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CHAPTER ONE

SAMANTHA VAN BERGEN’S husband was ain And unfortunately, Sam knehere he was

She knehere to find him when he didn’t return home for days at a time, and she knehat to expect

Disaster

This was a battle, she thought, drawing her gray velvet cloak closer to her evening gown as she swiftly clirand Le Casino, a battle she was losing

Johann had always been a coambler but he used to win ly But he didn’t do that any

They’d already lost so s The chic penthouse The Ferrari—not that Sam had ever driven it

What was left? She wondered, cli the casino’s marble steps

In Le Casino’s VIP card rooed at his favorite table when the door to their private roolanced up, but his irritation eased as he recognized beautiful, blond Saen, or en

It was, he thought, e, stately title for such a young blushing English bride

He played his card, then looked up to watch her unfasten the top hook on her velvet cloak, letting the dove-gray velvet fabric fall back over one shoulder revealing her white evening gown beneath

She fascinated him He didn’t knohy He’d only seen her once before, but she’d o he knew he’d never forget her

The first time he’d seen her had been here, at Le Casino, as well Then, as now, he’d been sitting at the exclusive high roller tables, and then, as now, every head at the table had turned Cristiano turned, too, to see what had caught every man’s attention

No wonder every man stared