Soft Things That Ruin You

Alex believes in quiet things. Candlelight. Tarot cards. The comfort of routines that don't ask too much of her. She has a boyfriend who feels safe, a job that drains her gently, and a life that stays within its lines.

Then Isabel shows up.

Isabel is loud in all the ways Alex isn't; bratty, glittered, sharp-tongued and impossible to ignore. She works with aircraft parts by day and reinvents herself by night, never apologizing for wanting more than what's offered. Especially when what's offered is Alex.

What starts as teasing turns into tension. Texts turn into secrets. Touches linger too long to be accidents. And every card Alex pulls seems to warn her of the same thing: some desires don't ask permission before they ruin you.

Caught between loyalty and longing, Alex must decide whether safety is worth the cost of silence-and whether some betrayals feel too much like coming home.

Some loves aren't meant to be chosen.
They choose you first.