Wattys 2018: Longlist Niccolò Romano. His name is a threat. Everyone that has ever crossed him has ended up dead. He is a killer, a gangster - a monster. And his enemies will do anything they can to hurt him.

When a mafia princess's life is threatened, she is forced to accept the help of a bodyguard-the emotionally damaged underboss of a crime family, her ex-boyfriend. Standalone in the Sons of Sin series *** Eva and Reaper were once in love and full of hope. Their relationship came to a dramatic end when the pressure of Eva's political engagement to Reaper's best friend-Torin-became too much. Upon miscarrying their unborn child, Eva turned to Reaper for support, only to be let down when he used alcohol as a coping mechanism. A year later, the two cannot be in the same room as each other without hurling abuse. But when an unknown threat attempts to take Eva's life, Reaper is assigned as her bodyguard. Eva is determined to make him quit and he is just as determined to hang on. But beneath the hostility are unresolved feelings and profound wounds that they'll have to move past to figure out who's trying to kill Eva and why. Content warnings: The story contains references to and depictions of alcoholism and miscarriage that may be upsetting for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

|| Featured FREE story with exclusive paid chapters - previously a paid story || When Haley discovers the truth behind Xavier, whose silence holds a deeper meaning, she sets her mind on making his life better one small step at a time. ***** Haley Rosamond is happy with her simple life, content under the wing of her father. Well-protected, she has no idea of the darkness surrounding Xavier Hunt, with his all-black attire and infrequent presence in school-accompanied by his bruises and scars. That is, until Haley catches a glimpse of Xavier's reality and is made to question everything she knows about family and life in general. The truth, she realizes, couldn't be more different from everything she has heard. Supported by her father, Haley sets her mind on helping Xavier any way she can, and what begins with tutoring sessions, free food, and random acts of kindness blooms into friendship and something a little more. But when Haley's admission into her dream college and another tragedy in Xavier's life threaten to undo everything she has worked for, Haley needs to decide if she'll stick by Xavier or simply be another person in his life that disappears. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston

When Franny learns why former popular boy Tyler fell from grace, she gets thrown head-first into his dangerous world but also closer to his timid heart. ***** Eighteen-year-old Tyler Madden used to have everything. He was captain of the football team, popular, high achiever, and was set to have a successful career. But when a secret too hard to handle comes to light, he turns to underground fighting to deal with the pain. Now, he's in too deep. And when Francesca Howard befriends him at school in the hopes of figuring out what went wrong, she unknowingly gets pulled into the criminal world he's now stuck in. As the two find comfort in each other, they find themselves faced with their impending future and trying to get Tyler out alive. Content/Trigger Warning: this story contains scenes pertaining to drug use, substance abuse, and violence. [#1 in teen fiction, romance and action]

"Be a good student, baby, and open your mouth for me." . . . In which 20-year-old Alyssa Silvestro decides to seduce her professor, who happens to be the older brother of her cheating ex-boyfriend. Revenge is best served cold, is what they say.

Alessandro Galanti, a mafia boss who has his eye set on Aria Stone. And he'll stop at nothing until she is his.

Breanna, an army Sergeant, has never been the easiest to get along with and has struggled to get close to people due to some past traumas. With a chip on her shoulder, Breanna ensured that everyone is kept at arms distance. She's been able to stand her ground and hold her own against everyone she's encountered. That was until she received a special request from Captain John Price to accompany Task Force 141 on a highly dangerous and classified mission. Without knowing why she's being requested, and because her curiosity got the better of her, Breanna accepted the invitation to work alongside the Task Force. Breanna's life gets turned upside down when she's forced to work side by side with the infamous "Ghost". Ghost is unlike anyone she's ever met before, but at the same time uncomfortably similar to her own self. Through bickering and butting heads, Breanna and Ghost have to find a way to work together without compromising the mission. And over time, things between them start to...change. A type of change they never imagined.