In the Shadow of Malice by Nancy C. Weeks

Adam Blake has gone to great lengths to keep his identity a secret from his maternal grandfather, who controls the most brutal crime syndicate in Eastern Europe. He lets his guard down, and his best friend, the mother of his child, pays the price. To protect his daughter, he must seek the help of his father’s family—who has no idea of his existence. What Adam could have never foreseen is the unusual attachment between his daughter and her most unlikely protector.

After months of living in an emotional vacuum after her roommate’s murder, Calista Martin befriends a handsome regular at the diner. What is supposed to be just a ride home hurls her headlong into Adam’s world of murder and revenge. To add to an already explosive situation, Adam’s traumatized daughter refuses to release her hold on Calista. Knowing what it’s like to lose a loved one, Calista insists on staying with Adam to protect Anna.

Adam broke all the rules to protect his child, but failed in the end. Now, he has one chance to take down a heartless band of criminals to become the father Anna deserves and the man Calista needs—or will he fail again, taking his future out of his hands forever?