The Mafia's Plaything: His To Ruin
richiebanks306 · Ongoing · 80.2k Words
Introduction
The poison burned down my throat—Deadly Nightshade. It was once my favorite. I had used it to end others. Now, he was using it on me.
“Sometimes,” he whispered, “the person you once loved is the one who finally kills you.”
Brinda Virginia’s life has always been a battle—against fate, against her own fire, and against a heart that beats too weakly to match the storm inside her.
Abandoned as a child and raised by the only woman who ever truly loved her, she’s now facing her biggest loss yet. Her stepmother is dying. And the clock is ticking—seventy-two hours. That’s all the time she has to save her.
But then he returns.
Francesco Dante. Her past. Her ruin. A man cloaked in shadows, bearing a twisted bargain—submit to him, body and soul, or lose everything.
To save the only family she has left, Brinda must surrender. But submitting, in a world ruled by power, lust, and betrayal, is never truly submission.
Because this man doesn’t just want to own her—he wants to unmake her, unravel her, and turn her fire to ash.
And the most devastating part?
She might just let him. And love, in this kind of story, always draws blood.
Chapter 1
Brinda's POV
“…That’s it. There’s nothing more I can do.” Dr. McMasters’ voice was calm—too calm—like the words didn’t just tear through the last thread of my sanity.
My vision blurred, not from tears—those had long dried up—but from the sheer weight of his finality.
It felt like he had just sealed my fate.
Have you ever been in a situation where it feels like everything you’ve ever known—everything you’ve ever loved—is slipping away right before your eyes?
Have you ever had a near-death experience so real, so raw, that you looked up and asked the heavens why you were still here?
Have you ever searched for answers or for a way out of the storm in your soul—only to find silence?
That… is life.
That… is fate.
Yours can never be mine, and mine can never be yours—not even if we share the same blood. Not even if we were born on the same day.
No matter how hard we try, fate always takes its course—leading us either to destruction or to salvation.
The truth can be buried in the darkest grave. Flesh can burn in the cruelest of flames. But reality… reality always rises. And when it does, it comes to collect.
“You need to start looking for the money, Brinda. There's nothing much the hospital can do.” He said, his voice dropping drastically. I watched closely enough to see that he couldn't stop the tears that he was trying so hard to control.
“Please… I have no one. Who will I turn to?” I asked him, my voice gentle.
“I can't help you. You've just worked with us for a month. Your salary can't cover it nor can the hospital cover your expenses. You have to find a way to save your mother yourself.”
The room fell dead as he threw his words at me before he staggered into his personal bathroom while I gripped the hem of my scrub.
My knees buckled as the door shut behind him. I stood there, caught in a silence so thick it choked me. My thoughts spiraled—how do you process the kind of news that rips your soul from your body?
I pressed my back against the cold wall, willing myself to breathe. My mother... The one person I had left in this world. And now…
She has just been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. A condition so cruel, it crushes your lungs while you’re still alive. And she needs surgery. Seventy-two hours. That’s all I’ve been given.
A month ago, I started working in Greenfield hospital after my graduation from college. I was hoping to receive my salary then go on some shopping spree with my mother but that was a dream that would never come true.
Earlier today, I ended my shift and bought some food on my way home. Stepping into the living room, I met my mother coughing and holding on tight to her chest at the same time.
I had to rush her to the hospital here only to be told she has COPD.
And whose fault is it?
Mine!
I had not paid much attention to her for the past few days. I have been so preoccupied with work that I barely had time to focus on her though I noticed that she had lost some weight.
With no family, no friends, no accomplice, I picked up my phone and headed to the ward where my mother was laid but when I got to the entrance, I couldn't enter. The tears that had dried up inside me began to flow out and I covered my mouth to stop me from shouting before I stormed out of the hospital.
Everything is coming to an end…
My breath quickened as I ran further from the hospital building. I headed towards the main road at full speed and when I was about to cross the road, a familiar hand pulled me back.
I bit his hand, instructing him to leave me alone and let me do what I had in mind but he wouldn't. He just remained calm as usual while I dug my teeth into his flesh.
“It's okay. Bite me as much as you can.” Peter whispered his soft manly voice into my ears.
I let out a sigh as I got my sanity back. I pushed back from his body before I covered my mouth with my hands while I stepped backward.
“I'm sorry.”
That was all I could say before I darted towards the main road again but he pulled me back into his warm arms.
“It will be fine.” He muttered, his voice soothing like that of a baby just learning how to speak.
I almost lost a footing but he was able to grab me and carry me in his arms to the nearby roadside eatery. We sat in the dimly lit room before I started to sneeze. He offered me a handkerchief.
“I know you must be devastated with the news. But it's not the end, Brinda.” He wrapped his hands around mine as he crouched down beside me. “You have to live well.”
“I can't let her die.” I teared up again.
“She may not be your biological mother, but she’s the one who raised you. She picked you up from a junkyard when no one else would. She ran with you, hid you, and sacrificed everything for you.”
Peter’s eyes held mine, unwavering. “She didn’t just try her best, Brinda… she became your mother. Through every tear, every scar, every struggle… she made you hers. And if you want her to survive, then you must live to find a solution, right?”
I nodded my head in response.
“And we will find the solution together. How much time do we have left?” He asked, sniffing.
“Seventy two hours,” I retorted.
His face went pale instantly though, he tried to hide it but he has always been a bad liar. He can't lie. He doesn't know how to.
“We will find a way out.”
I watched him move away from my side while I gulped down some water. He raised his phone to his ear, dialing some numbers.
After some minutes, I saw him stomp his feet on the ground in disappointment. He raised his phone up in the air and he was about to smash it on the floor when I shouted his name.
Hearing that, he stilled.
I got to where he was and placed my hand on his shoulder, “I can't watch you grieve like this because of me. It's not worth it. I'm not worth it.”
“You are the one grieving,” tears rolled down his cheeks. “And it's worth it. Is our love not strong enough? Your mother, Sarah, took me as her child. How can I leave you in such a critical time like this? How can I let her die?”
I swallowed hard and closed my eyes simultaneously. “I will find the money. I will be right back. Please, make sure you keep an eye on my mother”
“Where will you go? What will you do? How will you get the money?” He grabbed my arm.
Where do I tell him? No. I can't. Some secrets are better off kept. There is only one solution now and that will be what I will follow. After all, living in this world feels meaningless…
“To the place it all started.”
Last Chapters
You Might Like 😍
Omega Bound
Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life.
Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Which is why it was more than a little confusing when a letter arrived with my name already printed on a schedule, a dorm waiting, and classes picked out as if someone knew me better than I knew myself. Everyone knows the Academy, it’s where witches sharpen their spells, shifters master their forms, and every kind of magical creature learns to control their gifts.
Everyone except me.
I don’t even know what I am. No shifting, no magic tricks, nothing. Just a girl surrounded by people who can fly, conjure fire, or heal with a touch. So I sit through classes pretending I belong, and I listen hard for any clue that might tell me what’s hidden in my blood.
The only person more curious than me is Blake Nyvas, tall, golden-eyed, and very much a Dragon. People whisper that he’s dangerous, warn me to keep my distance. But Blake seems determined to solve the mystery of me, and somehow I trust him more than anyone else.
Maybe it’s reckless. Maybe it’s dangerous.
But when everyone else looks at me like I don’t belong, Blake looks at me like I’m a riddle worth solving.
Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate
What? No—wait… oh Moon Goddess, no.
Please tell me you're joking, Lex.
But she's not. I can feel her excitement bubbling under my skin, while all I feel is dread.
We turn the corner, and the scent hits me like a punch to the chest—cinnamon and something impossibly warm. My eyes scan the room until they land on him. Tall. Commanding. Beautiful.
And then, just as quickly… he sees me.
His expression twists.
"Fuck no."
He turns—and runs.
My mate sees me and runs.
Bonnie has spent her entire life being broken down and abused by the people closest to her including her very own twin sister. Alongside her best friend Lilly who also lives a life of hell, they plan to run away while attending the biggest ball of the year while it's being hosted by another pack, only things don't quite go to plan leaving both girls feeling lost and unsure about their futures.
Alpha Nicholas is 28, mateless, and has no plans to change that. It's his turn to host the annual Blue Moon Ball this year and the last thing he expects is to find his mate. What he expects even less is for his mate to be 10 years younger than him and how his body reacts to her. While he tries to refuse to acknowledge that he has met his mate his world is turned upside down after guards catch two she-wolves running through his lands.
Once they are brought to him he finds himself once again facing his mate and discovers that she's hiding secrets that will make him want to kill more than one person.
Can he overcome his feelings towards having a mate and one that is so much younger than him? Will his mate want him after already feeling the sting of his unofficial rejection? Can they both work on letting go of the past and moving forward together or will fate have different plans and keep them apart?
Goddess Of The Underworld
When the veil between the Divine, the Living, and the Dead begins to crack, Envy is thrust beneath with a job she can’t drop: keep the worlds from bleeding together, shepherd the lost, and make ordinary into armour, breakfasts, bedtime, battle plans. Peace lasts exactly one lullaby. This is the story of an orphan pup who became a goddess by choosing her family; of four imperfect alphas learning how to be better. Steamy, fierce, and full of heart, Goddess of the Underworld is a reverse harem, found-family paranormal romance where love writes the rules and keeps three realms from falling apart.
Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl
His eyes darken, flicking to my mouth.
"It's wrong. Your brother would slit my throat for just standing this close. But tell me, little bird" his breath ghosts my skin, "are you trembling because you hate me… or because you've wanted this just as much as I have?"
Wren thought she'd buried the chaos of New Orleans for good—the clubs, the blood-soaked loyalties, the men who lived and died by their kuttes. Seattle gave her everything she ever wanted: freedom, love, a future.
But one betrayal shatters it all.
Dragged home by tragedy, Wren finds herself under the watchful eye of Ezra Jax—the Raven Reapers MC's vice president and her brother's best friend. He's infuriating, dangerous, and far too tempting for a man she should never touch.
And the deeper Wren is pulled back into his world, the more she realizes nothing about her past—or about Ezra—is what she believed.
In the chaos of gang wars, mounting debts, and old betrayals, he becomes the one constant. The more she fights him, the harder she falls. And the more he pushes her away, the more lethal his pull becomes.
Because in this world, love isn't sweet.
It's brutal. Bloody.
And it's bound to break them both.
When loyalty is everything and love can cost your life, will Wren risk her heart on the one man she was never meant to love?
A pack of their own
The mafia princess return
The Pack: Rule Number 1 - No Mates
"Let me go," I whimper, my body trembling with need. "I don't want you touching me."
I fall forward onto the bed then turn around to stare at him. The dark tattoos of Domonic's chiseled shoulders, quiver and and expand with the heave of his chest. His deep dimpled smile is full of arrogance as he reaches behind himself to lock the door.
Biting his lip, he stalks toward me, his hand going to the seam of his pants and the thickening bulge there.
"Are you sure you don't want me to touch you?" He whispers, untying the knot and slipping a hand inside. "Because I swear to God, that is all I have been wanting to do. Every single day from the moment you stepped in our bar and I smelled your perfect flavor from across the room."
New to the world of shifters, Draven is human on the run. A beautiful girl who no one could protect. Domonic is the cold Alpha of the Red Wolf Pack. A brotherhood of twelve wolves that live by twelve rules. Rules which they vowed could NEVER be broken.
Especially - Rule Number One - No Mates
When Draven meets Domonic, he knows that she is his mate, but Draven has no idea what a mate is, only that she has fallen in love with a shifter. An Alpha that will break her heart to make her leave. Promising herself, she will never forgive him, she disappears.
But she doesn’t know about the child she’s carrying or that the moment she left, Domonic decided rules were made to be broken - and now will he ever find her again? Will she forgive him?
Let Them Kneel
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.
But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.
Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.
When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.
For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.
Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.
But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.
And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.
Especially him.
She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.
Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
The Human Among Wolves
My stomach twisted, but he wasn’t finished.
"You're just a pathetic little human," Zayn said, his words deliberate, each one hitting like a slap. "Spreading your legs for the first guy who bothers to notice you."
Heat rushed to my face, burning with humiliation. My chest ached — not from his words alone, but from the sick realization that I had trusted him. That I had let myself believe he was different.
I was so, so stupid.
——————————————————
When eigteen-year-old Aurora Wells moves to a sleepy town with her parents, the last thing she expects is to be enrolled in a secret academy for werewolves.
Moonbound Academy is no ordinary school. It's here young Lycans, Betas and Alphas train in shifting, elemental magic, and ancient pack laws. But Aurora? She's just...human. a mistake. The new receptionist forgot to check her species - and now she's surrounded by predators who sense she doesn't belong.
Determined to stay under the radar, Aurora plans to survive the year unnoticed. But when she catches the attention of Zayn, a brooding and infuriatingly powerful Lycan prince, her life gets a lot more complicated. Zayn already has a mate. He already has enemies. And he definitely doesn't want anything to do with a clueless human.
But secrets run deeper than bloodlines at Moonbound. as Aurora unravels the truth about the academy - and herself - she begins to question everything she thought she knew.
Including the reason she was brought here at all.
Enemies will rise. Loyalties will shift. And the girl with no place in their world...might be the key to saving it.
