Hidden Ties

Hidden TiesA DARK MAFIA ROMANCE CARMEN ROSALES Copyright © 2023 by Carmen Rosales All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. All character are fictional. Names, characters, places, and indigents are of the authors imagination. Any resemblance to any of the elements of events, locales, persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Book cover and logos by 3Crows Author Services Images/ Depositphotos www.carmenrosales.com Erotic Quill Publishing, LLC Manufactured in the United States of America First Edition February 2023 Also by Carmen Rosales Hillside Kings Series Hidden Scars Hidden Lies Hidden Truths- (Leo & Katalia)-April 1st, 2023 Hidden Scion-(Alex & Alina)-Coming Soon A Dark Duet Giselle Briana Standalone’s He Loves Me Not- Coming Soon Dirty Little Secrets-Coming Soon Dearly Beloved-Coming Soon Vows Written in Blood-Coming Soon The Prey Series Thirst Lust Appetite-May 20, 2023 Forgive Me For I Have Sinned Steamy Romance Changing the Game- Until Her Until Now Readers Hidden Ties is part of the Hillside King’s world and is a standalone tying it together. The original title was the Elysium Trilogy. It has been rewritten and reedited. There are new scenes and events. Trigger Warning Dear Reader, The triggers include death, acts of violence, and acts of bullying. All sex is for the enjoyment of all characters involved. This series touches themes that might be triggering for some readers. Blurb An unspeakable bond between friends, An unspoken truth between lovers. After finishing her degree at NYU, Selena Tenaka is having trouble finding her identity. When her closest friend Mia offers her a dream job in Seattle after she graduates, she accepts, but she never expects to fall for the dangerously attractive billionaire Relic King. The push and pull she feels for the first time are both powerful and forbidden. But she can't deny that Relic's dark and dangerously good looks are what draws her to him. He comes from a dark world, and to him, she's simply another woman who falls for his charms but pushes his true feelings for her away and breaks Selena’s heart because she is not from his world. So he thought. When Selena’s childhood friend Jiro comes to take her after she is heartbroken, she is forced into a world where she is destined to rule. Her grandfather’s legacy is hers to claim, even if she thought she looked like an outsider when she would visit Japan when she was younger. Jiro helps her find herself and reminds her of all they shared when they were kids. She never thought she would fall in love all over again. When she is required to go back to Seattle and take her place, her past and present collide. Hidden ties are revealed. Enemies want to destroy her. Her safety is a priority. Old feelings that were buried resurface. Two powerful men vow to protect her, they both want her, but her heart is split in two. She can’t choose one over the other. Contents Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39Chapter 40Chapter 41Chapter 42Chapter 43Chapter 44Chapter 45Chapter 46Chapter 47Chapter 48Chapter 49Chapter 50Chapter 51Chapter 52Chapter 53Chapter 54Chapter 55Chapter 56Chapter 57Chapter 58Chapter 59Chapter 60Chapter 61Chapter 62EpilogueAcknowledgmentsAbout the Author Chapter OneSELENA My phone alarm jolts me awake, like someone breaking into a window with a hammer. I groan as I turn it off, but it’s replaced by knocking on my bedroom door. "Selena! Are you awake?" Mia, my best friend, asks, her loud voice coming through the door. “You don’t want to be late on your first day of work.” "I'm up! I'll be right out." I drag myself out of bed and get ready to begin my new life as a business analyst for King Enterprises, one of the most prestigious corporations in the world. My first "real" job since I graduated from NYU and moved to Seattle. King Enterprises is a family business passed down to Mia’s boyfriend, Deacon, and his two brothers. According to Forbes and the media, they are the youngest to inherit a billion-dollar fortune. Thankfully, Mia works in accounting at the company and pulled some strings to get me hired. She informed me that getting a position at King Enterprises without a significant amount of expertise in the field is practically unheard of, so it’s temporary for six months until I can prove I am a good fit. Hopefully, I do, considering I direly need a job to provide for myself. I barely have any money left after paying for student loans. After I shower, I go through my closet and realize I don't have shit to wear. The job requires professional attire, so I dress in a pair of black slacks and a button-down top I purchased from a thrift shop. I’m not used to wearing clothes like this, so it’s a bit like a woman wearing high heels for the first time and wobbling like Bambi. I might as well walk around with a gigantic sign that reads, this is my first grown-up outfit! I'm winding my black, waist-length hair into a bun when Mia knocks again. "Selena, are you ready?" I heave a sigh and reassure her, "I'm coming!" When I leave the bedroom, I am greeted with the sight of Mia waiting expectantly at the kitchen island. "I can't wait to show you off on your first day!" She gives me a frowning face as she examines my clothes. "Um, whatever the hell you have on is at least one size too large for you. Why didn't you take something from my closet and try it on?" As I walk to retrieve my bag