S J Tilly

CassieHow to make the handsome, brooding man across the street notice me. Step one: Deliver baked goods to his front porch, even though he never answers his door and always returns the containers when I'm not home. Step two: Slowly lose my mind as a whole year passes without ever running into him, no matter how hard I try. Step three: Have my boudoir photos accidentally delivered to his mailbox instead of mine. Have him open the package. Then have him storm into my home for the most panty-melting scolding of my life. Step four: Still figuring out step four. HansI'm a dangerous man. A man who has spent the last two decades removing so many souls from this earth that it's a miracle my hands aren't permanently stained red. I'm a man who belongs in the shadows. I certainly don't belong in my pretty little neighbor's bedroom when she's not home, touching her things and inhaling her scent. I shouldn't follow her. Shouldn't watch her. Because no number of cookies on my doorstep will change the fact that love isn't an option for me.

VALWhen I was nine, I went to my first funeral. Along with accepting my father's death, I had to accept new and awful truths I wasn't prepared for. When I was nineteen, I went to my mother's funeral. We weren't close, but with her gone, I became more alone than ever before. Sure, I have a halfbrother who runs The Alliance. And yeah, he's given me his protection -- in the form of a bodyguard and chauffeur. But I don't have anyone that really knows me. No one to really love me. Until I meet him. The man in the airport. And when one chance meeting turns into something hotter, something more serious, I let myself believe that maybe he's the one. Maybe this man is the one who will finally save me from my loneliness. The one to give me the family I've always craved. DOMThe Mafia is in my blood. It's what I do. So when that blood is spilled and one funeral turns into three, drastic measures need to be taken. And when this battle turns into a war, I'm going to need more men. More power. I'm going to need The Alliance. And I'll become a member. By any means necessary.

Okay, so, my bad for assuming the guy I was going on a date with wasn't married. And my bad for taking him to a friend's house for dinner, only to find out my friend is also friends with his wife. Because, in fact, he is married. And she happens to be at my friend's house because her husband was busy working. Confused? So am I. Unsurprisingly, my date's wife is super angry about finding out that her husband is a cheating asshole. Girl, I get it. Then, to make matters more convoluted, there is the man sitting next to my date's wife. A man named King, who is apparently her brother, and who lives up to his name. And since my "date" is a two-timing prick, I'm not going to feel bad about drooling over King, especially since I'll never see him again. Or at least I don't plan to. I plan to take an Uber to the cheater's apartment to get my car keys. I plan for it to be quick. And if I had to list a thousand possible outcomes... witnessing my date's murder, being kidnapped by his killer, and then being forced to marry the super attractive but clearly deranged crime lord, would not have been on my Bingo card. But alas, here I am.

PaytonRunning away from home at 17 wasn't easy. Let's face it though, nothing before, or in the ten years since, has ever been easy for me. But I'm doing okay. Sorta. I just need to keep scraping by, living under the radar. Staying out of people's way, off people's minds. So when a man walks through my open patio door, stepping boldly into my home, and my life, I should be scared. Frightened. Terrified. But I must be more broken than I realized, because I'm none of those things. I'm intrigued. And I'm wondering if the way to take control of my life is by giving in to him. NeroThe first time I took a man's life, I knew there'd be no going back. No normal existence in the cards for me.So instead of walking away, I climbed a mountain of bodies, and created my own destiny. By forming The Alliance. And I was fine with that. Content enough to carry on. Until I stepped through those open doors, and into her life. I should've walked away. Should've gone right back out the door I came through. But I didn't. And now her life is in danger. But that's the thing about being a bad man. I'll happily paint the streets red to protect what's mine. And Payton is mine. Whether she knows it or not.

MichaelScandal may have hit when we landed in Canada, but my girl, my Baby Cakes, is still by my side.Not that I'd let her be anywhere else.So when she stands next to me as the cameras go live, cohosting the Second Bite: New Year's Special with me, I feel more at ease than ever.But then the producers decide to surprise the viewers-and us-with a twist.This weekend's contestants are celebrities.And one of them is a woman from my past. With her sights set on embarrassing my girl.

When a holiday baking competition goes incredibly wrong. Or right...Michael -I'm starting to think I've been doing this for too long. The screaming fans. The constant media attention. The fat paychecks. None of it brings me the happiness I yearn for.Yet here I am. Another year. Another holiday special. Another Christmas spent alone in a hotel room.But then the lights go up. And I see her.Alice -It's an honor to be a contestant, I know that. But right now it feels a little like punishment. Because any second Chef Michael Kesso, the man I've been in love with for years, the man who doesn't even know I exist, is going to walk onto the set, and it will be a miracle if I don't pass out at the sight of him.But the time for doubts is over. Because Second Bite is about to start - "in three... two... one..." Read now for the full three part series

My trip to Mexico for my cousin's wedding was only supposed to be a few days of obligation and oceanside.I wasn't expecting Luke.Wasn't expecting the hot hockey player, with the smirks and the tattoos, who kept bumping into me.And I certainly wasn't expecting to spend a night on the beach, under the stars, underneath him.It was magical, but I thought it would end there.Instead, we exchanged numbers and stayed in touch.So when Luke invited me to watch him play in Vegas, I went.And it was great.Until we woke up the next morning and found the wedding certificate in my pocket.Turns out that dance party we snuck into was actually a group wedding ceremony.And now we're married.Which is bad.Because I think our wedding was actually our first date. And if my dad finds out, he'll cut me out of the family business.So when footage leaks of Luke and me hot and heavy in an elevator, I have to make up a new plan to save my reputation and career.Now, all I need is for Luke Anders to act like he's madly in love with me.Should be easy.Right?

VALWhen I was nine, I went to my first funeral. Along with accepting my father's death, I had to accept new and awful truths I wasn't prepared for.When I was nineteen, I went to my mother's funeral. We weren't close, but with her gone, I became more alone than ever before.Sure, I have a half brother who runs The Alliance. And yeah, he's given me his protection - in the form of a bodyguard and chauffeur. But I don't have anyone that really knows me. No one to really love me.Until I meet him. The man in the airport.And when one chance meeting turns into something hotter, something more serious, I let myself believe that maybe he's the one. Maybe this man is the one who will finally save me from my loneliness. The one to give me the family I've always craved.DOMThe Mafia is in my blood. It's what I do.So when that blood is spilled and one funeral turns into three, drastic measures need to be taken.And when this battle turns into a war, I'm going to need more men. More power.I'm going to need The Alliance.And I'll become a member. By any means necessary.