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 woke before Alicia. Beside Alicia. Where I'd dreamed of being for weeks.


She was beautiful in sleep. Peaceful in a way she never was awake. Her hair spread across my pillow like dark silk. Her lips slightly parted. The curve of her bare shoulder visible above the sheets.


Every possessive instinct in me wanted to pull her closer. To wrap my arms around her and hold her so tight she'd never want to leave. To wake her with kisses and make her understand that last night changed everything.


That she was mine now. Completely. Irrevocably.


I'd done terrible things to make this moment possible. Kept Travis unconscious for weeks. Manipulated situations. Removed obstacles. All so I could have her without interference.


And I'd do it all again without hesitation.


Chapter 42 - Chapter forty two