#Stolen Touches

[radashes]

Book recommendations with 'Powerful Male Lead X sweet soft Female lead' dynamic

You know how some readers are into those Cold ML X Soft FML dark romance stories? Well, count me in! I have some recommendations for you. Please let me know if you have any recommendations as well.

Let's get into characters.

Male lead: I'm all about those tales where the guy's got this intense, possessive streak, loaded with cash and power. He's got this whole vibe, this aura that screams power. Everyone's shaking in their boots around him. But here's the twist: he's icy to everyone except for this one girl.

Female lead: She's the complete opposite—soft, sweet, not into playing the tough card. And you know what? I'm not into it when she tries those cringey, embarrassing stunts to outsmart him. No thanks. I'm more into the submissive kink, where she's polite but definitely not stupid. Smart, knows when to use her brain.

It's like this delicate balance between power and innocence, dominance and submission. Alright, for all my fellow readers of the "Cold Powerful Male Lead X Sweet Female Lead" trope:

When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands (My favourite female lead. Mafia romances can feel repetitive/overdone. This felt fresh and different to me. The plot was interesting and I enjoyed Vale. She’s exactly how I like my fmc in a Mafia romance. Sure, she was a caged princess but she had a backbone and stood up for herself.)

The Mafia And His Angel series by Lylah James (Mafia X Runway fml ends up working as maiden in his house)

Hooked by Emily McIntire (Club owner X Enemy's daughter. Female lead was surely sweet)

Stolen Heir by Sophie Lark

Stolen Beauty by T.O. Smith

Broken Whispers (Perfectly Imperfect, #2) by Neva Altaj (This Russian mob is addicting and devilishly good. Age gap. Single Dad. “Touch her and I’ll kill you.” Damaged, unloveable hero and a mute heroine.)

Hidden Truths (Perfectly Imperfect #3) by Neva Altaj

Stolen Touches (Perfectly Imperfect, #5) by Neva Altaj

Burned Dreams (Perfectly Imperfect, #7) by Neva Altaj

Silent Lies (Perfectly Imperfect, #8) by Neva Altaj

Darkest Sins (Perfectly Imperfect, #9) by Neva Altaj (Female lead is the most understanding character. She stumbles upon a stranger with a gunshot wound and saves his life, thinking she'll never see him again. He stalks her for months, then cuts his forearm open just so he can have a reason to go talk to her again.)

Tempted by the Devil (Kings of Mafia #1) by Michelle Heard

Craving Danger (Kings Of Mafia #2) by Michelle Heard

Hunted by a Shadow (Kings of Mafia #3) by Michelle Heard

Beauty and the Assassin by Nadia Lee

An Improper Deal (Elliot and Annabelle #1) by Nadia Lee

The Darkest Temptation (Made, #3) by Danielle Lori

The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2) by Danielle Lori

Twist Me: The Complete Trilogy by Anna Zaires

Once You're Mine duet by Morgan Bridges

The Sordid Duet (Sordid, #1-2) by Nikki Sloane

The Annihilator (Dark Verse, #5) by RuNyx (It's somehow little bit like Hunting Adeline. I'll admit this was different, but the similarities.. Shadow man, Roses, Stalking, Human trafficking, Heterochromia. It just feels TOO similar.. Granted, this was way lessss dark compared to Hunting Adeline.)

The Finisher (Dark Verse, #4) by RuNyx

The Predator (Dark Verse, #1) by RuNyx

Beautifully Cruel #1 by JT Geissinger

Lorenzo by Sadie Kincaid

His Pretty Little Burden by Nicci Harris

Deadly Vows by Haley Stuart

Captured by a Sinner (Sinners, #5) by Michelle Heard

Stolen by a Sinner (Sinners, #3) by Michelle Heard

That's all that's on my mind right now. I'll add more later if anything else pops up. And, if you've got any recommendations for books with that "Cold Powerful Male Lead X Sweet Female Lead" vibe, hit me up!

[maddiesflame]

Stolen Touches headers

like/reblog if saved © maddiesflame

[lightsbookreviews]

Stolen Touches, Neva Altaj

[bookhighlightss]

Goodreads 1 star review of stolen Touches

[toyboy-molloy]

it's embarrassing how much henry loves the gift his boyfriend stole for him

[anonymouscheeses]

Hazbin hotel theory (not circus related 🙄)

So we all know Charlie and Vaggie resemble alot of Lucifer and Lillith right?

Lucifer is a fallen angel and Vaggie is a fallen angel. Both sacrificing so much for their lovers. Both having different ideals and beliefs aside from the majority of heaven, because of that they both end up in hell. Also literal head over heels for their wives. Lucifer still wears his ring and Vaggie has very few scenes outside of Charlie.

Charlie and Lillith are both demons, although I guess Lillith is more human I think. But, they both fit in the other category. They both have fallen angel lovers. It's said in the opening cutscene that Lillith was an activist who sang as a way to influence. Charlie is an activist who sings in "ready for this" to persuade the cannibals to join her fight against heaven.

Personality and design wise though, Charlie and Lucifer are the most similar. Lillith and Vaggie? From what we've seen Lillith seemed loving in her pictures but calm and serious at the majority, if that doesn't describe Vaggie I don't know what does. Also Lillith wears purple and Vaggie is at this point purple coded 💀

It's implied that Lucifer had romantic or at the least smeggsual 🤭 relations to Eve. Sure it could have been a joke/lie, but clearly Adam gets pissed and doesn't say that he's wrong. I'd like to think Lillith and Eve also had romantic ties but there's not enough shown of them to make even an evidential guess. It's obvious tho that Lucifer at least was with the both of them at some point. (Maybe even Eve gave birth to Charlie since Lillith was cursed with miscarriages. At least if Viv still wants to keep that. No. No... Lucifer did NOT give birth to Charlie... youre jst weird... /j)

So... if Lucifer, Lillith, and Eve were once all in a polycule or at least a vee(two date one)....

who would be the one that stands in as Eve since Charlie and Vaggie are Lillith and Lucifer?

Plot twist. I'm a two and half halo shipper. It's Emily yall... 😨

HEAR MEE OUTTT!!!

In this image below, Vaggie is jealous that Charlie is holding Emily's hands(YES. CHARLIE IS HOLDING HER HANDS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Charlie is very touchy sshh) which is kind of weird they would include that tiny scene. Sure, it could just be comedic but what's comedy except a person who looks too much into a small 1 millisecond scene. It still puts in a dynamic that at first isn't implied to be romantic but! But, having this one scene still creates a slightly romantic undertone dynamic. Even if it's not heavily implied, Vaggie sees Emily as someone who's taking moves on her girlfriend. (Which could also imply Lillith and Eve's first impression before they got in a polycule.)

What I'm about to say is pure speculation, there still isn't much to go off of in the show at the moment with these six. But I think I have some points that maayyy just be smart for an idiot like me :3. Emily is an angel yes, but we aren't sure what Eve's fate was, where she went or what happened to her after. Maybe she stayed with Adam(after the creation of sin), and if Adam could go to heaven, a man who also ate the apple, then I believe Eve could too, it doesn't matter who started(assuming Adam did eat the apple in the show. Most likely.) What I like to speculate is that Eve went to heaven with Adam, although she didn't feel happy in their marriage and decided to make herself a fallen angel to be with Lucifer and Lillith, her true lovers.

Now the similarities with Eve and Emily? They both are against the ideas of those higher than them in heaven. Emily is against the idea of extermination in hell because she feels its unnecessary genocide. Eve went against heavens orders and ate the apple from Lucifer for knowledge. Oh also look haha their hair is kinda similar in the images below(not actual evidence but still its kinda cool) That's where the current canon similarities end. But ofc the big well known theory is that Emily will become a fallen angel because she goes against Sera's wishes. I HOPE she doesn't but in this show? Yeah, most likely. Currently Emily hasn't taken action, but maybe one day she will, which is the most likely situation. And if I'm right that Eve was a fallen angel then that would also be ANOTHER similarity. (Also. Ya'll.... the woman who picked up baby Charlie in "more than anything" was NOT Lillith. Like okay, maybe she is, but that didn't look like her AT ALL. She didn't have the same slick back mullet. But, in the image below, Eve and the woman who picked up baby Charlie have the exact same hair. Jst another thing I wanted to throw in to further evident that Lucifer Lillith and Eve were in a polycule/vee)

I LOVE TWO AND A HALF HALOS SO MUCH GUYSS. PLEASE FEED INTO MY NAIVETY. LUCIFER'S STOLEN WIVES AND CHARLIE'S ANGELS ARE LITERALLY CANON AND NO ONE CAN SAY OTHERWISE TO ME 😭😭

BONUS!! Adam is Lillith's ex rightt??? Well Lute is basically Vaggie's ex. Sure, you could argue that- no. No girl, they was exes, I know, Viv told me herself smhhh..... not only are both Lucifer and Vaggie fallen angels because they had different ideals from heaven, Lillith and Charlie are both activists who use their voice as powers, Eve and Emily go against heaven, BUT LILLITH AND VAGGIE BOTH HAVE EXES??

Bro, Adam and Lute are also besties like? The polycules kicked them out and then they were like, "nuh uh, now we're gonna date eachother since yall don't want us" 😭

Basically what I'm saying is that Lucifer's stolen wives and Charlie's angels are Canon and no one can say otherwise because I'm so smart. If anyone says they aren't just link them to here and BOOM we got another one added to the small ship. Also. This is so underrated. Ya'll.. the potential is so crazy. And since Charlie and Vaggie are already established it would be so intense and adorable to watch Emily try to impress and date them both. Uggghh so.... hyperfixated..... I hope this isn't my special interest now 😭

[mrsdellamorte]

A moments peace ♥️✨

[etirabys]

As a painter who is not very good, I find it incredibly uplifting when someone steals my art

[runawaydr3amerao3]

Today on ✨Translation Error or Parody✨

The one you spot first says a lot about you.

[lightsbookreviews]

Daddy Tore (Bonus Scene), Neva Altaj

[inquisimer]

for a moment (the sun knew of you too)

Oh, Icarus! For all you have fallen, still you flew! And, for a moment, the sun knew of you, too.

The first of my pieces written for @dragonageannual 2025! A short character study of Loghain at the end of the Battle of River Dane.

read it on ao3 here, or read below the cut!

-

Loghain wore the leather armor his father made for good luck, and good luck it brought. From the moment the rebel army crested the ridge above the River Dane, they owned the field. His arrows had tasted more Orlesian blood this day than the entire year before, and for every fallen rebel soldier, at least three Chevaliers fell with them.

That they succeeded so was a testament to the belief in their hearts. Their number ranged from seasoned Legion veterans to eager farmhands who hardly knew which end to grip a sword by. They were undisciplined and disorganized and chaotic.

They were victorious.

Rowan’s cavalry charge routed the remaining Chevaliers. Those still able attempted to flee across the river, launching half-empty rafts in their haste to escape the rebels’ fury. They left behind their wounded and dead, including their commander, who bellowed anger at their retreating backs as he lay prone and bloody on the ground.

So much for chivalry, Loghain thought bitterly. Unsurprising, though. He’d known chivalry to be dead for years, and none of these pretenders would have had any claim to it before, anyhow.

He stepped over corpses, retrieving arrows as he went. When he finally stood over the fallen commander, his quiver was full once more. But he hooked his bow to his back.

“Mongrel dog lord!” spat the Orlesian. “This means nothing! You are nothing compared to the might of—“

In one smooth motion, Loghain picked up the man’s longsword and drove it through his throat. The ensuing silence lasted for all of a heartbeat, then a raucous cheer rose from the patchwork regiment around him. Pride swelled within him as he pulled the sword free.

Years ago, his father had demanded he save the prince. But this was where Gareth Mac Tir’s legacy lived on—in the people that fought for each other and for their homeland. For what was right.

“All hail Loghain Mac Tir!” The cry came from Rowan, and he knew without looking that she would be grinning from her perch atop her horse. “All hail the Hero of River Dane!”

Across the field, everyone took up the cry. Loghain could not even begrudge them for it, not when their faces were bright and spirits uplifted for the first time in months. He looked as many as he could directly in the eye and etched the moment in his mind.

The fight was not yet over. But the enemy was on the run, and when Maric returned, the stolen throne would be within their reach. Bellowing in triumph, Loghain thrust the hard-won sword up to the sky and redoubled cries of victory echoed off the mountainside.

“The Hero of River Dane! All hail the Hero of River Dane!”

[volitioncheck]

i think i wouldn’t hate disco elysium’s collage mode nearly as much if it weren’t for 1) the way that it was marketed in such a tasteless, soulless manner, let alone the fact that it was a last ditch distraction from a dead on its feet studio piloted by dumbass thieving execs and released on the day of the court declaration, and 2) those dumbass fucking stickers

like if it had been included with the base game from the start and had been titled something a bit more tasteful and in-line with how i would have liked the feature to be marketed as— something like “exploration mode”, something that perhaps could only be unlocked after completing the game for the first time, AND didn’t have those stupid as hell visually and tonally incongruent with the artstyle stickers, i would have applauded it as a nice little bonus for being able to study and appreciate the 3d models and environments for reference.

[royaltea000]

burnt out sorry - do ya wanna see my ocs (not giving you a choice)

Old designs -w-

[spottedcuscus]

Trying to come up with some comment that adds to this meme and I mistyped Discord as autism please send immediate help /vsilly

[messierthanthou]

I can't be the only one watching Bridgerton and wanting a regency era au for Steve and Billy

[myths0f01d]

On occasions Arthur would go out hunting. Though that is what he told Uther. He'd take Merlin and a few close guards, such as Leon, and ride out to a forest far and over the land. They would settle and Leon would nod at the two as they left separate to the party. The knights would hunt and those who wished not to, would go with Merlin and Arthur to a far village that did not know what the prince of Camelot looked like. So as the nights reigned on, Merlin and Arthur would drink their fill, gambling and placing bets and having a merry time. On rare occasions Merlin would be brave enough to take Arthur's hand, as it was common amongst far villages for men to be in love, and he would pull Arthur to the floor as they danced with others. Merlin dorned a large wondrous smile while other wore eyes of a love struck fool, a smile to match that of Merlin's. And they would dance. They would have fleeting touches as their breath grew tiresome from the laughter and their feet grew sore. And when all was well and done they would retire to a room upstairs. The candle light flickering softly to illuminate each feature on their faces. Arthur would trace a finger gently down Merlins face and Merlin would place soft kisses on Arthur's hand and knuckles. A sign of devotion and utter love each held for the others. These moments were rare. They happened few. They did not dare to do more for fear of Uther finding out. And so on these rare trips to outer lying villages as common with a man to another, the people would look away as they felt they were breaching an intimate and private moment amongst the two as they looked in eachothers eyes. With their secret touches when garnered. And so as the night went out and dawn rose so did they. Merlin and Arthur and any knight that joined them would head out back into the forest to meet with the hunting party, what they caught was their proof. And as Merlin and Arthur mounted their horses they pretended. The pretended to not hold such love for the other. Pretended their touch was little more then that of need and they pretended to be surface level friends as they bantered, such as what was appropriate for a servant and a prince. Though as they rode at the front back to Camelot, the knights looked on, they look with sorrow in their eyes knowing the two could be nothing more until Uther was well and away, no longer on the throne. And on those ever rare occasions when Merlin and Arthur were alone, Merlins eyes would light up with gold, Arthur's breath hitching as molten butterflies of many gold and sparkling colours the likes of jewels would flout around them, one landing on his very nose. They would dissappear in puffs and slow sparkles like the drizzling rain, Merlin would bless him with a kiss on the nose and nothing more would happen. This went on for many years, trips to outer lying villages. Forest for hunting and tavern nights lit my the stars and candle light, when laughter was a comforting sound and the people were welcoming of them. On those nights they both cherished.

And as the years went on and Uther passed and Arthur became king did he finally allow himself to court Merlin properly, in the light of day amongst many people, no longer holding fear and secret. Magic was returned to the land and they built Albion together from top to bottom as years passed. Druids were welcomed back to the citidale and any practice of magic was legalized. Though that of ill will and intent would swiftly find themselves at the feet of Emrys.

And as the bells rang day end and night out it signaled the final union of the two. Arthur taking Merlin as his husband. The kings consort. To rule by his side for ever and always.

And as the people looked upon them with peace and true happiness in a longer time then any would rather admit, they saw, they saw how in love the two were. Irrevocable and unconditional soul bound, so in love.

People would strive to find a love like the king and his magical consort. None ever coming close but always finding their happiness in the end.

And as the ages went by and Arthur retired the throne, he and Merlin went off to a land over on the other side of the forest, built a cottage and become farmers, a simple and truly happy life Arthur always wanted with Merlin. Their friends knew where to find them and if Canelot should ever raise her calls of need they would head her and help.

And that is how they spent out the rest of their days.

In flowered meadows and trickling streams, on grassy hills and sunny trees, on a breeze so light and warm and the air filled with honey and all things of comfort.

That's how Arthur and Merlin spent it with one another. No longer with secret touches or fluttering gazes. But instead with prolonged touches and eyes staring for hours in the simple being of each other.

They loved wholly and truly.

And that's how they ended.

In love and at peace.