“We’re not book smart, but street smart.” Words my brother lives by. Jagger has always been my hero, my protector. He packed up our things one day and took us far away from our abusive, alcoholic father. He knew it was only a matter of time before he killed us. So we left, and since the very beginning, my brother has done everything to keep me safe. But not even Jagger can keep me away from his best friend. Hunter has had a rough life like us, and some might say, he’s had it even worse. He’s impulsive, troubled, and has anger issues, but I see the man he is inside. He’s a survivor, and the more we grow closer, the more I know we are meant for each other. But Hunter is keeping secrets from me… To make matters worse, our father shows up and our life quickly spirals out of control. Violence knows no bounds when it comes to this vile man and this time, I am not sure anyone will be able to protect me.

Harlow and Jagger’s abusive father is back in town. Dean is a violent man that is not above threatening his own kids to get his way, and he’s ready to mess up their lives once more. But Harlow isn’t too concerned about their dad right now. She’s more worried about Jagger and Hunter’s way of earning money. She knows their lifestyle is dangerous, but as her love for Hunter grows stronger each day, she chooses to trust his choices, even if she disagrees. As secrets begin to unravel, Harlow finds herself torn between Hunter’s safety and her own. Her life, once more, starts to spiral out of control and she’s caught in the middle of a dark and twisted situation with no end in sight.

There was nothing left for me in Hastings anymore. Leaving Harlow and Hunter behind wasn’t easy, but it’s what I needed to do. I needed a fresh start to clear my head. A new town provided a new beginning where nobody knew my past or who I truly was. Maybe one day I’d be strong enough to return home, but for now, all I wanted was to live a normal life. Little did I know, Gray Washington would ruin my plans in the best way possible. She wasn’t the kind of girl to fall for a guy like me, but I didn’t give up on challenges that easily. I pursued her until she gave into my charms and finally gave me a chance. As we grew closer, I realized she not only saw me for who I really was, but she accepted me. Unfortunately, my past didn’t stay behind in Hastings. Out of pure spite, someone was hellbent on ruining my life in a dark and twisted way. But even worse, I never saw it coming… \\ This is a dark-themed romance. There are scenes that might trigger some readers.