A simple off-the-books assignment becomes a race of life and death. Shanice Lawrence has met the perfect man. He’s sexy, considerate, and best of all, he loves to read. She’s certain she’s found the man of her dreams - until she learns the real reason for his appearance in her life. Cruz Cordoba’s mission was simple: Get close to Shanice, retrieve the data, and kill anyone who gets in his way - including her. But he didn’t anticipate falling for the voluptuous bookstore clerk. Now he has to decide what’s more important - the mission or the woman.

Simone Brooks and Cameron Bennett should not be together. She’s a wealthy socialite looking for a suitable husband. A man with the right pedigree and an economic status that matches her own.  He’s part owner of the hottest nightclub in Atlanta with his siblings. Someone who loves cooking, the outdoors, and women - not necessarily in that order. After one night together, their sizzling chemistry makes it difficult to stay away.

To retain custody of her niece, Kendal Fischer is ready to do just about anything, including taking out an ad for a man interested in becoming a "baby daddy." What she is not prepared for is the drop-dead gorgeous man by the name of Jamison Savoy vying for the job. Then she discovers he has his own reasons for wanting to wed the beautiful, curvy, and vivacious Kendal.

While intent on unraveling the tale spun by a previous one-night-stand, Ridge is drawn closer to the alluring Talaya and the haunting pain in her eyes. When he learns Talaya is a murder suspect, instead of walking away—because their bond over shared trauma has become unbreakable—Ridge whisks her away to the safety of Sansonique, his family’s private island. Amidst the pristine beauty of the Caribbean, two headstrong strangers struggle to make peace with their past demons, prepare for a confrontation with a killer, and embrace a passion that just might destroy them.

You met them in the Valentine and Rose series. In this prelude, I will formally introduce you to Malik Anthony Clark, Tristian Neil Clark, and Langston Jamal Clark.