Fractured stillness

Adeline Moretti, a 17 year old who has been pulled back into the dangerous world of her estranged family. After years of silence, she is forced to confront her brothers, each with their own way of dealing with the past.

As she struggles to piece together the truth about her family's secrets, Adeline must navigate betrayal, loyalty, and the complex bond she shares with her father. With her trust shattered and her safety constantly at risk, Adeline faces the harsh reality of her bloodline's power and the deep scars it has left behind.

In a world where silence can be more dangerous than the truth, Adeline must decide who she can trust-and how to break free from the past that holds her captive.

~
"You want to protect me?"

"Yes."

I shut the book slowly, placing it on my lap. "Well, I don't need protecting."

He frowns slightly, like that wasn't the answer he expected. "Adeline-"

"No," I cut him off. "You don't get it. You weren't there. You didn't see what I had to live with. I protected myself every single day. From the second I woke up to the second I went to sleep. I did that. Not you. Not anyone else. Me."

His jaw tenses, but he doesn't interrupt.

"So no," I continue, voice sharp, "I don't need a guard. I don't need someone to yell at me like that's supposed to prove how much they care. I've had enough of that already."