the Quiet After Storm

"Nate, please," I choke out, clawing at his arm. "You're hurting me!" But he's not here. He's somewhere else entirely. His weight comes down hard, his knee pinning my thigh into the mattress with a force that makes me gasp. His pupils are blown wide. When I try to buck him off, his grip shifts. One hand wraps around my neck, and the heavy pressure of his palm against my windpipe cuts my breath into a pathetic wheeze. His thumb sinks deep into the side of my neck, burying into it until I can't even swallow. I try to twist my head to slip out from under his hand, but he just leans all his weight into that one spot, pinning me down. The world goes blurry at the edges. My chest is burning, and all I can hear is the roaring in my ears as my heart tries to force blood past his fingers. Cold terror floods my body. He came home from deployment with scars he couldn't shake. She has seen the worst of his trauma, but when a nightmare turns violent, Blair learns Nate isn't just reliving the past. He's trapped in it. The moment his hand closes around her throat fractures the progress they've made, forcing them both to confront the reality of his PTSD and the damage it leaves behind. The Quiet After the Storm is a slow-burn romance about PTSD, forgiveness, and the quiet strength it takes to stay. Tropes: Brother's Best Friend Forced Proximity Secret Relationship Military Veteran Slow Burn Strong Heroine