Wedding Vow of Revenge. Lucy Monroe

      

      Winter will be over soon and we have new books guaranteed to put a spring in your step! Lose yourself in an absorbing read from Harlequin Presents….

      Travel to sophisticated European locations and meet sexy foreign men. In The Greek’s Chosen Wife by Lynne Graham, see what happens when gorgeous Greek Nikolas Angelis decides to make his convenient marriage real. The Mancini Marriage Bargain by Trish Morey is the conclusion of her exciting duet, THE ARRANGED BRIDES—we brought you the first book, Stolen by the Sheikh, last month.

      Fly to more distant lands for Sandra Marton’s UNCUT story, The Desert Virgin. Feel the heat as ruthless troubleshooter Cameron Knight rescues innocent ballerina Leanna DeMarco. If you haven’t read an UNCUT story before, watch out—they’re almost too hot to handle!

      If you like strong men, you’ll love our new miniseries RUTHLESS. This month in The Billionaire Boss’s Forbidden Mistress by Miranda Lee, a boss expects his new receptionist to fall at his feet, and is surprised to find she’s more of a challenge than he thought. Lucy Monroe’s latest story, Wedding Vow of Revenge, promises scenes of searing passion and a gorgeous hero.

      The Royal Marriage by Fiona Hood-Stewart is a classic tale of a young woman who has been promised in marriage to a royal prince. Only she’s determined not to be ruled by him and her declaration of independence begins in the bedroom!

      We hope you enjoy reading this month’s selection. Look out for brand-new books next month!

      He’s got her firmly in his sights and she’s got only one chance of survival—surrender to his blackmail…and him…in his bed!

      Bedded by…Blackmail!

      The big miniseries from Harlequin Presents^®….

      Dare you read it?

      Don’t miss the next book in this miniseries, coming in April 2006:

      Bought by a Billionaire by Kay Thorpe #2534

      Wedding Vow of Revenge

      Lucy Monroe

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      All about the author…

      Lucy Monroe

      Award-winning and bestselling author LUCY MONROE sold her first book in September 2002 to the Harlequin Presents line. That book represented a dream that had been burning in her heart for years: the dream to share her stories with readers who love romance as much as she does. Since then she has sold more than thirty books to three publishers and hit national bestseller lists in the U.S. and England. But what has touched her most deeply since selling that first book are the reader letters she receives. Her most important goal with every book is to touch a reader’s heart and when she hears she’s done that it makes every night spent writing into the wee hours of morning worth it.

      She started reading Harlequin Presents books very young and discovered a heroic type of man between the covers of those books—an honorable man, capable of faithfulness and sacrifice for the people he loves. Now married to what she terms her “alpha male at the end of a book,” Lucy believes there is a lot more reality to the fantasy stories she writes than most people give credit for. She believes in happy endings that are really marvelous beginnings and that’s why she writes them. She hopes her books help readers to believe a little, too…just like romance did for her so many years ago.

      She really does love to hear from readers and esponds to every e-mail. You can reach her by e-mailing [email protected].

      For my Grandmother Lucille and my Great Aunts…you are women who have inspired me my whole life with your wit, your work ethic, your intelligence, your generosity and your zest for living. I want to thank you for that from the very depths of my heart. I love you all. Blessings, Lucy

      CONTENTS

      CHAPTER ONE

      CHAPTER TWO

      CHAPTER THREE

      CHAPTER FOUR

      CHAPTER FIVE

      CHAPTER SIX

      CHAPTER SEVEN

      CHAPTER EIGHT

      CHAPTER NINE

      CHAPTER TEN

      CHAPTER ELEVEN

      CHAPTER ONE

      ANGELO GORDON’S blue eyes narrowed with interest.

      “You’re sure of this information, amico mio?” he demanded, his American accent spiced with Sicilian overtones that denoted his reaction to the news more strongly than words could have.

      Hawk nodded. “Positive. Baron Randall has been keeping tabs on Tara Peters since their affair ended two years ago.”

      “How did you find out?”

      “The owner of the security agency Randall has on retainer talks more than he should after a couple of whiskey sours.” Hawk didn’t make those kinds of mistakes, but didn’t mind taking advantage when someone else did.

      “That’s convenient.”

      “I thought so.”

      “Okay. Give me the scoop and don’t leave anything out.”

      Hawk tossed the file on Angelo’s desk and waited for the tall Sicilian-American to open it.

      He pointed to the news story on top that showed his client’s enemy with his arm around a woman more than a decade his junior. “Randall and Miss Peters met four years ago at a fashion show in New York. He was there with another model, but left with Miss Peters. By all accounts, he swept the young Miss Peters off her feet and into his bed. She gave up modeling and started taking college courses. They were together for eighteen months and broke up when he became engaged to his current wife. Rumor suggests he asked Miss Peters to remain his mistress.”

      “She refused.”

      “Yes.”

      “She was stronger than my mother.” Grudging respect laced Angelo’s voice. “Why is he having her watched?”

      “According to my informant, Randall still wants her. He’s given instructions to scotch any possible romantic entanglements. So far, my colleague hasn’t had to make the effort.”

      Angelo surged to his feet and turned to look out the window behind his desk. His brooding six-foot-two-inch frame blocked the light and Hawk’s view of upper Manhattan. “What the hell does he expect to accomplish? That’s what I want to know.”

      “Obviously reentrance into her life.”

      Angelo turned back, his patrician features creased with a frown of disbelief. “That doesn’t make any sense. She said no and apparently meant it.”

      “Right. It makes one wonder how long Baron Randall expected his marriage to last in the first place. When he married, his wife’s father had been recently diagnosed with an inoperable heart condition.”

      “But good living and exercise have given him a clean bill of health, or at least a new lease on life.”

      Hawk smiled cynically. “Much to Randall’s dismay no doubt. The marriage has never been a happy one.”

      For which Angelo could take some credit.

      Tara wasn’t the only woman Randall had propositioned for the role