House of Croft, Book One
Mystery, Romance
Date Published: July 30th, 2024
The only thing more lethal than his need for revenge, is the woman who's tasked with bringing him down.
Adrian Croft dreams of quitting the shady business he stands to inherit, of settling down, and of raising a family free from a life of crime. But when tragedy strikes, this fanciful dream is destroyed. All he wants now is revenge. His anger, however, threatens to cloud his judgment, making it harder for him to recognize danger when it approaches in the form of a beautiful woman.
Trained for covert operations as part of a secret government program, Samantha Carmichael's mission is to give British law enforcement a reason to prosecute the most powerful man in the country. But when common sense and duty begin to blur, can she remain steadfast in her goal, or will her loyalties shift as she gradually loses her heart to the one man she cannot afford to love?
-One series, one couple, and the brutal challenges they must face-
If you like What Angels Fear, Silent in the Grave, and Murder on Black Swan Lake, you’ll devour Sophie Barnes’ thrilling new series.
Excerpt
C H A P T E R O N E
September, 1817
Alice Irvine hastened along the pleasure garden’s illuminated cross-walk. Fireworks popped over‐ head in vibrant displays of shimmering light while Mozart’s “Moonlight Sonata” drifted between the trees. The air was cool. Soon, the leaves would change color as summer gave way to autumn.
Alice quickened her pace. She could not be gone long before her parents noticed her absence. For now, they were preoccupied with the ballet. But like most of Vauxhall’s distractions, it offered only brief entertain‐ ment. She had to return to them before the show ended and they realized she no longer stood in the crowd of onlookers.
Up ahead, a small group of revelers rounded a corner. All were flamboyantly dressed in accordance with the masquerade theme. Their joyous mood was evident in their hoots and whistles as they drew nearer.
“Oh no,” one of the men in their midst exclaimed, his attention fixing on Alice. “A lonely shepherdess.”
Disguised as Harlequin, he pranced toward her and grasped her hand before she gauged his intention. Star‐ tled, she nearly tripped over her feet when he pulled her into a waltz.
She did her best to keep up, spinning and twirling across the path. His gaze caught hers and he laughed, enchanting her with his playfulness.
His companions cheered and clapped and one of them, a woman wearing a lavish Marie Antoinette costume, called, “Bring her along. The more the merrier.”
Alice’s dance partner slowed his movements until they came to a halt. He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
“Well?” he asked, his voice slightly muffled behind his mask. “Will you favor us with your company or must we part ways?”
“Thank you for the dance,” Alice said, “but I’m afraid it must be the latter.”
His eyes pierced hers from behind his black mask. A grin caught the edge of his mouth, concealing the brief disappointment she’d glimpsed a mere second before. “A pity.”
He released her with a flourish, executed a deep bow, and spun away, his movements fluid as he darted after his friends.
Alice breathed a sigh of relief and resumed her own progress. Hopefully the mask she wore had made her just as unrecognizable to him as he’d been to her. A soft smile curved her lips as she hastened onward. The anonymity of her encounter added a hint of exhilara‐ tion to the pleasure she felt in response to the stranger’s attention.
It also made her more eager to reach her destination where heated kisses and ardent caresses awaited.
Her heart pounded faster. She knew the danger that lurked ahead - the undeniable risk of scandal - but she couldn’t resist the thrill of meeting the man who promised her passion unlike any other.
Ever since he’d first kissed her in an alcove at the Foxhill ball, she’d welcomed every chance to be alone with him, if only for a few moments. No one had ever affected her so. He made her come alive in ways she’d never before experienced.
Inexplicably, the impropriety and the daring, the prospect of being caught, only fueled her desire for more. As did the rogue himself. The wicked words he’d whispered in her ear when last they’d met still sizzled in her veins.
Reaching a thick copse of trees, she sent a swift glance over her shoulder, then stepped off the path. Darkness closed in around her as she moved forward through the brush, but she wasn’t afraid. Instead, she welcomed the increased privacy offered by the secluded location.
Despite the heavy scent of dirt and leaves, she smelled the musky perfume of the man she’d come to meet. She could almost feel the heat of his body encom‐ passing hers, the powerful strength of his presence urging her onward.
A twig snapped and a strong arm encircled her waist, pulling her backward, flush against a masculine chest. Alice’s breath caught and her pulse leapt with increased excitement. This was one of the things she loved best about their assignations – his ability to surprise her.
“You’re finally here,” he murmured, the low vibra‐ tion of his voice sending hot little shivers straight down her spine as he drew her more firmly against his hard frame.
“Yes,” she whispered in anticipation of what would come next. If he wished to claim her in earnest this time, she’d happily let him do so.
His head dipped and his mask grazed her neck as he breathed her in. Alice moaned. Who would have thought such a tiny abrasion could feel so incredibly good? And yet it was nothing compared to the rousing sensations igniting within her when he slid his hands over her body, the intimate exploration making the passion between them burn brighter than any flame.
Heaven have mercy, she wanted more. She wanted him - needed him - more than anything else in the world. So she leaned back against his sturdy frame, and surrendered to pleasure.
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