ms. b

A chance encounter and one night of passion leads to a mutually beneficial arrangement for two souls from different worlds. When love creeps into the equation, neither is sure how to feel or what to do. The only thing either is certain of, is their need for the other.

The summer in question started out with hot, fun-filled days and new friendships. We had just turned thirteen and had our whole lives ahead of us. But that was before her. Before we became known as the Hixton Five and our lives become defined by one night. It’s hard to believe twenty years have passed since she was locked away. But now she’s free and strange things have started to happen. When I close my eyes, the creeping anxiety and fear is overwhelming and all too real. Because the monster is back, and I know she has a score to settle with us.

Alastair has found the perfect partner in husband Steven. Together they've built a successful life, had a beautiful child, and still behave like newlyweds long since the day he carried her over the threshold. But all of that changes in an instant thanks to a thoughtless deed that has lifelong repercussions. With secrets bubbling to the surface, the pair find their American dream life suddenly in jeopardy, and neither one of them are willing to let go at any cost.

Gabby Sullivan learns in college that some things are impossible to control, and whenever life has spun out of control bad things seem to happen. She promises herself that she'll stay a safe distance from the top three culprits: Sex, Love, Relationships. But some things are beyond control…Gabby handles her mom's death and brother's sudden abandonment just about as well as anyone could at the age of twelve. Left feeling alone, she finishes high school, developing a bit of a wild streak, and lives like there's no tomorrow. That is until an illness stops her in her tracks.

Meet Rain, the eldest and most dangerous of Baltimore's most feared crime family - the Porters. Honing their skills to perfection since their youth, the siblings were introduced to the intricate world of armed robbery, diamond heists, and murder by their mentor and confidant, Smitty. Fearless and daring, the Porter family pulled off dozens of licks, reaping millions over the years.