Dark Protector

Secret Club of Kings #1

by Celeste Riley

You’re not supposed to love a killer.
Vito Manzella is the family hitman and second in line to the throne of his father’s empire.
Don’t be deceived by his handsome face, or those deep dark eyes.
He’s no knight in shining armor.
He’s dangerous, he’s feared. God knows how many bodies he dropped.

Our first meeting began with my dying father beside me.
I was a pawn in a game I didn’t even knew I was playing.
Now I’m in the hands of my supposed allies.

I can’t decide anything on my own.
I belong to him now.
Me, the Calderone Mafia Princess.
I’m not innocent. But I’m untouched …
At the mercy of a killer.

But something happened when our paths crossed in that secluded safe house.
I am a prisoner. It’s all wrong, and yet when I climbed into Vito’s bed it felt right.

Then he’s gone and everyone drops their masks. Secrets come to light.
If we can’t be together then I will be alone. I don’t want to show this part of myself to anyone else.
Not ever.

Suddenly I don’t know any more who’s friend and who’s enemy.
Or, who I can turn to with the secret I’m carrying with me.
I thought I knew who to trust.
Now I’m not so sure…


“Dark Protector” is the first book in the Secret Club of Kings series. It is a stand-alone Dark Mafia Enemies to Lovers Romance, complete with HEA and no cliffhangers.
WARNING: 18+ only. Please read responsibly, this book may contain triggers.


Find out how the SECRET CLUB OF KINGS series starts by reading DARK PROTECTOR, the latest dark mafia romance hit readers are comparing to Faith Summers, Jane Henry and Michelle Heard.

Genres: Mafia Romance

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Devina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good enough to be bad and bad enough to be good.
It gave me so much stress but I liked it.
It was different for a change and it was really good

[Domi Nika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, I am going to write what is it about while I read it... 💡 I can do it longer, than when I do it after the end...

I am curently in the page with nbr. 110 and I am waiting for something to happen.

For a main h to be more smart and main H to not be such a...softie.

He was supossed to be like badass, I will kill you right Now!

💣💣💣💣

But it looks like he is just afraid od his big bad father...

🤔

Interesting...not. 🙅‍♀️

She is supossed to be the smart woman, the first women Capo in the history...

But so far is just a stupid biatch...👎

It starts with the attack on main h's family. They wanted to kidnapped her...

She is like "badass" takes her gun and kill him...

Because she can... 🔫🖤🔫

Meanwhile, she comes to her father who Is Hurt And needs to be taken care of in the hospital.

They are afraid that this rival family has a men in a Hospital too, So they contact another "friendly" mob to help them.

And they do.

Main h Is their guest, they give her her own room, takes her to shop where She upppps tells main H that She knows why they attacted them...

Because she will be Capo one day...And they found out.

For sure.

Main H Is like 😲😲😲😲

Woman as a Capo?

And She Is like "I took over family business..."

😲😲😲😲😲😲

And when He - as a good Son - tells about it his father, He is like 😲😲😲😲😲 you need to lock her!

We need to find a HUSBAND!

WOMAN AS A CAPO?

And she Is like "why did you tell him?"

Honey, why did YOU tell him? 🫢🧐🙄

And "I Will lose EVERYTHING!"

He promises her, that He will take her to see her father. But He has a work to do and forget...

When She tells on him, he is like "tomorrow, I promise..."

But She doesn't believe him, fakes sleeping, takes his phone, car keys etc...to go and see her father.

😂 She just couldn't wait!

Of course there are bad people in the Hospital...

Who would kidnapp her, but main H comes And save the day...🩷

When She wakes up - they drugged her - She Is ggggg again...🙄

“I am not a prisoner Vito, I am a guest and I needed to see my dad. It was not a tantrum, he is my only family! I had to see him, Vito. I asked you, and you acted like an ass. You lied and said you’d take me when you had no intention of doing so. Do not blame me, this is on you. If you had done what you said, I wouldn’t have had to leave."

And blah blah blah....😡😡😡😡

“Well, Elodie, you were a guest. But thanks to your stupid stunt we are now both prisoners in this safe house. Under twenty-four-hour guard, no getting out. You were free, but you had to be a disobedient little brat, and now I am a prisoner with you!”

Poor Guy 😂

“Well, you can’t see him at all now,” Vito says, “because we cannot leave this place. Not until my father says so.”

Such a good little son he is... 🤔🤣🩷

....See me soon

“Love is not for people like us, Elodie. I know that, and so do you.” It’s safer for everyone if we don’t love anyone.” She looks at me with a soft but sad smile. I know she understands that. Gangsters and love cannot co-exist, it’s one or the other.

That's deep shit 🤔 Page nbr. 125

And about twenty pages later....they love each other, he even tells her.... 🖤 So wtf?

Deep shit is over 🤣

Wery well, they are in a safe house all alone...hmmm

And of course, they start to sleep with each other....🤔

And of course they don't use a protection... 👶

For 4 weeks! 😲

Hmmmm, such a strong and smart woman she is....🤔

I still read it just for the "enemies" with masks, what was promised to me to be shown. 🫢

Like she can't trust anyone...🤔

Just pappa - He looks safe and Vito - who loves her And we can see his POV. 🤔

I think that it was her cousin who wanted to kidnapp her, get rid of her etc...etc...there is not specification, that they REALLY wanted to kidnapp... 🙅‍♀️

It could be all about murdering her....☠️

He Is jealous about her being CAPO one day...🎉

Vito's dad would be bad too - He already Is. He wants for her to marry his first Son (And it is not Vito...)😢🧐🥸

Ok, Marcos - first Son Is a pig 😲

When her father goes to Sicily - makes her Capo - there Is a group of "KINGS" He thought that Will accept her as a CAPO.

But they didn't 🤣

They did something better...they killed him 💣

She Is no one Now...they wanted to marry her off, but suprise suprise...She is pregnant with CHILD....👶

So what now? Where Is her pressios business? All gone...

And She? Will be sold or her child or something like this... 😲

I was like "Just Tell it's Vito's And He Will take after business...." but from his perspective, his lovely father would kill her as a punishment...

🫢 It's stupid, Isn't it?

I see...She would be all "good" if she was "pure".... Hmmmm 🫢🧐🙄 And I was right with the Vito's father and his first Son.... 💪 Old one died, she was rejected by KINGS, but still a queen after her father who didn't another male....

But it looks that with her child, She lost it all....

I hope it was good f*ck 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Page 260...

That baby and Elodie are my family now, they come first. I no longer need my father and brothers to have a ‘family’.✋

Aka I Will kill anyone who will take them... 🔫🔫🔫🔫

264:

I want Elodie to be mine, and now I will never be able to touch her again. She will be my brother’s wife. He will raise my son, and I will have to watch. A punishment worse than death. Slow lifelong torture, and my father knows this too.


🙄 WTF? Isn't he a killer? Just shot them all... 🔫💪


“I did not mean to do it, it was not intentional. I love her.” 🙄

He laughs maniacally at me now. The deep, evil cackle a forewarning of the storm about to come.

“Love,” he mocks. “You know nothing of love boy. You are a killer. I raised you not to love anything. You’re a selfish little prick. I should kill you.”🔫

He Is a coward... 😶‍🌫️

I don't get this story 🤣 meanwhile, she plays docile and meak, silently telling herself that she Is the Queen 👸 yeah, yeah...And Marcus Is afraid od her....

Like...why? 👎 Because she is more confidant than he is? 🤔

This was mess...🧐😢👎

1. He kidnapped her so they can fly to her home ( And so she doesn't have to marry his brother.) He doesn't have family now and can't never go home.
2. He tells her that he took care of everything. KINGS Are ok with him being her family CAPO...
3. She Is angry! IT was her role. She was the CAPO....🙄

AND I was like "f*CK you biatch 🙄😂" She would NEVER be the Queen. She would NEVER ever be...And She Is angry...☠️

4. She gives birth to their SON (IT can't be Daughter, right?) when they are flying! And of course, captain know how to deliver...🚀
5. He has marriage certificate - they are oficially husband And wife...And She looks angry that he didn't ask...😤
5. He tells her that He will share his CAPO duty with her...it Will be their secret...🩷
6. And she is like angry, that it has to be a secret...🖤

OMG, that girl! 🙄

This story...✋🧟‍♀️🧟✋

I red worse, but I expected more. She was confident, but stupid. He was "Killer" with big heart and afraid od his dad...

I shouldn't expect more with just a 3,5 ⭐

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excruciating mafia romance. Elodie and Vito are soulmates from different families. However, Vito is a second son and Elodie was brought up to run her father, the don's businesses. She was in effect his heir and would take his place at the table with the other Italian dons. Elodie's father has committed an infraction of his oath. A woman has no place as a don. When danger creeps into Elodie's home in Sicily, her father turns to an American ally. Only to be betrayed. Elodie is treated like a tramp, whore and prisoner while under the protection of this so called American ally. Against all odds she and Vito and pushed together. They get to know each other and realize they have fallen in love with the person within not the mafia position. Their love has had damaging repercussions. But before a fate of death happened to both of them their were people back in Sicily who loved and respected Elodie's father and her and agreed to rescue her from America. This is emotionally charged and action-packed. A must read. I highly recommend it.

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

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Steamy
Inspirational
Wonderful characters
Action-packed
Scary
Unpredictable
Romantic
Tragic
Informative
Realistic
Haunting
Original
Page-turner
Great world building

[Silvia Turi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elodie, la Principessa della Mafia dei Calderone, è costretta a lasciare la sua terra, la Sicilia, in piena notte assieme al padre Luigi, boss di Cosa Nostra.
Ad aiutarli e a prenderli con sé, è la famiglia Manzella, dove Elodie verrà affidata a Vito Manzella, sicario di famiglia.
Il loro primo incontro avvenne mentre lei si trovava al fianco del padre morente.
Purtroppo lei non sa di essere una pedina, essendo che i "Re", soprattutto i Manzella, non l'accettano come successore di suo padre.
Lei si sentirà sicura e protetta solamente con Vito, perché tutta questa situazione l'ha portata a dubitare di tutti, non riconoscendo i suoi amici e i suoi nemici.
Inoltre Elodie ha un grosso segreto che si porta dentro, non raccontandolo a nessuno per paura.
Vito in alcuni momenti l'ho trovato insicuro e poco coerente, lasciandomi però a bocca aperta verso la fine.
Elodie, invece, è sempre stata determinata e sicura di sé, una donna pronta a lottare a costo della sua stessa vita.
La lettura è scorrevole e molto coinvolgente.
La storia invece è ricca d'amore, ma allo stesso tempo contiene tanta sofferenza.
Non vedo l'ora di leggere "Crudele Mentitore'.

Valutazione: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spicy: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Emozioni: 💘💘💘
Recensione a cura di Silvia Turi.

[Rosa Glez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐

La historia de Elodie y Vito atrapa desde el primer capítulo y por eso quieres seguir leyendo.

Elodie está lista para asumir el mando de su padre en Sicilia, pero en este man's world, una mujer no tiene lugar como don.

Vito, el segundo hijo de una familia italo-americana, es designado como el "niñero" de Eloide durante su confinamiento -disque por su propia seguridad😒- en América.

En su corto tiempo juntos surgió el AMOR por parte de ambos, pero lo sentí como algo muy rápido tan así que no resultaba creíble 🤷🏻‍♀️

Obvio tienen que luchar por permanecer juntos, a pesar de los intereses de la familia de Vito y los demás líderes mafiosos italianos. Hasta encontrar su HEA.

FIN 😌

[Ursula M Kirkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tretury

This is a very well written book the story line catches you right from the beginning I did not want to put it down . The characters in the book are very very believable the story line is believable . The things that the couple go through through this whole book make you wanna cry. And what she is put through through this whole story. A lot of us would not be able to survive. I recommend this book Anyone who loves to read of Mafia stories It is well written. It has a wonderful story. line It's very gripping Just very well Written book.

[Camii · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro tenía mucho potencial y el personaje de Elodie Calderone también pero el problema fue que la mostraron como una mujer fuerte que iba a ser la jefa y de un momento para otro paso a ser sumisa y estar encerrada y dejando que la controlen, le sacaron su lugar.
Vito Manzella era un asesino pero le tenía miedo a su papá y hacía todo al pie de la letra y eso fue molesto porque no lucho en ningún momento por Eloide y la dejo sola cuando mas la necesitaba. Necesitaba que reaccione y mate por ella que demostrará el asesino que decía ser.

3/5 ⭐

[Eva Calmus · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’est la première fois que je lis un livre de cette autrice j’ai beaucoup aimé l’univers dans lequel elle nous a transporter.

Vito est un tres bon personnage. Il est le deuxième de la famille. Il est devenue le tueur pour faire plaisir à son père. Il est froid, distant, ne crois pas à l’amour. Il pense que cela ne sert à rien.

Élodie est une femme forte. Elle a pris la place de son père de façon encore discrète. Elle est une femme et cela est mal vu dans la mafia. Elle est forte, courageuse, téméraire. Elle ne se laisse pas décourager.

[Lisa Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elodie and Vito

Elodie is in place to take over as dom for her father, however, not everyone is happy about this decision. Vito has been put in charge of her and he doesn't hide the fact that he's not happy about it. As they spend time together he realizes that he has feelings for her though.

[MT Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was decent. The chemistry between Vito and Elodie was there, along with the twisty plot. The pacing was a little quick in parts, like I would have liked more at the end showing the things that went down instead of just hearing about them second hand through the characters, but this is a series I would continue with

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eloide is a mafia princess a pawn in games of the criminal world and bow in the hands of Vito, hitman and mafia heir, but soon not all is at is seems, secrets reveal, desire bloom and crash, and more. Well written, steamy scenes, action, drama and more!.

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

[Tania Iglesias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una lectura rápida y muy buena. Con acción, erotismo y un amor poco convencional.
Unos personajes con mucho carácter con los que vivirás momentos tensos e inolvidables.
Totalmente recomendada.
Le pongo 4 estrellas porque aunque se lee bien, la novela tiene varios errores ortográficos.

[Suzanne McNeill Taviner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

I really this story. I loved the way the feelings developed and the twist of the hit was a bit unexpected!

[Sherry Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 20% Liked hero and heroine but storyline very aggravating. Gave up