Sammie Smith is desperate to escape the clutches of sex traffickers with the six teenage girls she rescued. When her mission goes array, she’s forced to seek help from the most unlikely source, Maximiliano Maldonado, the drug lord she left five years ago. 
She’s going to need his power and protection to avoid being captured. But what happens when he turns the tables and seeks revenge on the only woman he has ever loved?
Sammie can’t trust him, but can she trust the new guard, Carlos, to help her escape the man who stole her heart all those years ago? Carlos Mendez, former Marine Raider turned private protection, lives in the shadows of his grief. Once career military, now medically discharged from Afghanistan, Carlos no longer values his life and accepts the riskiest assignments.
Hired to guard the drug lord’s newest captive, he sees the same grief and guilt tearing her apart as it does him. Keeping track of her means diving into her inner thoughts and watching her nurturing ways.
Her do-gooder actions stir something in him he thought was dead long ago. Can he steal her heart away as she has stolen his while helping her escape?
As Sammie and Carlos’ friendship grows into something more, the stakes become life and death. Maximiliano will stop at nothing to rekindle what he lost, even if it means hiding her deep in the confines of cartel life.
Can Carlos rescue her without getting them both killed?
Review
This is Gigi Meier’s debut novel and it did not disappoint. Literally, the very first chapter displays the tone of this story. Action packed, filed with suspense, drama, and intensity! The subject matter of this book is not to be taken lightly as it is very dark and disturbing. There is extreme violence against women, including sexual assault.
Sammie is a self-made celebrity, but she is not your typical ‘it’ girl. She thrives in rescuing women and children who are found to be within the confines of sex trafficking, while using her millions to help those in need. During one of her rescues, she finds herself to be the next victim, caught and held captive in the confines of the Mexican cartel, which is operated by her ex. The first half of the book provides the historical context and dives into her past with her ex, Maxie, ensuring the reader understands why she vows to escape. In walks Carlos…literally. I am a sucker for a military hero and Carlos embodies this character. The sparks between Sammie and Carlos smolders off the pages as I found myself turning each page, needing to find out what happens next.
I highly recommend this novel, even though it’s subject matter can be a bit much, I promise it will be worth it. I look forward to reading more from Gigi!
