Hill Swartz LLP: a name synonymous with precision, power, and cold efficiency. Founded by the iron-willed Sebastian Hill and the sharp-as-a-knife Daniel Swartz, the firm is a kingdom built on rules, boundaries, and the unwavering separation of the professional and the personal. Their world runs like a finely tuned machine, each part moving seamlessly, each cog in place. Until, one call shatters everything.
Daniel's father is gravely ill, and there's no time to lose. The urgency is immediate, and there is no room for hesitation. He must go. But there's a problem-his daughter, Rene. Stuck in the throes of law school, she can neither go with him nor remain in her family's home. As the cherished, overprotected girl of the family, she's Daniel's world, and no one else would do. Not even the hands of strangers. So, in a moment of desperate clarity, he does the only thing he can. He entrusts her into the care of his firm's partner, the ever-composed Sebastian Hill.
Sebastian's first glance at Rene is like a bullet to the chest. He's been through it all-nothing rattles him, nothing unseats him. Or so he thought. But in the silence of that first look, something snaps. A single instant, and a chasm forms between them, deepening and widening with every breath they take. It's not enough to drown them, but it's enough to bring a storm.
This storm, however, is like none either of them has ever faced. The situation is tragic, vehemence unhinged, with emotions spinning out of control like a tempest that neither can predict nor contain. Boundaries are blurred, hearts are torn between what they want and what they know is forbidden. Their struggle will change the course of their lives, their firm, and their very selves.
The question isn't whether they will fall-it's how far they will fall and if they'll ever find their way back.
[First Book of the V-series]
A Stand-alone Novel.
River Stone, an intrepid archaeologist, has uncovered what most only dream of-an ancient, hidden tribe deep within the Amazon, the Ibori, protectors of forbidden magic, vast wealth, and deadly power. With her archaeologist friend, Christopher Rai, she navigates the treacherous jungle to reach their sacred sanctuary. But it's Yisrael Ibori, the firstborn son of the clan's leader, Yuri, who is tasked with keeping watch over their "guests."
Dutiful and fierce, Yisrael carries out his responsibility with unwavering focus, but there's a problem. River. Every step she takes, every movement of her body, draws his attention like a magnet. The way her hips sway, the deep rise of her chest, the soft curve of her lips-they haunt him, pulling at something deep inside, a longing he can't ignore.
For River, the discovery of the lost Ibori history is the culmination of her career. She stands on the precipice of a monumental victory. But the moment her eyes lock with Yisrael's piercing onyx gaze, the treasures of the Ibori suddenly seem insignificant. There's something more precious here, something far deeper than the artifacts or the legends she's chased her entire life.
What begins as a war between the mind and heart quickly grows into a battle neither of them can win. River knows her sharp intellect can't outwit Yisrael's unshakable resolve, and Yisrael is torn between his duty to his people and the undeniable pull of desire. In a world where power, magic, and temptation collide, will they fight the fire burning between them-or will it consume everything they've ever known?
Seventh Book of V-series
A standalone novel