She was at her wits end and though she didn’t want to die, she couldn’t see how she was going to stop what seemed to be inevitable. Kalista Wilson was living on borrowed time.

My name is Kalista Wilson—at least, it was until I became Cassia Martin. I never thought I’d have to run from the life I built with my own hands. I never thought I’d have to leave behind my work, my identity, or my home in Melbourne. But here I am, hiding in Sydney with a name that isn’t mine, wondering if I’ll even live to see tomorrow.

The fear started as a whisper in my mind, growing louder with each "accident." First, Harvey Wood—a gas explosion in his home. Then Darren Loughman—brake failure and a car accident. And finally, Gavin Story—a fall in front of an oncoming tram. Three brilliant minds who shared my vision for the future, gone in the blink of an eye. And now I know, beyond doubt, I’m next.

Was I naive? Did I let ambition blind me? The offer to move to that state-of-the-art lab in East Melbourne seemed like a dream, but now I wonder if it was all a carefully laid trap. I felt the unease before I could name it, a prickling sensation on the back of my neck whenever I stayed late, the sensation of being watched. My instincts told me something wasn’t right, and when the accidents started piling up, I knew staying would mean my death.

I couldn’t tell anyone. Who would believe me? I’m not exactly someone with a close-knit group of friends to lean on. I’ve always kept to myself, my world revolving around formulas, prototypes, and breakthroughs. But when survival demanded it, I left everything behind. I packed what I could, bought a fake ID, and became Cassia Martin.

Starting over wasn’t easy, but desperation makes you resourceful. I found a job at a security company in Sydney, of all places. The irony isn’t lost on me—someone like me, needing protection from forces I can’t even identify. Jonas Whitney and Kyle Lawrence run the company, and they’re good at what they do. Maybe too good, because when one of their staff recognized me, my fragile cover shattered.

When Jonas and Kyle confronted me, I expected rejection, or worse, exposure. Instead, they swore to protect me. They’re determined to shield me from the shadowy figure hunting me down. But who will shield me from them? Their presence stirs something inside me I thought I’d buried long ago—something I can’t afford to feel, not now.

I’m terrified, yes. But I’m also angry. Furious, even. Whoever is after me underestimates me, and that might be their downfall. I won’t let fear control me. I’ve come too far, sacrificed too much. I’m not just a physicist running for her life. I’m Kalista Wilson, a survivor. And I will fight to reclaim the future I’ve dreamed of, even if it means trusting the two men who have the power to break my heart.

Becky Wilde is an accomplished author better known as Becca Van. She has published over 150 steamy romantic novels in the menage genre while writing for Siren-Bookstrand. Now self-publishing on Whimsical Words Publishing and delivering her own blend of emotion and intriguing books without cliffhangers and happy conclusions.

B.A.D. Security