Peace Officer Raylie McPherson’s mission in life is to protect animals from abuse, and if that means throwing the abusers in jail, so be it. So when the report of two downed horses comes in - from renowned Starstruck Stables, nonetheless - Raylie assumes she can make a quick headline arrest. Despite having to face her horror from the last time she rode, making her relive her fiancé’s death every time she sets foot in a stable, she is determined to do her job. Her coworker swears the owner is innocent, but Raylie’s experience tells her he simply can’t be. But the suspect is anguished, grieving, and too rich to need the insurance money. Ashton Lyre is devastated over the loss of his two favorite horses—a money maker and a brat. So he’s surprised that the pretty Peace Officer accuses him of the foul deed—for money, no less. She fears his horses, which intrigues him, for she’s obviously ridden before. However, he knows he must be cautious, for he just discovered his very empire was built on shaky ground. Should the pretty cop learn of his fraudulent start, he fears everything he owns could be forfeited, and every case that dips into his past dredges up his fears.