Forged in Fire

Shes trained to heal broken soldiers. She never expected one to save her.

Dr. Naomi Chen has built her career helping veterans recover from trauma—while hiding her own. Five years ago, she found her fiancé dead by suicide, and shes never forgiven herself for missing the signs. Now she keeps everyone at arms length, convinced that caring too deeply is a liability she cant afford.

Then Marcus "Brick" Torres walks into her office.

He lost everything. She might be his second chance.

Medically retired after a bullet nearly severed his spine, Brick is adrift. The Special Forces medic who once saved lives on the battlefield can barely recognize himself in the mirror. Therapy is just another box to check—until his new doctor sees through every wall hes built.

Naomi is brilliant, guarded, and hiding something. Brick shouldnt notice. Shouldnt care. Definitely shouldnt want to protect her from whatever shadow follows her home each night.

But some threats dont stay in the past.

When Naomis stalker ex-boyfriend escalates from flowers to surveillance to something far more dangerous, Bricks protective instincts ignite. The connection between them is undeniable—and absolutely forbidden. Shes his therapist. Hes her patient. Every ethics code says this cant happen.

But as the danger closes in, the line between professional and personal burns away. And Brick will have to become the soldier he thought hed lost to save the woman whos become his reason to live.