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Drake took the photo.
And stared.
And knew.
A heart-shaped face of almost old-fashioned beauty, the loveliest smile in the world, and oh, a voluptuous figure that begged for a dominating man’s caress. But what really had him holding his breath was the innocent hope in her eyes—-
This girl...
No matter what life would throw at her, she was the kind who believed in the pot of gold at the end of every rainbow.
She reminded him so strongly of Yanna it made Drake swallow.
“Do you understand now?” Vilma asked. “The risk isn’t to your life. It’s to your heart.” She waited tensely for Drake to speak, secretly disliking the fact that this man was one of the few individuals she had no control over.
“I accept the job.”
She started to breathe—-
“But only if it will be on my terms.”
Vilma’s eyebrows shot up. “What terms?”
Drake’s face was impassive as he said, “I will not hide your niece from Leventis. If you entrust her in my care, I will make sure that she becomes strong enough to face him alone.”
She threw her hands up in frustration. “But can’t you see? He’s hurt her too much—-”
“And he will always hurt her through their memories if you do not allow me to help her face the truth.” Drake’s gaze strayed back towards the photo he still held in his hands. “I will not fall in love with your niece, Ms. Tanner. It’s impossible for me to fall in love with anyone. But what I can promise is that I will do my damnedest to make her fall out of love with Leventis.” And in his mind, Drake added silently, and it will happen even if it means making your niece think she is slowly falling for me instead.
Mairi
Chapter 1
Little Lake, Rhode Island
One week later
Winter had enveloped the world outside the quaint-looking cottage at the end of the road, its chilly winds forcing everyone to stay in. Within the cottage, however, was a young woman on the floor, her body bathed in sweat. She moaned.
The man observing her from the chair simply crossed his arms over his chest, unaffected. “Again.” It was just the two of them inside the room, which was bare except for the table and chair next to the window and the full-length mirror nailed to the wall across them.
Mairi Tanner couldn’t believe what she had just heard. They had been doing this for hours. She was so tired she just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. “Are you serious?”
Drake Morrison blinked innocently at her. Unlike Mairi, he looked completely relaxed, and no surprise there since she was the one who did all the work. As always, he was dressed like a preppy trust fund millionaire, a poster boy for All-American gorgeousness with his collared shirt and corduroy pants. Next to him, she felt like a dirty rag.
Mairi glared up at Drake. “You look so nice, so good, but I’m on to you now. You’re the devil in disguise!”
Drake raised a brow. “Why are you complaining about the workout? You chose this.”
“You told me you were going to help me forget! You didn’t tell me I was going to forget because you were out to kill me!”
The temptation to smile was incredible, but Drake managed to rein it in. “Then are you changing your mind about your choice of workouts?” he asked pleasantly. “The offer still stands about doing this in my bed.”
The look in Drake’s eyes made Mairi swallow. It totally unnerved her, the way Drake could be Mr. Sweet Boy Next Door one moment then turn into some mysterious and dangerous stranger the next. One moment, he’d be moving with lazy grace, a man used to a life of leisure, but the next time she blinked he had transformed into someone who seemed to have been born to move in the shadows – and a man who could make a woman cry in the dark for the most sensual reasons.
She said hastily, “You know what? I think I’m good, after all. I’m going to move again—-” She tried to get moving, but her body protested and she fell back to the floor. “—-in a minute.”
He stood up from his seat and nudged her bare leg twice with his foot until she was forced to turn over on her stomach. In an implacable voice, he said, “NOW.”
With a groan, Mairi forced her limbs to work, pushing herself up with a groan.
Arms stretched out, palms down, she slowly lowered herself down until her body was an inch from the floor. “One.” She raised herself up again, and her muscles protested anew at the effort she exerted. She lowered herself. “Two.”
“Good. Eighteen more to go.”
Without stopping her push-ups, Mairi said, “Shut up.”
Since Mairi wasn’t looking up at him, Drake allowed himself a slight smile. A week ago, the young woman on the floor had been lackluster, a fake bright smile never leaving her lips. Her dark eyes had been just as bright, telling him that she would rather commit suicide than shed another tear.
