UPPING THE STAKES Ashe MacAvoy is Wilmington PD's chief hostage negotiator. Using her infamous grace under fire, and the expertise of Detective Chase Weber, she frees a roomful of innocents from three armed captors. But the guy pulling the strings is still out there, and Ashe's life is in danger. Chase wants to protect her. Can he also shield her from the broken heart at the end of this adrenaline-filled attraction? Detective Chase Weber doesn't mix business with pleasure. Well, not anymore. He's learned his lesson and is happy with the world back on track. Enter Ashe MacAvoy, whose life he's saved twice in less than twelve hours. Somehow he's become her guardian angel—a role that's giving him a devil of a time. She's a pain in his ass…and a need in his heart. So maybe having the world upended isn't such a bad thing after all.