My entire life, I’ve wanted a family; wanted to know if I had one out there. I’ve craved answers and now that I’m getting them, I don’t know if I’m ready. I have a brother, a family. Sadly, the knowledge of that isn’t comforting, because I can’t trust them. The same distrust extends to the guys that are invading every aspect of my life. Suddenly, they’re everywhere, demanding the truth from my lips and tugging at a heart that’s been cold for far too long.

English Prep stands tall with its ivy-covered exterior and old, wrought-iron doors. The stone gargoyles sit at the school's entrance, knowing just as much as anyone: I don't belong. Once upon a time, I did. I belonged in the "it" crowd with all the other well-endowed kids, but now, I am no longer welcome.

I had everything I ever wanted, until my life was flipped upside down. Now, I’m suddenly being forced to live in my parent’s hometown, with complete strangers. Like my heart isn’t broken enough. Could I fall any further? Yes. Yes, I could. Why might that be? The Allstars - Xavier Knight, Hunter Asheville, and Tobias Holmes - Asheville High’s prestigious star football players. They’re my worst nightmare. But damn...why do they have to be so mouth-wateringly hot? 

Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire. I was the new girl trying to find her place. Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer. I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy. I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion. But, I fell for him before I knew those things. To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet. And then, he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me. I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.

He murdered my uncle, then covered it with fire. A fire that should have killed me, too. Instead, he hauled me from the floor while flames licked the walls, strong arms holding me close. He saved my life. Now I want to know why. I never saw his face. All I know is the letters on his shirt. SVH. Saint View High. The worst school in a hundred miles. Full of drugs and despair. Breeding ground for future criminals. Armed security guards and weapon checks at every door. A far cry from my privileged life of money, private school, and fancy vacations.

The Legacy boys are Windsor Preparatory Academy’s most privileged. No one crosses the devil spawn of this town’s upper echelon, but I managed. I call one of them out my first day, and no one hears it louder than their blond prince.

I wasn’t supposed to be at Olympus that night. And I definitely wasn’t supposed to witness a murder - or be caught by the killers. Hades, Apollo, and Ares run the mysterious masked fight club, and they wield more power in this town than I could dream of holding. They destroy my life with one decree: Kora Sinclair doesn’t exist. Sterling Falls was my chance to start over, but one night derails everything. My scholarship, my job - gone. I could run home, but giving up my dreams isn’t an option. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Beck Clermont controlled them all. He was arrogant and conceited, and from the moment I met him, he had made up his mind about me. Dangerously handsome and wickedly cruel, he had no intention of letting me spend my senior year under the radar.

Deep always calls unto deep. The result? Reckless hate and catastrophe. Westbrook had four boys who ruled my life once. They were hell-raisers. Cunning athletes. Skilled manipulators. Hateful assholes. Gorgeous gods. Heartbreakers. Only, I never counted on them breaking my heart as savagely as they did, sending me away when I needed them the most. 

Rise. Shine. Sleep. Repeat. To the world. Break. Darken. Cry. Lost. Behind closed doors. Nothing is as it seems in the Asheville home or this hellhole town. Then he shows up. Pushing my buttons and demanding I take more from life, be more, be…me. But I have no idea who that is. How do I fight for my freedom when I’m their bargaining tool? What he doesn’t realize is how screwed up Knight’s Creek really is. For all I care, the whole town can burn to ash.

Their names are whispers in the hallways. Hunter, Ash, Ledger, and Samson. The Kings. Four of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen, with cruel agendas and an even crueler reign over Ravenwood Academy. Wreaking havoc in our small, New England town, no one asks questions. For the most part, people ignore or avoid them. After all, they’re royalty here. Because one of them - the cruelest one - is the headmaster’s son. And my new stepbrother. They can try to torment me. They can try to break me. But they have no idea what I’ve endured.

Knight Reed is a devil heir with a chip on his shoulder. The arrogant a-hole I love to hate. His name may be Knight, but that armor is black as coal. He’s a beautiful god with a wicked heart. I know because my mom used to work for his family. An act of brutal violence in the woods and he gets my mom fired, ultimately leaving us homeless. That was the last time I saw him face-to-face. At least, until recently.

Only a fool with a death wish would steal from the Townsends. And my older brother? He’s a fool. But instead of making me an orphan with the snap of his filthy rich fingers, Royce Townsend gave my brother a choice: three months. Three months to pay back what was owed. Enter Phoenix Townsend. He's the king of our new school, but I heard his name well before Ravenwood and Thornhaven merged. Still, I never trusted the rumors. That was my mistake. Phoenix really is a terrible, royal beast who ruins girls. And now, thanks to my brother, I belong to that beast for the next three months.

Welcome to Emerson Grove. With our fantastic university, suburban lifestyle, and the city nearby, you’re never going to want to leave. I almost believe their slogan, until my ride drives off, leaving me on the doorstep of a pretty house to reveal a blast from the past. Leaving one lion’s den, I’ve fallen straight into another. I didn’t agree to this part. I didn't agree to…them.

For as long as I can remember, my mom and I have lived on the edge of ruin, so when she finally gets a decent job offer, she moves us cross-country to take it.