Lucas:

She was supposed to be a distraction. A careless fling.

One innocent kiss - and I craved more.

She ignited my sinful, revenge-driven heart, but happiness is not for a man who's life's goal is to hunt down his father's killers.

And if I am not careful enough, I and everyone around me might turn into a pile of ashes.
Including the girl I desire more than the revenge itself.

Aurelia:
Moving across the ocean turned my life upside down. The first day of my senior year ended with one friend, a handful of foes...

And him.

Handsome, confident, dangerous, and eight years older.

I wanted to run, but his hypnotic touch caused the frost in my body to crack, and his forbidden kiss melted the ice that kept my body shackled for years.

We were perfect together, and despite the world against us, I embraced his darkness.

I just did not expect to be abandoned there.

Note: This is a sweet, steamy, and heart-wrenching prequel to the enemies-to-lovers second chance romantic thriller Frozen Ashes. If you prefer a steamier story with a HEA, you can dive in straight into the Frozen Ashes (it can be read as a stand-alone).