Book excerpt: *This is the first book in a duet. The second book is The Lies That Shatter, available now. Where do you run when everything has been stripped away? Mercedes After making the biggest mistake of her life, Mercedes Elliott thought moving halfway across the world was the right decision. But six months later, she’s isolated, dependent on a dangerous relationship with her boyfriend, Jason Marsh, and no closer to rebuilding her once promising legal career. Running low on hope, Mercedes secretly reaches out to the one man she never thought she’d see again. Alec Alec McKinley always regretted letting Mercedes slip through his fingers. So when she invites him for coffee, he jumps at the chance to see her. Mercedes is just as beautiful as he remembered, only he can't help but notice the pain lingering in her eyes. The Truth After Mercedes' relationship comes to a violent head, she finds herself unable to escape her boyfriend's grasp. That is, until Alec makes an unexpected offer that could be her saving grace. But accepting that offer comes at a cost. Being near Alec ignites a flame Mercedes thought had burned out long ago. And when they realize Jason is not the man they thought he was, she and Alec uncover a stunning truth that will change everything between them. Will they let the past ruin them for a second time, or give in to the truth they’ve been keeping secret?