapist, said it wasn’t the right coping mechanism. She said I was making it harder on myself.

She said a lot of things, but none of them mattered.

My sister – Gracelynn – was still dead. Because of me.

And I was still here, alive and breathing when it should had been me in her place.

I still remembered her wide-open, dead eyes. I could still smell the unpleasant odor of metallic copper; our blood and sweat. I still saw her mangled face so vividly in my memories and every time I closed my eyes.

I was in that car with her dead body for three hours.

Three hours that felt like three extremely long days.

I passed out many times, regaining consciousness only to see her bloodied face again and again, while I screamed at her to breathe, to stay alive.

Gracelynn wasn’t wearing her seatbelt that night. The force of the impact, and when our car flipped, sent her flying through the windshield. Her screams still echoed in my ears. Her swollen, mangled face with glass shards lodged in her flesh was still seared in my brain.

Most days, I spent my time like this. Listlessly staring out the window, watching the sun rise and set, watching the day go by, turning into months.

It wasn’t like I could run away from my misery. No, I couldn’t even walk.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >123

Advertisement I Dare You Read online Lylah James (Truth And Dare Duet #2) http://www.books2020.com/i-dare-you-2-read-online-lylah-james Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/i-dare-you-2-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, College, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Sports, Young Adult Authors: Lylah James Series: Truth And Dare Duet Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >89

Read Online Books/Novels:	I Dare You (Truth And Dare Duet #2)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
Book Information:
Enemies to best friends to lovers Maddox Coulter. Was my enemy. Now my best friend. You know him... Popular jock, rich enough to buy a town and a modern day casanova with a dirty smirk. He's every girl's wet dream. But he wants me. Maddox needs me. One night of untamed passion has us dangling over the edge of something dangerous and it could forever break us. Our hearts are on the line. Maddox is keeping secrets. I vowed to never give up on him but I'm not sure he's the same man I fell in love with anymore. I'm scared he'd leave my heart bleeding at his feet. But worst, what if we go back to... ... hating each other?
Books in Series:	Truth And Dare Duet Series by Lylah James
Books by Author:	Lylah James

I fucked up.

I knew I’d eventually mess up. I knew I’d end up destroying the one good thing in my entire life. Lila.

Because that was the only thing I was capable of.

Destroying lives.

Ruining her.

Wrecking us.

I tried to protect her, since the day I made that stupid goddamn pinky swear for the first time. Ruthless in my endeavor to make sure she was always happy, always taken care of, by eliminating anything that would cause her pain…but I forgot to protect her from myself.

My lungs seized in my chest, and my throat closed. A choked sound came from me as I held my head in my hands, feeling the burn in the back of my eyes.

“You’re the best unplanned thing that has ever happened to me, Maddox. And I can’t lose you. But you’re doing everything to push… me away from you,” she whispered, her sweet voice breaking at the end. “You’ve been telling lies and keeping secrets from me. Since when have you started lying to me, Maddox?”

My head snapped up at her words. I didn’t have an answer. I fucking wished I did.

Lies, no matter how big or small, was the quickest way to ruin something beautiful – us.

Lies and secrets…

Everything I’d ever done, every decision I made was to protect Lila.

But no band-aids would ever be enough to stop the open, festering wounds I’ve left behind.

“I’m sorry,” I choked.

The torment on her face decimated me. “Is that all you have to say?”

My vision blurred – fuck – I had to remind myself not to lose my shit. “I’m sorry.”

A lone tear slid down her cheek. “They said you were trouble. I didn’t listen. I took a chance on you. And now I regret it.”

“Don’t leave me.” My hoarse voice cracked.

Lila took a step back. My wounded heart lurched, and bile crawled up the back of my throat, bitter and acidic.

“Lila,” I breathed her name. “Please.”

She slowly shook her head, another silent tear leaving a wet trail on her cheek. “Maddox.” She looked pained, and her lips wobbled. “You broke your promises.”

And now she was breaking hers.

Her feet took her another step back.

“No,” I pleaded. “Lila, no.”

My voice caught in my throat as she turned and walked away, taking my bleeding heart in the palm of her hand and leaving me… empty.

I sunk to my knees, unable to stop myself, choking on the heavy taste of bitterness on my tongue. This couldn’t be the end… it couldn’t.

The door closed, even as I called out her name. Pathetically. Because for her… I was a fucking weak man.

Love made me weak.

Love destroyed lives.

Love ruined us.

She left.

My Lila left, as the pain piercing through my chest, became almost unbearable.

All my truths, all my lies collided together – my future with Lila now cracked open, bleeding and sending the broken fissures all over, as I knelt in the wreckage of it all.

Once again…alone.

Once again… lost.

She lied too.

She broke her promises, too.

You won’t lose me, ever.

Pinky promise?

Pinky promise.

Four months earlier

I couldn’t remember the exact moment I realized what I felt for Lila was more than friendship.

Maybe it was the first time when Lila wrapped her little pinky around mine outside of her grandparents’ grocery store.

Or maybe it was the time I woke up from a nightmare and found her sleeping beside me, the night she took care of me, pulling me out of the freezing tub, and didn’t leave my drunk ass behind – the same night I realized what it felt like not to be alone.

It could have been any time from the first moment I laid eyes on her, any moment we’ve had in between, until our last moment together – when I saw her with Lucien and I knew I was about to lose her forever.

I never could quite understand my own feelings. Lila wasn’t a monochrome in my black and white world, she was a kaleidoscope of colors. She had made my life less dull.

I didn’t know if I could call it love then.

Or if it was love now…

What is love?

When I was seventeen years old, Lila sashayed into my life with all the fierceness of a dragon, sassy and stubborn. Like an R-Rated Snow White, with an ass that should have been illegal and a mouth that tempted me to shove my dick down her throat.

At twenty years old, I realized that when we first met, Lila and I were two teenagers who were too young to understand what love was until we’d fallen too deeply into it.

“Just friends” was an easy way out, rather than accepting our growing feelings for each other.

It was around three in the morning when Lila fell asleep in my arms, breathless, sore and exhausted. She curled into me, pressing her soft, naked body against mine.

I watched her sleep, her pouty lips, her soft sighs and quiet snores.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >89

Advertisement Do You Dare Read online Lylah James (Truth And Dare Duet #1) http://www.books2020.com/do-you-dare-1-read-online-lylah-james Sun, 26 Aug 2018 13:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/do-you-dare-1-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Angst, College, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Young Adult Authors: Lylah James Series: Truth And Dare Duet Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >119

Read Online Books/Novels:	Do You Dare (Truth And Dare Duet #1)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
Book Information:
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓? Maddox Coulter. Reckless bad boy. Infamous playboy. My nemesis. And now my best friend. I know he’ll never leave me hanging. He knows I'll never refuse a dare. Everywhere we go we turn heads, but it’s not like that. Until it is. For one of us, anyway. I've always known he would be my downfall. But I trusted him to catch me. He proved me wrong. Maddox has gone too far, and I don’t know if I want to rein him in or push us further into dangerous territory. He tells me those three little words that I crave. Three little words I want from no one else. 𝑰 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 Except this time, it's no simple dare. This could burn us to the ground. "𝑰 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒊𝒎."
Books in Series:	Truth And Dare Duet Series by Lylah James
Books by Author:	Lylah James Books

PROLOGUE

Lila

His presence was a warm heat behind me as we walked into the bar. He was close, really fucking close. I could feel him. I could smell him. He was so close, yet so far out of reach. A dangerous temptation dangling right in front of me.

I wanted to turn around and wrap my arms around him, bask in his warmth. We’ve hugged and cuddled plenty of times before, but since the Charity Gala, everything has been different.

He has been different.

Somehow, there was a wall between us now. I couldn’t break it or walk around it. It was exhausting and scary – watching the change in him, seeing him so…cold and withdrawn from me. Sometimes, it felt like he was battling something inside his head. I waited silently for him to come to me, to speak of his worries, so I could find a way to soothe him. Like always.

Except…it started to feel as if I was the problem. As if he was hiding from me.

A week in Paris. This was supposed to be fun and exciting. An adventure for us. Day one and it was already going to waste.

I chewed on my bottom lip as we walked further inside the dim room. It wasn’t overly crowded, but everyone here looked fancy. After all, this was one of the famous hotels of Paris; wealthy and posh people came here often. “I didn’t think the hotel would have its own bar. Fancy. I like it.”

“It’s nice,” he replied. There was a roughness in his voice, except his tone was robotic. No emotions whatsoever.

What’s wrong with you? What did I do?

I paused in my steps, expecting him to bump into me. He didn’t. Instead, I felt his arm slide around my waist as he curled it around me. Our bodies collided together softly, and I sucked in a quiet breath. His rock-hard chest was to my back, pressing against me, and I could feel every intake of breath he took. His touch was a sweet, sweet torture.

Fuck you. Fuck you for making me feel this way. Fuck you for tempting me and leaving me hanging. Fuck you for making me fall in love with you…

“This way.” His lips lingered near my ear as he whispered the words. He steered me toward the bar stools.

We sat side by side. From the corner of my eye, I watched him as he ordered our drinks. His voice was smooth, and it slid over my skin like silk. Soft and gentle.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice the man standing next to me until his hand touched my shoulder. I swiveled to the left, my eyes catching the intruder. Yes, intruder. He was interrupting my time with him.

Maddox Coulter – the balm to my soul but also the stinging pain in my chest. He was sweet heaven and the bane of my existence.

“Remember me?” the man in the suit asked with a tiny grin.

Yup, I did. He was the owner of the hotel. We met him when we checked in yesterday.

“I saw you across the bar, and I knew instantly, you had to be the pretty girl I met last night.” His English was perfect, but it was laced with a husky French accent. I had to admit, it was kind of sexy. Mr. Frenchman stood between our stools, separating Maddox and me. He blocked my view of Maddox and I. Did. Not. Like. That.

“Thank you for helping us yesterday,” I replied sweetly, masking my irritation.

His emerald eyes glimmered, and his grin widened. Mr. Frenchman was your typical tall, dark, and handsome eye candy. And he wore an expensive suit that molded to his body quite nicely. “It was all my pleasure.”

I nodded, a little lost at what else I could say. I wasn’t shy or uncomfortable around men. But this one was a little too close for my liking, and since I had zero interest in him, even though he could definitely be my type, given the fact that someone else had all my attention, I didn’t want to continue this conversation.

“Lucien Mikael.” He presented me with his hand. I remembered he told us his name last night, but I didn’t tell him mine.

I took his palm in mine, shaking it. “You can call me, Lila. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.”

Instead of shaking my hand, he turned it over and brought my hand to his lips. He kissed the back of it, his lips lingering there for a second too long. His eyes met mine over our entwined hands. “My pleasure, ma belle.”

Oh dear. Yup. Mr. Frenchman was flirting.

I glanced around Lucien and saw that Maddox was lounging back in his stool, his long legs stretched out in front of him, a drink in his hand, and he was staring directly at me. His face was expressionless.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >119

Advertisement The Mafia and His Obsession Part 2 Read online Lylah James (Tainted Hearts #5) http://www.books2020.com/the-mafia-and-his-obsession-part-2-5-read-online-lylah-james Sat, 31 Mar 2018 13:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/the-mafia-and-his-obsession-part-2-5-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Angst, Crime, Dark, Romance Authors: Lylah James Series: Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 627(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >131

Read Online Books/Novels:	The Mafia and His Obsession Part 2 (Tainted Hearts #5)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
Book Information:
𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈. 𝑵𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑵𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆. The Devil owned me, body and soul - but not my heart. It was the only part of me which could never be claimed... ...𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑜 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡. Viktor weaved his way into my heart and imprinted on my soul. He made it clear he was there to stay. Even when the darkness blinded us, he never left my side. What we share was sweet, untamed and wild. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏, 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒍. A game is being played. The arena is a bloodbath, and the Game Masters are brutal. In the end, only one will survive. 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈.
Books in Series:	Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Books by Author:	Lylah James Books

“I don’t want to make love. I want to rub my soul up against yours and watch love make us.”

- Michelle Schaper

Prologue

Valentin Solonik

Weak. She was so goddamn weak, so fragile, so breakable. They all were.

It started the same way every time. They’d fight at first, struggle against my bigger and much stronger body. They’d scream, cry out, and some might even curse at me, spit, and try to bite off my flesh. But it always ended up the same.

From a strong spirit, fighting for their lives and dignity to someone weak, pliable, and a whimpering mess, asking—no—begging for mercy.

Holding my hand over her lips, I muffled her screams. She tried to fight against me, but I overpowered her. This girl was too weak for me. She was nothing but a stupid pawn to this game, in this arena.

I liked the one who were fighters. The savages, wild ones. They’re the most fun to break. And they make the sweetest, prettiest doll a man could ever own.

Thrusting one last time into her unwilling, tight body, I emptied myself before pulling out. She stayed there on the floor, her legs opened and her body useless. She stared blankly at the ceiling. There was a numb look on her face. So easily broken. Her mind had been made of glass, easily shattering under my weight. Her lithe, sexy body was pliable, easily bent into whatever position I wanted to take her.

“Solonik, how much are you bidding tonight?” A voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up to meet Carlos’s eyes. His face was deadly, a mask of darkness, but I could see the small victory smile.

“More than you. I don’t play to lose,” I drawled, standing on my feet. I kicked the useless girl away. She moaned in pain, and I couldn’t help but laugh watching another man crawl over her body. She was still bleeding between her legs where I had ripped through her virginity.

“Take her ass,” I said. “I haven’t fucked that hole yet. It will be tight for you.”

The man nodded too eagerly. He looked like someone who had just gotten his favorite candy to devour. I had my fun; the broken doll’s fate was in his hands now. With a shake of my head, I walked away with Carlos.

“I’m bidding one million on that girl.” He talked smoothly, pointing at the girl in the corner. She was on her knees, lined up like all the others. She was beautiful, pretty to look at, pretty enough to sink my dick in for one round but…

“Not my type,” I responded, while searching for someone who would really catch my eye.

They were all weak and without a fight. None of them had kept my interest for too long because they were so fucking easy to break. None had my attention, except for one.

She was waiting for me at home, like a nice little pet, a little princess in her tower, awaiting her master. Her King. She was an alluring beauty, charming everyone in her path.

I locked her away, for her tunes were only mine to hear and her skin only mine to touch. When she was good, I showered her with gold and diamonds, gave her a little fairy-tale while keeping a collar on her neck.

Even though she acted broken, I knew she was anything but. There was fire in her soul, in her eyes. I could see it all, and I couldn’t wait to pull it out and turn it to ashes…so slowly until her tears would run red.

Before my little pet, long before she became my wife…there was another.

A long time ago, I had captured a pretty siren with shiny black hair and enticing blue eyes. She was mine. Until she wasn’t. Until she was stolen away from me. He took her away.

Little did he know…he started a war that night.

I gave them eight years of happiness. I pitied them and let them have eight years of love. I kept silent, watching in the shadows.

When the right time came, I ripped it all away. I fucking obliterated their little happily ever after.

It was fun to watch. It was beautiful to hear Lyov Ivanshov scream in pain. A fucking pleasure to my ears.

He took her away from me, and in the end, I had returned the favor. Now, my goal was so close. I could almost feel it, sense and smell it. The Ivanshovs were about to come to a cruel end. They would all be on their knees before me.

Soon enough, I would be the Pakhan. The fucking master. The King.

It was time to win this little game of mine.

Chapter 1

Viktor

I stormed forward into the tiny estate—the cold, sterile building that used to be my home for a year. Where Valentin kept me hidden until I was ready to make my presence known and conquer the game, one move at a time.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >131

Advertisement The Mafia and His Obsession Read Online Lylah James (Tainted Hearts #4) http://www.books2020.com/the-mafia-and-his-obsession-4-read-online-lylah-james Thu, 22 Jun 2017 01:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/the-mafia-and-his-obsession-4-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Bad Boy, Funny, Romance Authors: Lylah James Series: Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 104367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >108

Read Online Books/Novels:	The Mafia and His Obsession: Part 1 (Tainted Hearts #4)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
Book Information:
HIM Family comes first. Always. That was drilled in my head since I was a little boy. I lived with only one purpose. I would protect them. Fight for them. Kill for them. And die for them. I would take a bullet meant for them without a second thought. When their safety, our little peaceful world, is compromised, I risk it all to protect them. Putting my life on the line, I made a deal with the Devil. Because at the end of the day, my family comes first. Until HER. She changes everything. The whole game plan. The moment our eyes met, I was gone. The pull between us so hard to resist. She became my one and only undeniable Obsession. When it is time to make a choice, who would I choose? My family or My Obsession? ******** HER I was living in the darkness for so long. No life. No choice. I was bent to his will, doing whatever he wanted me to do. I was no longer my own. Only because the Devil owned me. Body and soul. But not my heart. Days after days, my hope slowly vanished into thin air. Until HIM. One look was enough to make my heart beat just a little faster. He weaved his way into my unwelcome heart. He was there to stay, no matter how hard I tried to fight it. Even when the darkness blinded us, he still stayed. He was my made man. My mafia man. And I, His Obsession. But what if His Obsession is the one thing that ruins everything? (Recommended to read THE MAFIA AND HIS ANGEL first, so that it is not too confusing. Also this is recommended to 17+ due to mature content)
Books in Series:	Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Books by Author:	Lylah James Books

Prologue

Him

The smell of blood touched my nostrils, and I almost fucking laughed. Perfect. Just perfect.

I dug the knife deeper and watched the man scream. He writhed on the cold, hard, bloodied ground.

“Man, can you stop playing Joker?” Phoenix said behind my back.

“If I dye my hair green and wear red lipstick, will I look like Joker?” I replied, twisting the knife in the captive’s flesh before pulling it away.

He laughed mockingly. “No. You will look like a clown.”

He was mocking me. Maybe I’ll shave his head off in his sleep. That would teach him.

Slowly twirling the knife between my fingers, I stared at the man. He seemed captivated with each twirl and twist. I cocked my head to the side, regarding him.

And then, I threw the knife behind me.

“Goddamn it!”

My lips curved upward at the outburst. It looked like the knife had hit its target.

“Are you fucking serious? It almost took a chunk of my flesh!” Phoenix bellowed.

“So dramatic,” Alessio muttered from his position against the wall. “And hurry up! Ayla is waiting for me.”

From the corner of my eyes, I saw him pushing away from the wall. Taking two steps forward, he stopped behind me. “Finish him.”

Two words in the deadly silence of the dark alley. Two words spoken by my Boss. My King.

And his words were my command.

It had been for years.

Taking out an army knife from my breast pocket, I showed my captive the blade. He trembled in absolute fear. The shock and agony in his eyes were not mistaken. It could never be.

That was exactly what we fed on.

Fear. Our enemies’ fear. The look in their eyes when they were about die, it was what we lived for.

Some say we were cruel. Disgusting human beings. Heartless. Ruthless.

I would agree.

But I liked the word barbaric better. Unsympathetic. Sadistic. Vicious.

After all, we were killers.

We were born into this life. Since the very beginning, we breathed it.

From first breath…till our last.

His whimpers snapped me out of my thoughts. Was that piss I smelled?

Most probably. They always turned into disgusting carcasses when their death flashed in front of their eyes. Too bad for them it was always too late.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I never gave him a chance. My fingers tightened around the knife before I drove it down, right in the middle of his throat.

The man gurgled his last breath as his blood poured around him…and on me. Shaking my head in disgust, I spat on him.

“Foolish. They know the consequences, but they still try and play us,” I sneered at him.

His chest expanded as he took his last breath…and then silence. Nobody spoke a word as we stared at the dead man, his eyes still open. Still staring into mine.

The only difference was that his were empty, while mine were still very much alive, glowing with power.

I heard Phoenix talking over the phone while I stood up. My handkerchief was already out of my pocket, and I cleaned my hands, trying to remove the blood. My face was next. It felt sticky where the blood had splattered.

Appalling filth. I need a fucking shower now.

Why didn’t Alessio do it himself?

Oh, wait…because he didn’t want to get his hands dirty this time. His Angel was waiting for him at home.

Like that made him the lesser evil.

He was just as fucked up.

We were all fucked.

But we had her to bring us some light. A little bit of happiness. Some smiles…some occasional laughter. Some scraps of love.

She gave it all to us, without expecting anything in return. She loved so much and so hard that sometimes our hearts were not big enough to take it all.

Someone swore behind me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I was brought back to the present.

Annoyingly, I had been lost in my thoughts too much lately. Very bad.

I was going to get killed if I don’t get my shit together.

“Boss,” I heard Phoenix warn.

What the fuck is he warning Alessio about? I turned around, facing the others.

Only to come face to face with Alessio pointing his gun at me.

“Seriously? We don’t have time for this,” I said, my eyes on the gun. He cocked his head to the side, his eyebrows lifted in amusement.

“Can we do this later? After we have disposed of the body? C’mon, man.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing Alessio wasn’t going to do something stupid. He wouldn’t. Not after everything.

Turning my back to him again, I put my life…everything in his hands. I gave him my full trust.

That was my first mistake.

I heard the gunshot first. It rang so loud in the silent alley. My heart thumped in response.

Then I felt it. The indescribable pain and burn that came after the bullet pierced my body.

He shot me.

He actually shot me.

In the ass.

What the ever-loving fuck?

He did not just fucking shoot me.

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >108

Advertisement Blood and Roses Read Online Lylah James (Tainted Hearts #3.5) http://www.books2020.com/blood-and-roses-read-online-lylah-james Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:57:33 +0000 http://www.test123.demo2.xyz/blood-and-roses-read-online-lylah-james Genre: Alpha Male, Bad Boy, Dark, Romance, Tear Jerker Authors: Lylah James Series: Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Advertisement

Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79565 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >84

Read Online Books/Novels:	Blood and Roses (Tainted Hearts #3.5)
Author/Writer of Book/Novel:	Lylah James
Language:	English
Book Information:
Maria I was trapped. There was nothing left of me. Then he came and wanted to make me his. He saved me. He gave me a home, a family. He made sweet love to me. I was his Angel. He was my everything. I thought we would live happily ever after, but there are no happy endings in the mafia life.I found this out the hard way, as the blood flowed, red as roses… Lyov Angel. The word meant nothing until I saw her. I found her in a place worse than hell. She calls me her savior. But I didn’t save her. I captured the pretty angel and made her mine. Life was perfect. I had everything I wanted. I was her salvation. She was my redemption. Until I lost her. Angels deserve happy endings, but monsters like me don’t. My darkness became hers, and our happily-ever-after became tainted.
Books in Series:	Tainted Hearts Series by Lylah James
Books by Author:	Lylah James Books

Chapter 1

Lyov

The gun went off, loud in the silent night. His screams were heard as another gunshot sounded. Blood seeped on the cold, hard ground as he writhed in pain.

“You are really stupid if you thought you would make it out alive,” Isaak growled behind me. I chuckled, because my bleeding captive was really stupid.

“Please…” he begged.

I tsked at the coward…and thief. Stealing more than tens of thousands of dollars from me would only lead to one end.

And his end would ultimately be death.

I squatted down beside him, tapping his head with the back of my gun. He stared at me with wide, frightened eyes. Poor thing. I wondered if my cold heart felt bad for this bastard’s ugly demise.

I cocked my head to the side, thoughtful. Do I feel bad?

Ha. Fuck no.

I enjoyed his fucking pain. Best thing that could happen after a shitty day. Maybe I could sleep better tonight.

“I don’t know if you’re lucky or unlucky that I caught you in Russia. Did you think Solonik would help you escape?” I asked, pressing the barrel harder into his temple.

He winced and shook his head. Well, tried to shake his head. I had him pinned against the hard ground. He couldn’t move even if he tried.

“I’ll go for unlucky then. Because I can kill you, have your blood splattered all over the ground and wall, and nobody would care. Nobody would bat an eye,” I hissed in his ear.

I huffed at the thought. What a stupid little thief.

My eyes followed his twitching legs, where the two bullets had pierced the skin. I was tempted to torture him some more. Unfortunately, I had a meeting to go to. Something more important at the moment.

“I’ll let you go this time,” I said with a shrug. Standing up, I nodded at the end of the alley. “Go on, now. Run before I change my mind.”

As expected…he did.

He limped toward the end of the dark alley, his legs mostly useless. I could almost smell his fear from where I was standing.

So pathetic.

I glanced at Isaak, who was leaning against the wall, a cigarette between his lips. He smirked and shook his head. I smiled too because the best part was finally here.

Raising my gun, I pointed at the back of the boy’s head, my sight secured on the spot. He didn’t notice the gun. He didn’t see his death coming.

Only because he was desperate to live—to escape.

Too bad for him.

My finger latched against the trigger, and I pulled it without a second thought. He dropped to the floor soundlessly, his body unmoving.

I walked over to where his dead body lay and kicked his feet. Nothing. His face was turned toward me, his eyes still open, looking at me lifelessly.

The fear in them was still there. I could also see the shock, the way his pupils were wider than before.

His mouth was opened, and trickle of blood dripped past his lips. Shaking my head, I turned away from the man. Isaak pushed away from the wall, coming toward me.

“I’m surprised they always fall for that line,” he said mockingly, staring at the unmoving body. “Can’t decide if they are either cowards or just plain stupid.”

“I would go with stupid.” I stuck my gun back inside my waistband and pulled my suit jacket over it.

Isaak scoffed before calling for clean-up. He rattled the address quickly before cutting the call off. “They’ll be here in five.”

We walked back to the black bulletproof Mercedes-Benz, its windows tinted for privacy. Absolutely nothing could be seen from the outside. Pretty useful when you had enemies on your case every day.

“To the Royalist,” I snapped as I got into the car. With Isaak in the front, the driver drove away without a single word. The drive wasn’t long, the club just a few blocks away.

When the car stopped and my door was opened, I stepped out into the fresh air. The dark, cold night masked our faces as we entered through the big doors of The Royalist.

At the entrance, the guard nodded his head and slightly bowed in respect. It was something given to me freely, without even asking.

They knew exactly how to greet a Boss. As he straightened, his eyes glanced around us, making sure we weren’t followed.

I walked inside with Isaak following closely behind. Several guards were stationed in the entrance hall. All of them nodded in my direction as I walked by.

The hall was lit by several really fucking expensive crystal chandeliers. We finally stopped in front of another door.

I raised an eyebrow at the guard, waiting for him to let us in. He swallowed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

He was obviously new.

“Is it only you?” he said in Russian, nodding behind me at Isaak. “And him?”

I glared and then snapped, “Yes. Do I need fucking permission before entering my own club?”

<<<<1 2 3 11 21 >84

Read Online Books/Novels:

A Vow Of Forever - A Vow Of Hate Novella

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

B08Z5Y3G7L

Read Online Books/Novels:

A Vow Of Hate

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

B08NTTQJ5H

Read Online Books/Novels:

I Dare You (Truth And Dare Duet #2)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

Read Online Books/Novels:

Do You Dare (Truth And Dare Duet #1)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

Read Online Books/Novels:

The Mafia and His Obsession Part 2 (Tainted Hearts #5)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

Read Online Books/Novels:

The Mafia and His Obsession: Part 1 (Tainted Hearts #4)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English

Read Online Books/Novels:

Blood and Roses (Tainted Hearts #3.5)

Author/Writer of Book/Novel:

English