MY FORBIDDEN HUSBAND by Shayne Ford

When you meet a villain who makes you a proposal you can't refuse. After losing his parents at the hands of his enemies, Max de Lucca, the top crime boss of New York, is looking for a straight, dry transaction. Hire someone to be his wife and put a message out there for his deadly enemies that life goes on. More than ever, it's important to rule his territory with an iron hand, and having a woman he loves at his side is not an option. He can't afford to be vulnerable, so he's looking for someone to play the part. Someone he never loves but vows to protect. Pulling away from her family and, more importantly, her stubborn mother, who tries to nudge her into marrying their wealthy neighbor, Isabella Carson sets foot in New York, having not a penny to her name but a ton of determination. Soon she's looking for a job when a mysterious stranger makes her a proposal. Author's note: This is a slow burn romance with tension in book one, and more steam in book two. The focus is on the story between the two protagonists, and less on the mafia business. He is a dominant, possessive villain. Book one ends in a cliffhanger. Book two has more dark elements in line with the trope. HEA at the end of the duet.