I arrived at Wade Callahan’s ranch with a duffel bag and nowhere else to go.
I wasn’t just running—I was hiding. From the ex-boyfriend who sent messages that curled into threats.
Wade was my last resort.
My mother’s preacher.
He gives me a room. Food. Rules. And a warning in his voice every time our eyes meet.
He tells me he’s not holy anymore. That he left the pulpit behind, along with whatever pieces of goodness he used to believe in.
I see it in his eyes—that quiet, simmering need to protect, to possess, to keep me. And maybe I want to be kept.
Because I didn’t just come here to escape something dangerous. I came here for something I’ve never had: safety wrapped in strength and a place where I don’t have to beg to be believed.
He wants to fill me slowly—like he’s planting something inside me to replace everything that’s been stolen.
I came here scared, alone, unsure if I could ever feel safe again.
Now I lie in his bed, trembling beneath the weight of his body, and I don’t just feel safe. I feel claimed.

Trigger Warning: This book contains mature themes including consensual breeding kink, a significant age gap, religious taboo, emotionally charged power dynamics, and references to stalking and past trauma. It features explicit sexual content and is intended for adult readers 18+. Reader discretion is advised