Leave the Window Cracked...

At twenty-two, Jessie has spent four years on the streets. She knows how to spot danger and disappear when she needs to, but she has no idea how to accept kindness without fearing the price.Then Eli finds her on a rainy night.Wealthy, powerful, and seemingly untouchable, Eli offers Jessie something she has almost forgotten exists: safety, a job, and the freedom to say no.For the first time, Jessie begins building a life of her own. She finds stability, a career, and a sense of independence she never thought possible. As her friendship with Eli becomes love, Jessie faces the one thing she fears most: needing someone again.When someone from her past threatens everything she has built, Jessie must confront the belief that has shaped her life-that depending on anyone means giving them the power to hurt her. To move forward, she must learn that accepting love doesn't mean surrendering herself.LOVE & PAIN is a story about healing, second chances, and learning that you can let someone love you without losing who you are.