"If the world was going to burn, I was going to feed the flames."
Aiden Middleston spent years surrounded by blood and death, first in the Army, then as a mercenary. But after helping a friend survive deadly espionage, and learning his love for her will never be returned as anything more than friendship, he heads home to the family ranch in Dillon, Montana.
Yet escaping blood and death isn't in the cards when he lands in the middle of a range war over water rights, and a family vendetta in the blood and generations old, pulling him into the sort of life he's been trying to escape.
Aiden has a choice - he can use those years of killing to defend what's his, or keep his sanity and leave one hundred thirty years of family memories and history to those willing to murder for it.
A criminal mastermind makes a bold move against a wealthy client to put himself in a position to retire in comfort. He has no idea what he's up against when a young widow, desperate to make ends meet, sets her eyes on earning the bounty set on his head.
***
Newly widowed housewife Melody Scott needs to earn some major cash, fast. When her bright and busy children learn that a priceless ruby bracelet has been stolen and a six-figure reward is being offered, they convince her to try to do what the police, museum security, and the best private investigators have failed to do. Working against them is a notorious thief who has met people from around the world, but who has never once encountered a woman like Melody Scott. When the sweet innocence of the Scott family clashes against criminal forces more dangerous than they ever imagined, Melody is all too aware that a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do to protect her family.
The Widow, Melody Scott is a 2021 Watty Award Winner!
Content Warning: This story does contain depictions of stalking behavior.