Scandalous Pledge #3 (Paperback)

The Cells of Kalashov

The Collector #1

She isn’t mine, but that won’t stop me from keeping her.

My job is never easy. They fight, claw, and plead for me to let them go. But I never do. I’m the collector for Victor, a ruthless Russian mob boss. I collect every time. I never fail. Until Mila.

Mila

I knew this day would come.

Victor threatened to send his collector. He warned me I would return one way or another. That time is now. I go willingly. I don’t fight or scream. I know it’s pointless. But The Collector breaks the rules. He doesn’t take me to Victor. He keeps me for himself. Only, he has no idea what he’s set in motion. He has no idea who I am.

Now his fate is sealed along with mine.

The Handler #2

I'm The Handler for the Bratva Mafia—I TIE UP LOOSE ENDS

Lucca

When a ship transporting seven highly valued assets is attacked and six of them stolen, leaving behind a dead security team and one witness, I'm brought in to handle the situation.

But this isn’t my usual clean-up job.

I'm an assassin, not a detective.

I'm handed a black-haired beauty who spits lies. I need to uncover the truth she is hiding in order to find the other assets.

There's only one problem—HER.

Everything about her calls for me to take her, but she is pure—untouchable.

A highly valued asset to the mafia.

One taste of her could cost me my life.

Evie

I was ten when I was stolen

Snatched by the sea

Taken to a world where virgins are put on pedestals—untouchable

Until they are sold

When six of the girls are taken and our private security team slaughtered, The Handler is called in to find them.

He's dark and dangerous.

Not a man I should trust.

But I have to trust that he can find them, and I'm willing to do anything it takes to get them back.

Once he finds them, I will make sure he sets them free, even if it costs me everything.

The Sixth #3

TOMAS

I storm into Lenny’s club ready to destroy him if he doesn’t pay up.

He offers me a down payment that I can’t refuse.

A distraction I can’t afford.

A responsibility I can’t ignore.

Katina, my best friend’s little sister, was Lenny’s little pet.

Now she’s mine.

But, I can’t keep her.

I can’t touch her.

Maybe just one taste.

But, one taste is all it takes and I’m addicted.

She’s off limits, but staying away from her is impossible.

KATINA

To him I will always be his best friend's little sister.

Untouchable.

Forbidden.

And now that he’s cost me my job, I’m a debt.

A wrong he has to make right.

But, I see the dark desire burning in his eyes.

I feel it merge with mine.

I know he’s fighting his desire for me.

I’m done fighting mine.

There’s no way I could fall for a guy like him.

I know Tomas.

He’s deadly.

And dangerous for my soul.

The Obsessed Duet:

A Deadly Obsession #1

A Cruel Confession #2

He’s brutal, cold and dangerous. She’s a naïve virgin who doesn’t know how to follow his rules.

Ella

I’ve been groomed my whole life to become his wife.
He’s brutal, cold and dangerous.
The rules are set in his home. Rules we must obey.
Each time I break them, I draw his attention.

He sends fear pulsing through my body, but also a desire that I don’t understand.

I decide I no longer want to become his wife.

He decides that I will become his obsession instead.

It’s a deadly obsession, one I fear I won’t survive.

Lucas

She’s a naïve virgin who doesn’t know how to follow the rules.

I want to hurt her and claim her.
She becomes my every thought and I know that’s dangerous.

I can’t lose focus on what’s important. I have an empire to rule.

But each time she crosses me, I want to punish her.

I want her in my bed; I want her to be mine.
But claiming her comes with a price that just might cost me my throne.

Broken People Duet

Deceive Me #1

Save Me #2

Jared

They say love and hate dance together along the same line. My feelings for Layla don’t dance on the line; they destroy it. It’s been seven years since she disappeared without a trace. And now she’s back, but things have changed—I’ve changed. I’m no longer the Jared she remembers, the boy who wanted to protect her. I’m very much my father’s son, and I take what I want, and what I want is Layla. But this time, I’m keeping her forever.

Layla

Seven years—that’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen him. After painstakingly putting myself back together, I’m finally ready to start a life without his memory chasing my every step. Imagine my surprise when my new beginning leads me straight back to him. Only he’s not the boy I remember.

He’s angry.

Damaged.

Hiding secrets that want to destroy him. He hates me. He wants me. I’m not sure I’ll survive the man he has become. His demons threaten to destroy us both.

Wild Irish Series

Vicious #1

Killing for me is easy. Loving is an entirely different thing.

Una is the only person I ever gave a damn about, but she's off limits. I’m grateful she only spends the summer with us. I can't risk her getting involved in my life of crime. But now she’s here, all grown up, and this time, I don’t think I can stay away from her.

When Una starts partying with Darragh, who’s as wild and unpredictable as they come, I can't afford keeping my distance any longer. Bodies seem to stack up wherever he goes. Cleaning up his messes used to be annoying. Now I have Una to consider, Una to protect.

My family is belly deep in the criminal underworld, and she's a distraction I can't afford. The closer she gets to me, the more I'm spiraling out of control.

I can't let her see who I really am, but I can't seem to let her go.

Reckless #2

She owns the land that I need… to hide bodies.

Siobhan.

A city girl with no ties to the land. It was supposed to be an easy buy. No complications. And definitely no conflicts.

But her soft eyes have me hooked. Having her is all can I think about.

But she isn’t the reason why I’m here. The task at hand is crucial. There can be no room for mistakes.

Family comes first. It’s what the O’Reagans have always lived by. Returning home without this land isn’t an option.

Is losing my family worth gambling with my heart?

Ruthless #3

She was only supposed to be a job, but now I can't seem to walk away.

Connor

Fighting is all I’ve ever done. I’ve fought for my father, my brothers. I’ve fought for money or just for the thrill of it but now I have a new reason to fight. I must fight to keep Ava safe only this time it’s not with my fists.

Ava

I’m broke, working a dead end job while hiding from my abusive ex. So yeah life isn’t great right now, that is until Connor. He arrives at the bar I’m working at, strikes up a conversation and I’m hooked.

I’m hooked because he’s awkward and there’s darkness in him that I’m drawn to. Yet it’s also the reason that I know I should stay away.

Fearless #4

He's rich, egotistical and a womanizer. She's angry dark and sarcastic. What could possibly go wrong?

Darragh

My official punishment for messing up is working in one of my brother’s hotels. The unofficial one? I’m stuck with Ciara. Angry, dark and sarcastic, she fills in my days.

Sick of being penniless, robbing a bank seems a no-brainer. That was until I got caught and I’m the scapegoat once again. Normally, choosing between my life and my friends would have been easy. Simple maths. That was until Ciara. She’s making me regret a lot of my past and question most of my decisions.

The closer we grow she’s all I can think about. She swears she will never sleep with me, but I love a challenge. I will have her no matter what the cost.

Ciara

The streets of Dublin were all I’ve ever known. When Liam O’Reagan offers me a job, working in one of his hotels, things start to look up for me. That is until Darragh O’Reagan is dropped into my life and we have to work together. He’s everything I can’t stand: rich, egotistical and a womanizer. The closer we get the more of him I see, and I soon realize he’s worth saving. But at what cost?

With the O’Reagan’s the price tag always seems too high.

Buy Fearless for a fast-paced, suspenseful read today!

Heartless #5

She’s a Virgin and my prisoner. There is only one rule – I’m not allowed to touch her…

Svetlana

I’m his prisoner. Placed in a golden cage. Being this close to Liam allows me to see the man behind the suit, he’s scary as hell but I want him.
I want him to have all of me. I want him to see me, and I hope that he keeps me. I can’t go back, I won’t survive.

Liam

I don’t let people in. I need to keep them out. But then she becomes my prisoner and before long she’s in my bed opening me up slowly and turning my world upside down.

I can’t keep her, she has to go back. But I’m not sure letting her go is possible anymore, even if that means causing a war.

A war that will mark my family for all time.

Buy Merciless for a fast-paced, suspenseful read today!

TAKEN FROM THE COLLECTOR

Strobe lights bounce off every space, and the flow of the dancers is broken from one motion to another. Bodies pulse and sweat out their sin. The playground of sin: Gail’s. The club has built up a reputation for just that.

I move two kissing women aside, their faces blissfully staring up at me as I move past them. All around me reminds me why I love Gail’s. I come here when I need to forget who I am and what I do. But tonight, I’m not here for pleasure. I’m working.

Pavel is my next target, the one I must collect and deliver to the can. I always get twenty-four hours from the moment I receive the message to have them placed in the can to be collected by someone else. I never wait around; it’s not my job to know what happens after I deliver them.

A woman who appears possessed jerks and falls to the ground. The crowd moves back but continues their dance around her. I glance around until I find who I seek. Dimitri. I nod and he moves away from the wall and clears a path toward me.

“A woman has collapsed.” I jut my chin behind me.

“Thank you, Nicholai.” Dimitri vanishes into the crowd. His body is clad in black leather, covering up all the tats that I know are painted onto his body.

He once worked within the Bratva, but somehow he found a way out. I have no idea how many lives it cost for him to leave, but I’m sure he gave up someone he shouldn’t have in order to get out. Working with him is frowned upon, but he moves close to the circles I moves in, so making an enemy of a man like Dimitri isn’t wise.

I break through the crowd and climb the five steps that are cushioned with red carpet. The chain that stops the clubbers from crossing is removed for me before I even have to pause in my stride.

“Pavel?” I ask.

“Third room on your left.”

I nod as the chain is placed back onto the hook. I take in a lungful of cleaner air. It’s tinged with a different kind of sin, but one I’m accustomed to. The heavy hitters take up most of this part of the club. I reach the third door and pause. I take out my gun and make sure it’s loaded before stuffing the piece back into the band of my trousers. I glance left and right, then knock three times. The door opens slightly.

A bellboy is ready to dismiss me, but his eyes slowly widen. I place my finger over my lips before beckoning him forward with two fingers. He hesitates and I tilt my head, then he wisely steps out of the room and races past me.

“Who’s at the door?” Pavel asks.

I step into the darkened room and gently close the door behind me. It takes my eyes a moment to adjust to the lighting in the room. Pavel is seated with his back to me. A girl dances in a glass box. She’s naked, her head thrown back as she runs her hand down her body and in between her legs.

I look away from the blonde beauty and walk to Pavel.

“I asked who’s there!” His irritation has him ready to turn.

I grip his chair, freezing it in place. “Enjoy the show a few more minutes, Pavel.”

He tries to turn, but I grip his shoulders, forcing him to stay put.

“The Collector.”

I’m not sure if my title is said with fear or a plea, maybe both, but either way, I hold Pavel still and watch the blonde touch herself. Her other hand runs up to her large breasts, where she grips her nipples and squeezes.

“I can pay.” Pavel’s lame attempt at trying to bargain has me dragging his fat ass out of the chair.

“Time to go.” I push him toward the door.

He stumbles before spinning around. His face grows gray as he runs a fat hand through his thinning dyed-black hair. “I can pay.”

I crack my tattooed knuckles. “You know who I am?”

He nods. “The Collector.”

I’m easy to identify, and I like that. It gives the person around thirty seconds to come to terms with the knowledge that I’m here to collect, and I always collect. My hair is tied up, both sides shaved. A black cross is tattooed into the side of my head—it’s one of my markings, my identifier for who I am. Pavel’s gaze tightens.

“Have you ever heard of anyone not being collected?” I ask while taking a step toward him.

He shakes his head.

“Let’s go.”

He turns toward the door and opens it, knowing his fate is sealed. The chain is removed for us as I keep my gun pressed into Pavel’s back. I didn’t want him to get brave and try something stupid. He weaves through the crowd, and I nod at Dimitri as I leave.

The moment we’re outside, Pavel starts to plead again. “Name your price.”

I remove the gun from his back and tuck it into the band of my trousers. Pavel glances at me over his shoulder with hope in his eyes, like I might have changed my mind. I reach out and grip the back of his neck, directing him to my car that’s parked down the next alleyway.

“Please, I can give you anything you desire.”

“I don’t desire anything,” I answer him, as I keep a check around us, making sure no one is watching at this hour of the night. The streets are devoid of much life. In the next thirty minutes, they will bustle with the clubbers, as the doors to Gail’s will close.

My car bleeps, the orange lights flashing in the dark alleyway. I wave my hand close to the trunk and it opens. Pavel tries to talk, but I push him in and slam the trunk down on him. His thumps start, but the moment I get in and the engine purrs to life, the music drowns out the beating of his fists.

I drive through the city and out into a more barren landscape. Out here in the wilderness is an outhouse, or what we call the can. It’s where I leave each person I collect, and from there, at some point, they are picked up by someone and brought to Victor. I have no idea what happens to the people. All I know is that each time I deliver someone new, the can is empty, its previous occupant gone.

Each person I collect has done a wrong that has gotten the attention of Victor. So, that’s never good. I turn off onto a dirt road. I’m aware of the dust that dances and no doubt sticks to the sides of my black Audi I just had cleaned.

The sun breaks across the sky, painting it in oranges and reds. I pull the car over and get out. Pavel isn’t banging anymore. I pop the trunk and he blinks a few times.

“Get out.”

He climbs out. “Who sent you?”

I slam the trunk and jut my chin out toward the small building. “Walk.”

Pavel does.

“Victor sent me.” I’ve never met Victor, but he’s my boss and you don’t disappoint him.

“Why?” He tries to glance at me over his shoulder, and I push him on. “I don’t know. All I know is who I have to collect.”

I open the lock on the door and stand back for Pavel to enter. He leans in but doesn’t enter the concrete box. I push him in and he spins. “Please, I will give you anything.”

I close the door and lock it. His fists collide with the steel door. Every person I place in the can does the same, like it might make me turn around and set them free. I climb into the car, and the engine roars to life. If I let them go, my life would be taken instead. I slap on a pair of sunglasses and drive back to the city.

***

The large black structure catches the rays of the sun, making all the angles of my home sharper. The gates open and I drive slowly up the winding driveway until I pull into the garage. My phone dings in the dock, and I remove the device before getting out of the car. Entering the house through the kitchen, I turn on the coffee pot and pull my tie off from around my neck.

I open the message, which was sent from an unknown number.

Mila Ivanov. Detain within the next twenty-four hours and keep her until further notice.

I reread the message twice. This is new. I’ve never kept someone I had collected before. An uneasy feeling skitters up my spine, but I’ll do my job. I always do.