
Cradle me in Crimson
Ashley Orange · Ongoing · 102.4k Words
Introduction
Chapter 1
The smell of blood and expensive cologne clung to the air like fog.
Don Luca Valeri, 5'6 ", black curls, olive skin, sharp cheekbones, and very Italian. Stood at the head of the long mahogany table, one hand resting on the edge, the other smoothing the silk of his tie with lethal precision. His eyes—cold, pale gold, unreadable—drifted over the trembling man kneeling on the marble floor. Red pooled beneath him.
"Tell me again, Alex," Luca said calmly. "Who paid you to put a wire in my house?"
Alex sobbed, torn between prayer and confession. " I-I don't know his name, Don Valeri. Please. I swear on my mother, I didn't mean—"
Luca sighed, slow and deliberate, and stepped back. "Your mother doesn't work for me. You did."
He gave the faintest nod, and the man to his right—Marco Bellanti, his second in command, 6'3" blonde hair, blue-grey eyes, and covered in tattoos—raised his pistol without hesitation. A clean shot rang out, echoing like church bells in a cathedral. The marble drank the rest. The room was silent, save for the clink of the bullet casing spinning to a stop.
Luca turned to his third-in-command. "Get it cleaned up."
Antonio's eyes flicked to the body, then back to Luca. "Done."
The meeting ended without fanfare. Men filed out—silent, deferential. Some avoided Marco's gaze. No one met Luca’s. He walked out of the compound meeting hall alone, his polished shoes echoing off stone. When he reached the side corridor that led to the private tunnel, Marco was already waiting—leaning against the wall, arms crossed, eyes dark and unreadable beneath his buzzed hair.
"You didn't have to pull the trigger yourself," Luca said softly as he passed him.
Marco followed, silent for several steps before replying. "You shouldn't have to dirty your hands over rats."
Luca smirked without humor. "They're already dirty, Marco."
They head to Luca's private study in the Villa for a meeting. They travel quietly down the corridor until they reach the secret passage leading to his study.
The study smells like old paper, cigars, and storm rain waiting to break. Luca leans against his father's desk—not his father's anymore, his now—and tries to ignore the weight of the ring on his finger. The Valeri crest presses into his skin like it wants to leave a permanent mark.
Marco stands by the window, broad shoulders tense, hands in his pockets like he's holding himself back from throwing Davide out on the cobblestone driveway. Davide sits across from Luca, draped in a suit that's just a touch too polished for a casual visit. His smile is the sharp kind—something you notice right before it cuts you.
"You've been keeping secrets from me, Luca," Davide says, his voice smooth, almost conversational. "That's not how family works."
Marco's jaw flexes. "Family doesn't dig where they're not invited."
Davide flicks his gaze to Marco, like swatting at an annoying fly. "I wasn't talking to you, soldato."
"I'm not your soldato," Marco shoots back.
Luca raises a hand. "Enough. Both of you." His voice is steadier than he feels. He can practically hear his father in his head: A Don who can't control his men won't keep them long.
"I'm not here to fight," Davide says. "I'm here to make sure Luca remembers who's been watching his back since before he could tie his own shoes."
"That's funny," Marco says, taking a step forward. "Because I seem to remember being the one in front of the bullets."
The air between them could snap in two. Luca forces himself to breathe evenly. He needs them both—Marco's loyalty, Davide's network—but they're circling each other like dogs with old grudges.
"Davide," Luca says carefully, "I want you in a new role. Fourth in command. Intel broker. You'll handle importing and exporting for the family. I trust your skills. I'm sending you to New York for an alliance deal. Don't screw this up. I trust you."
Davide's eyes narrow just slightly, but he nods. "You're giving me a leash, Luca. I'll take it." His smile widens. "For now."
Marco doesn't like it—Luca can read it in the way his fists curl—but he stays silent for Luca's sake.
When Davide leaves, Marco shuts the door with a little more force than necessary.
"You're making a mistake," Marco says, low.
"Maybe," Luca admits. "But he's still family."
Marco studies him for a long moment. "And I'm what?"
Luca meets his gaze. Whispering, "You're the one I'd burn the world for."
It's too much truth too fast, and Luca turns away before he can see Marco's reaction. But behind him, Marco's fists slowly uncurl.
After the meeting, Luca goes to the kitchen for a glass of strawberry milk. Then, he heads toward his bedroom. When he gets there, Marco is already stationed outside like a sentinel. Luca paused there.
"You're staying out here again? You know you have your own bedroom. You can go to. I don't need you to sit at my door all night," he says quietly.
Marco nodded. "I'll be in the hall."
Luca's hand tightened slightly on the doorknob. Then, with a small breath that could almost be mistaken for a sigh, he turned and opened the door.
He slipped inside without a word, and the door clicked shut behind him. The transformation was instant. Inside the master bedroom —behind locks, steel, and the eyes of no one—Luca exhaled.
He peeled off the suit jacket. Kicked off the shoes. Undid the silk tie, setting it gently aside. Then the shirt. The belt. The gun. Every item stripped away the weight of the Don until only Luca remained—barefoot, small, trembling.
He padded softly to the far side of the bedroom, where a cabinet was built seamlessly into the wall. He opened it, revealing a carefully concealed chest. Inside: a soft pink blanket, a worn bunny plush with a sewn-on button eye named BunBun, and a pacifier in pastel blue.
His fingers hesitated. And then he picked them up—hands shaking, but sure.
Ten minutes later, Luca was curled on his oversized Canopy bed with crimson drapes with a hint of pink flowers and black silk sheets with red and pink pillows, beneath his blanket, bunny cradled to his chest, pacifier resting gently between his lips. The cold exterior was gone—no blood, no orders, no steel.
Only him. Safe. Quiet. Alone. Almost.
Through the walls, through the quiet hum of the building, he could feel Marco—always there. Guarding. Watching. His shadow, his sword. He closed his eyes and whispered around the paci, "Goodnight, Marco."
Outside the door, Marco stirred in the chair he never left, hand resting near the gun at his hip. He didn't speak loudly—just enough that it might carry through wood and silence alike.
"Sweet dreams, boss."
And they both pretended—just for the night—that that was enough.
Last Chapters
#88 🕶️ Eyes in the Shadows
Last Updated: 1/27/2026#87 🧪 Veil of Secrets
Last Updated: 1/27/2026#86 🕶️ Eyes in the Mist
Last Updated: 1/26/2026#85 ⚖️ Balancing the Scales
Last Updated: 1/26/2026#84 🗡️ Web of Shadows
Last Updated: 1/25/2026#83 🌌 The Docks’ Siren
Last Updated: 1/25/2026#82 🌃 Velvet Masks
Last Updated: 1/26/2026#81 🌙 Guardians and Ghosts
Last Updated: 1/26/2026#80 Shadows After Sunlight
Last Updated: 1/26/2026#79 Sunlight Victories
Last Updated: 1/26/2026
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
The Prison Project
Can love tame the untouchable? Or will it only fuel the fire and cause chaos amongst the inmates?
Fresh out of high school and suffocating in her dead-end hometown, Margot longs for her escape. Her reckless best friend, Cara, thinks she's found the perfect way out for them both - The Prisoner Project - a controversial program offering a life-changing sum of money in exchange for time spent with maximum-security inmates.
Without hesitation, Cara rushes to sign them up.
Their reward? A one-way ticket into the depths of a prison ruled by gang leaders, mob bosses, and men the guards wouldn't even dare to cross...
At the centre of it all, meets Coban Santorelli - a man colder than ice, darker than midnight, and as deadly as the fire that fuels his inner rage. He knows that the project may very well be his only ticket to freedom - his only ticket to revenge on the one who managed to lock him up and so he must prove that he can learn to love…
Will Margot be the lucky one chosen to help reform him?
Will Coban be capable of bringing something to the table other than just sex?
What starts off as denial may very well grow in to obsession which could then fester in to becoming true love…
A temperamental romance novel.
Surrendering to Destiny
Graham MacTavish wasn't prepared to find his mate in the small town of Sterling that borders the Blackmoore Packlands. He certainly didn't expect her to be a rogue, half-breed who smelled of Alpha blood. With her multi-colored eyes, there was no stopping him from falling hard the moment their mate bond snapped into place. He would do anything to claim her, protect her and cherish her no matter the cost.
From vengeful ex-lovers, pack politics, species prejudice, hidden plots, magic, kidnapping, poisoning, rogue attacks, and a mountain of secrets including Catherine's true parentage there is no shortage of things trying to tear the two apart.
Despite the hardships, a burning desire and willingness to trust will help forge a strong bond between the two... but no bond is unbreakable. When the secrets kept close to heart are slowly revealed, will the two be able to weather the storm? Or will the gift bestowed upon Catherine by the moon goddess be too insurmountable to overcome?
The mafia princess return
Invisible To Her Bully
Shattered Girl
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Was that too much?” I could see the worry in his eyes as I took a deep breath.
“I just didn’t want you to see all my scars,” I whispered, feeling ashamed of my marked body.
Emmy Nichols is used to surviving. She survived her abusive father for years until he beat her so severely, she ended up in the hospital, and her father was finally arrested. Now, Emmy is thrown into a life she never expected. Now she has a mother
who doesn't want her, a politically motivated stepfather with ties to the Irish mob, four older stepbrothers, and their best friend who swear to love and protect her. Then, one night, everything shatters, and Emmy feels her only option is to run.
When her stepbrothers and their best friend finally find her, will they pick up the pieces and convince Emmy that they will keep her safe and their love will hold them together?
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?
The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride
Yet Alexander made his decision clear to the world: “Evelyn is the only woman I will ever marry.”
I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis
Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now—billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn’t mind. I’d crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one?
Wrong.
One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That’s when it hit me—he didn’t love me. He didn’t even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn’t even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup.
So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster—my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise.
Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol.
Enter him.
Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I’d met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes.
It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised.
But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life.
And, as it turned out, the best decision I’d ever made.
Because my one-night stand isn’t just some random guy. He’s richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with.
And now, he’s not letting me go.
Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully
My back hit the desk. Pain exploded through my skull.
"Girls like you don't get to dream about guys like Kai." Bella's breath was hot on my face. "You don't get to write pathetic love letters."
She shoved me again. Harder.
"Maybe if you weren't such a desperate little—"
I fell. My head cracked against the corner.
Warmth trickled down my neck. Blood.
Their laughter turned to gasps.
The door slammed.
I tried to stand. Couldn't. The room was spinning, fading to black.
Someone... please...
Angelina, the most powerful Alpha who conquered forty-nine packs, dies in a yacht explosion—only to wake up as Aria Sterling, a fifteen-year-old Omega's daughter who just died from bullying.
The original Aria's life was a nightmare. Humiliated when golden boy Kai Matthews posted her love letter online, then shoved to death by his girlfriend Bella Morrison. But that's not all her family faces:
"You got until Monday," the tattooed gangster sneered at Aria's mother. "Ten grand cash. Or I'm taking collateral—your kids' organs fetch top dollar. That pretty daughter of yours? She could make us money another way too."
Now Angelina's lethal combat skills awaken in this fragile body. No more hiding. No more fear.
Armed with an Alpha's ruthlessness and a mysterious blood-red pendant, she'll dismantle everyone who hurt this family—one calculated move at a time.
Balance of Light and Shadow
Little did she know how much both worlds need her to bring peace and true freedom.
Thornhill Academy
Hunted, haunted, and newly awakened, Allison is dragged into a rebellion built on blood and belief, the same fight her parents died trying to protect. As enemies close in and desire sharpens into something dangerous, she must decide what kind of power she will become. The weapon the Council always wanted. Or the storm that tears their world apart. When Allison rises, kingdoms kneel and when she loves, she loves like war.
Dark Academia | Reverse Harem | Dark Romance | Dark Humour | Action-Packed | Steamy | Unputdownable












