A not-so-merry widow...

The widowed Marchioness of Folkestone is notorious for her parties, her art collection, and her utter disregard for the rules. But Ellie Claiborne knows her destruction is near. The new marquess is her first lover - the man whose sculpted body and sardonic grin haunt her every time she picks up her paintbrush. If he ever returns to claim his inheritance, her heart won't survive seeing him again.

A man determined to destroy her...

Nicholas Claiborne hasn't stepped foot in England since watching Ellie marry his cousin. He has no use for the gorgeous, heartless girl who betrayed him or the title she abandoned him for. But when his business in India turns deadly, Nick must return to London to uncover a murderer - and take revenge on the woman he couldn't force himself to forget.

A love they can't escape...

Nick hates Ellie's transformation from sweet debutante to jaded seductress. Ellie despises him for leaving her behind. Still, the sparks between them reignite the passion that should have been their destiny. As their demands of each other turn darker and a potential killer closes in, they must decide whether to guard the fragile remnants of their hearts - or find a way to fall in love all over again.