BLOOD AND VELVET BY AVA HALESIn the glittering heights of New York City, power is currency — and Luca Moretti owns the bank.Ruthless. Untouchable. Feared by politicians and criminals alike, Luca didn’t build his empire on mercy. He built it on control. Betrayal is paid for in blood. Loyalty is demanded without question. And love? Love is a weakness he buried years ago.Until her.Isabella Romano never meant to witness a murder.One wrong turn at an elite Manhattan gala places her directly in the path of the city’s most dangerous man — and worse, she refuses to look away. Instead of eliminating the risk, Luca does something far more reckless.He keeps her.Now trapped inside a world of velvet luxury and brutal power, Isabella must navigate a life where protection feels like possession… and attraction feels like surrender. But Luca is not a man who loves gently, and Isabella is not a woman who bows easily.Enemies circle. Rival families watch. Secrets from Luca’s past threaten to resurface.And in a world ruled by blood, falling in love might be the most dangerous betrayal of all.Because Luca Moretti doesn’t lose control.He destroys whatever takes it.CHARACTERS:MAIN CHARACTERSLUCA ALESSANDRO MORETTI“The Ghost of Manhattan.”Based in New York CityAge: 32Height: 6’3Role: Mafia Don | CEO | Ruthless StrategistLuca Moretti was not raised to love.He was raised to rule.Born into one of the most feared crime dynasties stretching from Brooklyn docks to international ports, Luca inherited blood before he inherited wealth. His childhood was discipline, silence, and lessons in power. By twenty-three, he buried his father and took the throne himself — eliminating traitors with surgical precision.Now he controls shipping routes, private security firms, luxury real estate, and political alliances hidden beneath Manhattan’s glittering skyline.He does not shout.He does not chase.He does not forgive.AppearanceLuca is built like controlled violence.Broad shoulders, defined chest, lean muscle sculpted from years of combat training. His suits are custom-tailored — charcoal, obsidian, midnight black — fitting him like armor rather than clothing.Olive-toned skin.Dark hair always styled back with calculated precision.Sharp jawline shadowed by faint stubble.Deep brown eyes so dark they look black under low light.His hands are large, scarred across the knuckles — a reminder that he handles problems personally.His presence alone shifts the air in a room.Men straighten.Women stare.Enemies reconsider breathing.Personality • Calm under pressure • Emotionally guarded • Strategically brilliant • Intensely possessive once attached • Hates betrayal above allLuca believes love is leverage.And leverage gets you killed.Until Isabella.ISABELLA ROMANO“The Woman Who Didn’t Look Away.”Born and raised in QueensAge: 25Height: 5’7Role: Event Coordinator | Art Consultant | Accidental DisruptionIsabella Romano was raised in an ordinary household — mechanic father, nurse mother, unpaid bills, and hard-earned pride.She grew up believing in independence, not fairy tales.She works high-end charity galas across New York City, navigating rooms filled with corrupt elites and polished lies. She understands power — even if she doesn’t live inside it.The night she witnesses Luca Moretti pull a trigger, she doesn’t scream.She doesn’t faint.She looks him in the eye.That is her first mistake.AppearanceIsabella is not fragile beauty.She is intentional beauty.Long legs. Natural curves that make fabric cling without trying. A softly tapered waist. Full hips balanced with graceful posture. Feminine without being delicate.Her skin carries a warm caramel glow. Smooth and luminous.Thick dark brown hair that falls in soft waves past her shoulders.Large hazel eyes flecked with gold — observant, intelligent, dangerously expressive.Full lips that curve easily into confident defiance.She moves like she belongs anywhere she stands.And that unsettles powerful men.Personality • Emotionally intuitive • Strong-willed • Quietly fearless • Loyal but not submissive • Sees through masksIsabella doesn’t crave danger.But she is not afraid of it.And she refuses to shrink — even in front of a king.