Sold to pay a debt, but she is not anyone's pet. Lorenzo Botticelli is like royalty. His family runs this city. He is brutal, ruthless and always in control. He is not a man to be messed with. Avalie is a sassy, sarcastic woman who has spent her life learning how to fend for herself. She is not the type of woman you control. Lorenzo owns her now, sold to him to pay a debt. Avalie quickly shows him that she is not going to roll over and play nice as a hostage. A steamy battle of wills ensues as they fight to determine which of them will break first. Will it be her? Or will it be him?

She's the Capo Dei Capi's daughter. She is off-limits. Men have been lucky to only lose their hands for touching her. I might lose my life.

On my knees before him, I'm compelled to submit to Marco Barone. As king of this city, he should be bowing before me, Giancarlo Botticelli. But behind closed doors, with his perfect body towering above mine, I am powerless to my need for him once again. Poor timing has us reconnecting as war is raging through the city. In the midst of this war, my brother agreed to pay a debt to garner peace. A debt I must pay by marrying Irene Andreyev, the sister of one of our family's enemies. I will make this sacrifice for my family. I'll marry her and bind our families by blood, but only on my terms. I refuse to give up the man who fulfills my desires. She can take us both or watch this city burn.

With my sons running my empire, I should be able to enjoy my retirement in peace. All it took was a young blond wandering into my kitchen nearly naked to disrupt my routine and have me second guessing everything. I’m three times her age. She’s innocent. No matter how much I try to stay away from her, something about her calls to me. I shouldn’t want her, shouldn’t feel the incessant need to claim her as mine. But sometimes what you want and what you need are the same thing.