Some secrets are kept to protect. Others are kept to survive.
Ronan Cross doesn't exist on paper. The former Army Ranger leads a covert unit no one knows about, protecting a small Florida town from threats that hide in plain sight. When intelligence flags falsified land permits in Blossom Springs, he embeds himself in the community to find the source. He expects corruption. He doesn't expect Lila Bennett.
Third-generation Blossom Springs resident Lila has dedicated her life to her hometown. As the local permits administrator planning the town's centennial celebration, she knows every property record for fifty years. She also knows when something doesn't add up. The charming stranger who keeps showing up at her events makes her suspicious. The way he looks at her makes her reckless.
When Lila's office is breached and critical records disappear, Ronan realizes the threat runs deeper than a single transaction. Someone is methodically acquiring this town, and they'll eliminate anyone who gets too close to the truth. Protecting Lila means keeping his secrets. But the woman who notices everything is getting dangerously close to noticing him.
In a town where everyone knows everyone, can a man built on lies find something real? Or will the shadows he operates in destroy the only light he's found?