Seventeen-year-old Meryn Latimer never wanted to trade city lights for dirt roads. Dragged to the countryside against her will, she’s furious about leaving behind her trendy life, her friends, and everything familiar. Meadowbrook feels like a prison… until she meets Spook — the magnetic outsider who makes this small town suddenly impossible to ignore.
Just as Meryn finally starts carving out a place for herself, a new girl arrives at school.
Eden Bryson is beautiful, withdrawn, and completely mysterious. A foster kid with haunted eyes and a past she refuses to talk about, Eden quickly latches onto Spook, refusing to leave his side. Rumors spread fast, but the truth is far darker than anyone suspects.
When Eden’s behavior turns disturbing, Meryn can’t stay away. The deeper she digs into Eden’s secrets, the more obsessed she becomes — with Eden, with Spook, and with the dangerous darkness pulling them all together.
Some secrets don’t stay buried.
And some people were never meant to be saved.
14+ due to adult situations
Excerpt:
Whose face was this that floated in my mind? Whose name had slipped between my lips in the early hours of the morning? This was someone I knew, I was sure of it. But was he friend or foe? In my confusion, I couldn’t decide. Maybe he was the reason I was here, on this farm, instead of the other one. Maybe he had been instrumental in luring me away from those people who wanted me back. I struggled with confusion, grabbed my head on each side, and pressed hard, trying to think, trying to understand.
Small things began to surface. Struggling with him in icy water, arguing at the kitchen table, keeping secrets, and eventually running away to come … here. But why? In each case scenario, he was an enigma. His real persona did not emerge, and I was no closer to figuring out what part he had played in my life.
And there were darker images. This stranger grabbing someone by the arm and punching him hard. His dark eyes flashing as he stared at me, ordering and controlling me. What more was there that I couldn’t remember? Better yet, why couldn’t I remember?
Harmony’s words floated back to me. Don’t eat or drink anything that you don’t see Justice or me having first. Promise me.
Could she be right? I scrambled out of my bunk, more agitated than I had been in days. I dressed quickly and paced in front of the door, waiting for Justice to come and get me. It felt like an eternity.
As soon as he came in, I pounced. “Am I being drugged?”
He looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Was that the real question after all?
“I’m not even going to bother answering that.” He headed off toward the house, and I scrambled after him.
“Why are your parents keeping me here?
He stopped and turned to look at me. “I thought you wanted to stay. You came willingly.”
Had I? “But why am I here?”
He blew out his breath. “Because they still think you’re the key to finding Eden.”
Eden. Again. I searched my brain. I saw a thin girl with long blond hair and beside her, the dark and dangerous face of the stranger named Spook.
“I think Spook has her,” I whispered.
“What?” Harmony appeared beside him. “What are you saying?”
I turned to stare at her. “I think Eden was stolen by Spook.”
Her eyes opened wide.
“We have to tell my parents,” Justice said. He spun to leave, but Harmony grabbed him by the arm.
“No.”
“What do you mean, no? This is what we’ve been hoping for.”
“I’ve told you before, Justice. It’s not a good idea for Eden to come back here.”
