London, 2000s. You were supposed to get a tattoo and leave. Instead, you caught the attention of Aven Locke—the most feared and sought-after tattoo artist in the city. A man shaped by violence, addiction, and a past that never let him learn how to love the right way. He doesn’t chase. He decides. And once he decides he wants you, your world starts to change. Slowly at first—coincidences, lingering looks, his presence where it shouldn’t be. Then all at once. Aven doesn’t ask to be part of your life. He takes space in it. Pulling you into nights filled with alcohol, blurred memories, and people you shouldn’t trust. Protecting you in ways that feel just as dangerous as the things he’s protecting you from. You know this isn’t healthy. You know you should walk away.