Grandmother always said I had the rot in me, something dark and vicious, waiting to come out and play. That I got it from my father, a serial killer who attacked my mother. It runs in my blood. She said I can't escape it, no matter how hard I try.

She was right.

My mother and I are out of options, so we had to run. Leave behind the life we both knew without looking back. We move in with my estranged aunt, her sister, and her handsome son, Elias. She's happy to take us in, thinking we can make up for lost time.

But the rot is always there, waiting.

I don't expect much. Life is so boring when you're trying to be good. Elias doesn't hesitate to make it known I'm not welcome in his life or his house, and he'll do anything he can to put me in my place and get us to leave.

Rot attracts rot to make something new.

Cold, cruel, calculating; there's more to Elias than meets the eye, and I find myself wanting things I've never wanted before. I'm not the only one keeping secrets. Elias is, too, and I'll do whatever I can to discover the truth.

The rot demands it, just as it hungers for us.

*Rot is a darker, standalone romance, suitable for 18+. Please see author's note for deeper TWs.*