Light My Fire (Sex. Rock. Mafia. #1) by Jessica Ruben
Cover by: Okay Creations
NA Contemporary Romance
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46641148-light-my-fire
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2noGWkE
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2nppUD7
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2oYFC8L
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2nfSJlz
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2mrEKIU
From Amazon bestselling author Jessica Ruben comes a hot new Romanceโฆ
He saved me from war.
Fed me when I was in too much pain to eat.
Smuggled me and my family into America when it became too dangerous to stay.
But, Nico didnโt flee with us.
While I began elementary school in the United States, he was building the greatest and toughest Mafia of the century.
The Mafia Shqiptare.
Nico is now King of all underground trades.
Sexy. Aggressive. Brilliant.
After years of nothing but silence, heโs back in my life,
Ready to do whatever it takes to bring me into his universe.
He isnโt leaving until he takes me with him.
EXCERPT:
โItโs your brother,โ he says matter-of-factly. โBut you probably knew that already.โ
My stomach drops. Agron.
โIt seems heโs been stealing from some of my associates.โ His voice is completely devoid of any feeling. โHe was dealing for them and keeping a little bit of product for himself. Sometimes, he used it; other times, he sold it. But after a while, people began to notice. He ran to the Shqipe for help.โ
I want to blink, but I cannot move.
โI gave him the money to pay those debts. And now, Iโm the one he owes. I figured I could use him to do some small-time work, get my money back that way.โ He takes a sip of his wine, completely unfazed. โAnd then I hear, Agron wants a firm spot in my world. Gave one of my men a whole story that the Mafia Shqiptare is where heโs meant to be.
โAs we both know, your brother has always been a loose cannon. Arguably, untrustworthy. I knew him when he was a kid, but Iโm a firm believer that people donโt change.โ He stops speaking, continuing to dig into his food.
Meanwhile, Iโm worried mine is going to come back up. Hearing this about my brother isnโt a surprise, but itโs painful nonetheless.
I take another sip of my wine, hoping it will calm me or at least give the illusion Iโm relaxed. Unfortunately, my hand trembles, and the glass shakes, giving me away. Nico notices, of course.
He clears his throat, putting his fork down. โThere is something I need from you. And if you give me what I want, Iโll protect your brother from the other gangs by giving him a spot in the Shqipe. You do not have to agree to the arrangement. But if you do, there is no end to it until I decide itโs over.โ He settles into a forward-lean position, big arms resting on the glass table and shirtsleeves pulled up to the center of his strong, corded forearms. Everything about him, from his body language to his words, spells dominance.
I open and then shut my mouth.
Nico looks me up and down, his gaze stormy and hot.
Is Nico going to ask me for sex? It wouldnโt be unheard of in these crazy circles. But I have a limit, and whoring myself out for the sake of my brother is a no-go. No. Impossible. Never.
โWhat I need is simple,โ he continues casually, the look in his eyes extinguished. โThere is a new family Iโm aiming to do business with. Theyโre the type who like to work with men who are โฆ settled down. I know how loyal you are to your word. We share a language and customs. You will act as my wife when I request it.โ
โI have school.โ I lick my lips. I canโt let go of my future. Not for Agron and not for anyone. I wonโt!
โYou can go back for your studiesโโhe nodsโโfinish your degree. But when I call, you must come.โ
โThis arrangement,โ I start, pointing between himself and me, โitโs just for public purposes, r-right? Nothing private youโre expecting or illegal?โ I canโt help my stutter. I want to stay strong in the face of all of this, but itโs getting difficult.
Nico looks over my shoulder, and I turn my head, finding no one behind me. When I refocus on him, heโs fuming. He knows what Iโm insinuating.
He grits his teeth. โYou arenโt my whore, Elira. And Iโm not going to ask you to do my dirty work either.โ His eyes are hard.
Is he offended?
โTake my proposal at face value.โ He finishes his drink. His huge hand places the delicate crystal glass on the table. โThere is no hidden agenda. You pretend to be my wife, come when I call you, and act as I expect, and in return, I will bring your brother into my fold, making sure that no outsider kills him. If you walk away, heโs on his own.โ
โHe wants to work for you. He will do a good job for you.โ I swallow hard.
He cocks his head to the side, like heโs calling bullshit. โAgronโs best asset is that he is related to you.โ
I shift, but the weight of my body feels like itโs doubled. โAnd if heโs within the Shqipe, the other groups wonโt be able to touch him?โ
โThatโs right.โ
Quiet descends upon our discussion, but my mind shrieks. The skeptical part of me is on questioning overdrive. โWhat kind of events would be required of me?โ
He takes another bite of food. โWeโd travel. Dinners. Things like that.โ
I wait to hear more, things along the lines of dungeons and sex slave, but thankfully, it doesnโt come. โSo, all I have to do is pretend weโre married?โ
He nods. โYes. Exactly.โ
โBut what about when this business thing you need me for is complete? What will happen to Agron then?โ
His lips quirk up. โYouโre very loyal, Elira.โ
โHeโs my brother.โ What else can I say? I want and need Agron to stay safe and alive. This is clearly his best shot.
โWeโll cross that bridge when it comes. I would take this offer then if you are so keen on making sure he stays out of trouble.โ
โYouโll swear to that?โ
โMy oath is my bond.โ
I know heโs telling the truth. For people like us, honor is everything.
I wait for him to elaborate some more, but he doesnโt. Surprisingly, I feel my nose twitch. I was expecting him to mention something, anything, about before. About what we had. But he doesnโt. And Iโm not about to either. I just want to get the hell out of here. I want to go back in time and tell myself not to have that damn cigarette. I wish Iโd flagged Jack down when he was circled by those girls and claimed him for myself. Instead, I made one fucking choice, and now, here I am, in front of Nico, my life on crazy ground.
โItโs late.โ Nico shifts in his chair. โYouโll stay tonight and think. Tomorrow morning, give me your answer. Regardless of what you choose, Iโll have my car bring you back to school.โ He stands up, twisting the fancy gold watch around his wrist. โWhen youโre finished eating, Maria will bring you back to your room.โ
โI want to leave tonight.โ Some of my bravado from before is gone. Beneath the strong girl is plain meโa college kid from Tobeho. Here is the last place I want to stay.
โUntil I have your answer, you arenโt allowed to take one step out of my sight.โ He stands up to his full menacing height, and in this moment, he truly scares me. He doesnโt give a shit about what we hadโthat much is clear.
I force myself upright, refusing to cower.
Seemingly satisfied, he walks away.
โWhat an asshole,โ I curse under my breath.
He snaps, โWhat did you call me?โ His stubborn jaw gives him a stony expression.
My stomach drops to my knees.
โSomething to remember.โ He saunters back to where I sit. โI will not be seen with a woman who doesnโt look polished or well-raised. I know who you are and where you come from. Act like the woman you ought to be or forget the deal.โ And with those final cutting words, heโs gone.
About the Author:
Jessica Ruben lives and works in New York City, where she spends her days dominating in the court room as an attorney. Come nightfall, she writes romances centering on gorgeous alpha males and the intelligent women who love them.
Jessica is an insatiable reader, and will devour a few books a week without batting an eyelash. Books have always been her drug of choice, and she has no plans on detox anytime soon. She has three wildly delicious children and a husband who, for reasons unimaginable to her, loves her brand of crazy.
http://jessicarubenauthor.com
Bookin it Hard 