The Price of Protection — S.J. Taylor

If life was complicated for New Orleans native, Céline Bouchard, before she was swept into a world of dangerous criminals and their ruthless rivalries, you can only imagine the whirlwind of chaos and confusion that followed. Now, with Jacques Mesrine targeting her, Céline is in mortal danger at every turn. She must decide whether or not to trust Marius' organization to protect her, or attempt to outrun Mesrine on her own. Marius Gray, a brooding enigma, has become ensnared in a tale as old as time: the Beast meets Beauty. Now solely burdened with the responsibility of the Gray empire, Marius must navigate the storm of Céline's grief and her complicated feelings for him, all while ensuring her safety from his relentless nemesis. Family ties will be severed, long-buried secrets unearthed, and boundaries tested. But in this world of crime and deception, no one is exactly who they seem to be. Is the worst of Céline's trauma behind her? Can she protect her friends from being caught in the crossfire between two rival kings of crime? Will Marius rise above his personal feelings and defeat his rival to keep those he cares for safe, or will his ego become his undoing?