âSorry, Bree,â Vladimir said casually, and he tossed his card on the table.
Bree stared down at the King of Diamonds.
Her mind went blank. Then a tremble went through her, starting at her toes and shaking her body as she looked up at Vladimir, her eyes wide and uncomprehending.
âYou ⦠youâve â¦â Bree couldnât speak the words.
âIâve won.â Vladimir looked at her, his blue eyes electric with dislike. He rose from his chair, all six feet four inches of him, and said coldly, âYou have ten minutes to pack. I will collect my winnings in the lobby.â
As she gaped up at him he walked around the table to stand over her, so close she could feel the warmth of his body. He leaned over, his face inches from hers.
âIâve waited a long time for this,â he said softly. âBut now, at last, Bree Dalton â¦â his lips slid into a hard, sensual smile â⦠you are mine.â
Only the most innocent touch can melt their ice-cold hearts
Introducing the notoriously ruthless and devilishly sexy Princes Kasimir and Vladimir Xendzov: two brothers torn apart by the past, bitter rivals in the present.
Vladimirâs enemy is most definitely in his sightâhe canât take his eyes off her! But sheâs played her final card ⦠and he knows heâs going to win.
DEALING HER FINAL CARD
February 2013
Kasimir will consume everything in his path on his road to revenge ⦠even if the obstacle standing in his way is five feet five inches of pure desire.
A REPUTATION FOR REVENGE
March 2013
JENNIE LUCAS grew up dreaming about faraway lands. At fifteen, hungry for experience beyond the borders of her small Idaho city, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and travelled around the US, supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At twenty-two she met the man who would be her husband. After their marriage she graduated from Kent State with a degree in English. Seven years after she started writing she got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then life has been hectic, with a new writing career, a sexy husband and two small children, but sheâs having a wonderful (albeit sleepless) time. She loves immersing herself in dramatic, glamorous, passionate stories. Maybe she canât physically travel to Morocco or Spain right now, but for a few hours a day, while her children are sleeping, she can be there in her books.
Jennie loves to hear from her readers. You can visit her website at www.jennielucas.com, or drop her a note at [email protected]
Recent titles by the same author:
TO LOVE, HONOUR AND BETRAY
A NIGHT OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY RECKLESS NIGHT IN RIO THE VIRGINâS CHOICE
Did you know these are also available as eBooks?
Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
âBREE, wake up!â
A hand roughly shook Bree Dalton awake. Startled, she sat up with a gasp, blinking in the darkness.
Her younger sister was sitting on the edge of the bed. Tears sparkled on Josieâs pale cheeks in the moonlight.
âWhatâs happened?â Bree dropped her bare feet to the tile floor, ready to run, ready to fight anyone who had made her baby sister cry. âWhatâs wrong?â
Josie took a deep breath.
âI really messed up this time.â She wiped her eyes. âBut before you freak out, I want you to know itâs going to be fine. I know how to fix it.â
Rather than be comforted by this statement, Bree felt deepening fear. Her twenty-two-year-old sister, six years younger than Bree, had a knack for getting into trouble. And she was wearing the short, sexy dress of a Hale Kaânani cocktail waitress instead of their gray housekeeping smock.
âWere you working at the bar?â Bree demanded.
âStill worried about some man hitting on me?â Josie barked a bitter laugh. âI wish that was the problem.â
âWhat is it, then?â
Josie ran a hand over her eyes. âIâm tired, Bree,â she whispered. âYou gave up everything to take care of me. When I was twelve, I needed that, but now I am so tired of being your burdenââ
âIâve never thought of you that way,â Bree said, stung.
Josie looked at her clasped hands. âI thought this was my chance to pay off those debts, so we could go back to the Mainland. Iâve been practicing in secret. I thought I knew how to play. How to win.â
A chill went down Breeâs spine.
âYou gambled?â she said numbly.
âIt fell into my lap.â Josie exhaled, visibly shivering in the warm Hawaiian night. âIâd finished cleaning the wedding reception in the ballroom when I ran into Mr. Hudson. He offered to pay me overtime if Iâd serve drinks at his private poker game at midnight. I knew youâd say no, but I thought, just this once â¦â
âI told you not to trust him!â
âIâm sorry,â Josie cried. âWhen he invited me to join them at the table, I couldnât say no!â
Bree clawed back her long blond hair. âWhat happened?â