She escaped a doomed betrothal only to find herself unwittingly married to her handsome protector.

Layla Braithwaite didn't belong anywhere. Born to a British merchant and an Egyptian widow, she lived most her life in the shadows, hidden away. When her mother dies, she finally escapes the family that only saw her as their servant. Little did she know that searching for a way out of Damietta, and an unwanted marriage, would lead her straight into the arms of a British sailor.

Philip Conrad sailed for Damietta to reestablish trade between England and Egypt. Sure, he'd been seeking adventure, but he hadn't expected a woman to sneak aboard his ship-nor did he expect the pull of attraction. Never one to turn his back on a person in need, he agrees to help her escape the country. But when the man who's intent on marrying her discovers them together, Philip does the only thing possible.

He marries her himself.

It was not how he intended his stay in Egypt to begin. Layla hadn't wanted marriage at all, but she isn't foolish enough to object. When her father's old business partners reveal their suspicions that her parents were murdered, Layla is determined to find those responsible. The problem? She has no idea how. Luckily, her new husband agrees to walk into this new danger with her.

From a marriage of convenience with a runaway bride to partners in crime.

With each secret they uncover about her family, Layla and Philip grow closer. But will it be enough to last a lifetime? Or will the weight of those secrets bury their marriage before it truly begins?