The Binding Ledger

When a blood-debt goes unpaid, the creditors do not want silver. They want collateral. For the thief known as Qadir, whose strict code of stealing only to restore what was taken has left him penniless but alive, being traded to settle another man's ledger is an insult. Being traded to the caravan master Tariq—a man whose brutal efficiency and relentless forward momentum govern the trade routes—is a death sentence.

The bargain binds Qadir to Tariq's caravan as they cross the lawless expanse, moving from fortress to bazaar, station by station. Qadir intends to find the contract's hidden clause, break the binding, and walk away. But Tariq has his own reasons for demanding a thief who refuses to keep what he takes. As they cross violent territories and fend off rival factions, the hostility between them turns into a different kind of weapon. Both men are reading the same terms of engagement, and neither read the fine print.

They are bound by a ledger that requires a price neither is willing to pay. And the desert offers no chance of escape.

**Content Warning**: This is a dark romance featuring forced proximity, dubious consent, explicit sexual content, violence, and captivity elements. Both leads are morally compromised and do terrible things. Discretion is advised.