Um_Royhan

MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

Claimed by the Mafia Alpha

<p>The weight of the money in my hand felt almost unreal. I stared at the stack, my fingers shaking as I turned it over. It was more than I had ever seen in my entire life, more than I ever dreamed of earning in this wretched place. The crisp bills felt heavy with possibilities like they could change everything. I could breathe for once. I could finally help Mia and Noah.</p>

<p>I hadn't had the chance to think about much when it happened. My mind had been clouded by the terror of what Carlo had been trying to do to me. I had been frozen, unsure of what to do when that strange man walked in, taking out his gun and killing Carlo without a second thought. But now, as I sat there, counting the money and letting the weight of it settle in my hands, I felt a strange calm.</p>

The same routine