Cruelty is his middle name, and I'm at his mercy. My father has kept me locked away in an ivory tower. I thought he wanted to protect me, but he only wanted to protect his asset. An untouched, sheltered mob princess is worth a lot of money to the right buyer. My father's greed means Sicily is no longer big enough for him. I'm shipped across the Atlantic to Boston to marry a man I've never met, whose reputation for cruelty reaches as far as the shores of Sicily.

Tearing off the gilded veneer of elite privilege exposes the sordid scandals, dark secrets, and taboo desires of New York's jaded high society in this dark romance series from best friends and USAT bestselling authors Zoe Blake and Alta Hensley, writing under their new pen name, Blake Hensley.

It's just another Tuesday with Mercury in retrograde. Cue Nikolai Volkov. A devil in Armani with a body built for sin. Protective. Ruthless. Magnetic. Oh, and did I mention he's hot enough to melt Siberia? I should despise him for stealing my freedom. Instead, I'm playing house with the beast and melting every time he growls 'mine’. But as it turns out, this good girl has a knack for taming monsters.

They call my husband-to-be "Mob Prince," but his happily-ever-after consists of bound wrists and broken promises. Tall, dark, and handsome don’t begin to describe his level of gorgeous. Tony Costa is a dangerous man with a beautiful face. We’re arranged to marry. Start a family. Or else.

Valachi, the name of a rival mafia family, was the last word on my mother's dying lips. After years of careful deceit and planning, my moment of revenge has finally arrived. The head of the Valachi family has died, leaving his innocent daughter vulnerable. She is forced to take my hand in an arranged marriage. By the time she learns my true identity, it will be too late. As her new husband, I will have complete control over her. I am the enemy in her bed.

The first time I saw him, I knew I'd never want another man the way I wanted him. The second time, I drank a bottle of his most expensive cognac, which I'd never be able to afford on my own. And the third time… well, he caught me stealing from him. Stealing from the head of the Irish Mafia wasn't smart. But then I never claimed to be. Now I owed him a debt… a big one. And it couldn't be settled with money, or favors.

I'm locked in a cage in my wedding dress. How did I end up here? Three days ago, I was a normal girl living a normal life. My adoptive parents came over to my apartment for dinner, just like they do every week. But this time, they brought bombshells. They tell me I'm not who they said I was. And all those dance lessons, those etiquette classes? They weren't just for show. They were to groom me. To mold me into what I'm about to become—the forced wife of a don. Then, with my jaw on the floor, they opened the door and let the nightmares in.

“I do.” Words I never thought would escape my lips. Now they bound me to the charismatic head of the Volkov Bratva, Nikolai Volkov. His mesmerizing blue eyes, charming smile, and silky smooth voice would be my downfall, and yet, also my salvation. The two simple words would also be a personal vow to destroy my stepmother and enemies. If I’m forced to be bound to the mafia life forever then I’ll show them all. I’ll show them how far this ‘angel’ has fallen. I’m not a pawn like they all think.

He’s evil incarnate, cloaked in a beautiful disguise. My father uprooted our family, forcing me to relocate to America. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s making me marry the son of a psychopath. Maxim Volkov. Heir to the Volkov Bratva. I’d rather die than be shackled to a man so evil. A man who has no soul. His piercing blue eyes are as cold as his stony heart. And he’s not exactly thrilled, either. My life has never felt so hopeless.

I thought I was late for my cousin’s wedding, but the wedding turned out to be for me... If I’d known the sexy arrogant guy in the elevator was my future husband, I probably would have turned and ran. My own father sold me out, promising my hand in marriage to Alexei Koslov, a sexy, arrogant bratva boss. The last thing I want to do is get married, but nobody says no to the Koslov bratva.

Lev Zarkov is a real-life monster. No, correction, he's actually the devil. Except, when I first meet him, he's simply the mysterious, handsome man traveling next to me on a first-class flight to New York. And after being dumped at the altar by my loser fiancé who vanished into thin air the morning of our wedding, when things get flirty between me and the mysterious stranger, I think, why not? Surely, I deserve one night to forget. I mean, where's the harm in a little indulgence, right?

My BFF pulled a bait-and-switch on me. Instead of drinks with the girls, I'm at this bar to meet a blind date. "He's nice and normal and handsome!" she promises. Only one of those three is correct. Yakov Kulikov is as gorgeous as they come—and ten times as dangerous. Sparks ignite, but this is no meet-cute. It's a prison sentence. Turns out Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding is in charge of the Kulikov Bratva. And now that I've caught his attention, he insists I need his protection. Kidnapped by a hot mob boss—most girls' dream, right? Wrong.

I curate art for a living. This big show was supposed to pay my bills for the next year. Oh, and did I mention the star artist is my unfaithful ex? So I try to put on a brave face—after all, the clientele are worth billions. But my ex is doing everything in his power to rub it in. Holding his new girl a little too tight. Hanging around me a little too close. What I did next was a teensy bit impulsive. I grabbed the closest revenge hookup I could find... who just happened to be the billionaire dropping five mil at the auction.

A wedding is supposed to be the happiest day of a girl's life. For me, it was a nightmare. The man I'm promised to isn't exactly Prince Charming. And the way I ended up on this altar isn't exactly the stuff of fairy tales. You see, my family isn't like yours. My father and brother do... things... that should never see the light of day. Things like wagering me at a poker game to be the wife and baby momma of a dark-eyed devil.

A dangerous Bratva mobster walked in on me... As I was getting my Brazilian wax. And now, I'm pregnant. Okay, I know that's a lot for one day, but bear with me. It all started when I got kidnapped by "Mr. I Ooze Danger" I just told you about. There's a lot more to Timur Yakov than just oozing danger. Sure, he's a 6-foot-4 mass of broody arrogance. Sure, his gaze could pierce through ice, and his body deserves a standing ovulation. Excuse me… ovation! But Timur is haunted by demons. Demons that could easily crush me and tear my heart to shreds.

Meet Randi Burnett—she’s brilliant, she’s beautiful, and she works for the bride. Missing groom? Intoxicated in-laws? Crying ring-bearer? You name it, she wrangles it. Too bad her personal life isn’t thriving like her side gig as a bridesmaid for hire. Recently dumped, Randi throws herself into her biggest challenge yet when she’s hired as a maid of honor and pretend best friend for an ice queen bride. There’s just one problem—the best man is infuriating, overprotective, and anti-marriage.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel - The Vipers. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant.

Beckett: If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have. I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride. My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart.

I'm addicted to my stalker. He watches me at night, sneaking in through my living room window and making my blood turn to ice. I feel him all around me as chills snake down my spine. Each night he becomes bolder, getting closer and welcoming himself into my bedroom, feeding his addiction.

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina's life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father's fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie).

They call my husband-to-be "Mob Prince," but his happily-ever-after consists of bound wrists and broken promises. Tall, dark, and handsome don’t begin to describe his level of gorgeous. Tony Costa is a dangerous man with a beautiful face. We’re arranged to marry. Start a family. Or else.

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice treating lycanthrope bites, bargaining with kikimoras, and slaying bloodsucking upirs. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex, the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed by someone close to her, Kosara’s only choice is to trade her shadow—the source of her powers—for a quick escape.

Out walking near the rain-swelled river running past her small Welsh town, she comes across the body of Amber Morgan. Fabia’s police training tells her instantly that the death is the result of foul play. But no longer in the force, all she can do is call it in. Yet she has mixed feelings when she discovers it is her former colleague, Matt Lambert, newly promoted to chief inspector, who will head the investigation into the girl’s death.

Handsome, grumpy local policeman Ben Taylor doesn't believe in coincidences, and he doesn’t think mysterious newcomer Milla Graham is as innocent as she seems. Why is she really here in Raven’s Edge, and how come she keeps turning up at his crime scenes, causing trouble? Can he solve this murder case without losing himself–or his heart–to the rather distracting Miss Graham?

Born in the Greek city of Miletus, Aspasia was destined for a life of tragedy. Her wealthy father vowed to abandon any female child, so Aspasia was secreted away, educated independently of her family, and raised as a courtesan. She discovered at an early age how to use her powers of intellect as ingeniously as those of the flesh. Ensconced in the Persian harems of Al Taliph, she meets the man who will change her fate: Pericles, the formidable political leader, statesman, ruler of Athens, and Aspasia’s most cherished lover.

Shadow Daughter tackles a subject we rarely discuss as a culture: Family estrangements, especially those between parents and adult children. Estrangements - between parents and children, siblings, multiple generations - are surprisingly common, and even families that aren't officially estranged often have some experience of deep conflicts. Estrangement is an issue that touches most people, one way or another, one that's still shrouded in secrecy, stigma, and shame.

Sam watches the demonic forces of darkness as they engulf and destroy the land of Westria. The final battle is over. Or so Sam thinks. In the last moments before the world’s end, Sam is given a second shot to save everything he holds dear. He’ll be sent back in time. Reincarnated into his younger self and armed with knowledge of the future, Sam will have the power to undo past mistakes and give the people of Westria a fighting chance against the impending apocalypse.

A collection of seven short stories, featuring crime-fighting duo Tilly and Poe: The Killing Field, Why Don't Sheep Shrink?, Dead Man's Fingers, Strange Ink, A Permanent Solution, Mondo Bizzarro and Once in a Red Moon.

Summer 1943. Harlem is a never-ending carnival in the second year of the war. Yet underneath the glitter, its black residents remain second-class citizens, and the neighborhood is a tinderbox, waiting for a match.

Alex Garnett has spent his life in the shadow of his father, a former Chief of Staff and Solicitor General to two presidents who's been responsible for getting Alex every job he ever had, including his latest: attorney for the CIA. However, a seemingly routine litigation leads to a series of unexpected events, including poison, kidnapping, torture, and murder. As casualties pile up, it becomes clear Alex is the final target in someone's blood-soaked attempts to cover their tracks.

Cruelty is his middle name, and I'm at his mercy. My father has kept me locked away in an ivory tower. I thought he wanted to protect me, but he only wanted to protect his asset. An untouched, sheltered mob princess is worth a lot of money to the right buyer. My father's greed means Sicily is no longer big enough for him. I'm shipped across the Atlantic to Boston to marry a man I've never met, whose reputation for cruelty reaches as far as the shores of Sicily.

Luke Pardini is many things: playboy, tabloid fodder, ridiculously attractive billionaire. He's the Prince Charming every woman dreams of. And he wants me to be his fake girlfriend. I don't want a relationship, even a make-believe one, but I do need the money. Writing isn't paying the bills, and I hardly have time for a second job, let alone a romance. But he's offering me a dream-come true. I'll get the fancy dresses, the formal dinners, the full Luke Pardini experience. I get to be Cinderella for a few weeks, then I'll trade in the shoes. No problem, right?

Winesburg, Ohio is Sherwood Anderson's masterpiece, a cycle of short stories concerning life in a small town at the end of the nineteenth century. In the perfectly imagined world of Winesburg, an archetypal small American town, Anderson reveals the hidden passions that turn ordinary lives into fonts of unforgettable emotions. Played out against a deceptively placid backdrop, Anderson's loosely connected stories coalesce, like chapters, into a powerful novel of love and loss.

A man climbs over the railings and plunges into Niagara Falls. A newlywed, he has left behind his wife, Ariah Erskine, in the honeymoon suite the morning after their wedding. "The Widow Bride of The Falls", as Ariah comes to be known, begins a relentless, seven-day vigil in the mist, waiting for his body to be found.