The scandal isn't in the secret, it's in those unwilling to accept that love can be unconventional, dark, and depraved. When my twin sons best mate needs a place to stay, I'm all too willing to have Asher Scott live with me. It's not like he's a stranger. I helped raise him, and I've even been looking after him more than most know about. If it wasn't for me, I don't know if he would have survived serving his prison sentence. Now he's back in Briarwood, the small town we call home. A town that seems quiet on the surface, but underneath, is plagued by the crudest of oxygen thieves who I hunt and exact revenge for their victims. No one knows it's me doing the unaliving, striving to protect those who aren't able to defend themselves, and I need to keep it that way. People wouldn't understand. They would only see a bloodthirsty killer, and not the woman who brings good by ridding the earth of predators. Leading this double life is harder now that Asher is back. Despite the fact that I'm hiding behind a name that makes the hair stand on the arms of even the most hardcore criminals, it's having Asher walk around my house shirtless that really unnerves me. I'm not prepared for the way his heated gaze travels over my body like he wants to taste me. And I'm definitely not prepared for the way my body reacts, igniting a hunger in me that both terrifies me and stirs the darker parts of me to life. Unfortunately, someone does know my secret identity, and my life starts to spiral as a stalker sends me damning pictures, a hit is put out for my death, and my ex-husband and his new wife make it their life goal to torture me with their demands. All I have to do is eliminate my threats and remind myself that Asher Scott is off limits. Honestly, what could go wrong? PLEASE NOTE: Lily's Ash is book 2 in the Scandalous Secrets Series. This series is a shared world series with three standalone books written by different authors. Each book is a dark romance consisting of different tropes. Lily's Ash is a reverse age gap. These books are intended for mature audiences, and reader discretion is advised. Please refer to Sarah JD's website to read the full content warning: https://sarahjaneduncan.com