Prologue

This story is written for women who understand that love doesn’t always arrive as safety.Some of us survived relationships where control was learned, not chosen. Where trust was rationed. Where independence became armor.This is not a soft romance. It is not an instant healing story. It is not about a man saving a woman.It is about desire that doesn’t ask permission. About restraint that cracks slowly. About a woman who knows exactly what she’s risking — and why she resists anyway.Jax Calder is not a fantasy hero. Langston is not a cartoon villain. And Glenn is not confused — she is aware.Read this if you are drawn to slow burns, emotional tension, dominant presence without force, and women who do not surrender easily.If you are looking for something gentle, this story may not be for you.But if you’ve ever felt the war between wanting and surviving — you’ll understand every word.