Elena’s fingers trembled as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. The rain-soaked streets of Ravenhurst blurred together in a gray haze, mirroring the turmoil within her mind. Her past had always been a tangled mess, but tonight, it felt like a noose tightening around her neck.

She’d tried to leave it all behind, to start anew with every new town, every new identity. But the memories lingered, refusing to be buried beneath the surface of her daily routine. The sound of raindrops pattering against the pavement was like a countdown, reminding her that she couldn’t outrun the shadows forever.

As she turned onto Elm Street, Elena spotted him – standing outside the dimly lit bar, his eyes fixed on hers with an unnerving intensity. She slammed on the brakes, and the car skidded to a stop mere inches from the curb. The rain pounded against the roof, drowning out the sound of her racing heart.

Marcus didn’t flinch as she approached, his gaze never wavering from hers. His features were chiseled, like the stone walls that surrounded this forsaken town, and his eyes… those piercing green orbs seemed to bore into her very soul.

Elena’s instincts screamed at her to turn around, to leave him – and whatever secrets he harbored – in the darkness. But something about his presence drew her in, like a moth to flame.

“What do you want?” she growled, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

Marcus smiled, his lips curling upward in a slow, sensual movement that sent shivers down Elena’s spine. “I want to know why you’re running from me,” he said, his words dripping with an underlying menace.

Elena’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t know this man, and yet… there was something about him that made her feel like she’d stumbled into a trap, one set by herself as much as by Marcus.

“What do you know?” she demanded, trying to keep her tone even.

Marcus chuckled, the sound low and husky. “I know you’re hiding from more than just your past. You’re hiding from yourself.”

Elena’s skin crawled. Who was this stranger, and how did he know so much about her? The rain continued its relentless drumbeat, pounding out a rhythm that seemed to match the beat of her heart.

As she stood there, frozen in uncertainty, Elena realized that Marcus had become the key to unlocking the secrets she’d been hiding from herself. And yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the one who would ultimately trap her – body and soul.