Despite his new status as her stepfather, Laz becomes fixated on Mia, treating her with a mixture of malice and possessive obsession. He uses her as a target for his frustration over his forced marriage, leading to a high-tension, "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic.

The story follows , the "black sheep" of a rival mafia family who is neglected and verbally abused by her relatives. Her life takes a dark turn when Lazzaro "Laz" Rosetti , a devious and corrupt man from a rival family, is forced into an arranged marriage with her mother to curb his wild behavior and secure his inheritance.

The novel is known for leaning heavily into specific dark romance tropes: Reviews - Brutal Intentions - The StoryGraph

by Lilith Vincent is a standalone, dark mafia romance characterized by its heavy use of forbidden and taboo themes. It is the first book in the Brutal Hearts series. Plot Overview