The Stranger Series by J.L. Perry

When I woke to my phone ringing just after 5 am on a Sunday—my only day off—it was safe to say I wasn’t impressed. I answered the call with an abrupt, “What! ” The audible gasp and berating that followed had me grumbling, “Someone better be dead, Mother. ”. “After the relationship status you were tagged in on Facebook, no less, I very well could be,” was her reply. Relationship status? With who? I immediately clicked on the app, only to find it was true. Delilah St... moreWhen I woke to my phone ringing just after 5 am on a Sunday—my only day off—it was safe to say I wasn’t impressed. I answered the call with an abrupt, “What! ” The audible gasp and berating that followed had me grumbling, “Someone better be dead, Mother. ”. “After the relationship status you were tagged in on Facebook, no less, I very well could be,” was her reply. Relationship status? With who? I immediately clicked on the app, only to find it was true. Delilah St. James had one of those faces that was hard to forget, and I knew I’d never laid eyes on this pretty blonde with beautiful blue eyes before. I could’ve let my assistant, PR company, or my lawyer deal with it, but against my better judgement, I clicked on the Messenger app. “Do I know you? ” I typed. When my sister decided to post photos of her—on what was supposed to be my honeymoon—with my ex-fiancé on social media, I did something reckless and impulsive. I tagged her long-time crush, Spencer Prescott, in a fake relationship post. The last thing I expected was for him to reach out. I apologised profusely and told him I’d take it down immediately, briefly explaining why I had done it, and he replied with something unexpected. “Leave it up. What can it hurt? ”. Minutes later, I got a friend request from his mother … immediately inviting me to brunch. I only agreed to go, so I could tell her the truth to her face. What happened next was a domino effect that would change the course of all our lives. less

Dante:. When I flew overseas for my brother’s wedding, the last thing I expected was to come back with a wife of my own. Arabella Rossi is the eldest daughter of one of Italy’s most powerful crime lords. When I turned to him for help in getting my nephew back—after his mother ran off with him—I knew it would come with a price, but I never imagined it would be her. She hated me from the moment we met, and if I’m being honest, I wasn’t too fond of her either... moreDante:. When I flew overseas for my brother’s wedding, the last thing I expected was to come back with a wife of my own. Arabella Rossi is the eldest daughter of one of Italy’s most powerful crime lords. When I turned to him for help in getting my nephew back—after his mother ran off with him—I knew it would come with a price, but I never imagined it would be her. She hated me from the moment we met, and if I’m being honest, I wasn’t too fond of her either. There was a cold superiority about her; she looked at me as nothing more than an inconvenience … like I was beneath her somehow. But one thing I’ve never shied away from is a challenge, so I knew that breaking her spirit was going to be one hell of a ride. Arabella:. Dante Mancini is everything I’ve come to despise. Beneath the good looks, charm, and effortless charisma, he’s what I’d best describe as a smiling assassin … dangerous, calculating, and always two steps ahead. He’s entrenched in a world I’ve been trying to escape since I was old enough to understand its darkness. So being forced to marry him and move to a foreign country felt like a fate worse than death. 
But the more time I spend with him, I begin to realise there’s a side to this man he keeps hidden from everyone but me. And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been wrong about him—about everything. less

Alexander:. I was born into the country’s most powerful crime family. It’s a legacy I never asked for, yet one I’m bound to inherit. I want no part of it … I like my life just the way it is. With infinite power and money at my disposal, I have women falling at my feet, but I’m not interested in a commitment. Variety is the spice of life, so why would I settle for anything less? Then I met her. One unforgettable night with a mysterious woman, and now I’m consumed... moreAlexander:. I was born into the country’s most powerful crime family. It’s a legacy I never asked for, yet one I’m bound to inherit. I want no part of it … I like my life just the way it is. With infinite power and money at my disposal, I have women falling at my feet, but I’m not interested in a commitment. Variety is the spice of life, so why would I settle for anything less? Then I met her. One unforgettable night with a mysterious woman, and now I’m consumed. She walked away without so much as a glance over her shoulder, which only made me crave her more. She’s invaded my every thought, and I won’t rest until I find her. And when I do, I’ll make her mine. Chloe:. I was born into a life of privilege, where I wanted for nothing. But now, there are days when I barely manage to put food on the table. Everything changed the day my mother walked out, and my father drowned his grief in gambling. His addiction spiralled out of control, and we eventually lost it all. To keep a roof over our heads, I had no choice but to take on multiple jobs. I no longer have time for relationships or a life outside of survival. My dad promised he’d clean up his act when things finally hit rock bottom. I thought he’d done just that until I returned home from work to find him on his knees in the living room with a gun pointed at his head. The moment my gaze landed on the tall, dark, and handsome Adonis holding him captive, my heart skipped a beat. It was him—the man I had met in the hotel bar. That’s when a deal was put on the table: my father’s life spared in exchange for me. I was left bewildered when I became the collateral for his debt. And even more so when he agreed to it. I’d been handed over to the devil himself, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. less

*The Temptation can be read as a standalone. Romeo:. I knew Lucia Rossi—the stunning, fiery Mafia princess—was off-limits the moment I met her. But that didn’t stop the instant attraction. What I felt for her was immediate … palpable. It left a bitter taste in my mouth because she was also celebrating her eighteenth birthday that day. She was barely legal, and I’m a thirty-one-year-old man. The guilt gnawed at me, but that didn’t stop her... more*The Temptation can be read as a standalone. Romeo:. I knew Lucia Rossi—the stunning, fiery Mafia princess—was off-limits the moment I met her. But that didn’t stop the instant attraction. What I felt for her was immediate … palpable. It left a bitter taste in my mouth because she was also celebrating her eighteenth birthday that day. She was barely legal, and I’m a thirty-one-year-old man. The guilt gnawed at me, but that didn’t stop her. She was relentless, pursuing me with a determination that matched her fierce beauty. I’ve done my best to keep my distance, to resist the pull between us. But now, with her safety in jeopardy, and being the one tasked to take her to a safe house, there’ll be nowhere for me to run. It’s a temptation I don’t need. Lucia:. He may be my Romeo, but unfortunately, I am not his Juliet. At first, he was fun and a little flirty, but over time, he became cold and distant. He claims I’m too young for him, but to me, age is just a number. What he fails to realise is that I’m not easily discouraged. So when I’m forced into hiding, with him as my sole protector, it’s the perfect opportunity to wear him down. By the time I’m through with this man, he won’t know what hit him. I may be playing a dangerous game, but it’s one I’m prepared to win. less