My secret has been kept for ten years . . . my time is up. I’m in the small town of Ravish Oregon where nobody can hide. I’ve come here for a reason and I’m not going to run anymore . . . even with . . . complications. My world is full of secrets and power that people want to pretend doesn’t exist. I’m the girl from a respectful family, the girl photographed, the girl who is envied. If only all of those people knew the truth of what happened behind closed doors of the perfect world that was crafted for me. They wouldn’t be jealous anymore. None of that matters now. That’s my past. I’ve paid my price and now I just want to be free. I want what was taken from me. I was shrouded in a world of darkness and now I’m a new woman with a purpose no one will stop me from getting. Some might judge me for doing what I needed to do to survive, but that’s okay. I don’t care. My past is wiped clean, but the things that happened will forever haunt me. I know that as much as I don’t want to think of my past, I’d be a fool to think it can’t ever hurt me . . . I know too much. I also want what was taken from me. Am I a fool? Maybe. Who can I trust? Nobody. Especially not . . . him . . . \\\\\* I’ve always preferred to be alone, not needing the complications of friendships, and especially not needing to deal with relationships. I’m Greyson River and I get my needs met without emotional ties. I can tell within a few words the women I need to steer clear of. That is until I meet Trinity, and my life becomes an endless rollercoaster ride. I tell myself I’ll get in and out . . . at least that’s the plan. I have a job to do, and once it’s done, I can walk away from Trinity and never look back. That’s the way this is supposed to happen. The thing is, though, once I see her . . . there’s no doubt my world is about to change. You see, life doesn’t ever go the way we want it to. Trinity and I would’ve never met in normal circumstances . . . but neither of our lives are ordinary. Our paths do cross . . . and nothing will ever be the same again. A lot of secrets are going to come to the surface that many in power don’t ever want to see the light of day . . . Will I choose my job or the girl? I don’t know . . . I don’t know anything anymore. I do know I can’t walk away...

There are people in this world who take one look at others and think they know them. Those who look at me are wrong with every judgement they make. I’m big, I’ve got scars, and I scowl a heck of a lot, but that’s because of the hell I’ve lived through. The thing is, I’ve come out on the other side and I’m still here—that in my book makes me a survivor—which is more than can be said for a lot of men in my position. My name is Micah Clark, a thirty-five-year-old man who’s lived ten lifetimes. I appreciate solitude, am motivated to succeed, and want busybodies to stay the hell away from me. I’ve done my duty in life and have helped countless individuals, and now I just want to live out the rest of my days in solitude. I’m damn sick of people asking if something is wrong. Moving to this small town of Ravish Oregon wasn’t my smartest decision in a long line of life-altering decisions. Everyone thinks they know all about their neighbors. What they don’t know, they snoop until they think they figure it out, but the wounds I carry are too deep for anyone to dig into. I know what needs to be done next, and none of it has anything to do with a woman. Do I like women? Sure, what red-blooded male doesn’t like a soft, warm body to warm them up for a few hours? However, I want to bring us both pleasure . . . and then forget her name before I walk out the door to never look back. People have always said to me though, if you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans. This might be truer than I care to admit, because just when I think I’m getting myself together enough to normally function in society, in walks Alexandra Crix and her angry son, Dillan . . . and they’re in trouble. What’s a man to do? I can’t know something is wrong and sit back knowing I can help, can I?

I’m well aware I stand out in a crowd, not because of the way I look, but because of the way I carry myself. My athletic build is inviting instead of intimidating, and though I look as if nothing in this world can hurt me, I have more scars on the inside than anyone could ever imagine. My name is Derek and I own Mountain Fitness in Ravish Oregon, and all I want to do is help heal others so I don’t have to focus on my own pain. I keep to myself when I’m not at work, and I’ve been down the road of love before and I won’t do it again. My arms are covered in tattoos, each with meaning, just as my heart is covered with scars that still haven’t healed. I also have a thing for shoes rivaling most women in my small town. There’s so much my friends and family don’t know about me, because I might look like my heart’s carried on the outside, but my smile covers up the pain that constantly burns inside. I have plans for my life, and none of them include Emmy, a free spirit who comes to town without saying much at all about herself, but also has a smile that lights up a room, and a spirt that's infectious. It doesn’t take me long to discover that Emmy has her own secrets and I can see the scars she carries, but refuses to talk about. Can I turn away from her? I don’t think I can . . . even if it means we dive into the river and drown together.