What happens when you suffer a fate worse than death? When the people you thought were supposed to love and protect you, turn out to be the very ones who hurt you the most? When you can no longer bear the weight of shame? You escape the pain the best way you know how... in your mind. Conner's childhood was far from normal. From abuse to juvenile detention, his life has been more than rough, but he fought his way to adulthood and made a life for himself-- not without sacrifice. When his past and his present collide, he will do anything to hold on to what he has.... They will do anything to hold on to what he has, but his dark past refuses to let him go... Brynn's happy, short-lived marriage to Nate was crushed -- along with her desire to love again -- the day her husband died in her arms. She never thought she would fall in love again, but fate had different plans. Conner was a breath of fresh air; his positive aura, gentle nature and loving presence drew her from the start. It didn't hurt that he was gorgeous, but Brynn always believed there was something he was hiding from her, something dark... **Trigger warning: Contains child abuse( physical, sexual and verbal), violence, harsh language, rape, and mental illness.