The Beast Who Begged Me

Clemenza Family #3

by Leighton Greene

For twenty-one years he hated my Family. Vengeance was what kept him breathing. I was the debt he came to collect.

He bought me to avenge his father.
Kept me in the dark.
Broke me down to pieces.

Now he’d slaughter anyone who touches me.

There’s a bounty on my bloodline—and now there’s a price on his head, too.
He turned his back on his Family to put himself between me and the grave.
My enemy became my protector.
The only man I trust.

But even if we survive what's coming, I'm not sure we'll survive what comes after.
When we're left alone with the truth…and each other.

Nothing on this earth gets to take him from me.
Not our enemies. Not the truth. Not even the beast himself.

He's never begged for anything.
He’ll beg for me.


The Beast Who Begged Me is the final book of the Clemenza Family series, an ongoing-couple dark MM mafia romance trilogy. It must be read in order. Expect dark dealings, obsession, possessiveness, toxic dynamics, and all the red flags. These antiheroes will earn their happily ever after, but they'll have to fight hard to get there.

Series Reading Order:
1. The Beast Who Bought Me
2. The Beast Who Broke Me
3. The Beast Who Begged Me

Genres: M M Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Crime, Contemporary, Romance

467 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2026

About the author

Leighton Greene has been writing stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Her first book was a choose-your-own-adventure style book about deciding what to eat for breakfast. It didn't shake the New York Times bestseller list, but she still has a copy of it.

After spending some time writing in academia, fanfiction and corporate reporting, Leighton decided she should probably do what she actually wanted to do, which was to write commercial fiction. So she did. She writes gay romance and, when the mood strikes, erotica as L.J. Greene.

Leighton lives with her partner and her cockatiel on the east coast of Australia.

(Source: Amazon.com)

Reviews

[≪ ◦•◦ cait ◦•◦ ≫]

🖤❤️‍🔥The Beast Who Begged Me was everything I could have hoped for. I can’t believe it’s over❤️‍🔥🖤

✨”“Bear witness to Damiano Orsini.” He looks around the room. “A man of honor. A man of the Clemenza Family.””✨




The Beast Who Begged Me is the final book in the Clemenza Family trilogy.
Book 3 picks up right where The Beast Who Broke Me leaves off, and moves full steam ahead from there. 

Def make sure to read the first two before this if you haven’t already (or check out the end for my real recommended reading order). 


꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

This series is a super dark romance. Though I would say out of all three books, this one is the least. 

You can't read this book without reading the other two first though, so this warning is very much needed all the same.
It’s truly amazing though.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

In Begged, we finally get the answers to the questions we’ve been asking, some since The Beast Who Bought Me
Annnd our stubborn men finally get it together to figure out - their version of - an HEA.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

It was everything.

I took forever reading this book (a day and a half😇). I just didn’t want to let them go. Which truthfully is how I’ve felt after every one of Leighton Greene’s books.
Especially after each of her other series ended; knowing I wouldn't get to revisit these characters in the same way anymore.... She's just that good (to me)

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

Caligula Clemenza & Damiano Orsini
These men stressed me out so much in the beginning but honestly, it was so so worth it.
Once the switch, sort of, flipped and they understood how their relationship could work… it was wonderful.
Like, actually not, cause crazy stuff happens, but between the two of them....
It’s just truly everything we’ve been waiting for.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

so much smut, so so much - I loved it.
Would they be Cal & Dami if there wasn’t?

Greene does smut well imo.
The scenes throughout vary in length and description but are always really well-written and hottt.😮‍💨🥵🫠

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷


I always give props to Greene. 

She knows how to write a good mystery, especially ones that are interconnected or written out over multiple books.

Begged is no exception.
I enjoyed the plotline, the action, the mystery, and the characters from start to finish (this is true of the whole Clemenza Family series ).
This book also focused a lot on their relationship too, which I enjoyed.


I did have a feeling about their fathers and I lwk love that I was right. 🥹
I had a few ideas for the person after Caligula throughout the series but I didn’t know for sure for a very long time. A testament to the author, again.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

Loveee the Morelli cameos - the OGs & the best fr. 

Cal & Dami's little found family is so cute. I love how much Sammy came out of his shell in this one; he and Ricky are absolutely precious.
His family also grew much bigger with Cal officially stepping into his role as Don Clemenza.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷

Sooo excited for the next book, omg.
The little sneak peek at the end… Ah. 

I wonder if it’s going to be another trilogy or the start of a new series as a whole? Hmmm.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷



I now want to do a re-read of all three series', I love them so much. 

I’ll do it with the next book release.

꒷︶꒷꒥꒷



If you couldn’t tell, I highly recommend this series and all the others in this Mafia universe (see below).


Memorable Quotes

🖤

"A healthy man would simply want to be cherished, not owned. But I settled into being owned by Dami like it was natural. Whatever else he did to me, he made me into something that fit his hands exactly. Or maybe I was always this shape inside, and I just didn’t know it." - p71

🖤

"We’ve always found it easier to touch than to talk. Tonight, we managed both.
I told him what I needed, and he listened. And in the process, we obliterated that black hole between us.
All I see for us now is a future as fierce and blinding and unrelenting as the sun." - p.232

🖤

"I meant every word I swore tonight. His word above mine, his life above mine.
But once these men have cleared out and we’re upstairs with no witnesses, the only order my Don will be giving me tonight is “Don’t stop.”" -p. 282

—

Okay, I always have to say this when talking about these books.
There really is a recommended reading order as it’s just more enjoyable if you know who the characters are. 

The Morelli Family is the basis of New York.

Start:
Morelli Family Series - Must Read all 8 Books (including book 3.5), this series starts it all!!
*Pro-tip - consider book 1 & 2 all one book and just keep reading after the first one is over, luca and finch's story is nowhere near over!*

1.Married to the Mobster
2. Beloved by the Boss 


Continue with following 6 books in series

Move to 2nd: 

West Coast Mobsters: Castellani Family Series - Read all 6, takes place in LA
1.His Lethal Desire
Continue with following 5 books in series


This Series: 

Clemenza Family (trilogy - all the same couple. First one that’s like this.)
1. The Beast Who Bought Me
2.The Beast Who Broke Me
3. This one!

Something New Coming Soon???

Thank you to Leighton Greene for this free ARC. Rating and review are voluntary - opinions given are always my own.


09/22/26
I've been so patient. It's finally time.

08/07/26:
sigh, october is still so far.
i've been waiting (impatiently) since the end of may after finishing the second one the same day it was released, so i gueeesssss i can make it another two months.

btw -
this series is only for people comfortable with really dark romance.
do not try this series just because.
start with the original Morelli Family series and then West Coast: Castellani first or instead if you're unsure.
i fell in love with them, read every single book in a row, which is why i was comfortable reading this series. (i didn't really like dark romance until entering this mobster world Greene has made. opened my eyes to a whole new sub-genre.)

okay, that is enough rambling over a book that's not released yet.

October 1st, I'm waiting on youuuuuu.


Morelli Family Book One: Married to the Mobster -
read this series before the West Coast series for the most enjoyable expeirence.

West Coast: Castellani Family Book One: His Lethal Desire -
read this series AFTER the Morelli series, BEFORE Clemenza Family series.

[Dani]

Well.... this book was full of ups and downs and it put me through so many emotions!! I laughed, I cried, my heart ached, my face hurt from smiling... Such a good conclusion to Dami and Cal's story. Those love declarations were so, so perfect for these two idiots who couldn't figure out how to separate their emotions from their loyalties for the longest bloody time!!!

I'm so glad that Sammy was genuine, I was really anxious after the end of the last book but now he's one of my favourite Leighton Greene characters. The whole family of Rosa, Vito, Sammy, Dami and Cal was just so weirdly wholesome and I enjoyed every scene they all had together immensely. Vito had me in tears with that whole scene between him and Cal! The man who can't talk said the absolute most and I loved him even more for it.

The Morelli's being a strong ally is what I suspected coming into this book, but I really liked the friendships that grew between Cal and Luca, and also between Dami and Nick. Caligula coming into his role as Don Clemenza was really fun to read, and I liked how he accepted that he could learn a lot from Luca, and that he didn't need to be like his grandfather.

The reveal about Cal and Dami's dad's wasn't a surprise to me because it was exactly what I though of when it was first described, but it was fun to see them realising the truth! The resolution to everything also felt right, and I liked how Dami's journey from soldier to fully functioning human with emotions was completed.

I feel like almost every bad guy got their comeuppance by the end of this story, but I have to say that the post credit scene has me feeling slightly feral for what the next book is going to be! The characters are both people who have massively intrigued me in this story universe, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out...

*****
I received an ARC of this book from Leighton Greene, and this is my honest review

[Renae Reads]

My goodness... this was an epic finale to Dami and Cal's torrid love affair, which is magnetic, dangerous, and compelling. What I enjoyed most about this trilogy overall is that Dami never loses his ruthlessness, possessiveness, and primal desire to own and protect Cal. They are both highly capable and strategic mafiosos, so seeing how clearly devoted and in sync they are with one another makes for a magical story that is hard to put down as the stakes keep rising with each entry in their story.

This story picks up right at the cliffhanger of the previous entry, and questions are answered while a lingering threat and the discovery of truths hang over the heads of both Cal and Dami. When the truths are revealed, the consequences are severe and send Cal and Dami down dangerous paths that leave their relationship in turmoil, but knowing how clearly devoted they are to one another makes their hard-won HEA completely plausible and reassuring.

Overall, I could not get enough of this story. Cal and Dami are interesting characters who are so clearly enamored with one another, which makes their story even more provocative and addictive. I always love returning to this world and its characters. I love the teaser at the end of this story and look forward to where that character goes from there.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[Latty|The Creative]

I think because by the time I found Leighton Greene the author had released the last of the Castellani Family ending the West Coast Mobster Series so I was spoiled and underestimated her ability to shock me.

Going into the Clemenza Family though, I was like a newborn and wow, just wow! Book 3! Book 3! Book3! What a ride with this trilogy! My word the villain has always been in plain sight and though I had suspected, I loved how Leighton played with my emotions with all the cloak and dagger!

I loved how unpredictable this series was even with the simplicity behind it, all that destructive chaos for what exactly... GREED and LOVE the contradiction of the madness amazed me!

We gotta give it up to the one that started this, Luca D’Amato, the man with the audacity to live as his true self with the ambition bigger than his ego. Because let us not forget how much of a scum the Clemenza family were and now, they're on their way in being respectful and reliable allies instead of the snakes they're known for.

This was a lovely conclusion of Dami and Cal along with their growing clan and family. My emotions were all over the place, I cried, laughed, was heartbroken, surprised, rage, tears of joy and yell of victory!!!!!!!!

There were so many moments for me, so many, but if you should ask me the ones dear to my heart.

“You are not my enemy. I forgive you, Damiano Orsini.”

QUEUE THE TEARS OF JOY! WE'VE COME A FAR WAY!

The priest begins. Dami stands still, the only sign of life his breath, each exhalation drifting white. When the priest says Sebastiano’s name, the oldest of the Gees takes off his hat and presses it against his chest.

BIG GEE, COUNT YOUR DAYS MF, COUNT YOUR DAYS!

My beast is here. He’s here, and he will stand between me and death, like he always does.

CAL DIDN'T EVEN DOUBT HE WOULD COME, JUST A MATTER OF WHEN!

Caged. Pinned. But not trapped. I am exactly where I want to be.

SWOON!

Leighton thank you for this series, I enjoyed it and had a blast and if I was invested before, MY WORD AM I INVESTED NOW.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[SNik]

Third and finale in trilogy (Clemenza Family), must be read in order. Former captor/captive. Forced proximity. Size difference. Age gap. Found family. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.

Cal and Dami have reached a détente and then it falls apart. While Cal becomes head of the newly resurrected Clemenza crime family, Dami comes to terms with being beyond indebted to Cal.

The power dynamics in this book were really entertaining, because I appreciated Cal’s mob intelligence while he came into his own while Dami still dominated in their personal lives and was very much a protector. I enjoyed the strong found family themes in this, their own family and the expanding criminal ties. The super spicy scenes since Cal and Dami can’t keep their hands off each other throughout were steamy and actually important to their relationship growth. Honestly, I am sad to see this trilogy end, and I hope to see more of Cal and Dami as I really liked these characters and their journey (but the teaser for a new main character almost did me in).

[L S]

"The Beast Who Begged Me" is the final book in a trilogy following the same couple, Caligula 'Cal' Clemenza and Damiano 'Dami' Orsini. Reading the first two books is required. Leighton Greene has two previous mafia series set in the same world: while you can grasp this book without them, reading the Morelli series will give a better appreciation of the mafia politics and who all the Morelli characters are in this book.

This book starts with both of our 'heroes' in mortal peril, but plot armor saves them. Coming close to death makes both realize how much they care and want the other (dare I say love?). The relationship seems like smooth sailing until Dami finds out Cal's father was innocent of Vincent's murder. Dami had justified his past abuse of Cal as revenge, so this revelation breaks him. Cal refuses to let Dami go and this is where we get to the book title.

Meanwhile, the rest of the mafia world doesn't stop. There's a lot of Morelli characters and Luca especially plays an important role throughout the book. Cal is trying to establish the Clemenza Family but struggles with lack of people, territory, and funds – not to mention the bratva, Giuliano Family, and mystery faction still trying to kill him.

This book does a great job of wrapping up the mysteries: who was killing off the Clemenzas and why, who had the ring, who killed Vincent and why Cesario took the blame. Most of the plot points get resolved too – the only major exception is covered in the "post-credit scene", which is setting up the sequel series.

Plenty of spice, including kink, rough sex, and sex in inappropriate places... Cal is a horny 21-year-old who's discovered sex and gotten over his hang-ups about being submissive in bed – he keeps Dami very busy. The power dynamics are the most consensual in this book: where in the previous book, Dami was grabbing control, in this book Cal is openly asking for Dami's dominance.

More notes
* Typical mafia violence and our 'heroes' are no saints.
* Found family theme is important and I especially loved the scene between Vito and Cal.
* Lot of character growth. The concept of forgiveness and letting go played a major role. And the guys actually communicated with words.
* Series end in a real HEA, not a stockholm kind. Subscribe to the author's newsletter for an extra with two ultra-sweet epilogue scenes.

[True Loveislovereview]

This was a wonderful end to this trilogy
The Mob war is very present. As is Caligula Clemenza is avenging his grandfather, not for love and not for hate. It’s his duty.

Caligula isn't officially the Dom yet; he needs the ring and doesn’t know where it is.

After some very important secrets are revealed, the hate Damiano felt for Dom Clemenza is now turned to himself. Damiano wants nothing more than to end his life. There’s no purpose anymore.
At some point, Damiano gave his oath to Caligula. He wants him to forgive what he did to him. How he bought him, caged him, wanted to destroy him. Only Caligula will never forgive him, he doesn’t forgive his enemies.

The attraction and raw physical need between them are strongly present.
The title has a special place in this story.

Prepare yourself for a ride through the mob world, with everything that belongs in it
You need to read the whole trilogy to understand everything that is going on!
Thank goodness they have their hea!
It’s recommendation-worthy!

[Kiandra 🦋]

I’m so tired of this series and this has entirely too many sex scenes that I’m also tired of

[Ana Silva]

What a freaking emotional ride! This book had me feeling so many different emotions at once that it’s hard to even describe them.

I was so scared that Cali would be mean to Dami after finding out the truth. And I totally would have understood it if he had, but they had gone through so much pain already that I just wouldn’t have been able to take it.

It was bad enough to seeing Dami crumble when he realized what he’d done. I don’t think my heart would have been able to handle it if Cali had taken revenge on Dami. Thankfully, Leighton took pity on us and didn’t make us suffer even more😅

My respect for Cali in this book grew exponentially. He went from a scared kid to a formidable Don who could hold his own. He was able to sit at the same table with the most powerful men in the city and nobody could say he didn’t belong.

Dami might have bought him and broken him, but he also made him stronger and more resilient. He taught him how to stand on his own and demand respect.

Caligula was born to be a Don, and he proved it to everyone. He was ready to be the leader of his family, but he wouldn’t do it without Dami by his side. What happened between them wasn’t enough for him to lose the man he loved. Damiano was his and he was Damiano’s. Nothing else mattered.

I loved that Dami was willing to do anything to make it up to Cali. He knew nothing would erase the pain and suffering he caused him, but he’d be willing to kiss the ground he walked on if that’s what Cali wanted, and he’d do it proudly.

He loved Caligula despite hating him, and now that he knew that hate was misplaced, he didn’t feel like he deserved him. Luckily for him, Caligula wasn’t going to let him go. Dami belonged to him. Period.

“𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏.”
“𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒐 𝑶𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒊.”
“𝑨𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆.”
“𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒊𝒕.”

My heart melted after reading this scene. Damiano couldn’t believe Caligula could love him after everything he did to him. But he should have known better. Caligula was one of the best men he knew and his capacity for love was beyond measure. The fact that that love was directed at him made him the luckiest man alive.

The truth about their dads didn’t surprise me; it just made me sad. Cali’s dad just wanted to protect him from the evils of his family, but he trusted the wrong people. Because of it, Cali and Dami were forced into personal vendetta against each other. A vendetta that had no merit and one that almost cost Dami everything.

Their love was toxic AF, but I loved them. The line between love and hate was basically transparent when it came to these two 😅 From the very beginning, the attraction was there and that’s what irked Dami the most. He’d been fighting his feelings for Cali from day one and he was tired of denying them to himself.

It was such a painful road to their happiness, but they made it. Somewhere along the way, hate became love, the unforgivable was forgiven and two men became each other’s everything despite the pain they caused to each other.

I’m so sad the series is over, but so glad there are no more cliffhangers 😂 I about lost it when books one and two ended. Now I’m super excited for what’s next. The end of the book has me so ready for whatever Leighton has planned for us!

[Corey]

Synopsis:
Damiano and Caligula are on the run from a rival mafia family. Their home is gone, their resources are dwindling, and they can only rely on each other. But that doesn’t stop them from resurrecting Caligula’s family legacy and learning the truth behind the events that led them here.

❤️ MM Mafia Romance
🧡 Blood and Violence
💛 Found Family
💚 Mafia Don and Enforcer
💙 Power Exchange
💜 Possessive (both of them)

Highlights:
-Caligula giving Dami’s last name when he was brought into the hospital
- The character growth
- Caligula’s exhibitism

Recommend?
Yes! If you’ve read the previous books then you NEED this finale. If you haven’t started this series yet, then now is the perfect time to start!

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

"The Beast Who Begged Me" by Leighton Greene is the third and final book in the "Clemenza Family" series. It follows Caligula and Damiano as they scramble for safety after the ending of book 2.

They're left to pick up the pieces of their lives, finish rebuilding Caligula's family legacy, discover the truth behind their fathers' connection, and finally acknowledge the feelings between them

Ratings:
Overall: 5/5 Hearts - I loved the first two books and I was absolutely blown away by the finale. There's action, mystery, spice, and romance and I loved every second of reading this book.

Spice Quantity: 5/5 Peppers - I'm going off "vibes" here and it really feels like 45-50% of this book is spice. It's just nonstop throughout the story and I'm not complaining.

Spice Quality: 5/5 - And it was good spice too. *Fan's self*. There's a lot of rough, possessive sex, sometimes in private, sometimes in full view of security cameras, even in front of the cooling bodies of their enemies.

Please hydrate prior to reading.

Plot: 5/5 -
- Storyline: The storyline is absolutely perfect. It ties up all the little subplots smoothly (the romantic plot, the mafia War, the clemenza murders). Tension remains consistently high and just like books 1 & 2, that tension kept me glued to the pages and desperate to read more and more.

- Characters: I've loved Caligula and Damiano since book one. This book really tells the story of their final growth arc and I adored that. We see Damiano learning that vegenece isn't the most important thing in life, Caligula realizing that he doesn't have to be his grandfather and doesn't have to treat everyone like an enemy, and the pair of them finally learning to say three little words that seemed impossible in the previous books.

- Writing Style: It's amazing. It's flowy and easy to read and has an addictive quality that makes the book impossible to put down.

Conclusion: "The Beast Who Begged Me" is a wonderful finale to the series. It ties up all the loose ends, finishes all the character arcs, and gives us the HEA ending that Caligula and Damiano desperately deserve.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me over on Instagram: @rainbow.reviews.mm
I share reviews with half-decent graphics, new release promos, and reading updates.

[Tara Baja]

If there were ever to be a perfect ending for a trilogy, it would be Leighton Greene's third and final book in the Clemenza Family series, The Beast Who Begged Me! She considerately provided me with an advanced reading copy in reciprocity for my honest review, and let me tell you, I couldn't read this fast enough! It answered all the questions Damiano and Caligula were looking for.

Not to say everything went smoothly; I mean, we're dealing with the Italian Mafia and Russian Bratva!

Regardless of how Cal feels about Dami and vice versa, they're both determined to solve mysteries from both the present and the past! I put my Agatha Christie/Jessica Fletcher hat on.. and was completely wrong in my guesses of who did what. But that's what made this book fun! It was still the MM dark romance goodness that Leighton writes, and that we know and love.

Nevertheless, with the mystery (and the eventual answers), all the Mafia violence madness, spice that spiced so spicy, I had to clean my glasses a few times, and perhaps a sneak peek into a new series that's gonna make you scream out loud like I did, you really can't help but walk away from The Clemenza Family and give this book 5 f*ck*ng ⭐!

"Non tutto il male viene per nuocere." - Italian Proverb
• Literal translation: Not all bad things come to cause harm.
• Meaning: Every cloud has a silver lining. Sometimes, unexpected negative events pave the way for something positive.

[369Pages]

4⭐️
Dami and Cal’s saga finally wraps up in the final book in their trilogy!

Overall, I don’t have too much extra to say that I haven’t already said about the other books. This book series is well done in terms of a dark mafia romance. It has all of the exciting power dynamics and crazy events that you should expect from this author and the genre.

The last book left on a crazy cliffhanger, and had me excited for the final book of the series for sure. I feel like this book did a good job of wrapping up the series and tying up the loose ends that it needed to. I’m not gonna lie, there were definitely some names or side characters that I didn’t fully know who they were while I was reading it because there were just so many and I kind of forgot. This could also just be my bad because I didn’t finish the original mafia series that this is a spinoff from.

Overall, this book did a good job of balancing mafia romance, tropes that we all love and keeping it exciting and interesting. We got to see some good character growth from Damiano especially, which I appreciated.

I definitely do recommend this mafia series, though I am glad that I read Married to the Mobster to get a good idea of the setting.

[Katriana]

3.5 rounded up to a 4.

Seeing as how this is the last book in this trilogy, I had really high hopes for it. And unfortunately, I just don't think those hopes were met. In the previous two books, we saw Cal and Dami at each others throats, but they were taking steps forward. However, in this book they took 3 steps forward and 5 steps back.

I understand that this is a dark romance book, I get that its dark and gritty, I have no problem with that. What made this book less enjoyable for me was all the back and forth between these two men that occurred. They would start opening up to each other and be vulnerable and in the very next chapter they would do something that hurt the other person on purpose.. I just didn't enjoy the constant back and forth when that has been going on for three whole books at this point. I was expecting for this book to show them as a more united pair not still at each other's throats.

Now, I will say this book did improve about halfway through. That's when we started to see these two stop fighting each other and start respecting each other, which was a massive turning point. I also think the ending of this book is where it really shined, that was my favorite part. And that sneaky extra scene at the end?? I'm very curious about that especially because I suspected that was what happened to Seb!

All in all, the ending of this book pulled it through and I still liked seeing these characters making some progress. Dami letting go of old demons was a huge moment for his character, and Cal learning how to carve his own path instead of basing his leadership off of his grandfather's was a defining moment for his chwractet as well.

I'm very curious about Seb, and I'm looking forward to reading what this author writes next!

[Andrea Smedley]

This is the third in a trilogy, and you HAVE to read it in order. Book 2 was left on a huge cliffhanger with Dami and Cal both in mortal peril. Then we had to wait to see what happened next! Which did not disappoint. In book 3, Dami and Cal get to work on getting to the bottom of who killed Dami's Father, who's killing Clemenzas, and whether either of them can establish themselves as a mob boss. There's a LOT of smut between the 2 of them. They got it on so frequently in the first half of the book I started to wonder how they were ever going to get anything else done, but then the action really kicks off in the second half and I was utterly gripped by the last 30%, which I pretty much had to read in one sitting because I could not walk away. A good ending for Cal, Dami and their found family. As for the epilogue - I was jumping up and down shouting 'I guessed it!' on 2 counts! The only thing I didn't guess was that that situation wouldn't be resolved in this book, and now we have to wait all over again. I hope not for too long. Also hoping that Jesse gets a happy ending of some sort, he deserves more than to be a forgotten side character. Looking forward to the next.
I received an ARC.

[Anne Brooke]

This is a fabulously dark & adrenalin-filled romance between two very different & very strong men and an absolutely fabulous end to this very high-quality series. I loved the sense of danger and threat throughout, and the way the various plotlines are held together and resolved is top-notch. The development of the romance between Dami & Cal is brilliantly portrayed and it's an incredibly satisfying end for their opposites attract relationship. In this 3rd & final book, I particularly enjoyed the way both men learn from each other as they try to resolve their differences and stay alive in the Mafia world they inhabit. There is also a great deal of wisdom here about adapting to changing circumstances, being ready to let deeply-felt beliefs go when they no longer fit their purpose, and being open to the magical demands of love. I am going to miss Dami & Cal very much, but I'm thrilled to have been witness to their journey here. Highly recommended.

[A reader]

Caligula & Damiano 🔥♾️⭐

This just might be my fave trilogy ever. Most times, I finish duets and trilogies out of sheer will because I've invested the effort and time already and want to know how it ends. This one though, had me on edge and counting down the days for the next release. Read through this so fast, didn't want it to end but also dying to know how everything was gonna play out. Leighton Greene often weaves in a little bit of mystery with the romance, but this was just so top tier. The HEA, perfection. Not only do they get their happily ever after together, but they also find peace on a deeply personal level. Perfect combo of possessive love, spice, and amazing plot. Have so much more to say but don't want to spoil anything. Wish I could talk to someone about this!

P.S. Justice for Seb!

[Mandy]

I devoured the first two books about Cal and Dami and am so happy to finally be able to read the next in their story. It carries on immediately from where the previous book finished, and again is intense, gritty, emotional, and full of intrigue and suspense. The powerful emotions between Cal and Dami continue to colour their actions in this twisting tale of revenge, as secrets are revealed, and I loved every second of it. Sammy and Ricky are again part of it, as their relationship continues to evolve, as are Rosa and Vito, who provide some normalcy in this dark tale. Cal and Dami finally get their well-deserved and hard fought for HEA, and I highly recommend this book as a fabulous and satisfying ending to the trilogy.

[Cindy]

This third book is long awaited and well worth it. Dami escapes from the Giuliano's, Seb is deceased and Dami's house is burning with Cal in it. Cal is rescued and Damir hovers by his bedside. Everything changes. Dami wants to be with Cal, let Cal be the Boss everywhere but the bedroom and figure out who unalived his father. Cal takes his place leading the family, cozies up to D'amato ( Hello Finch) and wants revenge. Their relationship has it's bumps but it's steamy and spicy with love and trust, devotion and possession. It's a Mafia story at it's best.

[Ashley -Goldstarreads]

This book was the perfect end to the trilogy and left me absolutely ravenous for more. My heart broke so many times during this final book. It bled and ached for Dami and Caligula. I truly didn’t see some of the twists coming while figuring out some of the others. I loved every moment, it kept me hooked and enthralled. Well written, the characters really drew me in and kept me enthralled, the plot was so interesting and intoxicating. Absolutely love this mafia world.

[Metz874]

ARC review
This amazing triologi blew my mind. It's a spectacular ending to my favourite series. Even though I'm not a big fan of cliffhangers and waiting for what comes next, this writing is next level. It brings out every emotion possible, and I'm so pleased Cal and Dami finally got their happily ever after.
A nerve wracking journey for sure. This book starts up where the last one let up so it's necessary to read the books in order to get the whole experience.
I love how Cal and Damis dynamic and explosive chemistry continue through all three books. Through their journey they learn to adapt to one another instead of fighting each other for dominance at all times. I whole heartly recommend this triologi. It's dark and posessiv, but the love and affection between C & D will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.

[Judy]

I love these two MC’s. Talk about tragic lives, but finally what a great HEA. Damiano is a mafia enforcer and Caligula is the destitute son of a Mafia family. The two meet under some stressful conditions, beat the heck out of each other and find time for some hot, intense passion. Book two left us on a “BIT” of a cliffhanger. This one picks up right there and follows them through all the twists and turns until them and their found family have the HEA they deserve. There is a teaser for the next “Mafia World” book that I knew had to be out there. I love this author and all her strong men. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

[Shannon Janssen]

"The Beast Who Begged Me" is the final installment in the Clemenza Family Trilogy by Leighton Greene. I was so excited for this book and the author did not disappoint. I have enjoyed every page of these books. Nobody writes mafia romance like Leighton Greene! Dami and Cal are so well written I was hanging on every word. I loved seeing the OG Morelli's, Finch and Luca are long time favorites. I absolutely loved this book and the entire series, I cannot wait for more from this author.

[FHR]

Picking up from boom two, Cal and Dami are at a peril as they discover the truths about the past, come to grips with their feelings for each other and try to rebuild what is left.

This is an epic conclusion to the trilogy which ties up all of the questions from the previous two books, sets up well for what’s next whilst having plenty of action, mystery and spice in the plot.
A fantastic read.

[Halle]

I was really looking forward to this book and I did enjoy it. This series started out a bit rough for me because of how dark it was, but I really enjoyed the character development and relationship that Dami and Cal managed to have by the end of this book. It’s hard to wrap up a trilogy, I really liked how this one was handled. I’m looking forward to the spin off (which I called by the way)!

[Jennifer]

Another great series

I absolutely love this series and all the others that are part of this world. This author writes dark romance so well. If you like mafia stories these books deliver everything you want. I can't wait for the next series and Seb's return!

[Kari]

What an ending! Picked up right where the the second one left off. The threats continue, the mystery of who is after the Clemenza family continues, and a don comes into his own. The love story between Dami and Caligula continues, as well. This book wraps up the series so well. I love the way the family comes together, the intelligence and dominance displayed by both MCs, and the of course the inclusion of the other Families. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this series and will read it again and again.
I received an advance copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

[K-Me]

Complicated but Hot and Intense as well! I enjoyed the fact that even though these two are somehow perfect for each other, the world they live in is a mess and they are so entangled in all of it. I was glad that Dami remained the ever-constant protector despite what Cal did or what was happening around them. Fantastic wrap up to what was not an obvious happy ending!

[Tammy Parker]

***ARC***

This is one of the best series that I have read. You have to read books 1 and 2 to know what's going on.
Cal is on the run due to someone trying to eliminate his family.
Dami is chasing Cal. He thinks Cal's dad killed his dad.
I enjoyed the push and pull between Dami and Cali, the power struggle.
And all the side characters, Sammy ,Rosa,and Vito. They were great as well. Highly recommend it you like mafia romance. Thanks Leighton Greene for this series!!

[Kaya]

IM SCREAMING AND CRYING. This series has been my life for the past week so I’m not sure what to do with my life now. Dami and Cal are seriously everything to me. I have found a top mafia series that I will never stop thinking about. I saw this series pop up on my recommended list before the 3rd book was out and I just knew I had to wait so I could read them without dealing with any cliffhangers and thank GOD I did that because I would’ve been so unwell otherwise. Doesn’t matter since I’m still very unwell, but in a good way this time. Everything was wrapped up perfectly, all questions were answered, and Dami and Cal got their HEA with their family so there’s actually nothing more I could want or ask for.

This series, but this book especially, had my emotions going haywire. There was anger, anxiety, confusion, and A LOT of tears in this book but there was also a sense of peace, happiness, and contentment. We’re so far from the beast and his captor and life took them through actual hell, but they ended up where they were meant to. The whole guilt situation with Dami KILLED me throughout this book. I actually was hysterically sobbing when he was begging Cal to forgive him 😭 The way he sliced off the G from his wrist to prove it, even if it may have not been enough. This was a man who said he’d NEVER get on his knees and beg, but here he was, giving his life, giving everything he had to Cal. But it was the way Cal said he can’t forgive what he did but he can forgive HIM as a person. Crying again just looking back at the quotes. That moment was so unbelievably pivotal for them. Dami reached a breaking point with his guilt and Cal was there, choosing him, telling him that he was forgiven, that he wasn’t his enemy. And everything was just crazy from there like I can’t.

Caligula truly came into his own as Don Clemenza and I am of course so unbelievably proud of him and would give him my loyalty immediately 😌 The way he showed up for his Family was unmatched and I truly love him like crazy. The way he stood for what he wanted, stood on his choices and actions without fail, and just the way he held himself showed that he was meant to be where he was. But at the end of the day, where he felt most at home was at the townhouse with the family he chose (well sort of). He had Dami of course but he also had Vito, Rosa, Sammy, and Ricky. If everything else disappeared and they were all he had left, he would be happy with his because those were the people who would always love and be loyal to him no matter what. Same sentiments also can be said for Dami. I about cried at the end when he told Cal how fucking happy he was with his family and how much his dad would’ve wanted it. Seeing him let go of what had happened to his father and finding out who did it, was a monumental moment for him. But he had to let it go in order to move forward to bask in that happiness with the people he loves most. That yes, he did some fucked up things to get where they are, but like he said, Caligula still loved him anyway.

I’m just so freaking happy and SO freaking happy that they are too. The proposal was BRILLIANT and I despise when authors skip out on them but this was everything to me. This was a beast turned soft and could you ask for anything more??! That man was SO in love (I knew he was at the beginning seeing Cal at the hospital) but reading about him confirming it was just everythingggggg!!!! He knew once he heard that Cal was checked in under his last name, that he was his and he wasn’t letting go. Caligula was HIS, and that was final 🙅🏽‍♀️ Absolutely loved both of their love confessions, and once again, I couldn’t be bothered to ask for anything more. Now get Dami and his man, Caligula Orsini, to the courthouse STAT so he can make his Don his husband 😋😝

THAT ENDING???! SEB????!!!! Before I even read the last line about it being him I’m like who else would have a G sliced from their skin besides him??! And will it be him and Tiberius based on the vibes I picked up on??? Idk but I need to know immediately. Also praying he gets to see Dami again, but I have hope. He’ll definitely go through hell, but he’ll get there, this author has my utmost trust 🤞🏽

— quotes tba (i have a lot of course…)

[Shannon]

Least favorite of the series. This one gets bogged down with too much outside mafia action/influence. The reason why these books were better than the Morelli books is because the focus was entirely on Dami and Caligula. Their relationship takes the backseat here which negatively impacts the story.

The I love yous came waaaaay too late. I mean after almost losing Caligula to the fire I find it hard to believe that Dami would continue to withhold his feelings (even to himself). This would have been the perfect opportunity to get Dami's inner monologue about how in love he is with Caligula. He could have been yearning and pining and should have been. I mean we waited 2 books for this and still didn't get Dami's "i love you" until the last chapter!!!!!! What!? Also, Dami should have been the one to say it first, not Cal. That would have worked better with how guilty Dami was over how he treated Cal. Sure have him feel guilt but I would have preferred him being haunted that he would never get Cal's love. What a waste!

I wish Dami and Caligula talked more about how their fathers were in love. That is such a huge deal and it was never even discussed between them. We had one of them think about how they could have actually grown up as brothers. That conversation would have been brilliant for them to have together. Missed opportunity to deepen their bond and discuss the fated/inevitability of being intertwined in multiple timelines.

Way too many repetitive sex scenes. Exactly the same acts, same dirty talk. If there isn't a variety of acts, the scene should be removed entirely. Book 1 gave us a lot of variety. It's a shame because Dami and Cal lost their sexual chemistry due to the constant repetitive scenes. It's really unfortunate this happened and wish an editor or early reader gave this feedback.

Personally I don't like Caligula taking the last name Orsini. Should have been the other way around.

This could have been so much better and it bums me out that the trilogy ends on a low note.

That said I do look forward to Seb's book and understanding what on earth is going on with Tiberius.