From the moment I saw her through the window of her flower shop, something other than darkness took root inside me. Charlie shone like a beacon in a world that had long since lost any light. But she was never meant for me, a man that killed without remorse and collected bounties drenched in blood. I thought staying away would keep her safe, would shield her from me. I was wrong. Danger followed in my wake like death at a slaughter house. I protected her from the threats that circled like black buzzards, kept her safe with kill after kill. But everything comes with a price, especially second chances for a man like me. Killing for her was easy. It was living for her that turned out to be the hard part.
Author's Note: This is a full-length romance novel. It's not a super-dark read, no trigger warning. Explicit violence and hot sex included. HEA, no cheating
I rescued Sabrina from a mafia bloodbath when she was thirteen. Doing right by her became a priority for me, even while I was busy as the new head of the Philly syndicate. I sent her to the best boarding schools and kept her as far away from the life as possible. It worked perfectly. Until she turned 18. Until she came home. Until I realized that the timid girl was gone and in her place lived a smart mouth, a wicked imagination, and a body that demanded my attention. Who am I? I’m F*cked. Nice to meet you.
She’ll never be mine. But I can’t stop thinking about her, dreaming about her, picturing what our lives could have been. The mafia got in the way for both of us. Some things though, are destined. No matter how much we change, we’re still the same stupid kids who fell for each other before reality tore us apart. I tell myself she’ll never be mine, but even I can see through the lie. She’s been mine since our first kiss all those years ago. I had to let her go then. And for years I thought she’d turned her back on me. I was wrong. Now I’ve been hired to be her bodyguard until she’s wed to a mafia prince. If I don’t get her to the altar, they’ll kill me. But the moment I see her, I realize if she marries another, I’ll be dead in all the ways that matter. Keeping her for myself will start a war. Then again, bloodshed just happens to be my specialty. Author's Note: This is a standalone in the world of Dark Protector that was previously titled "The Butcher."