Carnal Addiction

By Sapphire Knight

It was supposed to be a weekend of fun. Go to Las Vegas, they'd all said. Pushed me to finally take that vacation I'd been needing for the past five years.
Losing my husband had wrecked me. Love no longer existed, and I wanted nothing to do with it.
One weekend in Vegas changed everything. I accidentally met the m0b, and they weren't letting me come home.
But, did I really want to?
Hot, powerful Russian, or depression and too much work...
The choice was easy, but I'd fight every step of the way.

Power comes at a cost, and these men have sacrificed their souls. They know violence, death, and how to walk in the gray, but that doesn't mean they are without weakness. The women they love are their light and they would scorch the Earth to protect them. Meet the men who rule their empires of crime and the women who stand by them while darkness reigns.

 

Complete standalone mafia romance

 

Tropes include: reverse age-gap, obsessive & possessive hero, single father, forced proximity, Bravta loan shark, holidays, captive, he falls first, mental health rep, widow - 2nd chance at finding love, touch her & bye, and many more!

 

Praise for Carnal Addiction:

Starting this new year off with one of my favorite tropes! Insta love! Sapphire Knight doesn't disappoint. An instant connection between characters. Just what I needed. Fast paced love story? Please and thank you! - 5 stars

 

This book was so easy to get into, it had amazing characters including a OTT possessive mafia H who swept the h off her feet. I found myself chuckling and laughing out loud on and off through most of this book. I loved it. I will definitely be reading more from this author. - 5 stars

 

Carnal Addiction was amazing. I could not read it fast enough. It's so well written. The story sucks you right in. - 5 stars

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sapphire Knight
• Release date: Dec 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215703465

Sapphire Knight

Sapphire Knight is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and International Bestselling Author of Secrets, Exposed, Relinquish, Corrupted, Forsaken Control, Unwanted Sacrifices, Friction, Unexpected Forfeit, Russian Roulette, Princess, Freight Train(1st Time Love), Gangster, Undercover Intentions, Daydream, Princess, Chevelle, 3 Times the Heat, Baby, The Vendetti Empire, The Vendetti Queen, Cherry, Little White Lies, Ugly Dark Truth, Harvard Academy Elite, Bliss, Heathen, Bash, Opposites Attract, The Vendetti Seven, The Vendetti Coward, Mad Max, Hunter, and Hollywood. The series are called Russkaya Mafiya, Oath Keepers MC, Ground and Pound, Dirty Down South, Harvard Academy, Kings of Carnage MC VP, and Royal Bastards MC Texas. Sapphire's a Texas girl who's crazy about football. She's always had a passion for writing. She originally studied psychology and feels that it's added to her drive in writing. Her books all reflect on what she loves to read herself. When she's not busy in her writing cave, she's playing with her three Doberman Pinschers. She loves to donate to help animals and watch a good action movie. www.authorsapphireknight.com and also find her on Bookbub!

Book preview

Chapter 1

Callie

A h, I don’t know if I can do this, I mutter into the phone, already freaking out about my impending trip.

Of course you can! Finish packing your stuff and get ready to enjoy yourself, Chantal responds, unfazed by my questioning things. I always do it, so everyone who knows me is used to it by now.

But flying? I fucking hate flying. I’ve been writing a romantic suspense novel recently so my f-bombs have been flying around a lot more frequently.

It’s been five years, Callie.

Five depressing, miserable years that I’ve hated. My husband died. It’s not like I’ve been rolling around in my misery for no reason. I lost the love of my life. He died and left me behind to live life without him. I barely wanted to breathe most days, let alone be a functioning adult in society.

That’s not what I meant. I was saying since you went on a vacation, Chantal states the obvious.

It’s been five years since he was alive. Since we were together.

Chantal knows this, everyone does, but I have to say it aloud so it’s real and I don’t trap myself in my fantasy world that he’ll come walking through the front door someday. It’ll never happen, yet I stay living in the same place, afraid to change anything in case.

In case of what? He’s never coming back, goddammit.

I know, honey. I’m so sorry you have lost the love of your life. It’s not fair at all, but after so long, you deserve to relax and enjoy yourself. He would want it. Hell, all your friends want you to go and have some fun. It’s long overdue.

I feel guilty. He should be here. I don’t want to enjoy life without him.

Think of what he’d want. It would break his heart to see how you’ve suffered over the past five years. You’ve grieved him, Callie.  Now it’s time to live, especially since he can’t.

With a sniffle, I nod, even though she can’t see me. You’re right. I need to do this, get out of my head, and unplug. Cure this blasted writer’s block, which has been plaguing me lately.

Exactly. Toss back a drink at the airport to help with your nerves and take lots of pictures. 

You’ll still be there when I land, right? No fucking way am I traveling to Las Vegas, or anywhere for that matter, by myself.

Hell, yes. I’m not missing Vegas and my best friend for anything. I have to leave the night before you, though. My boss is being an asshole, Chantal declares.

A bossy hot asshole who you enjoy fucking all the time?

Yep. He’s hot and cocky… you know I have a soft spot for dicks.

A laugh bubbles up as I agree. Your kryptonite. Just don’t ever fall for one, remember?

You know I won’t. Sex only! Okay, I gotta go, but I’ll see you in Vegas.

Love ya, and thanks for talking me off the ledge.

It’s what I’m here for. Anytime, I mean it. Love you too. Then she hangs up, and I instantly text her the flip-off emoji. It’s been our thing since college when she accidentally hung up on me, and I got pissed. Later I discovered she hung up because she puked, and then I felt terrible for being a bitch to her. Now, she does that shit on purpose as her forever payback. She’s my best friend, so she gets a pass. 

Packing isn’t my favorite thing, but flying is even worse. With that in mind, I double-check my meds, making sure I have enough anxiety pills to last me for the flight there and back. I didn’t used to be this special brand of nutcase, but life and getting older have made me a bit warier when it comes to things like heights.

With my luck, they’ll stick my ass in a room full of windows on like the twentieth floor or something. It’ll be daily panic attacks whenever I get remotely close to a window or even think of plunging to my death from falling. With that thought, I pop half a tablet. I can have three a day, so I’ll be good to take another during my nearly nonexistent layover when I’m running through the airport to catch my next horrendous flight.

Shaking my head to myself, I breathe deeply, needing to focus. There’s so much to do, it has me feeling overwhelmed, but I’ll be okay. I know I will get through this.

I lay on my bed and attempt to collect my scrambled thoughts while waiting for my magic pill to kick in and perform a small miracle. Eventually, I exhale the negativity out of my body, allowing it to release its toxic hold over my mind.

I’ve gone through my belongings five times already, and I have everything I need or could need over the next few days. I’m going on vacation. I’m supposed to be excited, dammit.

My phone beeps with a text. It’s the driver—he’s here.

I’d scheduled a ride to the airport on an app before my phone call. I think asking to be picked up sort of solidified everything for me and had me spazing out like a fruitcake with too much cranberry added.

With an anxious huff, I grab my things and hightail it out of the house before I have a chance to change my mind and chicken out.

Thank fuck I make it to the hotel in one piece, without flipping out on anyone in the process. So I may have munched on Gardetto’s snacks the entire flight here, but it could’ve been worse. My seat buddies were prone to my crunching the entire trip, but it’s better than losing my shit and demanding they land the plane in the middle of nowhere. I’m sure the flight crew wouldn’t have been too amused, so I’ll take it as a win. I’m definitely buying another bag for the trip back. I think the food and my Christmas carols are the only things that got me through the traumatizing event.

Your keycard. The desk clerk draws me out of my thoughts as the remaining salty flavor from the Gardetto’s still fills my mouth.

Thank you. Were you able to get me on a low floor?

Yes, it’s not high. You have complimentary water bottles and snacks in your room suite waiting for you. The WiFi code is on your keycard jacket, and if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ring guest services.

By the end of his spiel, I’m nodding but not paying much attention. He’s kind of cute, but so are all the other men I’ve seen so far in this hotel. I wonder if there’s some sort of gym tournament or something to draw them all to one place?

Making my way to the elevator, I happen to glance at the room number.

1127.

The fucking eleventh floor.

That little weasel!

Rolling my suitcase along with me, I tuck into the side of the elevator next to the button panel while my hands fidget nervously. I’m alone in here, but with every tick of a higher number reflecting back at me, I’m one step closer to stopping the damn cart and heading back to the lobby.

My stomach twists, and it’s the last straw, as my finger hovers over the stop button.

I can do this.

I can make it to my room.

A weird whirring sound begins, and my stomach suddenly feels like it’s floating in my throat. My chest grows tight, my breaths shallower, and as I make the final decision to say fuck this shit and press the blaring red button to halt this impending ride of death, the elevator dings, coming to a pause without me doing anything.

With a heavy exhale, I blink slowly, collecting myself, and silently yell at my nerves to chill the fuck out as the doors open. It’s not my floor, only the fifth, so this must be someone new joining me. Great, I’m going to have witnesses to my eventual freak-out, just what I’ve always wanted. I shake my head with a huff, irritation curling along my spine.

Large men in suits pour in around me, one placing a firm grip on my arm to shift me over to the wall. I’m on the verge of ripping him a new asshole when the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen steps inside. He flashes a powerful glare at the man holding me, his nostrils flaring and the hand holding me is absent in a blink. The devastatingly handsome man shifts over to take the other two men’s spots, leaving me breathless in an entirely different way. He’s big, but not like an oversized ape. I’d say six foot or so, and the suit molds to him as if it’s a part of his flesh. One look at him, and I know he’s strong, not overwhelmingly so, but to the point I’d place my bets on him. Says a lot since I’m generally not the gambling type.

Dark sparkling sapphire orbs meet mine. His strong jawline and sharp nose mixed with light brown hair bearing a sprinkle of natural blond highlights throughout have me no longer thinking about anything else but the man beside me. In fact, I wouldn’t consider it thinking at all, more like babbled mush flowing through my brain as I take in every aspect of perfection making up this dominating male presence. The crazy thing is he seems to be just as stricken by me as I am him. He stares unabashedly, taking in every inch, and I can’t help but wonder if I do not measure up in his eyes or if I am totally attractive. Hard to believe, after coming off a hellacious flight, full of anxiety pills, and being an overall generally frazzled mess from my depressing home life, that he’d find anything about me enrapturing.

The elevator shifts and he moves with it, his hand landing on my hip, his nose close enough to my hair I swear to God he sniffs me. Not in a weird stalkerish-creep way, but more of a sexy holy-fuck-he-touched-me-and-I-want-more sort of way. Hs touch is addicting, and I know absolutely nothing of him.

What the fuck is wrong with me? I am acting like a hormonal teen readying herself for her first kiss. I’m allowing his hand to grip my hip as if he has some sort of claim to it, but he’s a complete stranger.

Clearing my throat, I mentally chastise myself for being so blasé about a random man touching me after I was about to chew out the other guy who practically assaulted me to shift me out of their way.

Your name? is demanded next to my ear with a gruff rasp. His lips are close enough I feel the breath leave him with his words, and so fucking help me, I shiver. Not of disgust, the complete opposite. My panties flood, wetness seeping out of me like I’m some whore readying herself for a fun night. When in the fuck did a man soak my underwear so easily? My husband? Even he didn’t have this immediate effect on me when we met, and that in itself is alarming.

Callie, I reply, my voice much more confident than the rest of me in the moment. I don’t know how I manage to come out sounding like I do, but I’ll take it and call it a win.

Callie, he repeats. His voice is different, as there’s a distinct lilt to it. Russian, maybe?

The elevator dings, and the men pour out.

All except him.

No, he remains in the exact same spot. This time he purposely leans in and runs the tip of his nose behind my ear. With a deep inhale, he murmurs, "Divine, Dobycha."

Dobycha? Definitely foreign, and as the men waiting begin to speak amongst themselves, I work out it is Russian. I have no idea what it means, but I’m one hundred percent googling that shit. With a squeeze to my hip that makes me swiftly draw in a breath, he steps out of the elevator. The men holding the doors open release them, and they all disappear as quickly as they appeared.

Who in the fuck was that?

Chapter 2

Mikhail

F ind out who she is, I demand as soon as the elevator doors slide closed, and she disappears from