Why hire someone to do the dirty work…
Sarah Stevens had been hired by the insistance of retired federal judge, Lowell Roberts. A kind man who’d received threats a few years back, the family, especially the daughter, didn’t want the judge living alone. Sarah is a female butler, hired to watch and guard him. Sarah takes care of everything, from the mundane daily living to the higher stuff like parties. She also guards him; drives him wherever he needs to go, watches his back. When two men break into the house intent on burglarizing the judge’s home, they are thwarted by Sarah, who calls it in.
In comes detective Thompson Cahill. Cahill had heard of the bumbled burglary and was curious enough to go to the house, mainly because of the 9-1-1 call. He was intrigued. Upon meeting Sarah, he instantly knew that Sarah was more than just a butler.
An attraction forms between them right from the get-go - purely physical at first. But soon both can’t get the other out of their heads. However, Sarah has attracted unwanted attention - a certain man thinks that Sarah is wasting her time taking care of the judge. She’s perfect, and he accepts nothing less than perfection. Sarah should be his.
While Sarah is out on her day off, the judge is murdered while sitting in his recliner. Guilt assaults her - had she been there, it wouldn’t have happened. Of course Sarah becomes the prime suspect, much to Cahill’s chagrin. But eventually they rule her out, and Cahill, a year after a particularly nasty divorce, decides to go after Sarah, without subtlety.
Sarah eventually takes on another job, just for both of bosses to be murdered in their house while Sarah is with Cahill. Again, she’s brought in for questioning, as a time gap between Cahill and Sarah becomes evident. Eventually, she is ruled out again, and is extremely hurt by Cahill’s treatment of her. Tired and upset, Sarah ends up taking on another job - with the man who wanted her since the beginning, unbeknownst to Sarah. Things move quickly when she realizes that she is now the possession of a deranged man, and Cahill will stop at nothing to get her out.
I loved the connection between Cahill and Sarah right from the start. Sparks for sure, and the banter between them reminded me so much of my husband and myself. Sex scenes erotic. The suspense and mystery were great, the ending twisted. What brought me to tears is what Sarah endures after the judge is murdered. Her actions, her feelings, reminded me of when my grandfather passed away, and I could feel her anguish. There was such feeling in this novel and I identified with so much. I couldn’t have asked for better!