"The Altar Boy"

Vienna is a devout Catholic town where faith is public, secrets are private, and appearances are everything. But when women connected to a nearby gentlemen’s club begin turning up murdered, the community’s polished façade starts to crack. Behind every rosary and Sunday smile, suspicion grows.

Jaden Hart has never belonged in Vienna’s tight‑knit circle. Raised on the wrong side of the tracks, judged for where she comes from and who her mother is, she’s learned to keep her head down. But when the killings creep dangerously close to her family, Jaden is pulled into a world of fear, whispers, and unanswered questions.

And suddenly, everyone looks guilty.

Dawson Carducci, the altar boy adored by the parish, is the son every Catholic mother praises. He steps into Jaden’s life just as everything begins to unravel. His concern is constant. His presence is steady. His need to protect her feels comforting. But in a town where faith is a shield and sin hides in plain sight, Jaden can’t tell if Dawson is her safest ally or a danger she doesn’t see coming.

Because in Vienna, danger doesn’t always come from the shadows. Sometimes it comes from the people you’re taught to trust.