Queenpin: Owned by the Mafia Queen, #1

By Talia Ellison

I only want one thing: to find my sister. If that means I have to become a vicious mafia queen and give up my love life, then so be it.

When the devilishly handsome Xavier offers me his life to pay off his sister's debt, I can't help but be intrigued, especially when I realize just how much he seems to hate me.

As the undeniable attraction between us grows, I'm torn between fighting the distraction that he provides and giving in to the desire to tie him to my bed and make him mine in every way possible.

But when the search for my sister takes me down a dangerous path that could cost me my life, Xavier might be the only one who can help me.

After all, every queen needs a knight, and I may have found mine.

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This is the first installment in the Owned by the Mafia Queen series. It may contain potentially triggering situations, violence, strong language, sexual content, and a cliffhanger.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Talia Ellison
• Release date: Apr 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386549765

Talia Ellison

Talia Ellison is the author of Hold Me, Unfold Me, the Loving Your Enemy series, the Your Love Is Dangerous series, Destroying the Billionaire, The Mafia Proposal series, the My Broken Hitman series, the Her Dark Mafia Heart duet, the Owned by the Mafia Queen series, the Never His duet, the Taking Revenge on Her Bully series, the Varano Mafia series, and Arranged: Cassaro Mafia. She loves to read and write all kinds of romance, and she has a thing for broken, tortured heroes and fierce heroines who aren't afraid to take what they want. When she’s not busy with a book, she likes to watch TV shows and listen to music. Never miss a new release! Sign up for Talia’s newsletter: https://taliaellison.weebly.com/newsletter.html

Book preview

Chapter 1

VASILISSA? IVY CALLED from the passenger seat, and I tore my gaze away from the window and turned my head toward her. Are you sure you want to do this? Her blue eyes, which were a shade darker than mine, were filled with compassion.

Yeah, I’m sure. I had to do it.

No, I needed to do it.

It was the anniversary of the worst day of my life.

The day that had changed everything.

The day my sister had been kidnapped.

Seven long years had passed, and my throat constricted just thinking about it. And the worst part was, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Not that I wanted to forget either.

She was out there somewhere. I was sure of it. All I had to do was find her, but that was proving to be harder than I’d expected. I wasn’t going to give up the search, no matter what. I was going to find her.

Alive or dead.

I closed my eyes for a moment, my stomach doing a nervous flip as the car neared the exact spot on the street where I’d last seen my sister.

My beautiful Polina. She was two years younger than me, and she’d been only fourteen when we’d been walking back from school and a black van had come to a screeching halt in front of us.

I should’ve known something was off the moment my uncle called and told me his driver wouldn’t be able to pick us up that day, as he’d always done. I should’ve done something when masked and armed men jumped out of the van and raced toward my sister and me.

But I’d been petrified and unable to move, my feet rooted to the spot, my heartbeat ringing in my ears. It had all happened so fast. The men had grabbed my sister by the arms.

Her screams—or maybe they’d been mine too—and her wide, dark brown eyes, staring back at me in shock for a split second before the men shoved her into the van, were the only thing I remembered with clarity.

Why hadn’t I protected my sister?

Why hadn’t I pulled her back and refused to let her go?

Why hadn’t they taken me instead?

Those questions were always present at the back of my mind, even though now I knew that the only reason they hadn’t taken me was because I’d been sixteen, and the mafia boss to whom my uncle had sold my sister had deemed me too old for what he’d had in mind—it had taken me more than a year to find out just that little piece of info.

And since that filthy bastard had died before I’d even known about him, every trace of my sister had disappeared. Everything I could find indicated she’d been given to some human traffickers and resold to someone else, but I didn’t know who.

I gritted my teeth, pure rage surging once again through my veins. If only I knew if she was still alive. My heart told me that she was, but what if I was just deluding myself?

A jolt shook my body as my gaze fell on a girl with dark brown hair who was strolling down the street, but of course, it wasn’t her. If Polina was still breathing, she was someone’s slave somewhere. They’d never let her walk freely anywhere.

Did they even let her see the sun? Or was she always locked up in a dark place, without a way out, her kidnapper the only person she could talk to? I dragged my nails across the seat. I couldn’t let myself think about what her life was like.

Maybe she was better off dead, no matter how much that thought pained me.

I’d seen too many sex slaves already, and the ones I’d managed to save had revealed the horrors of what they’d been through. Just the thought of someone doing any of that to my sister made me wish I could burn down the whole world.

She hadn’t deserved that. None of those girls had.

But monsters didn’t care.

Don’t give up, Polina. Wherever you are, hold on and wait for me. I’m going to find you. I promise.

There wasn’t anything in this world that I wouldn’t do for her. Hell, I’d become a mafia queen just so that I could have the resources and power to be able to save her. But every time I thought that I had found a lead and that I was getting closer to my goal, it would turn out to be a dead end.

What if I never found her?

I touched the car window, wishing that I truly had a mental connection with my sister. Then I’d be able to locate her in a heartbeat, and whoever had taken her would regret his whole miserable existence. I’d bathe in his blood and put his head on a pike for everyone to see.

Are you okay? Ivy turned toward me again, a lock of her dark brown hair wrapped around her finger.

Yeah, I lied, forcing my lips into a fake smile. There was no need to worry my best friend with a wound that was so deep in my chest that nothing would ever be able to fill it. When Polina had been taken, it was as if my heart had been ripped out.

But maybe it was better that way. I didn’t feel much anymore anyway, and in my line of work, that was a plus. I had to be as vicious and ruthless as I could, and damn, it wasn’t all that hard either, especially when I let my fury drive me.

Where to now? Leonti asked, his dark head lifting, his gray eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.

Home.

He was my second-in-command and usually didn’t act as my driver, but there were special occasions when I didn’t want anyone to know what I was doing or where I was going, except for Leonti and Ivy.

I trusted them with everything, including my life. No one else who worked for me, aside from our tech guy, Jorge, even knew about Polina, and I had to keep it that way.

I was sure some of my men would see it as a weakness, and I couldn’t afford that. As far as they knew, every time I destroyed a sex-trafficking ring, it was only so I could extend my reign and grab more money and power for myself and for all of us.

Can you find my shades in the glove compartment? Leonti asked, and I focused my attention on Ivy, my shoulders tensing.

She fished them out, offering them to him, and he took them while making sure their fingers didn’t touch. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

Thanks, Leonti said, and she gave him a small smile.

Ivy was one of the girls I’d saved, and since she had no family, she’d begged me to let her stay with me because it was the only place where she felt safe and where she could do something to help other girls.

I couldn’t say no to her, especially when I knew exactly what had happened to her and how many times choice had been taken away from her.

But she had one condition. She didn’t want any men to touch her in any way. Ever. And I’d assured her that they wouldn’t.

At first, she wouldn’t even let Leonti near her, but he was always super careful around her, so she’d relaxed eventually. I hadn’t expected she’d ever be willing to sit so close to him, but there was enough space in the car and she trusted him.

The corners of my lips tilted up. I was very grateful to have both of them by my side, because without them, everything would be so much harder.

And if something happened to me, I knew that I could count on them to continue the search for my sister.

Chapter 2

WE’RE HOME, LEONTI announced. I had no idea when the three of us had started to call the building where we lived our home, but it had happened somehow.

The guards were everywhere, mostly hidden behind the trees so that they wouldn’t be easily spotted. Our tall, spiked electric fence was enough to deter most people from coming closer anyway.

This place used to belong to my uncle Andrey, and a part of me hated it just for that fact. But it was still the safest place for me and mine—we had the whole building for ourselves, it was far enough away from prying eyes, and my uncle had installed plenty of security measures.

Not to mention there was a whole underground compound with panic rooms and anything we might need in case of an attack. Really, it was the only place for me, and my men were always careful when they were coming and leaving so that no one would follow them here.

My men rushed to open the door for me, and I got out of the car. The guards inclined their heads to me as I strode down the hallway, and everything around me was like a blur until I reached the elevator that took me underground.

Ivy and Leonti caught up with me just as I was about to pass next to my uncle’s old office. It was the only room in here that no one ever used anymore, and I’d already thought about walling it up, but so far, I’d postponed my decision.

There was something about that black door... It served as a constant reminder of my uncle’s betrayal and my decision to become who I was. I could still picture myself as an eighteen-year-old girl who’d burst into her uncle’s office.

He’d never seen it coming.

He’d never thought that I’d be able to figure out the truth.

I could still see everything as if it had happened yesterday.

After my sister was taken, my uncle pretended that he had no clue what had happened. He claimed his enemies had kidnapped Polina, but I always thought something was off about it, especially after I realized he wasn’t searching for her.

And then I found a contract. The proof that my uncle was the one behind my sister’s kidnapping. Some guy was supposed to grab Polina, but it didn’t say to whom or where he had to bring her.

It took me some time to decide what I was going to do about it because I was afraid and wasn’t sure what I could do. My uncle was the head of the Viktorov mafia—the position he’d gotten after my father, his brother, was killed—and I had no idea how I was ever going to stand up to him or convince him to get Polina back.

But then I finally snapped.

Since Andrey liked to pretend that we were all a happy family—after my father’s death, he took my mother, my sister, and me under his protection as my father had wanted—his guards thought nothing of letting me inside.

No one even checked me for a weapon because they didn’t see me as a threat. I was just a girl to them, incapable of doing any harm. Oh, how wrong they all were about that.

My hands were shaking as I entered the office, so I clenched them into fists. Andrey was sitting in his favorite black leather chair, a smile tilting his lips as soon as he saw me.

Hey, honey, he said.

Can I talk to you for a moment in private? It’s important. I did my best to keep my voice steady.

Sure, anything for my niece. He nodded at his guards, who immediately left the room and closed the door. It was the biggest mistake my uncle ever made.

I pulled out my gun that had been tucked in my pants at the small of my back and pointed it straight at him.

His eyes widened slightly, but then his face turned expressionless, as if he didn’t believe I was going to do anything. Put that down, my child.

No! I’m not your child! Where’s my sister? What did you do to her?

What are you talking about?

Don’t fucking lie to me! I saw the contract. You sold Polina to some guy in exchange for a deal with him. How could you? She’s not some thing you can just give away to someone like that!

Honey, why don’t you sit down and let me explain? There are a lot of things you don’t understand.

What is there to explain? That you sold off my sister? You’ll get her back! Now!

See? This is exactly why I didn’t tell your mother and you about this. You don’t understand how business works. Your sister is glad to honor our family with her service.

What are you talking about? My sister was kidnapped! She was ripped away from her family. How can you even say that she wanted it? What kind of a monster are you? Just tell me where she is and who has her. Tell me!

Put the gun down. I won’t ask again. He shifted in his chair, annoyance furrowing his brow. He really didn’t think I was going to shoot him.

Don’t move! Just tell me. I was glad this room was soundproof and that he couldn’t yell for help, but my arm was getting tired, and I was sure he’d use the opportunity to overpower me or go for his gun if I let him. And then it would all be over.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Where is she? I asked once again, my vision blurry with tears.

I’m warning you... His hand moved, and without thinking, I pulled the trigger.

The sound was deafeningly loud in the small space, and I stared in shock as blood seeped through Andrey’s shirt. He clutched at the wound, his eyes wide, his mouth opening, but he didn’t get to say a thing.

The gun fell out of my hand just as my uncle toppled over to the floor, blood pooling under his unmoving body. My ears were still buzzing as I moved across the room to get to his desk.

I didn’t feel anything as I sidestepped his body and started searching through everything that I could get my hands on, but there was nothing about my sister or who she could’ve been given to.

Minutes trickled by, and I turned the whole office upside down.

Still nothing. Not a single clue.

I eyed my uncle’s body, and holding my breath, I checked his pockets. His phone was there, but it was locked, and I didn’t know the password.

Finally, when I realized I wasn’t getting anywhere, I sat down in my uncle’s chair and just stared at the wall. Everything seemed to be lost. Maybe I shouldn’t have killed my uncle. Maybe he would’ve told me something.

I had no idea what I was going to do, but when the door opened and a man stepped inside, I thought I was going to die.

Sir... the man started, his eyes bulging. He seemed young, in his mid-twenties, but instead of going for his gun or calling for help, he shut the door.

And then, something even more unexpected happened.

He swore his loyalty to me.

Since my uncle didn’t have any heirs—he’d had numerous wives and mistresses, and yet he’d refused to believe the fault might lie with him—and I was the one who killed him while I was also a member of the Viktorov family, the leadership naturally went to me. Or at least that was what Leonti thought.

Why are you doing this? I asked, unsure if I even wanted to be queen of a crime empire.

You didn’t tell your uncle about me, he said. You have my full support.

And then I remembered that I’d caught him kissing another guy once. If my uncle had found out about it, he would’ve killed Leonti.

My mind was all fuzzy, but clarity hit me a few moments later. If I was queen, I could find my sister. I could do whatever I wanted and make everyone pay for what they’d done to Polina.

Are you sure the others will accept me? I asked. If the others were anything like my uncle,