π She paints monsters to feel safe. He wears a skull to stay honest.
When a midnight gig at Blackwater’s Día de los Muertos festival turns into gunfire, SFX artist Mara becomes the one thing a ruthless city should never see: a witness. Enter Nico Calavera, the skull-masked enforcer with a soft spot that looks like trouble. He pays in cash, speaks in promises, and turns a fake claim into a fake engagement that just might save her life… or set the city on fire. π₯
What starts as forced proximity in a one-bed safehouse becomes heat she cannot laugh off. He trains her to lie, move, and notice. She teaches him how to be careful without losing the edge that keeps them breathing. A chain with a diamond sits at her throat to match his, a public vow that dares the underworld to touch her. When a black-orchid message from a rival devil arrives, and a gala filled with donors and secrets explodes into chaos, Mara and Nico must choose the same truth at the same time: we are not clean, we are careful, and we choose each other. π€
What you will get inside
• Dark Mafia Romance with real stakes and a true HEA β
• Protective, possessive antihero x strong, capable heroine who never loses her voice πͺ
• Fake engagement turned real feelings, forced proximity, and a bodyguard-adjacent vibe π
• Slow burn to scorching spice, consent-forward, dual POV, praise and tenderness π
• Found family: a driver who never misses, a hacker with receipts, a tattooist with a heart, and a Nonna who feeds everyone π
'' High-tension heists and public unmasking at a museum gala, with receipts, wire transfers, and consequences π
• Standalone romance in the Calavera world with a complete ending, no cliffhanger π
Tropes and keywords readers search for
dark mafia romance, steamy romance, morally gray hero, protective alpha, strong heroine, fake engagement romance, forced proximity, bodyguard romance vibes, found family, dual POV, slow burn spicy, consent-focused heat, HEA, romantic suspense, city romance, witness in peril, tattoo artist heroine, antihero protector
The vibe
Gritty city nights, wax and lilies, skull paint under chandeliers. A chain that starts as cover and turns into a vow. Banter that bites, steam that listens, and a couple who fight smarter, not louder. If you love dangerous men who choose better, artists who weaponize beauty, and found family that brings soup and bolt cutters, this love story will hit you in the ribs.
‘I do not paint faces; I wake the bones underneath.’
‘We are not clean. We are careful. And that is our vow.’
Perfect for readers of dark, spicy mafia romance who crave protective antiheroes, fierce heroines, and heat with heart. One click and step into Blackwater, where the Calavera myth meets the man, and the mask finally tells the truth. πβοΈποΈ
βΈ»
Content Notes: High-stakes crime, gun violence off page and on, consent-driven intimacy, found-family support, emotionally safe ending.
Genre: Romance
When a midnight gig at Blackwater’s Día de los Muertos festival turns into gunfire, SFX artist Mara becomes the one thing a ruthless city should never see: a witness. Enter Nico Calavera, the skull-masked enforcer with a soft spot that looks like trouble. He pays in cash, speaks in promises, and turns a fake claim into a fake engagement that just might save her life… or set the city on fire. π₯
What starts as forced proximity in a one-bed safehouse becomes heat she cannot laugh off. He trains her to lie, move, and notice. She teaches him how to be careful without losing the edge that keeps them breathing. A chain with a diamond sits at her throat to match his, a public vow that dares the underworld to touch her. When a black-orchid message from a rival devil arrives, and a gala filled with donors and secrets explodes into chaos, Mara and Nico must choose the same truth at the same time: we are not clean, we are careful, and we choose each other. π€
What you will get inside
• Dark Mafia Romance with real stakes and a true HEA β
• Protective, possessive antihero x strong, capable heroine who never loses her voice πͺ
• Fake engagement turned real feelings, forced proximity, and a bodyguard-adjacent vibe π
• Slow burn to scorching spice, consent-forward, dual POV, praise and tenderness π
• Found family: a driver who never misses, a hacker with receipts, a tattooist with a heart, and a Nonna who feeds everyone π
'' High-tension heists and public unmasking at a museum gala, with receipts, wire transfers, and consequences π
• Standalone romance in the Calavera world with a complete ending, no cliffhanger π
Tropes and keywords readers search for
dark mafia romance, steamy romance, morally gray hero, protective alpha, strong heroine, fake engagement romance, forced proximity, bodyguard romance vibes, found family, dual POV, slow burn spicy, consent-focused heat, HEA, romantic suspense, city romance, witness in peril, tattoo artist heroine, antihero protector
The vibe
Gritty city nights, wax and lilies, skull paint under chandeliers. A chain that starts as cover and turns into a vow. Banter that bites, steam that listens, and a couple who fight smarter, not louder. If you love dangerous men who choose better, artists who weaponize beauty, and found family that brings soup and bolt cutters, this love story will hit you in the ribs.
‘I do not paint faces; I wake the bones underneath.’
‘We are not clean. We are careful. And that is our vow.’
Perfect for readers of dark, spicy mafia romance who crave protective antiheroes, fierce heroines, and heat with heart. One click and step into Blackwater, where the Calavera myth meets the man, and the mask finally tells the truth. πβοΈποΈ
βΈ»
Content Notes: High-stakes crime, gun violence off page and on, consent-driven intimacy, found-family support, emotionally safe ending.
Genre: Romance
Used availability for Christin Wales's Dirty Baby