Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno

BOOK ONE OF THE MAFIA MEN SERIES

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And the sweetest little angel couldn't keep her eyes off the devil.

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The strong, powerful, and ruthless Nikolai Costello ruled over the kingdom of the dark world he was born into, what he wasn’t supposed to do is to fall in love with someone so different from his world while he was betrothed to someone else. He was never supposed to fall in love with someone as sweet and innocent as Evangeline Bolton.

Evangeline Bolton has spent her entire life in a single room locked away from the world. Her world was filled with books and movies as it was her window to the outside world. From a very young age, she was told that the world out there was filled with big bad wolves who were ready to tear her apart if she walked out.

But what happens when one day, Evangeline's parents get brutally murdered leaving her alone at the mercy of Nikolai “The Devil” Costello, the most feared man in the entire country?

•Evangeline•

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My window faced the vast gardens of our estate. The view that was hidden away from the world. No one really comes to this side of the garden except for the gardener. He comes twice a week, works for hours and hours on end and then he leaves before sunset. I'm not allowed to see him when he comes to tend to the garden, I'm supposed to close my curtain and sit in the dark until he leaves.

He can not see me or there are going to be consequences.

I sat silently and just watched the calming scenery before me, the soft night light, the chirping of the crickets, and the sky illuminated with a million stars.

I took a deep breath as I yearned to run through these gardens with my hair flowing freely in the wind. I wanted to roam these gardens anytime I wanted without the fear of not being seen, I wanted to play in the dirt, and dance around in rain.

But I couldn't.

My whole life, my whole existence I have been in this room, locked away, safe and secure.

The outside world is not for someone as innocent as you, Evangeline - those are my father's words.

It's what I was brought up to believe in. He told me the things that happen in our world, all the bad things. How people die, how people suffer, how the whole world is out to hurt me.

The world is a dangerous place and you are easy prey, Evangeline. You are innocent and naive and you lack physical strength. This world will chew you alive - this is what I hear in return if I ever asked to go out.

I want to believe it. I used to believe all of it but now I don't know if I do. Not everyone can be bad, right? There are good people too. I wanted to believe my parent's