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Now, do read on for that sneak peek of Duke with a Lie I promised…
Duke with a Lie
As heartless as he is handsome, Aubrey Villiers, the Duke of Richford, has perfected the art of not caring one whit about anything except his pursuit of pleasure. His past is as dark as his moods, and the rumors about his curious carnal needs would make any proper innocent miss swoon.
Lady Rhiannon Northwick, however, is anything but proper. And as for her innocence? She has a plan in mind to rid herself of that rather nettlesome inconvenience. Infiltrating the sinful house party hosted by her older brother is easy. Seducing his good friend, the brooding Duke of Richford, proves far more difficult.
Although Richford may be a conscienceless rake, he isn’t about to deflower the stubborn hellion who tempts him at every turn, regardless of how badly he wants to. Rhiannon, who has long harbored a secrettendrefor the duke, is equally determined to change his mind.
Torn between his demons, his loyalties, and the last woman on earth he should desire, Richford is faced with an impossible choice—sever all ties with Rhiannon for her own sake, or risk the deadly past repeating itself once again.
Chapter One
Aubrey Villiers,seventh Duke of Richford, had committed an untold number of sins in his life, all of which would be responsible for one day sending him to Hades where he belonged. It was glaringly apparent, given the most unfortunate and present state of his cock, that he was about to add one more to the ever-growing compendium—lusting after his close friend’s virginal younger sister.
Lady Rhiannon Northwick was a gorgeous, annoying hellion, and one day, some man would have the colossal fortune of bedding her. But that man would not be—could not be—Aubrey. There seemed no better occasion for reminding himself of that than as he dragged the troublesome minx from a game of naughty charades at a country house party where she decidedly hadnotbeen invited.
“What do you think you are doing, sirrah?” she growled at himsotto voce, tugging at her arm in an effort to escape.
She wasn’t going to escape him, however. He was stronger than she was. Wiser than she was. Far more jaded than she was. And he was more determined than she was, too.
Aubrey pulled her down the hall in search of an empty private salon. “Rescuing you, little naif.”
As much as the villain in him would have dearly loved to continue watching her parade her saucy curves about whilst she pretended to be a wanton shepherdess in desperate need of a sound shag, he knew better.
He very much doubted she even understood what the phrasein need of a shagmeant. The urge to show her was strong, which was more proof of just how bloody evil he was. Depraved to his core.
Aubrey paused at a closed door and knocked loudly, issuing a stern rap of his knuckles on the paneled mahogany. When no answer came, he turned the latch, only to find a couple within, the woman bent over a settee, skirts and petticoats up to herwaist, whilst her gentleman friend rammed his cock into her with furious abandon from behind.
“Damn it,” he muttered, slamming the door and turning to scowl at his unwilling companion. “You didn’t see that, did you?”
“See what?” she asked, pouting. “This is outrageous. You must unhand me and allow me to return to the games at once. I demand it.”
“Oh, youdemandit, do you?” Chuckling darkly, he found the next room blessedly empty and crossed the threshold, pulling her with him.
“Yes, I do.” She tossed her head in defiance, and her unbound golden curls shook with indignation, emphasizing the unparalleled beauty of her hair. “You are treating me as if I’m a piece of furniture, and I do not appreciate it.”
“A piece of furniture wouldn’t find a way of stealing into a house party for which she received no invite, my lady.” He snapped the door closed and locked it, pocketing the key before he turned back to her, releasing his hold on her arm at last.
Which was just as well, for he was far too tempted to jerk her luscious form into his chest and kiss that sulking mouth of hers.
“Of course I was invited,” she lied, blue eyes blazing from behind her mask. “Why else would I be here?”
“Because you are a wayward hoyden.” He crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed.
The hellion had found herself in many scrapes over the years since she’d made her debut in society. But sneaking into an impending orgy was rather bold, even by her astounding standards.
“You do not even know me,” Rhiannon huffed. “I am masked.”
Of course he knew her. God, how well he knew her. And how he wished he knew her better, but that was a damned stupid thought his puerile prick wanted him to entertain. Aubrey’s half-cockstand didn’t know that touching Lady Rhiannon Northwick was the rough equivalent of consuming a platter of poisonous wild mushrooms. The rest of him, however, was too intelligent for such tomfoolery.
He cocked his head now, considering her, trying to keep his gaze from the lush breasts her scandalously cut gown put on proud display. “How charmingly innocent. You truly supposed that donning a scrap of silk would shield you well enough, didn’t you?”
A flush crept over her throat, giving her away. “Everyone else is masked as well.”
“The illusion of anonymity pleases some more than it does others,” he offered with a careless shrug.
