Break Me Open (Bloodlines)

In a world built on rules, Arseny Zakirov has survived by breaking them quietly.

A decorated Russian officer, Arseny knows exactly what is forbidden: weakness, attachment, and above all, loving another man. He’s learned to keep his desires contained, controlled, and invisible. Until Caiden Varrik arrives.

Caiden is everything Arseny shouldn’t want. A British officer. A rival ally. Reckless, warm, impossible to ignore. What begins as sharp glances and restrained tension becomes something far more dangerous: connection. And in a place where secrets don’t stay buried, desire is a liability that can destroy careers, loyalties, and lives.

As deployments loom and the weight of duty closes in, Arseny and Caiden are forced to confront the truth neither of them can outrun. Some bonds don’t break cleanly. Some loves leave scars. And some choices, once made, demand everything.

Break Me Open is a slow-burn military dark romance about restraint and surrender, power and vulnerability, and what it costs to love when the world is watching—and waiting for you to fail.