Love Me Darkly — Victoria Vale

He's hunting a killer. She's hiding from the past. Their collision was inevitable—but surviving it might not be.FBI profiler Mateo Garcia came to New Orleans chasing a sadistic murderer—a ritualistic killer who left his wife dead and his soul in pieces. The deeper he digs, the more disturbing the trail becomes, leading to Solstice: a glittering nightclub pulsing with secrets, sin… and something far darker lurking beneath the surface.Melody Frank is used to being watched. Desired. Possessed. But when Mateo's eyes find her across the room, it isn't lust she sees—it's fixation. He studies her like a man unraveling a mystery… or hunting prey.Because Melody has secrets. The kind that leave bodies in their wake. The kind she's killed to keep buried. She knows better than to trust a man who could destroy her with a single touch.Still, when Mateo touches her, it doesn't feel like a mistake.It feels like madness.Like salvation.Like the beginning of the end.But in a city where beauty masks corruption, and death wears a lover's face, falling for each other might be the most dangerous sin of all. Romance tropes included: ✔️ Obsession ✔️ Grumpy/sunshine ✔️ Protector/Survivor ✔️ Forced proximity ✔️ Trauma bonding ✔️ Enemies to reluctant allies ✔️ Morally gray hero ✔️ High heat & high stakesTrigger Warning: This book contains graphic violence, references to ritual murder, psychological trauma, and emotionally intense sexual content. Proceed with caution… and maybe keep the lights on.