Book excerpt: Shame. It wounds us. It damages us. Or, for the few poor souls out there like me...it defines us. I'm the son of the devil, himself-the most feared mob boss who ever lived. I was cursed from the moment I took my first breath. I hate him...and I never wanted to become him. And I sure as hell never, ever, wanted anything of his. Until her. My name is Ricardo DeLuca. There are two things you need to know about me. The first-is that I'm in love with the girl who belongs to my father. The second-is that it turns out I am my father's son after all. My name is Lou-Lou, and you probably think I'm a bitch. You would be right-because I am. You think you know all there is to know about me because of the man I belong to. What you don't know-is my past, because I'll never tell you. What you don't know is my shame. Because if you did-you'd be worse off than dead. You'd be broken. There are two sides to every story...this is ours. Warning: Due to strong language, some violence, explicit sexual content, and some dark elements, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. Trigger Warning: This series contains elements of emotional, sexual, and physical cruelty. Any readers with sensitivity to the above topics should proceed with caution, and at their own risk. Author's Note: This is part one of a three book series. (Blame It on the Shame: Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story.) However, in order to truly enjoy Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story, it is advised you read 'Blame It on the Pain' first. This novel is a full-length novel (67,000 + words.)