❝ Whatever happens, ❞ he said, his voice barely above a whisper, ❝ I'm not going to let them pin this on you. ❞ I felt a wave of warmth spread through me, despite the cold of the room. But I couldn't focus on that right now. I couldn't afford to.
---
In the midst of a murder investigation that threatens to tear their lives apart, John Laurens finds himself caught in a different kind of struggle-the battle for his heart. Framed for the murder of their close friend Maria, John and Peggy Schuyler are forced to work together to uncover the truth and clear their names. But as the investigation deepens, so does their connection, and John's quiet, intense infatuation with Peggy becomes impossible to ignore.
While Peggy remains guarded, keeping her emotions hidden behind a wall of strength, John's feelings for her grow with every stolen glance, every moment they spend together in the chaos of their lives. With the weight of the case pressing down on them and danger lurking at every turn, John finds himself drawn to Peggy in ways he can't control, and the lines between duty and desire blur.
As the truth about Maria's death begins to unravel, so too do the walls around Peggy's heart. But can they both navigate the storm of their emotions and the tangled web of lies they're trying to uncover, or will their love-and their lives-be sacrificed in the process?
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]