8 parts Ongoing MatureClaire Anderson crossed the country for a chance at something bigger. After a loving childhood in Oregon, the twenty-year-old arrives in Manhattan with nothing but her ambitions, a student ID, and a part-time job at Cozy Corners Coffee. She's shy until pushed, confident when it counts, and determined to build the life she dreams of-one latte and one class at a time.
Alexander "Lex" Caplin grew up learning that love could vanish in a single breath. When his mother died at seven, his world collapsed-and his father rebuilt it with harsh words, cold expectations, and years of quiet cruelty. Only his stepmother and his siblings, Mariah and Landon, ever tried to show him the warmth he lost so young. Now twenty-six, Lex runs a successful publishing company, living fast and dangerous on the side through Manhattan's underground street-racing scene.
Their worlds collide in the most unexpected ways-first across the counter of Claire's coffee shop, then again when a rush of commuters throws her straight into Lex's arms on a crowded morning sidewalk. The spark between them is instant, undeniable... and terrifying for a man who's convinced he doesn't deserve love, and thrilling for a woman who's learning just how bold she can be.
But New York doesn't let anyone fall in love without a fight.
Lurking in Lex's past is Odin Lancaster-a name spoken with hate. Once Mariah's abusive, cheating boyfriend, Odin has nursed a grudge against Lex since high school. Now he's resurfaced, more dangerous, more vengeful, and more determined than ever to tear down everything Lex cares about. Including the bright-eyed girl who's become his weakness.
As Claire and Lex draw closer, secrets unravel, enemies sharpen their knives, and devotion becomes a double-edged blade. Their connection could heal every wound... or destroy everything they've built.
Because in a city full of shadows and second chances,
love can turn wicked-
and losing each other might be the one thing they can't survive.