Running a tech company that brings down the ugliest criminals makes trust impossible. I won’t let anyone in. Worse yet, let anyone down, like I did all those years ago. My focus is on keeping my family safe in our small town and protecting my life’s work. That was easier before Ava came to live on our land. The spunky winner of our hacking contest isn’t who she says she is. But the more time I spend with her, the more I’m blinded by the sunshine in front of me. Ava is talented, quirky and joyful. She's a pair of long lean legs stuffed into sexy Doc Martens, shaking her peachy backside around our land like it's the first time she's danced. She’s a lot younger and my employee. She’s not my friend… or anything else. But her cute quips and natural brilliance have me spiraling out of control—right toward her. When her secrets catch up with her, I know she’s not just hiding who she is; she’s running from it. The danger chasing her is worse than I imagined, and I’ll sacrifice it all to keep her safe. But her past promises to destroy us both.

Santi was a storm I never saw coming—wild, confident. He was the kind of guy every warning was written about. From the instant our worlds collided, I was powerless to resist. At eighteen, I packed my bags, ready to leave my privileged life behind with him. He never showed up. Thirteen years later, I’m a widowed mom, navigating the fallout of a financial scandal and the lingering control of my manipulative father. But with my husband gone, I see a chance to break free and build a better life for my son and me. That chance leads me to Echo Valley—a fresh start that also unearths the heartache I never buried. Santi is still the man I fell for—he now owns a successful ranch, admired by everyone. Those brown eyes still tempt me, and when I learn why he never came, it shatters and mends me all at once. But the forces that tore us apart are still lurking in the shadows—and this time, they’re ready to destroy everything.

I’ve been in a lot of bad situations. War zones. Hostage rescues. But nothing prepared me for protecting Lara Young. When my buddy Rocco says his sister’s ex won’t take no for an answer, I agree to step in—even though Lara is a complication I don’t need. She’s stubborn as hell, sharp as a whip, and reckless in all the worst ways. And those pretty pink lips? Nothing but trouble. Years ago, I found that trouble—one kiss, one mistake. Now, instead of my best friend’s sister, she’s a woman who hates me. She thinks I’m overreacting. That her ex is just a bitter mistake she left behind. She doesn’t want a babysitter and finds ways to slip past the lines I draw. Every last one of them... Keeping her safe should be simple. Move her to Echo Valley. Keep my distance. Get the job done. But nothing with Lara is ever simple. She pushes back, tests my control, and makes me crave things I shouldn’t. But this isn’t playtime. It’s a fight for her life. And when it comes to this woman, I can’t afford to lose.

Anton's story.

Description to come.