Crossfire

Crossfire is the first book in the Sultry Chicago series and kicks off in Savannah, Georgia, to tie in with the familiar characters from the Savannah Sizzle series. 

Private security contractors, SPNI Agents McKenna Davis and Nia Munro welcome textile magnate Peyton Scott-Baird and her Chicago-based SPNI bodyguard, Ewan Kane, to Georgia. Peyton arrived for a private meeting to discuss a prospective collaboration between Scott-Baird Industries and Gallagher Incorporated, a family-owned fashion house.

Scott-Baird is excited to share a breakthrough in developing a textile with far superior, next generation ballistic properties. Any collaboration in realizing her lifelong dream of keeping loved ones safe and bringing her product to the market requires absolute secrecy. Peyton turns to the Arleen Gallagher, CEO of Gallagher Incorporated, for assistance. Her parents supplied the fashion house with textiles for their designs until a tragic car accident claimed the life of her mother and Arleen’s husband almost two decades earlier. Peyton’s teenage crush, Connor Gallagher, was with her in the vehicle at the time, and both of them sustained significant injuries requiring hospitalization. The families drifted apart following the traumatic events. 

Presently, Peyton is reeling from the recent death of her father during an impulsive trip to South America. She is confronted by the floozy who seduced him and now purports to be his wife as the brazen woman tries to lay claim to Scott-Baird Industries and all of Peyton’s work product.

Unbeknownst to Peyton, Arleen Gallagher sends Connor to meet with her, which leads to a reunion after seventeen years. Connor is an ex-Army Ranger and not long ago joined the family business after his sister, Brinn, an acclaimed fashion designer was injured in an incident involving a stalker.

As Peyton, Connor, Nia and Ewan perform a prospective site visit for building a factory to produce the specialized textiles, they are ambushed by a hit man. Caught in the crossfire, the group goes dark and flees to Atlanta where Nia seeks refuge with Natalie Keler and the Westicott-family. Westigarde is a secure facility where military-grade weapons are developed. This close call has Peyton and Connor reassess their former relationship and everything they had missed out on over the past two decades. The imminent threat to Scott-Baird Industries has Peyton taking desperate measures to protect her family legacy.

Following a break-in at Peyton’s office and discovering embezzlement at Gallagher Incorporated, the four escapees return to Chicago to investigate. They link up with Arleen, Brinn, and Connor’s younger brother, Ross Gallagher. The stakes get higher when small-time crooks mistake Brinn for Peyton and try to kidnap her. Palmer Westicott, Westigarde’s in-house legal counsel, arrives in Chicago to move the project along and comes to Brinn’s rescue.

Just as the production of the new ballistic wear comes online, Arleen is taken, thus forcing Connor and Peyton to risk their lives in order to save her. This leads to Crossfire’s final showdown in the heart of downtown Chicago.