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Captive romance. Forbidden protection. Desperate escape. Morally gray hero. Dangerous obsession. Dual POV.
Lila Vaughn was just a barista with adventure in her heart—until she caught the eye of the wrong man. When Russian mob boss Nikolai "Kolya" Mikhailov decides she belongs to him, Lila's independence is shattered in a single night of violence that ends with her locked behind the gilded bars of his estate.
Kolya Mikhailov collects beautiful things, and his newest acquisition is his most prized. Cold, calculating, and utterly remorseless, he's determined to break Lila's spirit piece by piece until nothing remains of the defiant woman he captured. But even as her resistance weakens under his calculated cruelty, something within her refuses to surrender completely.
When Theo Mercer is assigned as Lila's personal guard, he never expects to find humanity in Kolya's world of monsters. Haunted by his own regrets and the bloody path that led him into the Russian's employ, Theo's carefully constructed walls begin to crumble as he witnesses Lila's quiet strength. But showing compassion in Kolya's domain is a death sentence, and any attempt to help her would mean sacrificing them both.
As Lila and Theo navigate a dangerous game of secrets and survival:
Lila Vaughn was just a barista with adventure in her heart—until she caught the eye of the wrong man. When Russian mob boss Nikolai "Kolya" Mikhailov decides she belongs to him, Lila's independence is shattered in a single night of violence that ends with her locked behind the gilded bars of his estate.
Kolya Mikhailov collects beautiful things, and his newest acquisition is his most prized. Cold, calculating, and utterly remorseless, he's determined to break Lila's spirit piece by piece until nothing remains of the defiant woman he captured. But even as her resistance weakens under his calculated cruelty, something within her refuses to surrender completely.
When Theo Mercer is assigned as Lila's personal guard, he never expects to find humanity in Kolya's world of monsters. Haunted by his own regrets and the bloody path that led him into the Russian's employ, Theo's carefully constructed walls begin to crumble as he witnesses Lila's quiet strength. But showing compassion in Kolya's domain is a death sentence, and any attempt to help her would mean sacrificing them both.
As Lila and Theo navigate a dangerous game of secrets and survival:
- Kolya's obsession grows more possessive and violent with each passing day
Theo's conflicted loyalty becomes an unexpected lifeline for Lila
Plans for Lila's transfer to "the basement" force an impossible choice
When Theo begins studying security cameras and guard rotations, a dangerous spark of hope ignites between them. One midnight, one escape plan, one desperate chance at freedom—with everything to lose.
"This wasn't a ransom situation," Lila realizes as Kolya's cruel fingers trace her cheek. "This was ownership."
In a world where men like Kolya take what they want without consequence, Lila must find the strength to reclaim herself while Theo faces the ultimate choice between redemption and survival. But in the shadow of Kolya's obsession, even escape may prove to be just another kind of prison.
BEFORE SHE WAS CLAIMED is the prequel novella to the Wicked Sanctuary series. This dark mafia captive romance features psychological suspense, a villain who will chill you to the bone, a reluctant hero's redemption, and the seeds of a dangerous escape that leads directly into CLAIMED BY THE DAMNED.
Tropes you'll love: captivity, forbidden protector, villain obsession, morally gray hero, midnight escape, and the resilience of a woman who refuses to be broken.
The Wicked Sanctuary Series chronicles interconnected stories of survival, protection, and finding love after trauma. Each book in the Wicked Sanctuary Series features a different couple and can be read in any order.
Genre: Romance
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