"People think silence means there's nothing inside you. But silence is where I hide everything I can't survive saying out loud." Fourteen-year-old Aluna Amari has only ever trusted one person: her father, who raised her alone after her mother abandoned her. But when he's diagnosed with cancer, Aluna is forced to move in with the mother she hasn't spoken to in years. What she doesn't expect is that her mother is engaged to Andrei Petrov-a cold, feared Russian mafia boss-and that his home comes with six ruthless sons who see Aluna as nothing but an unwanted inconvenience. A silent little "freak" their father's fiancée brought into their world. Another thing about Aluna is that she is selectively mute, trapped in a house full of danger, secrets, and people who don't want her there. And as her father's medical bills pile up, she realizes she may be the only one who can save him. The only voice she has left... is music. Because hidden behind her silence is something no one expects: Aluna is a musical prodigy-and music is the only language that's ever made her feel alive. It's her escape. Her weapon. Her prayer. And in a world ruled by violence, power, and secrets... the quietest girl in the room may be the one who changes everything.

No one ever wanted Riley Knight: not her father, who made sure she didn't have any part in his or his families life; not her mother, who resented her for virtually everything; nor her step father, who has hated her since before she was born. Not even her own big brothers -- the ones who are suppose to love and protect her no matter what -- wanted her. Or so she thought. Riley is the product of an affair -- well her and her twin brother, Rome, are -- but she never had two parents. See, her father has always had "something against" the female sex and therefore, it is weak in his eyes to have a daughter. So he kept Rome and sent Riley away from the second the twins were born. He is the one responsible for turning his six sons against his youngest child and only daughter and, therefore, chaining her to a life of abuse and neglect. But did he succeed? Following her fathers death 7 years ago, Riley's brothers have taken a bigger interest in her and her quality of life, ensuring it was up to par. But all is still not perfect among the Knight siblings. Will Riley finally find her solace among her big brothers? Will they find out about the horrors she faces on a day-to-day basis? Can this family ever become one again ... or do the scars run too deep?

𝐆𝐈𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎, a young girl who's never known stability. Raised by a reckless, unstable mother, she spent her childhood caught between drug runs and police raids, ruining her right for a normal childhood. One night when her mother goes missing, Giulia's whole life changes... again. Will being under the guardianship of her new older brothers give her a chance at normalcy in her life or will they cause even more mess than before? Healing isn't easy and trust doesn't come free. ☆ ☆ ☆ As I lied there in the hospital bed with a pounding headache, practically suffocating me while barely conscious, I heard that familiar, raspy, deep, sleep deprived voice that I've recently come to find comfort in. "Nessuno oserà toccarti di nuovo senza perdere le mani, amore," they whispered. (No one will dare touch you again without losing their hands, love.) I felt two hands hold my face with a soft kiss on my forehead. Their rough and large hands a contrast to their gentleness. The comforter over me shuffled as the familiar person brought them up to my chin and tucked me in. "Riposati ora sei al sicuro, bambina," they murmured, stroking my hair. Before I knew it, simply the presence of them reassured me as I felt myself drift off again into a deep sleep. (Rest now, you're safe, baby). ☆ ☆ ☆ 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 (noun): a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream.

Raised to be holy. Born into something far more dangerous. Seventeen year old, Evienne Ellery spent her life preparing for heaven. Sent away to a secluded boarding school in the Swiss Alps by distant, unfeeling adoptive parents, she was raised by nuns and priests to be obedient, submissive and small. Behind stone chapels and cold classrooms, Evienne learned early that love was conditional, punishment was holy, and suffering was something to be endured quietly Her future was simple: be good, be faithful, and one day do her duty-marry a man who would secure her family's interests. Her life was planned. Controlled. Perfect. Until it wasn't. When everything she knows collapses, Evienne is torn from the only world she has ever known and sent to live with her biological family-six brothers who are loud, vulgar, violent, and unapologetically criminal. They don't pray. They don't obey. And they certainly don't believe in God the way she was taught. They believe in blood. With them, she learns the truth of who she really is: The lost princess of one of the most powerful mafia families in the world. Her brothers have been searching for her for years, and now that they've found her, they refuse to lose her again. In their world of power, crime, and betrayals, Evienne learns that love doesn't always look gentle-and protection often comes with a body count. But as old family feuds resurface, enemies close in, and the past she was hidden from begins to reach for her, Evienne is forced to confront an impossible question: What happens when the people you love will never be welcome in heaven-and you're no longer sure you want to go without them?

Blaire. Kai. Jude. The world didn't exist outside of the three of them. Bound by blood, fear and the hope of leaving together. What happens when the trio decide to leave their foster home, find a home for themselves elsewhere? What happens when they stumble upon familiar men? What happens when these men hunt them down? Not to kill. To bring them home. Will Blaire learn to trust anyone other than the twins? Will the twins learn to give over control, allow themselves to live? Or will secrets turn it all upside down? Started: 4/12/25 Ended: 7/02/26

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳, 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥. Cinder ˈsɪndər -The remains of something that has been burned or destroyed, often with a sense of something lingering or fading. ___ Bullying, Brothers, Dysfunctional Family

18 years ago the Italian Mafias Princess disappeared, but what they don't know until too late is that she ran away. Sick of being shut out and kept quiet she decides to make a life for herself. Pregnant at 16 and married at 18 Jade and her husband Nikolai prosper together, making a family they both dreamed about. Until 18 years after her disappearance, she's spotted by someone working for her Father and Brothers. Secrets begin to unravel and the family has to stick together more than ever before. Because the Italian mafia has finally found the lost princess and she gives them a deal they can't refuse. *This story is purely fictional* *contains mystery and the found family trope*

After generations of men in the Giordano family, the idea of a baby girl was a mere dream. So when their first and only princess was born, they believed they had found peace. Finally, the world was extending an olive branch. She doesn't remember any of them. Kidnapped at the age of two, Olive was thrown into a different world. One without mercy. No more love, no more stolen smiles. Forced to grow up, childhood was nothing but a thing she could hope for. Now, fourteen years later with two of her best friends, she runs. Olive Giordano always runs. But it was only a matter of time before her past caught up with her. Forced to reunite with her broken family she never knew about, troubles are desperate to follow. °°° "Come with us, and I'll bail your friends out as well. Three instead of one troublemaker, what do you say?" my new brother finished. Our eyes were locked together, and he was waiting for me to back down. To lose. I stared back, furious. "Fine." I gritted out. "You want to play house? That's on you. Now please get me out of these cuffs." 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕: 𝟤𝟨/𝟢𝟫/𝟤𝟥 (𝟢𝟫/𝟤𝟨/𝟤𝟥)

Here's a bombshell for you: I have eight brothers. Eight extremely attractive, smart, mischievous, crazy overprotective brothers. Well, step brothers. Trust me when I say that it didn't start out that way, with me having eight step brothers. My father got remarried when I was sixteen. Another bombshell for you: I had no clue that the marriage was happening until about three months before, and I only found out because we were moving from Texas to New York in a week. Yeah, my father wasn't huge on the whole 'sharing' thing. But, that's not what you opened up this book to read, now is it? Well, I should probably start telling you the legitimate start of the story. (Heads up here, guys. This book is about abuse and will have occasional swearing in it. Okay, that's my warning. Have a nice day!)