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A Virgin for His Prize
LUCY MONROE
Her awakening: San Francisco heiress Romi Grayson has only had a taste of Maxwell Black’s addictive brand of seduction, and she knows she should stay away… especially having discovered just how determined he is to possess her!His proposal: Max prides himself on always being in control, yet somehow Romi sneaked under his cast-iron defences then walked away. Now he is driven to finish what they started…The ultimate prize! This Russian tycoon will stop at nothing, even blackmail, to have Romi warm and willing in his bed. And her innocence will make his long-awaited possession all the sweeter…Discover more at www.millsandboon.co.uk/lucymonroe
“What don’t you want me to do, Romi, my sweet virgin?”
Why did those words sound so hot in Max’s voice?
“Turn you on? You weren’t complaining a second ago.”
She couldn’t deny it. Wasn’t sure she wanted to, even if she could. “Neither were you.”
But he’d stopped and she hadn’t even thought to try. Darn him.
“No, and I never will.”
Why did he have to say things like that? Things that could make her hope when hope and this man did not go together. “We still want different things.”
“Are you so sure? If I hadn’t stopped you would have let me take you, here and now.”
He was talking about sex when she was referring to a relationship. And he knew it. “Do you get some thrill out of reminding me of my own weakness?”
“It’s not a weakness, milaya.”
Lucy Monroe’s
RUTHLESS RUSSIANS
Passion is in their blood
As boys, they came from Russia to America to make their fortunes. Now formidable opponents in the boardroom, Viktor Beck and Maxwell Black are about to make the biggest acquisitions of their lives by marrying two of San Francisco’s most notorious heiresses! Beneath their suave American exteriors beat the passionate hearts of fearsome Cossack warriors—and their intended brides are about to give them the battle of their lives!
In AN HEIRESS FOR HIS EMPIRE
October 2014
A tabloid sex scandal means Viktor Beck can put his plan in motion and marry heiress Madison Archer—the key to taking over her father’s business and building his empire. But even this ruthless Russian is not prepared for his wild bride to be a virgin!
In A VIRGIN FOR HIS PRIZE
November 2014
Formidable CEO Maxwell Black is about to make his ultimate acquisition—socialite Romi Grayson! She has something he wants, and his need for control—in all areas—means he won’t rest until his ring is on her finger and the innocent Romi is warm and willing in his bed!
A Virgin for His Prize
Lucy Monroe
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
LUCY MONROE started reading at the age of four. After going through the children’s books at home, she was caught by her mother reading adult novels pilfered from the higher shelves on the bookcase… Alas, it was nine years before she got her hands on a Mills & Boon
romance her older sister had brought home. She loves to create the strong alpha males and independent women who people Mills & Boon
books. When she’s not immersed in a romance novel (whether reading or writing it), she enjoys travel with her family, having tea with the neighbours, gardening, and visits from her numerous nieces and nephews.
Lucy loves to hear from her readers:
email LucyMonroe@LucyMonroe.com (mailto:LucyMonroe@LucyMonroe.com), or visit www.LucyMonroe.com (http://www.LucyMonroe.com)
In honor of The Gathering Place and the two amazing families who have created this wonderful sanctuary they so generously share with those blessed enough to call them both friend and family. I have never written a book in a more peaceful and love-filled environment. Thank you!
Contents
Cover (#u51864100-ba66-54eb-974d-822292c6980a)
Introduction (#ub0923b64-515a-5537-bd04-d91691e8337e)
Ruthless Russians (#ue6e38a3b-2c6b-5dff-a290-e1d1b75bfb7d)
Title Page (#ubed15358-6389-5f72-add0-3983037a5c8e)
About the Author (#ue5dda472-824f-588a-9ceb-38aa43fe3872)
Dedication (#u95c4e786-c355-5f73-b16a-650c682c8677)
Contents (#ube4ff64e-9235-5b36-962e-4120a7426697)
CHAPTER ONE (#ue41541db-b32b-5016-b6a6-6162e25af743)
CHAPTER TWO (#u19e6db17-27f0-59c6-852e-1468b410bc66)
CHAPTER THREE (#u02be96cc-0e8e-57b1-a740-70bc593e3ba5)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_ce5c5917-689a-5ae8-8eb4-8c224b262578)
FURY FIGHTING WITH the pain of betrayal, Romi Grayson set her phone down on the table beside her with careful movements. The temptation to throw the mobile device across the room was staggering.
That lying, manipulative, opportunistic tycoon!
Maxwell Black had made it very clear to Romi that he wasn’t in the market for a long-term relationship, but that hadn’t meant he wasn’t interested in something else. His generosity in and out of bed with his lovers had been the fodder for gossip for years. As were the unexpectedly amicable breakups.
Max had promised Romi sexual pleasure beyond the scope of her imagination.
He’d said she would be the sole focus of his interest.
Until he was done with her.
The über-wealthy tycoon-playboy had offered Romi absolute fidelity with a time limit.
She’d walked away.
From the promise. From the possibilities. From the certainty of a broken heart.
They’d only dated a few times, but he’d sparked a depth of emotion in her that was both immediate and frightening. Terrifying for its intensity, Romi had had no doubts that she wouldn’t survive a breakup down the road with her heart intact.
Walking away after their short, almost platonic association had been painful enough. Almost being the operative word. Max had given Romi her first taste of sexual pleasure with a partner.
Awed by the sensations he evoked, she’d been close to giving in to Max’s offer.
Ultimately, she’d had no choice, though. Not with his attitude.
For all her “free-spirited” ways, Romi was a traditionalist at heart. She wanted a home, a family and the man she loved to be looking at the future, not the expiry date on their relationship.
That same man had been prepared to marry Romi’s sister-by-choice, Madison Archer.
For a payoff!
Shares in Archer International Holdings and the prospect of taking over when Jeremy Archer retired had tempted Maxwell Black to break his “no commitments” rule.
The mercenary cad.
It was an old-fashioned word, but man, it fit.
“Ramona!” Her dad’s wavering call came from the den he spent most of his time in these days.
He only made it into the office about two days a week, his longtime director of operations running Grayson Enterprises in everything but name.
Some might have expected Romi to take over the family business, but not her dad. Harry Grayson had always made it clear he expected his daughter to follow her own dreams.
Filtered sunlight from the single window on the north side cast the den in gray light. Her father sat on the sofa facing the dark screen of a wall-mounted big-screen television. The highball glass in his hand was empty but for a couple of ice cubes. Bloodshot, red-rimmed hazel eyes testified to the fact it hadn’t been empty for long, or often in the past hours.
She walked forward and took the glass from his unresisting fingers. “It’s only afternoon, Daddy. You don’t need this.”
There was a time when he hadn’t picked up a drink with alcohol in it before the cocktail hour. He’d drunk steadily from that point so that he went to bed every night so inebriated, walking up the stairs was a danger.
But the drinking hadn’t gone on during the day.
Over the past few years, the drinking had gotten worse while she was away at school. Her father now started at lunchtime with a glass of wine that often became a bottle.
But drinking hard liquor this early in the day was still something new.
Recognition took seconds to register in his rheumy gaze. “Ramona.”
“Yes, Daddy. You called me.” Something he never would have done sober.
Graysons did not do common things like shout through the house for one another. They used the intercom system.
But Harry Grayson didn’t look in any shape to cross the room to the intercom. His brows drew together in an exaggerated effort at concentrating. “I did?”
“Yes, Daddy, you did.”
He looked with confusion around the room, like the answer might leap out at him. “I think I lost the remote.”
Romi bent down and picked up the small electronic device from the floor at his feet. “Here it is.”
“Oh, thank you.” He frowned. “It’s not working.”
She swiped her hand on the screen and spoke the command to turn the TV on. The sound of afternoon news commentary filled the room from the surround-sound speakers.
“It’s working just fine.”
“Wouldn’t turn on for me,” her father slurred.
She wasn’t surprised. The remote was programmed to take voice instruction with recognizable commands, not speech blurred by alcohol.
“You look upset, kitten.”
That was the thing about her dad. Even with his brain pickled by too much drink, he cared about her. He paid attention. She had no trouble remembering that even drunk, her dad was twice the father than a man like Maddie’s dad could ever hope to be.
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” He was careful to enunciate every word.
