Ivy Bright has always believed that a smile can fix anything - even when life keeps proving her wrong. Stuck in a cold mansion with a neglectful mother and a cruel stepfather, she scrubs floors and hides her pain behind a cheerful mask, convinced that kindness is the only thing she has left to give. But everything changes when five strangers arrive, their presence dark and commanding. The Vitalo brothers - Massimo, Declan, Zayn, Jaxon, and Vale - have come to reclaim what's rightfully theirs. They expected to find their father living off their late mother's fortune. What they didn't expect was Ivy. She's not their blood, yet something about her stirs a long-buried instinct to protect. Hardened by loss and betrayal, the brothers have forgotten what softness feels like... until they see the girl with the unbreakable smile. They came for vengeance. They met her. But can Ivy's light survive their darkness? Or will the shadows that cling to the Vitalo brothers consume her, too?

"You just have no idea." His voice was thick with restraint. "W-what," I breathed. His gaze flicked to my lips as his thumb stroked again. The calloused pad against my soft flesh sent goosebumps down my arms. His once warm eyes were dark as they lifted and bared into my soul. "What you do to... men." His husky whisper weakened my knees. I almost fell but his other hand settled on my hip, pulling me closer to him. "What you do to me," he added on a breath. The hand on my jaw shifted. His fingers left trails of tingles as he slipped them back slowly, under my earlobe and into my curls. *************************************************** As a young girl, Charlotte Avery's favourite pass time was daydreaming about her Prince Charming: Archer Johnson. She never stopped to consider that Archer was her brother's best friend.. Or that he always appeared severely creeped out by her attention. On her 16th birthday, Charlotte received a harsh reality check. Realizing just how embarrassing she had been acting, she swore to never make a fool of herself in front of Archer again. The problem? She is about to head to college and unfortunately it's the same school where Archer is currently the star quarterback. Follow Charlotte during her first year at USC as she juggles new experiences, social anxiety, family drama back home, and avoiding Archer. These are the unintended consequences of an embarrassing childhood crush. *************************************************** Top Ranks: #1 - Hot #1 - Collegeromance #1 - Brothersbestfriend #1 - Football #1 - Brooding #1 - Slowburn #1 - Quarterback #1 - Athlete #2 - Newadult #2 - Player #5 - Badboy #73 - Romance ***************************************************