Alicia Fonell thought marriage would save her—but life with Travis Blackwood is nothing but bruises, betrayal, and silence. Trapped in a family built on greed and lies, she has only one goal: escape.

Then Malachi Blackwood returns. Her husband’s older brother. Dark, dangerous, and untouchable. He swore he’d never come back to Silver Lake, but secrets and revenge drag him home.

The closer Alicia gets to him, the harder it becomes to resist. Forbidden touches. Stolen glances. A temptation she knows could destroy them both.

Trigger / Content Warning 
This story contains a morally grey male lead whose choices, actions, and desires are not always healthy or “right.” Malachi is obsessive, controlling, and dangerously possessive. If you’re looking for a gentle love story, this may not be for you.

But if you crave intensity, forbidden passion, and a hero who walks the line between love and ruin—welcome.

I didn't know what was happening anymore.


The moment I stepped into my hotel room, the world tilted. Walls spun. The floor felt like water beneath my feet.


I grabbed the edge of the nearest table, knuckles white, trying to anchor myself to something solid. Trying to keep from drowning in the panic crushing my chest.


Tears came without permission—hot, relentless, blurring everything until I couldn't see. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think past the single thought screaming in my head:


Six days. I have six days to save Sophie, and I have no idea how.


My phone vibrated against the table. The sound pulled me back from the edge.


I stared at the screen blankly. The words registered, but they felt like they belonged to a different world. A world where people hung out. Where problems were small enough to ignore for a few hours over coffee and gossip.


Chapter 35 - Chapter thirty-five