She stumbled into the one place she never wanted to face—her ex with another woman—and froze. The boy who watched from the shadows wasn't a bystander; he was the kind of man who builds altars out of other people's lives. He calls her "my moon." He rescues her. He gives her a number, a shelter, presents that feel like ownership. When a stranger drags her into a dark alley and a photo of her worst night lands on her phone, she runs to the only man who has always been watching: Landon Bradley. He saves her, then arranges the net tighter. This is not a gentle love story. It's a high-stakes tug-of-war between a shy student who learns to fight back and an obsessive protector who will cross any line to keep her close. Allies—an outspoken roommate, a practical detective, a jealous rival—turn into weapons and shields. Secrets leak. Evidence surfaces. Public humiliation becomes a weapon against enemies and a mirror for truth. Who is the predator? Who is the protector? When the line between safety and captivity blurs, every choice becomes a gamble. She must decide: trust the man who claims to guard her—or expose him and be utterly alone.

20 Chapters