Things We Left Behind

Lucian Rollins is a ruthless businessman whose drive is fueled by revenge. Determined to scrub his father's legacy from the family name, he works around the clock to build an empire that cannot be toppled, reasoning that the more wealth and influence he gathers, the harder it becomes for anyone to reach him.

His nights, though, belong to a sharp-tongued librarian from a small town, a woman who refuses to stay out of his head.

Sloane Walton has inherited her father's commitment to seeking justice, and she intends to keep that fight going. First she needs to uncover exactly what the man she despises did to her family, or perhaps for it. An old, buried secret ties her to Lucian, and so does the open hostility between them, which leaves her with very little trust for him. Their constant sniping turns into a steamy one-night stand that neither fully regrets, and the spark refuses to die. Yet Sloane wants to start a family while Lucian won't entertain marriage or children, leaving the pair stalled.

Lucian holds that damaged men wound the women who love them, a belief he has seen play out before, so he resolves to protect Sloane by keeping his distance. He soon discovers that walking away leaves her exposed to dangers from elsewhere. This is the second time he has cut her out of his life, and she has no intention of granting a third chance, so he will have to create one himself.