Luca Rizzoli was nearly destroyed by a brutal betrayal that cost him his family. Now a ruthless crime boss in Las Vegas, he lets nothing touch his frozen heart...until a smoldering encounter with a beautiful stranger ignites his passion. One night isn’t enough for a man who takes what he wants—and Luca will do whatever he can to possess his mysterious temptress...
Police detective Gabrielle Fawkes lives for revenge. She lost everything at the hands of an unforgiving ruler of the Vegas underworld. Now she wants to see him six feet under. But when a near-fatal attack leads her into Luca’s arms, what was meant to be one night of unbridled passion becomes something forbiddingly more. Luca has his own agenda, but when strong, determined, kick-ass detective Gaby sets her sights on her target, Luca feels compelled to stand by her side and protect her at all costs. However, pursuing danger comes at a high price—and both Gaby and Luca must work together in order to eliminate the dark enterprise that threatens them.
“You’re mine, Gabrielle. You were mine from the moment we met. Nico wants me to end our relationship after we find Garcia, but we will find a way to make it work, even if I have to leave the family.” He claimed her with a kiss, fierce and demanding, so passionate her knees went weak and she had to clutch his shoulders to stay upright.
She wanted to believe him, but it seemed an impossible task. From what she understood, there were only two ways out of the Mafia: death and witness protection. And after what he’d just told her about his father, there was no way she could let him make the choice that would mean losing the one thing he’d been struggling for all his life. She didn’t want Luca without that chunk of flesh. She wanted him whole.
“What were they going to do to you?”
“Hurt me. Maybe break a few bones.”
“Because of me,” she said bitterly.
“Because I broke the rules.” His rough hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over her jaw. “Mio angelo. I would endure any hardship for you. I will welcome the pain because it gives us time to be together. Every extra day I get to spend with you is worth a dozen bruises.”
“Luca.” His name was a prayer on her lips. She had lost David. She wasn’t going to lose Luca, too. There had to be a way for them to be together that didn’t involve him getting killed or beaten with a baseball bat or losing the honor that was such an important part of his life. “I think I just showed you I would make the same sacrifice for you.”
“And you will be punished for it.” He wrapped his arms around her so tight she could barely breathe.
“Punished?”
He buried his face in her neck, nuzzled behind her ear, his five o’clock shadow a sensual burn over her skin. “I will give you more pleasure than you can bear.”
Gabrielle swallowed hard and all her awareness suddenly centered on the pulse of arousal between her thighs. “I want you to be rough.”
“I’ll be rough.”
“I want you to tear me apart so you understand that how you feel about me is how I feel about you. How your pain is my pain. How I couldn’t sit there and watch you suffer.”
He drew in a ragged breath. “I will break you and then I will put you together again. I will mark you so that every time you look in the mirror you think of me, and every man who dares look at you knows you are mine.”
“I want to be yours, Luca,” she whispered. “And I want you to be mine.”
“Sei mia per sempre, anima e cuore. Senza di te non vivo piu. You are mine forever,” he translated for her. “Body and soul. Without you, I couldn’t live.”
She surrendered to him, unable to do anything but feel as he feathered kisses down her throat to the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder.
And then he leaned down and bit her so deliciously hard she screamed.
She wanted to believe him, but it seemed an impossible task. From what she understood, there were only two ways out of the Mafia: death and witness protection. And after what he’d just told her about his father, there was no way she could let him make the choice that would mean losing the one thing he’d been struggling for all his life. She didn’t want Luca without that chunk of flesh. She wanted him whole.
“What were they going to do to you?”
“Hurt me. Maybe break a few bones.”
“Because of me,” she said bitterly.
“Because I broke the rules.” His rough hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over her jaw. “Mio angelo. I would endure any hardship for you. I will welcome the pain because it gives us time to be together. Every extra day I get to spend with you is worth a dozen bruises.”
“Luca.” His name was a prayer on her lips. She had lost David. She wasn’t going to lose Luca, too. There had to be a way for them to be together that didn’t involve him getting killed or beaten with a baseball bat or losing the honor that was such an important part of his life. “I think I just showed you I would make the same sacrifice for you.”
“And you will be punished for it.” He wrapped his arms around her so tight she could barely breathe.
“Punished?”
He buried his face in her neck, nuzzled behind her ear, his five o’clock shadow a sensual burn over her skin. “I will give you more pleasure than you can bear.”
Gabrielle swallowed hard and all her awareness suddenly centered on the pulse of arousal between her thighs. “I want you to be rough.”
“I’ll be rough.”
“I want you to tear me apart so you understand that how you feel about me is how I feel about you. How your pain is my pain. How I couldn’t sit there and watch you suffer.”
He drew in a ragged breath. “I will break you and then I will put you together again. I will mark you so that every time you look in the mirror you think of me, and every man who dares look at you knows you are mine.”
“I want to be yours, Luca,” she whispered. “And I want you to be mine.”
“Sei mia per sempre, anima e cuore. Senza di te non vivo piu. You are mine forever,” he translated for her. “Body and soul. Without you, I couldn’t live.”
She surrendered to him, unable to do anything but feel as he feathered kisses down her throat to the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder.
And then he leaned down and bit her so deliciously hard she screamed.
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Nico
Oh, Nico!
Wow. Wow! This book was fantastic! My husband is a Sopranos junkie; I could never get into it, but if they had guys like Nico on that show, I might become its biggest fan!
Mia was a heroine unlike any I have read. She is the antithesis of the typical "romance novel heroine" or "damsel in distress" with her grunge/Goth style and "go F yourself" attitude. I, personally, didn't find her obnoxious, just severely independent.
Enter Nico.
He also has his personality quirks; very Type A and alpha, yet hiding a side of him that no one knows about. I loved reading about the connection he and Mia have, both from their history together and at their reunion (which was nothing short of hot and hilarious).
Speaking of hot, HOLY SMOKES. I mean, the love scenes were nothing less than 5-alarm hotness, but also laced with sincere emotion, not just base need.
I had a few "OH MY GOSH!!!!" moments, especially with one of the minor characters in the book. Sarah is so good that I could feel the character's fear, and I was about to throw my Kindle at the injustice of what was about to happen to him. No spoilers :)
I am THRILLED that this is part of a series (a standalone, for sure), because I met some characters who I can't wait to read more about!
I LOVED this book!!!!
(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)
Wow. Wow! This book was fantastic! My husband is a Sopranos junkie; I could never get into it, but if they had guys like Nico on that show, I might become its biggest fan!
Mia was a heroine unlike any I have read. She is the antithesis of the typical "romance novel heroine" or "damsel in distress" with her grunge/Goth style and "go F yourself" attitude. I, personally, didn't find her obnoxious, just severely independent.
Enter Nico.
He also has his personality quirks; very Type A and alpha, yet hiding a side of him that no one knows about. I loved reading about the connection he and Mia have, both from their history together and at their reunion (which was nothing short of hot and hilarious).
Speaking of hot, HOLY SMOKES. I mean, the love scenes were nothing less than 5-alarm hotness, but also laced with sincere emotion, not just base need.
I had a few "OH MY GOSH!!!!" moments, especially with one of the minor characters in the book. Sarah is so good that I could feel the character's fear, and I was about to throw my Kindle at the injustice of what was about to happen to him. No spoilers :)
I am THRILLED that this is part of a series (a standalone, for sure), because I met some characters who I can't wait to read more about!
I LOVED this book!!!!
(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)
Win a print copy of Nico (open Internationally, 3 winners)
or a
$50 Amazon gift card!
His name is Luca. He is in his second book. Anyway, that's what I like about Vegas, wall-to-wall passion and vengeance.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really good read. Im really looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteI really love that cover!
ReplyDeleteThe cover is fantastic!
ReplyDeletethanks for the review and a chance to win
ReplyDeletewow what a hot excerpt you got there😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteThat is one heck of a tatoo on the guy on the book cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this amazing giveaway.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteI love the storyline of strong, determined, kick-ass detective who is a woman. To me its intriguing and compeeling to see what will happen in the book :)
ReplyDeleteWhy haven't I read anything from you before? That excerpt was "Hot"!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including Luca. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.
ReplyDelete