Vivienne Cartwright can have anything she wants in life except for the man she loves. She chases it only to find herself crashing down after the ultimate high. Oliver Yates doesn't seem to be the man she's loved all these years and his secrets are as dangerous as they are heartbreaking. Time and distance may heal her but they can't free her. Securing a future with Vivienne cost Oliver his soul, a price too high for the girl who'd saved it years ago when tragedy nearly ripped it away from him. Without anything else to offer but the mere scraps left of himself, Oliver makes one last bargain to win back the woman who became the everything out of his nothing. With the stakes higher than they ever were and the rules of the game changing as they go all in, will these two find their way back or will a mysterious hand tear them apart forever? *Second book in the Cobalt Bay Billionaires series.* *** Copyright © 2016 by Nina Tippett. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Nina Tippett. This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Images, music and videos used in any of the multi-media content posted in this story are the sole property of their respective owners unless otherwise noted. Cover art photo purchased from Shutterstock and edited by the author. ***

"Make me better." His lips curled into a smirk, his eyes moving over her sculpted body. "But, sweetheart, you're already perfect." If it weren't for her pounding heart, she would have rolled her eyes and replied with a snide remark. But instead, she said, "Make me irresistible. Make me someone better so he wants me." He lifted a brow, using his long index finger to considerably stroke his jaw. "Then it wouldn't be you he'd want. You'd be someone beneath you." "I don't care," she found herself saying. "I just want someone to look at me the way everyone looks at you - like you're something they want." He deeply sighed, nodded his head then turned away from her before saying, "We'll have to eventually break you in then, sweetheart. No one wants an inexperienced lover."

"Look at you," he said, throwing a strand of brunette hair over the girl's shoulder, "reading that romantic nineteenth century crap." Serena instantly cowered away from the man and fought herself not to look up. "It's twentieth century, and I'm reading this for school." Theo's mouth popped opened to form the perfect O shape. Then out of the blue he asked, "Are you a virgin?" "No," she surprised him by saying. She hadn't even missed a beat. "That's a shame."

"How long have you worked here?" Logan felt her heart slam against her chest as he approached, closing the distance between them. "A few weeks. I was here... We spoke..." "You're the servant who walked in on me," Nicholas said, his lips curling into a smirk. "Yes, that was me." Logan gasped when his hands wrapped around her wrists. "What are you doing, Mr. Wilder?" "Next time you walk into my room like that, I'll bend you over and show you what a real punishment is." She couldn't breathe. She didn't even dare as he released her then stalked away as if he had not just threatened her.

"What are you doing here?" Theo tucked his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "I don't know." "You're lying." "Of course I am," he said, glancing down at the furious woman. "I wouldn't hop on a plane for no reason. I can't stand being apart from you, Serena." "Our last conversation doesn't convince me of that." She turned in her chair to avoid his gaze and stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest. "Is this it for us, Theo?" "What do you mean?" She took a deep breath and fought the cry that threatened to escape her. "Is this where we decide we're finished trying?"

"What am I doing?" Adeline pushed the weight of his body off of her and huffed out a heavy breath. "Don't think," he said, tracing her bottom lip with his damped finger. "I'm cheating on my husband." "You're taking revenge." She shook her head, unconvinced. "It doesn't make me any better than him." "You're so much better than him," he whispered, caressing her cheek. "You deserve so much better, too. Leave him, babe." "And go where, Will?" "Anywhere," he suggested. "With me."

"Pregnant," he said, the word rolling off his tongue. "Yes, Mr. Devereux, I am pregnant with your child." She cast her eyes down at her nails to avoid his intense hazel eyes. "Anyway, you don't even remember me. I just thought you should know. Goodbye." Oh, yes, he remembered this one. She had been a challenge, and when he finally stumbled into bed with her, he didn't ever want to stop his deep thrusting or the desperate movements of her hands in his hair, pulling him closer until they came together. "Olivia," he said, drawing out her name the same way he had during their passionate night. "I want my child. Give me proof it's mine so I can take this predicament off your hands." She laughed at the insensitive man. "How dare you have the nerve to call my child a predicament? There is nothing unpleasant about the blood I carry. Goodbye, Mr. Devereux, and I hope you rot in hell."

"Why Connor?" Camilla couldn't look him in the eye. She was already lying to everyone else, and although Stephen was just another person to lie to, it was harder. "He just makes me happy." "He used to tease you. You'd come crying to me," Stephen said with the shake of his head. "Suddenly you're in love, and you want to marry my brother." "Things have changed. We're adults now." He scoffed. "But instead of reaching out to me like an adult you accept his proposal." "He and I are together," she told him. "I'm sorry, Stephen."

He stepped toward her, lifted her chin in his hand and opened his mouth, but words wouldn't come out. "Connor..." "You could have been wearing something a lot similar to this while reciting your vows to Stephen." He wanted to sew his mouth shut when he saw the look of horror on her face. He had said something terribly wrong. "I forgot for a moment that you two are just friends and he gave you up because I love you so damn much." The dress was suddenly too much to bear. It weighed heavy on her, and the tiara on her head had her scalp crawling with beads of sweat. The lace on the gown made her entire body itch while the blinding white material burned her eyes to tears. "Get this off of me," she cried, desperately reaching for the zipper. A white dress and a jealous boyfriend were not included when she joined the agency.