Did she make a deal with the devil? Or will the forbidden fruit be worth every bite? I thought I had finally put my troubled past behind me. Moving from Texas to Orange County, I reinvented myself and quickly became the star bartender at Sweet Cocktails, thanks to my secret recipe for raspberry martinis. But everything changed when an undercover agent revealed my secret ingredient comes from the private land of Maxwell Evans, a reclusive billionaire with dangerous ties to a drug cartel. Now, I'm caught in a web of deception, forced to spy on Maxwell in exchange for keeping my secret safe. Every encounter with him is a tantalizing dance of danger and desire. His smoldering eyes and commanding presence make it hard to remember my mission. The closer I get, the more I crave his touch, but I know getting involved could destroy us both. Will I uncover his secrets, or will I be consumed by the forbidden allure of Maxwell Evans? I knew someone was stealing my raspberries, but I never expected it to be a stunning bartender like Raya Kinkaid. She thought she could trespass on my land without facing the consequences. Now, she's caught in my world, digging for my secrets, but she has no idea how deep they run. Every time we meet, the air crackles with tension and undeniable attraction. Her defiancé and allure make her impossible to resist, but I have my own game to play. I see through her façade, yet I can't help but want to claim her as mine. Will I gamble everything to keep her close, or will my secrets push her away? In this dangerous game of desire, nothing is as it seems, and surrendering to passion might be our only escape. *This is a short, steamy OTT romantic suspense novella featuring multicultural characters, billionaires, secret identities, and an interracial romance. If you love enemies-to-lovers, action-packed protector romances, this book is for you! * this book was previously published under the title Raspberry Martinis and featured in the time-limited multi-author collection "Sweet Cocktails."