Dove Genovese, daughter of the second in command of the Italian mafia boss, has one sole purpose in life. That's to never dishonor her mafioso father. Marry, bring peace, and money: those are his demands. Meeting those demands comes at a high price, though. She's betrothed to an abusive man from another notorious Italian family. He's the last person she wants to spend her life with, but there's no way out. Her life is in the gilded, golden cage with strict rules and even harsher punishments. Gedeon Sokoloff wants revenge. The vindictive Russian mob boss has made it his mission to avenge his mother's brutal murder. There's nothing he wouldn't do to assert his power. When one of Genovese's henchmen breaches his territory and slaughters one of his men, Gedeon brokers a deal: war or Dove's hand in marriage. Dove should hate and fear Gedeon, because of his feared reputation. Yet, the infuriating man that enjoys teasing her and making her feel things she never felt before offers her one way to earn her freedom. Win him in a game of chess. Will Dove get the freedom she had been longing? Or will she stay as Gedeon's caged little bird in his games? _____ WARNING: Story contains rape, self-harm, suicidal ideation, physical/sexual abuse, violence, mature themes, sexual content, strong language. Ranks: #1 in Violence #1 in Adult-Romance #10 in Mafia #95 in Romance out of 1.7 million

While investigating the mysterious deaths of three girls in the remote town of Briarwood, Detective Evan O'Riley tries to solve a cold case of the town's serial killer from the 1960's. *** Three sixteen-year-old girls are found dead after being plunged off the roof of their school. The question it poses: did they jump, or were they pushed? Detective Evan O'Riley has been solving crimes in Riverton for six years. Some cases have answers, others remain unsolved. His latest case brings him to the remote town of Briarwood where he begins his investigation into whether the case is a triple homicide or suicide. While working the case, Evan hears about an infamous serial killer that brought havoc to Briarwood in the 1960's called the The SAD Killer. The best part? He was never caught. As Evan tries to solve the triple deaths of the girls, he gets swept fifty years into the past, digging up case files and tracking down old family members and investigators from the 1965 murders. Evan becomes determined to solve the mystery once and for all and finally put a name to the SAD Killer. But little does Evan know, the killer may be closer than he thinks... Cover designed by Holly Thurston

The story of an unloved, unwanted young aboriginal girl, outcasted by her tribe and thrust into the new, confusing world of Europeans. I hope you enjoy, this was just a short story I had to write as an English assignment in yr 8 so one of my first actual pieces :)