Archer Morales has never believed his life was meant to be anything other than pure hell in which every minute feels like a struggle to keep breathing. That's why he's so keen on ending it. Not because he wants to, but only because he has no idea how to stop the dark, intrusive thoughts or the crippling depression that's always kept him in a chokehold. At this point, Archer has all but accepted that this is simply how he is - broken. He doesn't know if he even wants help or how to ask for it, and admitting he needs it when Archer's own mother has demons of her own to battle doesn't seem like an option. Things are hard enough keeping the family coffeehouse running and making sure Archer's little sister, Rosie, never learns the horrid truth about what happened to their father - or how much Archer feels responsible for it. Just as he's sure he's mapped out his next steps to permanently solve his problems, the last person in the world Archer expects to make him think twice enters the picture: Hadley Jamison. He doesn't know what to make of the popular girl who always seems to be smiling and is way too determined to become his friend. Archer is overly suspicious of Hadley and her intentions at first, but the walls he's spent so long building to keep himself safe start coming down much quicker than he would've thought. Despite all the change - and some of that change Archer can admit is good - there's still one thing he's certain of: nothing good lasts forever. At least, that's what he's always told himself. But now that the blinders are coming off and Archer realizes he's not as alone as he'd thought, he can't help but be terrified of what will happen if the very thing he never really thought existed - love - is snatched away from him. And possibly the hardest lesson Archer is about to learn is that while you can't run from your past, you can change your future - even if you always felt like you never deserved one.

"It is your choice," he said, stepping so close to me that our lips were almost touching. "Either do what I say - or get another job." My heart stood still as I gazed up into his deep, dark, dangerous eyes... In a world where women's only role in life is to sit at home and look pretty, Lilly is determined to fight for her freedom. There's only one problem: a powerful man blocking her way.