He dug his hands into the wet, muddy soil, searching for his murdered girlfriend's remains, but what he found was something very different. . . Deacon Thomas is facing his past and fighting for his future—for another chance at happiness. But when a dark secret emerges, one that shatters Marianne's world, he will be forced to make a decision that will forever change his life. Deacon couldn't save Nicole, but he's determined that history will not repeat itself. This is his chance for redemption. NOTE: Brooke recommends reading the James Thomas series before the Deacon Thomas Duet.