Rick Brandt hadn't seen Toni de la Rosa up close since she'd abandoned him in Mexico, but he had seen her work. He'd seen how she'd blown a hole in Detective Tom Saddler and left him writhing in his own blood at Rick's feet. He'd seen the way she'd tried to strangle Candy Knight and had left the woman barely breathing and unable to speak. He remembered how angry Toni had been, and how violent, and even how sexy, before she went completely homicidal on him. For good or ill, he'd chosen to love and protect her. Now, he might have to kill her.Sometimes, Fran Simone felt like everyone was trying to kill her. She wasn't being paranoid. Her life, her career, and her relationship with her daughter all hung in the balance, suspended between a deranged killer and a pathological ex-husband. Only one man could save her - and it wasn't the one who wanted to marry her. Her back was against the wall and she was being forced to choose. If she made the wrong choice, could she live with the consequences? Fran thought her life was headed straight to hell - until Rick Brandt kissed her.