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PROLOGUE

Eleven years previously

LIZZIE WAS ON FIRE He watched her brown eyes blaze bullets at hihteen, with flowing red hair and—controversially at this s—black leather trousers, a skimpy top, tattoos and a pierced lip He would have had to be unconscious not to want the force of nature that was Lizzie Montgomery

That didn’t change the facts This was a court of law, and he, Damon Gavros, was part of the teaistered in Greece—attending court in London He was there to support his father, as appearing as the chief prosecution witness in the case of Gavros Inc versus Charles Montgomery, fraudster

It was a shock seeing Lizzie again in court—though to say he regretted sleeping with her last night wouldn’t be true Even had he knoho she was then, the fire between them would almost certainly have led them down the same road and to hell with the consequences

They’d , when Lizzie, obviously distressed, had been refused a drink at the bar where he’d been sitting quietly in a corner, thinking about bringing to justice the man who had tried to defraud his father out of o ho her, he’d intervened Taking Lizzie back to his place, he’d plied her with coffee and they’d got talking

Lizzie was her naohter She was hot, funny, and al forward to college He was just about to leave college One thing had led to another, and noas too late to repair the mistake even had he wanted to

Just how much of a mistake he was about to discover as Lizzie’s father was taken down to the cells and he found Lizzie waiting for hie was colourful The slap came out of nowhere He supposed he deserved it

Touching his cheek, he held her blazing stare She was half his size, but when Lizzie was roused she was a firebrand—as he had discovered last night in bed

Uncaring of the crowd gathering around theed at hiht knowing this was going to happen?’

‘Calal tea a spectacle of yourself’

‘Calm myself?’ she exclaimed bitterly ‘Thanks to you, my father’s a convicted criminal!’

Charles Montgomery would always be innocent in Lizzie’s eyes As far as she was concerned the rest of the world—andout her lust the previous night—could go hang

‘And don’t look at hten me,’

‘I should hope not,’ he agreed

‘Don’t!’ she warned, deflecting him when he reached out to comfort her

In his peripheral vision he could see the Gavros securitythe spectators away, and now the head of his father’s legal tea He waved him back too Lizzie was due soe had wanted Lizzie’s father to be an exa his lead, and had handed down a prison sentence lengthy enough to shock everyone in court

‘Your father hurt a lot of people, Lizzie It wasn’t just my family that suffered—’

‘Stop it! Stop it!’ she screa her ears with her hands ‘All you care about is money!’

‘I have a faued quietly ‘And not just my family but all those people ork for our company Don’t they deserve justice too?’

‘And you’re such a saint!’ she yelled before swinging away

Guilt speared him as her shoulders heaved with silent sobs Would he have acted differently last night if he’d known this would happen? However hard he tried, he could not regret having sex with Lizzie His only thought noas to coomery was in no mood to be consoled

‘I hate you!’ she yelled as her friends came over to lead her away

The words sounded torn from her soul ‘Well, I don’t hate you,’ he called after her

Lizzie wasn’t to blame for her father’s actions, and however ht be he could understand it He felt the sa the business Charles Montgomery had almost destroyed

Damon’s father had always been keenly aware of the families who depended on him—a responsibility that would pass to Dareat man’s footsteps Lizzie didn’t know it yet, but she was another of her father’s victiuess was that by the time her avaricious stepmother had finished with her Lizzie would be out on the street

‘I’d like to help you,’ he offered

‘Helpover! Go back to your wealthy friends and your comfortable life, rich boy!’

Several more ripe epithets followed as Lizzie’s friends tried to lead her away

He would ht he’d seen that she was a wildcat with a heart of gold

‘My father’s innocent! Innocent!’ she yelled back at hith she possessed

‘Your father’s been found guilty on all counts,’ he countered hest court in this land’

Breaking free of her friends, Lizzie spun round to face hied, in a tone that was closer to an agonised howl than it was to speech ‘I’ll never forgive you for this! Do you hear me? Never!’