Visiting professor Elaine Voss has spent years living by her family’s rules. Behind her composed manner and impeccable reputation, she longs for a life that belongs to her. A secret relationship with a masked woman offers her that freedom—until she discovers her lover is Marnie Shaw, one of her students.
On campus, Marnie appears to be the one who needs protecting. Elaine has the authority, the powerful family name, and the most to lose if their relationship is exposed. But behind closed doors, their dynamic is far less predictable. Marnie knows what she wants, refuses to be intimidated by Elaine’s status, and is often the first to step forward when Elaine cannot. What began as an anonymous attraction becomes a relationship in which both women feel seen for who they really are.
Keeping that relationship secret grows harder as Elaine’s family presses her toward an arranged marriage and campus scandals threaten Marnie’s future. Each attempt to separate them exposes another betrayal, drawing them into conflicts neither can face alone. Elaine must decide whether she is willing to risk her career and defy the family that has controlled her for so long. Marnie must find a way to fight back without losing herself—or letting Elaine make every sacrifice for her.
The masks once gave them the courage to reach for each other. Now, with their identities known and their choices under scrutiny, Elaine and Marnie must decide whether love can survive in hiding, or whether they are ready to
