They say there are three things you should do at least once in your life: Dance like nobody’s watching. Travel the world. And fall hopelessly in love. I aimed to do all three. I went to Italy to find myself. But he found me.

There's me: Micah Owens. Tattoo artist at Damage Control. No parents or siblings. A past that still gives me nightmares. And then there's her: Evangeline, the girl who saved my life and haunts my more pleasant dreams. Only she doesn't know who I really am, and telling her might well send her fleeing for the hills. She deserves better than a loser like me. She's pretty. She's clever. She's goddamn sexy and has a heart of gold. Which is why I can't tell her.

At fourteen, Audrey has the perfect life: great parents, great buddies, and her best friend, Asher. Only lately Asher has begun to change. He seems distant and standoffish, ignoring Audrey. Not all of the changes are bad. He’s growing from a pretty boy into a handsome man, and Audrey is all too aware of that. But if they cross the line from friends to something more, will things stay the same, or will she lose her best friend forever?

I don’t want Jason Vega. Not at all. It’s the worst idea ever. Ah, hell... Jason is handsome. Smart. Dangerous. Hot. He’s goddamn gorgeous - but he’s also sleeping on the street, hanging out with the local biker gang, and selling his body for a living. Our lives, our paths, couldn’t be further apart. I’m crawling toward the light while he’s falling into the dark. But it doesn’t matter how different we are or what logic dictates.

Matthew Hansen is the kind of handsome that has grown women whispering behind their hands and giggling like schoolgirls. Dark, tall and mysterious, he's a newcomer to our little town. He's a gritty, grease-covered mechanic, and a single daddy. Sweet, right? Plus, he's looking for a nanny - and I am desperately looking for a job. Sounds like the perfect deal. Only he's a jerk. An uncivilized, hulking brute. Zero manners. Zero interest in making me feel welcome in his home. Downright rude. But oh, so sexy. And I need the job. I can do this.

Alec. Christine. Danny. This is how you say our names. Danger is our drug of choice, the triangle our addiction. Alec. Golden boy with diamonds in his eyes. Christine. Partner in crime and owner of my heart. They know what they want. Me. Danny. Unsure of everything they’re offering. But if she needs me, I come. So when he called, I went. It’s just that simple. Until it wasn’t. Until all those memories come rushing back with all the things we left behind. I only know three things. There is no her without him. No me without them. No we without us. We are Alec, Christine, and Danny.

Evangeline's life is dark and lonely. She'll do anything to change that. Anything. Even play a game with a stranger she's never met. What starts out as "therapy" soon turns into a passionate anonymous love affair. Her blindfold is like a security blanket and his touch is what lights a fire inside her.

McKay: I wasn’t the one who broke her, but I helped. She came to us when she was 10. I raised her. I loved her. I taught her how to survive in a world of evil men. But it wasn’t enough. Adam: I wasn’t the one who saved her but I did my best. Bought and paid for on the auction block. But not for the reasons you think. She was my weapon. Donovan: I wasn’t the one who lied to her but I hid her truth. She was broken before I got there. Wild and angry. Defiant and bratty. But she trusted me most. She loved me best. So I set her free.

Maddie isn’t looking to be saved. She knows the only person you can count on is yourself. Her moral compass might not point true north these days - but at least she’s still standing. The military taught Tyler about loyalty. Being there for your brothers is the only thing that matters - but when it mattered most, he wasn’t.

I'm Lincoln Wade. Jaded genius, obscenely wealthy, capable of violence, and looking for revenge. Molly Masters might have delusions of grandeur. She might see me as some superman capable of cleaning up the scum, filth, and corruption in Cathedral City. But I'm not the hero she's looking for. I'm the dark alley where all her good intentions hide. So be careful what you wish for, Molly Masters. Because you're about to get it.

Growing up, it was always the three of us. Me, my twin brother, Kyle, and our best friend, Aiden. We were inseparable all the way through high school. Did I picture myself with Aiden from the first moment I laid eyes on him back when we were eight? Hell. Yes. I fell in love with his soul that day. But he was always more Kyle’s friend than mine. And Kyle made damn sure we both know the rules. I was strictly off limits. Forever. But now, Kyle is gone. Dead from a freak accident. And Aiden is still here.

When I discover my boyfriend is cheating on me, I move out right away taking what I love most – my dog. As I fly out the door, I make sure to swipe the thing my ex loves best–the VIP tickets he won to a hockey game, complete with the chance to spend an evening with the city’s two biggest NHL stars. I can’t wait to snap selfies with my ex’s idols and rub it in his face.

"You may now kiss your bride". They were the last words my mother heard before she collapsed on the church steps, poison ending her pitifully short life. When her new husband dies minutes later, all eyes turn to me. There are whispers. Accusations. The verdict is split. I murdered them both. Or I'm the next to die.

Rule number one for having a one-night stand: Don’t fall for the girl. After a lengthy dating slump, I finally met someone who sparked my interest. Well, first the sparks flew when we argued. Later in the evening those sparks ignited into something more. I was drawn to Devyn, in a way I hadn’t felt in a really long time. Needless to say, I was disappointed when she abruptly left after our amazing night together. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. But she hadn’t even given me her number. In a city with eight-million people, I figured I’d never see Devyn again.

They said write what you know so that's what I did. I wrote dirty, I wrote erotic, I wrote the truth. And then they called me a liar. But it's not me who's lying, it's them. Our story isn't for everyone. It's not even for us. So if you're looking for the fairy tale and the stupid prince on his dumb white horse, move along. You've got a hold of the wrong book. This is not your story, this is not your life, and this is not your opportunity to dip your frightened little toe into the dark pool of water and "try new things" and then pull it out and decide... #NotForMe.