Hotshot defense attorney James Scott always follows his gut -- even when it tells him an obviously guilty man is a victim himself. Homicide detective Owen Duke doesn't have time for gut feelings -- he lives by logic and evidence. And all the evidence tells him that Scott's client is guilty of the cold-blooded murder of a young ballerina.<br><br>Scott, a notorious media darling, is willing to risk his reputation and his career on the kid's innocence. But his undeniable charm is not enough to save his client's life. He needs Owen Duke, a man who stands for truth and justice, even if the detective hates Scott and his gut feelings.<br><br>What's supposed to be an open-and-shut case quickly becomes a quagmire of lies, murder, and rotting corruption. Suddenly, instead of being a thorn in Duke's side, James Scott is the only person in San Francisco the detective can trust. As the attraction between them deepens, they race to save an innocent man, but can they save their own hearts in the process?

Pas de Deux

“Are you all right?” he asked. “Nothing hit you, did it?”


Scott didn’t feel any pain, but all that meant was that he could be in shock. He looked down, checking for the dark shadow of blood on his clothes, but there was nothing. Everything appeared to be normal. “I’m fine. Just a little…rattled.”


“I got a partial on the license plate. I’ll run it, but I don’t know if it’ll come back with anything useful. Any idea on who would take a shot at you?”


“No, but I could have a partial list of enemies to you by the morning,” Scott said, only half-joking.


Duke didn’t smile. “Has this happened before?”


“Have I been shot at before? No. I have received some threatening letters from disgruntled former clients. But nothing that’s ever been a serious threat.”


Chapter 17