by Katee Robert
First published 2023
Teague O'Malley wants out. His family's name means power, money, and the kind of violence that leaves marks, and he's done with all of it. Then his father hands him an order: marry Callista Sheridan, seal a business alliance, no argument. Teague shows up ready to refuse everything. Instead he finds Callie, and he sees the bruises on her neck before she can hide them. He sees the fear she's learned to wear like a second skin. He doesn't walk away. He makes a vow. Callie grew up knowing the O'Malleys were dangerous. She thought she could survive a marriage to one of them by keeping her head down. What she didn't count on was Teague himself, the quiet control he carries, the way his touch cuts through every wall she's built. She starts to trust him. That terrifies her more than anything, because she is keeping a secret. A dark one. And if Teague finds out the wrong way, it won't just end what's growing between them. It will get him killed.
Genres: adult, adult-fiction, thriller, dark-romance, contemporary-romance, romantic-suspense
Vibes: dark, emotional, gritty, intense, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: dark-secrets, forced-proximity, protective-hero, slow-burn
Period: contemporary
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence, violence