Ray As a mechanic in a family full of lawyers, I’m used to being the black sheep. All I want in life is to run my auto repair shop with my trusted employees and live my life in peace. That peace is shattered when a gorgeous girl with innocent green eyes filled with fear shows up at my shop. It’s clear she’s hiding from someone. There’s something about the girl that thaws my cold, lonely heart. It doesn’t take long for me to decide that this sweet angel is mine, and I’ll do anything to protect her and erase the haunted look in her eyes. Penny When my father died, I was devastated. When his business partner, Jonah, moved in to our home, I was terrified. The way he looks at me and the accidental touches make my skin crawl. It’s not long before he’s dictating my every move, and I’m forced to drop out of school. My mother is too lost in her grief to see what is happening, and I try to stay strong for her, but when Jonah crosses a line too far to ignore, I know I have to get out. Seizing the first chance I find, I flee. But escaping my new stepfather won’t be easy, and when I need a quick place to hide, I stop at an auto shop in the small town of Rosewood. There, I find far more than a temporary asylum. I find shelter, safety, and maybe even . . . love. Ray is rough around the edges, but something tells me I can believe him when he vows to protect me.

Wilson I have a reputation around my small town for being a . . . difficult boss. But it’s not my fault HR continues to hire incompetent assistants with thin skin. I’m one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the state and the best in the county. I can’t afford mistakes. If that means I have to be cruel at times, so be it. I don’t have time for friends or relationships, I’m married to my work. That is, until HR hires a petite beauty with long dark hair and innocent brown eyes to be my new legal assistant. I can’t bring myself to call her on her mistakes or treat her harshly. Before I know it, I’m crossing lines I never thought I would. And the first time she calls me Sir in her sexy voice, I’m ready to show her exactly the kind of boss I am. Sandy Desperate for any job, I jump at the first offer I’m given even though it means moving across the country to a tiny town. The last thing I expect of my new boss is an intimidating man with icy blue eyes and a reputation for scaring off new hires. So, of course the first thing I do is embarrass myself in his office when we meet. But something about Wilson Hile draws me in, and I don’t see the monster everyone else does. With me, he’s kind and patient. I love my new job, so it's frustrating when I learn that the entire town is making bets on how long I’ll last working for Wilson. But when lines start to blur and my feelings for him deepen, I realize that sleeping with my boss will either be the best thing to ever happen to me or my greatest mistake.

Rue Moving to Rosewood to be close to my aunt and start my floral business has been my dream since I was a little girl. For years, I’ve worked tirelessly to save every penny to make this my reality. I’ve missed out on so much, but it’s all been worth it to see my dreams come true. Until those dreams are literally crushed before my eyes by an out-of-control car. The driver of the car is a scared, lonely girl, and despite my devastation, I can’t bring myself to be angry with her. The accident wasn’t her fault, after all. When I learn who she is—and who her brother is—I quickly find myself in over my head and falling for the one man in town I should avoid at all costs. But when I see his dark side, I can’t help but wonder what I’ve gotten myself into. I’m not usually a runner, but fleeing Rosewood—and the man I love—might be my only option. Vlad As the local Bratva boss, I have a certain reputation among the residents of Rosewood. But I don’t care what others think of me. The only person in this world who truly matters to me is my baby sister. When I learn she’s been in a car accident, I can’t get to the hospital fast enough. I’m unprepared for the sight that greets me in her hospital room. The beautiful redhead my sister says helped her after the accident is like no woman I’ve ever seen. I’m drawn to her immediately and ready to make her mine. But when I learn what—and who—caused my sister’s accident, there’s no stopping the monster inside me from taking over. My dark side scares Rue, and when she runs, I’m forced to give chase. This little flower is mine, after all. I’m not letting her go, and I’ll do anything to convince her to stay.

Arya Being a Bratva princess isn’t easy, and with an older brother as protective as mine calling the shots, I’m lucky he let me return home to Rosewood at all. I’ve spent most of my life attending boarding schools in Belgium, but now that I’m an adult, I want the freedom to decide where I live. I’ve barely spent any time in Rosewood over the years, so it isn’t the town calling me back, it’s the man I know I’ll find there. Jax is my brother’s best friend and his second in command. From the time I was a little girl, I adored Jax and the way he always made sure I was protected. For some reason, his overbearing nature doesn’t annoy me the way my brother’s does. But Jax still sees me as the little girl who went off to boarding school. He hasn’t noticed that I’m all grown up. But he’s going to. I might not be experienced or worldly, but I am determined. When a threat to my life has my big brother assigning Jax to be my personal bodyguard, I realize this is my chance. But can I convince Jax to open his eyes and see what’s always been waiting for him? Or will his loyalty to my brother overshadow everything else? Jax Working for the Andreyev family has always been my destiny. Even joining the Marines didn’t change that. Vlad might be the one to issue the orders, but it’s me who ensures those orders are carried out. And I’m good at my job. It’s been my sole focus for years, after all. I’m loyal to my core, and there is nothing I won’t do for my best friend and boss…except maybe keep my hands off his baby sister. Arya is back after years abroad, and she is no longer the pint-sized princess I remember. No, now she’s a fully grown woman and absolutely gorgeous. She has the body of siren, but she can’t hide her inexperience. She’s the worst kind of temptation, and I have no choice to but keep my distance or risk everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve. But staying away becomes impossible when someone tries to hurt her and Vlad appoints me as her personal bodyguard. What better way to ensure Arya’s safety than to keep her in my bed? But once I have her there, I can’t let her go. Arya might be Bratva royalty, but she’s mine, and I’m going to make sure everyone knows it.

Darrell With the life I’ve lived, I never expected a happily ever after. Guys like me don’t get happy endings. Not after everything I’ve done. Still, I’m determined to live a better life as a free man, and after I met Paula, happiness no longer felt so far out of reach. But being in love with my best friend doesn’t mean I can give her everything she deserves. Paula is the only ray of sunshine in my dark world, and I can’t stand the thought of losing her. But besides my love, I have nothing to offer a girl like her. I’m a lonely tattoo artist with a troubled past living in a small town. Still, the thought of someone else touching her has me seeing red. So, when Paula tells me if I don’t do her first tattoo, she’ll get if from some else, I cross the line I swore I never would. Like hell I’ll let another man mark what’s mine. I just hope my past stays buried long enough to convince Paula of what I’ve known since the day we met… She’s mine. Paula I’ve been in love with my best friend since the day we met. But I can’t tell him. I’m a second-grade teacher…and a virgin. I know a dark horse like Darrell would never want someone as naïve and inexperienced as me. But with all the time we spend together, I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to love Darrell fully—and have him love me back. I’m terrified to tell him how I feel and risk losing him completely. So, I decided to show him instead by asking him to give me my first ink; but it’s not just any tattoo I want. No, I want something that represents us, and Darrell is the only man I trust with my body. We might hit a few bumps along the way to our happily ever after, but I know we’re meant to be. That is, until I learn that Darrell has been keeping secrets. Turns out I don’t know my best friend as well as I thought. If I want a future with the man I love, I’ll have to accept his past.