When a new case and her boyfriend's ex threaten Sharon Richards' relationship, she's forced to disentangle the web of hate and guilt. Now she's decided to enter a relationship with a man whose world is different from hers in many ways, Sharon Richards soon finds out that keeping her work and private life separate won't work in the long run. How can she prevent her family and friends from finding out that she likes to submit to her partner in bed? What about her colleagues who call her 'ice queen' and seem to think she is the one in control in all aspects of her life? When Simon Carter's ex reappears in his life, meddling in Sharon's work, tension starts running high. Before long, Sharon's dragged into another investigation leading her even deeper into the subculture of pleasure and pain, with Simon's ex never far away. She's left wondering if the foundation of her relationship with Simon is strong enough to weather the storm.