Publication date: April 6th 2026
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Josh Hurst was supposed to be my forever. Instead, he became the villain in my origin story.
I gave him my heart. He broke it without flinching. So, I did what any self-respecting, heart-shattered girl would do—I declared war.
Our revenge game? Legendary.
Until I left for college and swore I’d never look back.
But life doesn’t care about vows made in the dark.
When my father dies unexpectedly, I’m dragged back to the hometown I outgrew, handed guardianship of my grieving kid brother, and forced to take over my father’s struggling veterinary clinic.
And waiting for me—like karma with a smirk—is Josh.
Not as a memory.
Not as a ghost.
But as my new business partner.
Avoiding him? Impossible.
Forgetting what we were? Laughable.
He still looks at me like I’m his. Like we’re a story paused instead of over. Like one spark is all it would take.
And God help me, the spark is still there.
But we don’t do soft. We don’t do safe.
We do oil and fire. War and wreckage.
Whatever we once were—
Whatever we still could be—
We’re enemies.
And this time, nobody’s walking away unburned.
Excerpt
I tugged at my hair. “Haven’t you done enough to mess up my life?”
“Enough?” Her eyes narrowed. She pushed away from the side of the building. “It’ll never be enough. I was there when you lost your brother. You helped me get through me losing my mother two years ago. You spent months doing all that stuff to convince me we should go out. Months of romantic bullshit. I thought you were my always and whenever, but you’re not.”
The hurt in my chest was so much I could barely breathe.
She whispered, “You cheated on me the day before prom. How is it possible you turned into an asshole overnight?”
I had to.
I never wanted to let her go. Even thinking about it felt like my ribs were caving in. I skipped prom last weekend—not because I didn’t want to go, but because the thought of seeing her there with someone else, smiling like nothing had happened, would’ve broken me.
She kept going, voice shaking but sharp enough to cut. “I caught you sucking face with—with Milly.” She practically spat the name. “Of all people—her? She’s hated me since seventh grade.” Her breath hitched. “My pity date to prom wouldn’t even dance with me. Drew just stood there like a coward while I pretended I couldn’t see everyone staring.” Her eyes glistened, but her smile was bitter. “And for the record? Drew kisses better than you ever did.”
“Does he?” Every other concern in my head dropped away. Drew kissed my girl? I would beat the hell out of him after the game, regardless of being friends and teammates. The dart of her eyes told me she lied about it being good. “You didn’t like it. That’s why you wanted me to kiss you right now. You needed a reminder of what it’s like to be kissed right.”
She whispered. “I’ll never forgive you for kissing her.”
At least she didn’t deny our kiss was better.
“This revenge shit stops now.” I held up my hands. “Enough. This ends now.”
“I was never enough for you.” Her voice trembled with fury and something far more dangerous.
Her gaze dragged down my bare chest, lingering like a touch that never quite landed. A small smile tugged at her lips.
I glanced down.
Crap. I’d forgotten I wasn’t dressed.
Baseball underwear. Blue knee-high socks. No shoes. The pale skin usually hidden under my baseball pants dared the sun to burn it.
Erika always had a way of making me lose my sanity.
The gym door clicked shut behind me. The prop had slipped.
“No!” I lunged for the handle and yanked, but it wouldn’t budge. Locked. Completely locked.
Panic shot through me like electricity. I slammed both fists against the metal, the sound echoing back at me in a hollow, mocking boom.
Today wasn’t just another game. It was the game—the most important one of my life. College scouts sat in those bleachers right now, ready to decide whether I’d leave with a full-ride future or nothing but a pat on the back and a maybe-next-year.
I pounded the door once more and turned slowly. “This is your fault. How could you do this to me?”
She whispered, “Is there another way in?”
“It’s locked.” I pointed at the door. “That’s it.”
“It’s not my fault you ran out here wearing that.” Her gaze darted down my body again. “There’s got to be a coach or someone still here.”
“Everyone’s at the field. And I’m in…” I gestured to my underwear and socks. “Give me your phone. I’ll call someone to help.”
“I don’t have my phone.”
“You owe me this. You’re never without it.” I held out my hand. “Give it. Now.”
She dropped her head. “My dad took it away after he found out the lab fire was my fault.” She clasped her hands. “I can go get my car and drive you down to the field or look for someone to unlock the door.”
“That’ll take too long.” I ground the words out between clenched teeth, my jaw aching. “This was a step too far. Nobody is ever going to forget me showing up naked to the biggest game of my life.”
My pulse hammered in my throat, fury drowning out everything else.
“You wanted war, Erika?” I snarled. “Well, congratulations. You just got it.”
I tugged at my hair. “Haven’t you done enough to mess up my life?”
“Enough?” Her eyes narrowed. She pushed away from the side of the building. “It’ll never be enough. I was there when you lost your brother. You helped me get through me losing my mother two years ago. You spent months doing all that stuff to convince me we should go out. Months of romantic bullshit. I thought you were my always and whenever, but you’re not.”
The hurt in my chest was so much I could barely breathe.
She whispered, “You cheated on me the day before prom. How is it possible you turned into an asshole overnight?”
I had to.
I never wanted to let her go. Even thinking about it felt like my ribs were caving in. I skipped prom last weekend—not because I didn’t want to go, but because the thought of seeing her there with someone else, smiling like nothing had happened, would’ve broken me.
She kept going, voice shaking but sharp enough to cut. “I caught you sucking face with—with Milly.” She practically spat the name. “Of all people—her? She’s hated me since seventh grade.” Her breath hitched. “My pity date to prom wouldn’t even dance with me. Drew just stood there like a coward while I pretended I couldn’t see everyone staring.” Her eyes glistened, but her smile was bitter. “And for the record? Drew kisses better than you ever did.”
“Does he?” Every other concern in my head dropped away. Drew kissed my girl? I would beat the hell out of him after the game, regardless of being friends and teammates. The dart of her eyes told me she lied about it being good. “You didn’t like it. That’s why you wanted me to kiss you right now. You needed a reminder of what it’s like to be kissed right.”
She whispered. “I’ll never forgive you for kissing her.”
At least she didn’t deny our kiss was better.
“This revenge shit stops now.” I held up my hands. “Enough. This ends now.”
“I was never enough for you.” Her voice trembled with fury and something far more dangerous.
Her gaze dragged down my bare chest, lingering like a touch that never quite landed. A small smile tugged at her lips.
I glanced down.
Crap. I’d forgotten I wasn’t dressed.
Baseball underwear. Blue knee-high socks. No shoes. The pale skin usually hidden under my baseball pants dared the sun to burn it.
Erika always had a way of making me lose my sanity.
The gym door clicked shut behind me. The prop had slipped.
“No!” I lunged for the handle and yanked, but it wouldn’t budge. Locked. Completely locked.
Panic shot through me like electricity. I slammed both fists against the metal, the sound echoing back at me in a hollow, mocking boom.
Today wasn’t just another game. It was the game—the most important one of my life. College scouts sat in those bleachers right now, ready to decide whether I’d leave with a full-ride future or nothing but a pat on the back and a maybe-next-year.
I pounded the door once more and turned slowly. “This is your fault. How could you do this to me?”
She whispered, “Is there another way in?”
“It’s locked.” I pointed at the door. “That’s it.”
“It’s not my fault you ran out here wearing that.” Her gaze darted down my body again. “There’s got to be a coach or someone still here.”
“Everyone’s at the field. And I’m in…” I gestured to my underwear and socks. “Give me your phone. I’ll call someone to help.”
“I don’t have my phone.”
“You owe me this. You’re never without it.” I held out my hand. “Give it. Now.”
She dropped her head. “My dad took it away after he found out the lab fire was my fault.” She clasped her hands. “I can go get my car and drive you down to the field or look for someone to unlock the door.”
“That’ll take too long.” I ground the words out between clenched teeth, my jaw aching. “This was a step too far. Nobody is ever going to forget me showing up naked to the biggest game of my life.”
My pulse hammered in my throat, fury drowning out everything else.
“You wanted war, Erika?” I snarled. “Well, congratulations. You just got it.”
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