Baller

BOOK 3: SEQUEL TO POSER AND CRACKER. Though Ambrose should be clinking drinks with Jessica on the patio, he keeps his knuckles tense to prevent his life in the city from encroaching on the picture-perfect one in Palo Alto. There's hardly time to contemplate his next move, let alone one from Russian gangster Alexei. Miss Dover's deceit still haunts him, along with the body at the bottom of Lake Tahoe and Randy's knowledge of it.

Throw in those confusing, lingering feelings for Bennie, the ill-gotten money tied up in the new business, his ex-con brother Butch coming to live in the guesthouse-and the massive bulk below the surface just keeps growing. No wonder Ambrose and everyone close to him are on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

All his life, Ambrose has only had one responsibility: to stay alive. Now there's that plus Jessica's growing distrust, a baby on the way, his betrayal of Bennie, his brother's disapproval of his posse despite the irony of Butch becoming increasingly tight with Randy. Add in Alexei's silky, seductive tales of untold riches and future backing for things Ambrose would very much like to pursue--even though he should absolutely know better by now-and the "perfect" life he's built for himself threatens to crash and burn.

Some lessons just have to be learned the hard way.