Nero

Payton I’ve been surviving since I was seventeen— a decade of scraping by, staying hidden, doing whatever it takes to keep my head down and my name forgotten. I’ve built a life out of nothing. Quiet. Controlled. Safe. Until a stranger walks straight through my unlocked patio door like he owns the place. Like he owns me. I should’ve screamed. Should’ve run. But I didn’t. Because something in his eyes calls to the broken pieces in mine. Now I’m wondering if surrendering to him might be the first real choice I’ve ever made. Nero The day I took my first life, I accepted what I was—cold, ruthless, and never meant for peace. I built The Alliance from blood and shadow, carved my place in a world that doesn’t forgive weakness. And I’ve never looked back. Until her. One open door. One stolen moment. And suddenly, walking away isn’t an option. Payton doesn’t know it yet, but she’s mine. And when danger comes knocking, it’ll learn the hard way—I don’t just protect what’s mine. I destroy for it.