If every scar tells a story... mine is about surviving. After a brutal attack at college, I return home to heal over the summer. Enter a former MMA champion with a scowl as permanent as his tattoos. Taking self-defense lessons from him feels like a step in the right direction. With every training session, our bond strengthens, turning pain into passion and doubt into self-confidence. Before long, our self-control unravels and we cross lines we shouldn’t. Yet my emotional wounds linger longer than the physical ones. How can I move beyond my tragic past to embrace the future I deserve? Age Gap Grumpy Cinnamon Roll Hero Mature Beyond Her Years Heroine Hurt/Comfort Slow Burn Forced Proximity