Briar

Falling in love with a man you can’t fully trust isn’t just unwise, it's a constant battle. Storm Kingston had busted into my life, shattering my well-maintained walls. He claimed I was his, promising to fulfill all my dreams. But I had already caught him in a lie that I couldn’t confront him about. To do so would mean the death of an innocent person. One would think that knowing his deceit and manipulation would be enough for me to shield my heart, but it wasn’t.

I was afraid the man also owned my soul.

The lies I don’t know… they’re the ones that will shatter me, the ones that could be my undoing.

Storm

Most might consider me unhinged, possibly psychotic, but Briar wasn’t someone I was willing to lose. Ever. I did what needed to be done to protect, take care of, and keep her. She loved me and wanted to be with me. If I had to do some frowned-upon things to make sure she didn’t leave me, then I’d do them. Besides, not everyone deserves to live. Especially those that did anything to make her life less than perfect.

I would keep my secrets because the truth wouldn’t be pleasant for her. And I wanted to keep my girl smiling. She wouldn’t understand the things I’d chosen to do to protect her. If she ever found out, she would try to leave me. Try being the operative word.

She had no idea the twisted things I would do to make sure that day never came.