The Enforcer’s Widow: A Dark Single Mom Mafia Protector Romance

by Scarlett Shelton

I’m a widow pouring drinks to survive, racing home to my little girl.

Every shift is danger.
Every tip buys safety.
Every night steals time from my child.

Then he appears—silent, lethal, watching me like I already belong.

Men corner me.
He says I’m his girlfriend.
I kiss him to stay alive.

His hands are violence, yet they hold my daughter like she matters.

I promise myself this is temporary.
Fake.
Necessary.

But safety turns into longing.
Protection becomes possession.

He pulls us into his world—and refuses to let us go.

I should run.
I should hate him.

Because loving him feels like betraying my dead husband.

The truth is—

The man I’m falling for…
is the one who killed him.

Author’s A dark, emotional mafia romance featuring a single mother, a lethal protector, and love forged through lies, violence, and impossible forgiveness. No Cliffhanger. HEA Guaranteed.

349 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2026

Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou]

Part 2

The heroine’s insipidity and spinelessness couldn’t hold my interest.

Dnf @ 61%

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely captivated! This was so good. When Sergei comes to Natalie’s rescue at the bar she was working at, he decides he’s going to protect her and her daughter. Secretly, he’s been watching her for seduce. Making sure she was okay. But when someone tried to kidnap her and her daughter, he moves her in with him. From there things slowly start to ignite between them. I loved the twists and turns in this one. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. So good. So chaotic, so steamy.

[Karen Lovvorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mafia enforcer falls hard…

She’s a timid, frightened little thing. He gets caught up in protecting her. There are plot twists, but will love prevail even though he was responsible for her husband’s death?

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of The Orlov Dynasty series. For maximum enjoyment read the books in series.

'Author’s Note: A dark, emotional mafia romance featuring a single mother, a lethal protector, and love forged through lies, violence, and impossible forgiveness. No Cliffhanger. HEA Guaranteed.'

The characters were very complex and compelling and complicated and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and intense and exciting and well paced. World building continues to excel and impress. All in all a great addition to the series. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend!

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another GREAT read from this author!

I really enjoyed this book and like all with its ups and downs. Problems I wonder can be resolved but the authors always have a solution I hadn’t even thought of. Again no hero who’s done a bad thing and never apologized. I won’t read any book in a series when the first book has that. It’s so not real life. Even if I like the characters and keep reading them I seethe with anger that conveniently the heroine just forgets it. This series doesn’t do that and I love it for that. So on to the next book the author’s written!

[Linda Fairburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orlov mafia family never go the easy way to get a wife and that carries on in Sergei and Natalie's story.
Harassed bar worker and an enforcer who us secretly stalking her to keep her safe what could possibly go wrong this time.
Lets start with her and her daughter moving in with him to stop a kidnapping that should go down well, not.
This is one story you are going to really love reading, more kidnappings, rival mafia, so many deaths and that's just for starters.
I loved it.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie is a single mum and widow, working hard to pay for a good life for her daughter, but bar work bring creeps her way and when some corner her its Sergei who comes to her aid, only he becomes obsessed with protecting her and her lil girl and when he learns a plot to take them, he takes them first. But Natalie cant let her walls down around him despite how he makes her feel, as hes the one who ended her husband! Well written engaging steamy desires drama action and more

[Nikki Brackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark

First time reading a mafia/enforcer story and it was different. Intense in some areas, sweet in others, controlling in others- but the storyline was grabbing in ways too. It is a hard story to review in my feelings/thoughts are all over.
It wasn’t a bad book just mind boggling I guess you would say. It felt rushed in areas where it should have been slow- but for the right person it be a fantastic read.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sergei and Natalie meet in the bar where she works. A steamy read with mafia darkness, single parent, fake dating to real and a protective man.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Victoria Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book it was dark romance but it was done nicely. My first by the author but held my attention I loves the connection that developed with Sergei and Natalie's daughter. The scene when she thought he was dying was precious. Good story.

[Janice Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!

Terrific writing with exciting storylines, book two of this series doesn’t disappoint the reader. I loved the characters and was so pleased when they got their happily ever after! I can’t wait to begin reading book three of this series.

[IMELDA SMULLEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Another wonderful storyline from this great writer. Highly recommend this book. Different with many twist and turns. While still incorporating the family link which was great to continue as well.

[andrea holliway · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read

This was a good book but I did feel that it dragged on just a smidge. I would read more from this author in the future.

[Sarah Woods · Rating 1 out of 5]

ok

I didn’t like how she had to fight for herself. In the beginning it was hard to get past like why wont he speak up

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The enforcer’s widow was Sergei and Natalie’s story. It was an engaging read. And voluntarily leaving this review.

[Marynj44 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting story

The story had some interesting twist and turns I enjoyed it. I would recommend it. It’s nice to see a turnaround in a story.

[Susan Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Mafia Book !

Sergei and Natalie’s story was packed full of everything mafia. Plot and characters storyline was great and fast paced . I look forward to what’s next !!

[Julianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - 40%

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Hated the heroine.

[bookgirlie]

Idk..kinda of bored 😬