Lovely Beast

Lovely Beast A Dark Mafia Romance BB Hamel Copyright © 2023 by B. B. Hamel 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. Cover design by Coverluv Book Designs Contents Get your free book! Trigger Warning 1. Sara 2. Sara 3. Sara 4. Angelo 5. Sara 6. Sara 7. Angelo 8. Sara 9. Angelo 10. Sara 11. Sara 12. Angelo 13. Sara 14. Angelo 15. Sara 16. Sara 17. Angelo 18. Sara 19. Sara 20. Angelo 21. Sara 22. Sara 23. Sara 24. Angelo 25. Sara 26. Angelo 27. Sara 28. Sara 29. Angelo 30. Sara 31. Sara 32. Angelo 33. Sara Preview: Ruined with a Promise Also by BB Hamel Get your free book! Sign up for my exclusive readers-only newsletter to download Hunting Gorgeous, and find out about hot releases, giveaways, free books, and more. Plus, get other awesome bonus material! >> Click here Trigger Warning This book contains graphic descriptions of sexual content, explicit violence, drug use, and past trauma. These scenes were written to create a more vivid, in-depth experience, but may be triggering for some readers. Read at your own risk. Chapter 1 Sara In a room full of handsome criminals, lawyers stand out like nuclear bombs, but it’s not like I could avoid Brice’s wedding considering I’m a bridesmaid. “Angelo keeps looking at you like you’re the only person in here,” Robyn says as we stand outside the venue and sip champagne. She’s another one of Brice’s closest friends and she’s also wearing a lavender-colored dress that’s the wrong shade for her skin. Music pulses inside, and Brice and Carmine are on the dance floor, a happy bride and groom on one of the best days of their lives. “Are you going to sleep with him or what?” “I’m definitely not going to sleep with him,” I say and glance over my shoulder. I can feel Angelo’s eyes on my body even from a distance and he doesn’t bother looking away. He’s one of Carmine’s business associates, which is barely concealed code for straight-up gangster. He’s standing with a couple other men in dark suits, all of them drinking whiskey. A slight smile quirks his lips as he tilts his head and doesn’t look away when our eyes meet, and I have to remind myself that law-abiding citizens and mobsters don’t mix. And this wedding is filled with guys just begging to get thrown in prison. It’s not every day the Don gets hitched, and the Scavo Famiglia went all out when their young leader decided to marry my best friend, Brice. Normally, I’d run far, far away from Angelo, but there’s something about him tonight—maybe it’s the music, the alcohol, the atmosphere, but every time he’s around me, I can’t help but want to get a little bit closer than I should. It doesn’t hurt that he’s tall, built like an athlete, and walks with the swagger of a man that knows how to get things done. “Bullshit,” Robyn says and prods me in the side with two fingers. I’ve known her since college and she’s basically like my second brain, but I don’t love the drunken poking. “You’ve been dancing with him for hours. I swear, if you keep it up, he’s going to get you pregnant through your freaking dress.” “That’s gross,” I say and scowl at her. “It’s not like that. He’s just—” “Tall? Handsome?” “He’s just nice.” She rolls her eyes. “Nice. That’s what I call all the gorgeous criminals in my life.” “What do you want me to say?” “I want you to admit that you’re going to sleep with him.” I take a deep breath, finish off my champagne, and level my best ice-queen glare at Robyn. “Under no circumstances will I have sex with that man,” I say, and her eyes go wide. “Do you hear me? Are you even listening? God, you’re looking over my shoulder right now. Robyn, I’m not fucking Angelo, okay? I don’t care if he’s good looking, he’s not my type, not remotely, and I swear—” Robyn tries to cut me off by gesturing at her neck but it’s too late. A man clears his throat behind me and I feel a dark flush run into my core. Slowly, I turn around, and Angelo’s standing right there. Oh, shit. That explains what Robyn was looking at. “I’m most definitely your type,” he says, staring down at me with an amused smirk. “But I never said you were mine.” Heat builds in my chest, and I’m so embarrassed I could melt into the ground. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” “Probably not, but I did.” He leans a touch closer. “Are you sure you don’t want to fuck me?” “I thought I wasn’t your type.” “I’m flexible and my tastes are always changing.” “Okay!” Robyn says and slips away. “That’s my cue!” “Wait,” I say but she’s already gone, hustling back inside, and Angelo’s standing between me and the doorway. I take a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm myself down, but I feel like such an idiot. I don’t normally drink this much, and I definitely don’t let my guard down and dance with strange guys, and I absolutely, positively never, ever flirt with mobsters. Not even handsome mobsters. That’s basically my one rule in life: don’t make eyes at criminals. “You know, it’s adorable you think you’re the one in control here,” Angelo says as he holds his drink up to his full lips. He’s got dark eyes, dark hair, smooth skin, and a touch of stubble on his cheeks and chin. His tie’s loose, his top button is open, and it’s showing just enough of his muscular chest to know that he’s covered in tattoos. “I’ve never met someone as