Raising the Stakes — Anne Marie Becker

Ivy Stone works hard to maintain her ice queen image. Without the façade, people get close -- and then she gets hurt. Still, as manager of a luxurious Las Vegas hotel, sometimes she has to put herself in the limelight to protect all she's worked for, especially when her father's rumored association with the underground crime web, Redemption Club, risks everything. When idle threats become a very real danger, forcing her to consider the unthinkable to protect herself, she approaches a rival with an unusual deal.At Global Security Solutions, Devlin Grimm is more accustomed to playing bodyguard than kidnapper. However, when the beautiful and untouchable Ivy Stone enters his office with a strange request, it's like a gift from the heavens. She could be the key to finally taking down the notorious Redemption Club. However vulnerable and enticing she appears, Dev suspects the woman has secrets, and she may well be manipulating him. Will Ivy be the source of his salvation or his demise?Victor del Fuego seeks one thing -- to destroy Robert Stone. And there's no better way to crush a man who's intent on leaving a legacy than to use his own daughter against him. But when the men face off, with Ivy caught in the middle, there's more at stake than anyone realizes -- including Ivy and Dev's newfound love.