Ashley Riggs' life was forever changed when she was only seventeen years old. Thrust into a world of darkness, scarred at the hands of many, and left abandoned in a cage, her hope is found in the man who rescues her from the clutches of hell. Day by day, he breathes life into her, and her heart becomes his. But when she longs for more, her savior turns his back on her, insistent that he cannot give her what she wants. Yakov Chekov is certain that evil runs in his veins. Direct descendant of the late Ivan Chekov—the poison that infected the Russian Bratva in ways that cannot be forgiven, and the father he murdered in the name of justice—Yakov fears he cannot love as a man should. Yet, try as he might, pushing away his sweet girl, in order to protect her from himself, proves to be impossible. When neither time, nor distance, can eradicate the love they harbor for one another, they must both ask themselves what it is they truly want—and what, as well as who, they are willing to sacrifice to be together. Yet, through it all, Ashley knows one thing for sure. Her heart is tethered to one man—one badman who makes life worth living. ** Recommended for readers 18+ due to Sexual Content, Language, & Violence