How Does Nabokov Use Card Game Imagery In King Queen Knave?

“…Should anyone here know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace." "I do!" A sharp voice bombed the church. Frowning, I turned my head toward the owner of the voice who dared to object to My wedding. And there He stood. My vicious rival. The man I hate the most. The Pakhan of Bratva! Aleksandr Fedorov. "On what ground do you object?" The priest demanded. My face was turning red in anger while He smirked with his eyes set on mine. "Because this bride is already married to me.” I blinked up at him. Married to him!? What the hell was He saying! ***************************** No one knows that it's a fake marriage. A contract marriage to fulfil the last condition of taking over Cosa Nostra. I didn't hear what the Priest was saying, nor did I pay attention to my groom. The white wedding gown was the last step for my crown. I, Aria Salvatore Knight, was going to be the first female Capo dei capi. The one who was going to make history in the world of organised crime. But my hopes and dreams died because of him. My reputation was shattered because of him. He made me a joke in Cosa Nostra and now it's his turn to pay for his sins. Love, betrayal, killing, conspiracy, suffering whatever it costs, Aria knight was determined to become the first Female capo of Cosa Nostra. It has been her aim since her childhood. But what would happen when she was rewarded with the unwanted title of something on her head too, which would create big havoc in Cosa Nostra? The Bratva Queen! Well, Let's dive into the bloody story of the Ice Princess and the Merciless Monster.

Liora thought her nightmare ended with her abusive husband’s death. Instead, his massive gambling debt has been claimed by Nikolai Volkov — the ruthless Mafia King of the Bratva. Cold. Merciless. Built like sin and twice as dangerous. He gives her one brutal choice: pay in blood… or become his for one year. Live in his shadowed mansion. Obey his every strict rule. Warm his bed whenever he demands it. But Liora isn’t alone. Her innocent four-year-old daughter, Alora, comes with her — the only light left in her broken world. What begins as cruel transactions and humiliating punishments slowly cracks the ice around the Mafia King’s heart. Alora’s giggles chip away at his armor. Liora’s sweetness and innocence awaken a dangerous obsession in him. He was supposed to break her and collect what he’s owed. Instead, the devil finds himself willing to burn his empire to protect the two girls who now live under his roof. And when his enemies threaten to use Alora as leverage… They will learn exactly why the Bratva calls him the Reaper. One year. One contract. Her body is part of the deal. But her heart might cost the Mafia King everything.

This is book 2 in the King of Vampires series. It can be read as a standalone. The second most feared vampire in Moon City, the pawn was a face that had remained unknown for years on end among the vampire race. But in the normal light and to the outside world, Leon Vinerza was the face card of the ten hottest eligible bachelors in the whole of Moon City...and my did he love to play and party hard. Sacked on grounds unbeknownst to her, Sacha finds herself in between jobs and desperate to make ends meet when a job offer to tutor two boys in computer programming and basics lands on her doorstep.... literally. Her boss? The cocky and hot gorgeous male whose presence irks her to know ends but his body pulls her in and incites unimaginable things in her mind. But fate will still and always remain a bitch.

At one of the exclusive private casino parties, my eyes landed on a diamond tiara. The catch? It was the prize for a high-stakes blackjack game. Luckily, poker happens to be one of my many sins. A girl named Elara—whom I once pitied enough to introduce to Throne, hoping she’d land a job—has now declared she wants the tiara too. Naïve. Probably thought beginner’s luck was a real thing. I figured, fine. Let the cards decide. If I win, I walk away with the tiara. If I lose, I’ll find another way to soothe my pride. Easy enough. Thorne, my ever-watchful husband, leaned in and murmured, “Go easy on her.” I didn’t. I won. Beat the dealer faster than her and won the tiara. That girl cried at the table. Thorne didn’t look impressed for once. He rather seemed... irritated. I thought it was for Elara’s sake. Turns out, it was for mine. A year later, same party, different stakes. The grand prize? My own sex video. While holding Elara in his arms, my husband said to me, voice almost amusing, “Don’t you like winning prizes? Then go on. Win our sex tape back.”

“Go on, Grenade. Pull the trigger.” An annoying smirk was plastered on his face, as he leaned on the wall. My heart contracted, and my eyes stung. A click of my gun, and all these would be over. This was the mission I'd worked so hard on. “Wasn't this what you wanted, Grenade? Wasn't this your plan all along, when you snaked into my life, pretending to be who you weren't? Why are you hesitating, then?” “For the last time, Dante, my name is West. Don't ever call me Grenade.” I hissed. He advanced towards me slowly. “I don't care if I die now, Grenade. But don't you ever let the King of Hearts fall into the wrong hands. Give it to me.” His tone was soft, yet there was no denying the order behind it. “You wish.” *** West, the most powerful undercover agent for Lucchese, is suddenly given a mission by her Capo. She is to infiltrate a powerful Mafia group in Italy, and make the boss let down his guard around her. And then, she has to bring back 'The King of Hearts,' a powerful computer program that's capable of destroying, and changing the world. But she must never fall in love with him. However, her mission isn't going to be as easy as it seems. Especially as she unravels the secrets surrounding her birth, discovering that her whole existence is a lie. In the midst of all, the cold hearted West finds herself falling for Capo Dante, the head of the 'Ndrangheta, and her enemy. There was one rule, and one rule only… The King of Hearts must never ever fall into the wrong hands. But…who was the bad guy? (#1 The Mafia Princess Series)

Queen Natash, CEO of NATEL FASHION WORLD and also the boss of NATEL casino, she is the most powerful woman in Los Angeles, she cleans up the mess for the wealthy, she holds all the card to the game, but what happens when her rivalry sends an agent undercover, his job is to make her fall in love with him, will he be able to turn her world upside down or will she turn the tables around instead?!!