The De Luca brothers reign supreme in the underworld, holding dominion over the ruthless realm of the Italian Mafia. They are cold, merciless, driven by madness, their loyalty solely to blood. Yet, their lives take an unexpected turn when they discovered their thirteen years old little sister. *** "When she was choking me, is that... love?" she whispered, her voice barely audible, each word trembling as if afraid to leave her lips. Her eyes, wide and glassy, searched mine desperately, seeking a truth that she couldn't grasp amidst the fog of confusion and despair that clouded her mind. My heart seethed with rage, a torrent of emotions crashing against the walls of my restraint, threatening to betray the stoic facade I had carefully constructed. I wanted to scream, to shake her out of this misguided belief. Hestia, my little sister, stared back at me. Her innocence tainted by the cruel hands of someone who had twisted the meaning of love into something unrecognizable. She couldn't differentiate the painfully obvious truth, the clear distinction between love and control, kindness and cruelty. It was as if the very essence of her spirit was being suffocated, just as her breath had been. ── ─ ┈┈┈┄┄╌╌ ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This story contains sensitive and potentially distressing themes, including abuse, sexual assault, rape, psychological trauma, and mature content. Note: - Cover by Canva - Update: Random

[2024 WATTY WINNER][18+] Two best friends. Six weeks. One final shot at love. Since college, Maisie and August have been best friends-frustratingly, perfectly platonic best friends. For nine long years, Maisie has secretly harbored the hope that their relationship could be something more. In that time, Maisie Rhodes has skyrocketed to stardom as a pop sensation, earning the title of Pop Princess from her devoted Rhodie fans. When she hints on The Tonight Show that her love songs are inspired by someone close to her, speculation runs wild. To throw everyone off the scent-and protect her true feelings for August-Maisie's manager hatches a plan: fake a relationship with her best friend. Miraculously, August agrees. Now Maisie faces six weeks of pretending to date the one person she's always loved, all while tiptoeing around the unspoken truth that's lingered between them for years. What could possibly go wrong?

Brynn Kingslee has spent a third of her life protecting herself from her stepfather as fiercely as a twelve year old can. Only to find, after his death, she has seven fiercely protective older brothers who didn't realise that not only would they be protecting her from their work, but also protecting her from her past, too.