Book 1

Taken by the King
Book One of The Blackthorn Empire
By Raven Darkholme

He rules Chicago's underworld.
She was never meant to kneel.

Dominic Rossi built his empire on control.
Cold. Calculated. Unforgiving.

He doesn't hesitate.
He doesn't forgive betrayal.
And he doesn't let weakness live long enough to threaten his throne.

When Sophia Lombardi becomes collateral in a brutal mafia power play between rival families, she expects to be used as leverage.

What she doesn't expect... is choice.

Sophia doesn't break.
She doesn't beg.
And she refuses to be currency in a war between powerful men.

But when assassination attempts shake the city and bloodlines collide, a political marriage becomes the only path to stability.

What begins as strategy ignites into something far more dangerous:

Possession.
Obsession.
Permanence.

As enemies close in and alliances tighten, Dominic must decide what he's willing to burn to protect what he's claimed.

Because once vows are spoken in front of enemies...

There is no surrender.

• Arranged marriage

• Forced proximity

• Possessive alpha anti-hero

• Strong, strategic heroine

• Public territorial declarations

• Assassination attempts

• High heat and emotional intensity

• Interconnected series with new couples in each book

Perfect for readers who love dark mafia romance with dominant heroes, powerful heroines, and high-stakes political tension.

Welcome to The Blackthorn Empire.
Power isn't given. It's taken.