When shy bartender Elliot is approached by a handsome stranger on a park bench at midnight, their unlikely attraction unravels everything they know about themselves, and the crime-ridden city around them. *** Elliot Taylor is running out of places to hide. Trapped between a ruthless father, a dead-end job, and a future that feels just out of reach, he spends his nights on park benches clinging to one goal: get into college and get out for good. What he doesn't plan on is Noah Black. Vice President of the Stray Dogs Motorcycle Club. Infamous. Observant. Relentless. Far too charming for a man with a reputation for violence, and determined to pry into wounds Elliot would rather pretend don't exist. Through chance encounters and sleepless nights, the two can't seem to avoid each other. But Noah's life comes with complications: a motorcycle club under pressure, threats closing in, and loyalties that crumble when tested. As Elliot drifts deeper into Noah's current, he cannot help but realize how dangerously close he's falling -- even as deadly secrets threaten to unravel everything they've fought so hard for. Soon, Elliot must face a choice: keep chasing the life he's always dreamed of, or confront the truths that could shatter everything he knows... including his past, his heart, and the man who refuses to let him go.

Lucas Sawyer has gotten used to being forgotten. His twin brother Mark, captain and star quarterback, everyone's favorite, gets the spotlight. Lucas doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, he doesn't go to parties. His life is safe and logical, and that's exactly how he likes it. But when his brother's football rival and worst enemy, Damien Castillo, starts work at the same small bakery, everything changes. Damien is Lucas' worst nightmare: an arrogant heartbreaker with a bad reputation, who threatens to ruin all his careful plans. Lucas hates him. Right? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This story was inspired by @hipstateasee's "Knight", and I have her permission. All credit to her for the great premise!