When the Wildbloods presented their daughters to me on the night of the Tithing, they knew what was to come for the chosen girl. The crescent moon that marked Willow made her mine. I had no choice but to take her. Destiny determined our fates long before we were born, laying our roles out for us. A sacrifice would be made. A tithe paid. Only then would our families be free, at least until the next payment came due.

She calls it a devil’s bargain. I call it a deal she can’t refuse. I was owed a debt and I expected payment. That payment? One night in my bed. My rules. The debt cleared, and she could walk away. There are worse things. And besides, debtors can’t be choosers. The night started as it should. She obeyed as she should. But then something happened. Something I was unprepared for. And what I saw changed everything. I broke my own rules after that.

It all started with a contract signed by him, then by me, while our families watched. While my father sat silent, a man defeated, giving his daughter to the Benedetti monsters. I obeyed. I played my part. I signed my name and gave away my life. I became their living, breathing trophy, a constant symbol of their power over us. That was five years ago. Then came the time for him to claim me. For Salvatore Benedetti to own me. I had vowed vengeance. I had learned hate. And yet, nothing could have prepared me for the man who now ruled my life.

Charming, captivating, seductive—and a cold-blooded killer. I married the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva anyway. I had to, it was part of the deal. Now, I’m faking marital bliss as I tremble with fear, and I cannot wait to be out of the clutches of this ruthless man.

He says he owns me. And it's true. I've signed over complete control of my body and life for six months to a man I don't know. Five years he's been planning this. They say revenge is a dish best served cold. But my blackmailer serves it up white hot. He's addicted to my innocence, and I'm addicted to him. He likes to hurt me. I love to let him. He brings me to life. He sets me free. He makes my heart feel things it shouldn't. But he also scares me.

I hate Dante Moretti. He is cold, calculating, and vicious. It’s no secret that he wiped out his former fiancée and her entire family on the eve of their wedding. He’s the kind of evil that makes even devils cry. But that’s not why I hate him.

I live in a world where secrecy reigns. A Society rooted in power, wealth, and long-held dynasties. Where men are Kings, and women are pawns. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of escaping the shackles of my expectations.

Of all the hospitals in New York City, he walks into mine. I know from the moment I see him that Alex Volkov is dangerous. He’s the kind of trouble from which every woman should run. The bullet his bodyguard took for him proves that. My attraction to him is not rational, not logical...but it’s too strong to resist. I tell myself it will be just one night. One night to step away from the stress of work, to give into temptation. But before I know it, he’s pulling me deeper into his world of excess and violence, invading not only my life but my heart.

Our first meeting was at a nightclub, and it was something straight out of my most romantic fantasies. My ovaries exploded at the sight of the Russian God. And by God, I mean he was ripped, tall, dark, and deadly attractive. There were enough sparks between us to light up a city. Then an explosion blasted through the nightclub, and we got trapped together for three hours, sharing our most personal details...everything but our names. Two years later, our second meeting is the complete opposite of the first. It's clear Misha Petrov, a Russian enforcer for the bratva, despises me.

All I knew about life was anger and violence. Pain and suffering. Kill or be killed. I was a “fixer” for the Ruin - a syndicate for the Bratva, Cosa Nostra, Cartel, and any other organized crime faction that dealt in the darker, crueler aspects of humanity. I was a free agent who was called upon to do things weaker men didn’t have the stomach for. And when you surround yourself with death for long enough, soon you don’t remember what it felt like to be alive. And then I saw her. 

There’s a thin line between hate and tolerance, and it seems to sit squarely between us. Lola Bell could easily bring an army of men to their knees, as long as she never opened her mouth. She’s soft in too many ways. A people-pleaser who goes the extra mile. Some might call her an easy target. In short, she has all of the qualities that I despise. But when it comes to me, she doesn’t hesitate to fling her poison arrows my way. She has every right to her feelings. Over the years, I’ve given her plenty of ammo. Yeah, I hate Lola. But it doesn’t stop me from wanting her too. When she makes me a proposition I can’t refuse, there’s just one problem.

An Irish mobster. A missing friend. Two loyalties, ripping me apart. I had a plan. Get in, get my information, and get out. Easy, right? Turns out, infiltrating the Irish mafia isn't exactly what I thought it would be. I just wanted a soldier. Someone I could flirt with to get me in the door. That's when Lachlan Crow noticed me. Problem was, he wasn't a soldier. No, he was next in line for the throne of the Irish underworld. And he was determined to hate me from the outset.

When Cristiano Grigori came for me, he didn’t come alone. He brought his army to kill the soldiers at my door and took me for himself. He put his ring on my finger and marked me as mafia property. His property. Cristiano is my enemy. He’s also the only man with whom I’ve ever felt safe. Protected. But I have to remember that he married me with one purpose in mind—revenge. I would be the bridge to his real enemies. I can’t let myself forget that he isn’t the hero of this story. His hands are covered in blood. I saw that with my own eyes. 

Konstantin wasn’t the type to be ignored. He commanded his criminal empire with an iron fist but he had secrets of his own. But I was Tatiana Nikolaev. I’d never bend to a man’s will or be used as a pawn. Not again. The moment I tempted the fates and played with fire, life spiraled out of control. My only way of survival was to trust again. But could I?

This set contains Mine and His, the complete Ties That Bind Duet!