Metanoia (n.) the journey of changing one's mind, heart, self or way of life. Part one Darcy Russo a nine year old girl living in a run down orphanage on the outskirts of Athens, Greece has had to fend for herself for the majority of her life. Being abandoned as a child and having to endure cruelty and abuse from those who were supposed to look after her has caused her to become untrusting and wary of others. Instead she seeks solace in nature, spending any and all free time exploring the wilderness and the ocean with her dog Bear. Although Darcy has accepted that she can only depend on herself, what happens when she finds out that she wasn't abandoned she was taken and her eight older brothers will stop at nothing to get her back. Part two After being kidnapped by the Russian mafia and tortured for years for information she doesn't have, Darcy Russo becomes cold and calculated. When the leader of the Russian mafia Ivan Volkov offers her a deal, train and work for him as an assassin or die, she can't exactly refuse. Being nicknamed 'Sin' by the underworld, she changes her identity and becomes a ruthless, efficient killer. But what happens when she is sent on a mission to destroy the family she once loved. Will she let the resentment she has for them for being the reason she was tortured take over or will she spare their lives? And what happens when she catches the attention of her brother's best friend.

Our moms were best friends. There wasn't much more to it than that. Every holiday, vacation and weekend, I was forced to spend time with Jax and his family. When I was four years old and he drenched my favorite blouse in ketchup, Jax and I became arch enemies...and then - somehow - we became best friends. But like I said, there wasn't much more to it than that. Mostly. Okay, so of course I liked him a little. How could I not? Even though Jax was annoying at times, he was also funny, athletic, popular, and downright hot, and I was his nerdy little best friend. He was my protector, the one who rescued me countless times from countless threats. We shared more than just friendship... Until the death of Jax's mother. The grief drove a wedge between us, and only so much more grief would follow. But pain has a way of tearing people apart, only to force them back together again. That's what happened to us. And, unfortunately, the only way around pain is through it. Trigger Warning: This book contains references to physical abuse and sexual trauma. Please read cautiously, and remember to take care of yourself.

"Don't contact me if you're dying." When Keith Ingram utters those cruel words to his new wife, he doesn't know how much he'll come to regret them. For years, Ella Bryce has loved Keith from afar. When a contract marriage gives her one chance at happiness, she vows to make him see her-even though the scars of her past make her efforts fraught with pain. But just as her devotion begins breaking through his guarded heart, devastating lies shatter their fragile bond. Broken and discarded, Ella rebuilds her life from the ashes, determined to live on her own terms. She is no longer the unseen girl he left behind. Years later, Keith storms back into her life-colder, harder, and more ruthless than ever. He thinks he knows the truth about their past. He is wrong. Now, Keith must face the reality of what he destroyed. Fate has given him a second chance to see the woman he was blind to, but the road to redemption is paved with secrets. Will he make the same mistake twice... or can he win back the wife he so carelessly threw away? Trigger warning: Trigger warning: This story contains emotional abuse, gaslighting, and family abuse.

All Sophia ever wanted was for Ashton Maverick to notice her. But he was best friends with her older brother, Patrick, and a hockey star. There was no chance in Hell he'd be interested in her. But when Sophie moves back home for the summer and runs into Ashton for the first time in two years, things start to change. Between stolen glances and secret hookups, they begin to fall deeper in love with each other. But Sophie has something bigger to worry about than her big brother finding out about their secret relationship. Find out more in Hockey Baby by Ariel Hughes 🏒

after a prank gone terribly wrong, hayden jones is sent across country to caldwell academy, a school for the bitchy, the dangerous and the rebellious. and if that wasn't bad enough, it becomes much worse when hayden is accidentally put in the male dormitory, landing her in a room with the school's notorious heartbreaker, chase everett. [not edited...like at all]

❝ I have survived so many fires I can no longer tell if I am alive or if I'm still burning. ❞ - In which the six most powerful mafia families must live together for a year.

❝ Because I am the big brother. I'm sorry I wasn't better at it until now. ❞ **** Six months of physical therapy, a night to forget and an internal war has caused Victoria Hunt to want to stay in Arizona. Away from her brothers, of which bonds they share have been pushed to the limit with time and distance. She's been looking for her happily ever after since she moved in with them but in a new city with new friends and blasts from the past, more mistakes lie ahead that may or may not finish her off once and for all.

Gemma isn't what you would call normal. With a genius IQ, a not so great home life, and a hard time staying in tight spaces, the girl's got a few issues. She never thought that she would be saying that a new issue was four older brothers she had no idea about. Brothers who thought she died twelve years ago? But not everything is as it appears with our lovely little Gemma; same with her new brothers. Nothing is as it appears, it seems. With a past worse than expected at first glance, literal demons that can bite them in the ass, and a couple of plain grouchy Starbucks attendants, this will be one crazy ride. But will this ride destroy the family or bring it back together? Don't look at me, I don't know. You'll have to read to figure that out. (The chapter titles are in Portuguese but the story is in English, I promise you).

ABHIRAJ SINGH RAJVANSH Abhiraj Singh Rajvansh-ASR. A name that commands fear, respect and absolute obedience. The youngest mafia king of Asia, he rules not only the underworld but also the business world, making and breaking billion-dollar deals with a snap of his fingers. He rules the country with a single order. His influence isn't confined to just one nation; presidents, businessmen and even the most ruthless criminals bow before him. With a single command, he can start or stop a war. He is a devil no one dares to cross him and those who do vanish without a trace. For his enemies, he is the devil himself, striking fear into their souls before bringing an end to their lives. Despite all his power, wealth and dominance, Abhiraj stands alone. An orphan with no family, no love, and no weakness-until she walks into his life. A girl who unknowingly awakens something dangerous inside him. He doesn't fall in love; he claims. And now, she is his newest obsession-one he will have, no matter the cost. MIRA RAO Mira is a bubbly, cheerful girl who grew up in an orphanage. She's always fought her battles alone, from childhood until now. Fierce yet soft-hearted, she doesn't hesitate to put anyone who crosses her in their place. The only person she truly has is her best friend. Mira dreams of finding a kind-hearted man-a normal guy who cares for everyone-but little does she know her future holds something completely unexpected. What will happen when Abhiraj begins his game to win Mira? Will she fall for him or will she become his? Will she uncover the truth about everything he's done to get her, or will they fall apart? Come along on the journey of Abhiraj and Mira to see how their lives flip upside down and everything changes in ways they never imagined.

{ #𝟏 𝕴𝖌𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘 } 𝘼𝙍𝘼𝘿𝙃𝙔𝘼 𝙎𝙄𝙉𝙃𝘼 Marriage for me meant my freedom from the ones whose blood I share. I needed it to do what was required of me. It was never my plan to include him in this. My revenge was gonna burn them to the ground and I wasn't ready for him to extinguish this flame. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 𝘼𝘽𝙃𝙄𝙈𝘼𝙉𝙔𝙐 𝙎𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙄𝘼 I had her, then I lost her. Now I've found her again but she's lost somewhere in herself. I'll do anything to bring her back, even if it means burning with her in the flames of her revenge.