His body was as powerful and sexual as I remembered it, he had gotten another tattoo on his shoulder since the last time, a few more scars then I remembered on his chest. His back rippled with muscles as he pulled on a fresh white shirt, my eyes transfixed as he took his time buttoning it up. Somehow it was almost more of a turn on watching him put on his clothes than him taking them off, almost. He wiped the blood off his hands with a kitchen apron in a slow steady motion and I pressed myself back against the wall when his eyes focused on me. My eyes flittered to the back door and I battled with myself on whether or not I could make it before he caught me, I couldn't. He tossed the apron over an empty sink and stalked towards me slowly, a predator in every sense of the word and my eyes drifted to the bloody mess of a man on the kitchen floor, was that going to be me in a second? He stopped just in front of me and reached out to stroke my cheek and I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch despite knowing better. My eyes snapped open when he grabbed my chin tightly and forced me to look at him, was this it, was he going to snap my neck and dispose of my body now? "Touch another man again, and I will kill you" his voice was low and promising and I swallowed as he let go of my chin, pressing a rough kiss to my lips before grabbing my elbow and dragging me out of the kitchen. So much for that arrangement...

'Pain isn't remotely kind in that way. Pain wants its promised pound of flesh, ounce for ounce. It won't settle until you're left with nothing but a flaky shell of who you were. The burn of betrayal and the sting of rejection hurt, but nothing compares to the pain of being empty. Nothing hurts worse than not hurting at all and it makes no sense and perfect sense at the same time and I'm convinced I'm going crazy and I'm actually okay with that.'

The passionate story of Tessa and Hardin continues as family secrets, deep betrayals, and career opportunities threaten to tear them apart.

This is the sequel (continuation) of After. Hardin and Tessa's relationship will be tested in ways she never expected, but he knew of all along.

Tessa Young is an 18 year old college student with a simple life, excellent grades, and a sweet boyfriend. She always has things planned out ahead of time, until she meets a rude boy named Hardin, with too many tattoos and piercings who shatters her plans.