Art of Deception

8 years ago she ran to safety. Now Charlotte Montgomery's past has caught up with her. Charlotte Montgomery was forced to leave everything behind to shield her son from a dangerous life. As an artist, she's built a new world of safety and security for them both, far from the shadows that once haunted her. But the peace she's fought so hard to maintain is shattered when her past comes crashing back. The Italian crime family she escaped from has reappeared, determined to pull her back into their web of deceit and crime. This time, they want her to participate in their money-laundering scheme—and they won't take no for an answer. But Charlotte has other plans. She's willing to play along, but only to bring down the ex who tore her life apart. Enter Thayer Jackson, an accountant who's been approached by the FBI to help trace money connected to the same crime family. Drawn into the dangerous game Charlotte is playing, Thayer becomes both an ally and a complication. As they work together, the line between duty and desire blurs, and the stakes grow higher. As her worlds collide, Charlotte must navigate a deadly game where the risks are greater than ever. With everything she's built on the line, it's a race to survive—and this time, she's not fighting alone. The exciting prequel to The Vanished.