Coming Soon - Sebastian: Cambridge Book 3

Extract from the end of Book 2 - Sebastian

Lord Sebastian Cambridge was on a winning streak. If truth be told, he had been on one for most of his life. As he sat around the gentlemen's club with his winning hand held close to his chest, he knew he was about to win every last penny the gullible lordlings had at their disposal. He had watched it all before—the signs, the tells of whether men had a good hand or a bad one. The sweating of the brow and loosening of a cravat. The flinches and the grimaces. He was a master at reading the subtle nuances of each target. Up for grabs were the deeds to a vast estate that was not entailed, a large sum of money from another who had made his fortune overseas, and yet another who had gold stocks and bonds. Sebastian was not greedy, but he wanted it all. Every last farthing.

He also knew this was personal, as he had slept with a woman all these men wanted. Kept her satisfied, and then for some reason they hated him on sight. But he was not here to mix business with pleasure. He was here to right an old wrong. He was here to ruin them completely.

As Sebastian sat cockily, knowing that it was suddenly dawning on the men they were about to lose everything, he remained calm and showed no emotion other than a slight frown of concern. He had feigned disinterest and played them the entire night.

As he waited patiently for Lord Buckley to decide on his next move, a server placed a fresh glass of brandy at his side and moved around the table refreshing the gentlemen's drinks. Thinking nothing of it, and rather impatient to end the game, gather his winnings and leave, Sebastian decided he might as well have one final glass as he waited. He lifted the glass only to see a flash of a dark blue dress beside him before a serving woman walking past tripped and inadvertently knocked the glass out of his hand. The contents spilled all over the table as the men shouted at the disturbance.

She hastily righted herself, apologized profusely for her clumsiness to the table at large, and then it happened. While his card players were distractedly scowling and shouting at her, she reached back and tucked a note into Sebastian's sleeve. He glanced up just as she turned and gave him a meaningful look. Sebastian nodded and tried hard not to openly stare because her eyes—dark, captivating, and piercing—held him transfixed, and then she was gone as if he had just imagined her. His survival instinct warned him not to give her away or turn in her direction.

Instead, he surreptitiously drew the paper from his sleeve, turned it over in his palm, and read the words, "Do not drink the brandy." His blood ran cold, but he retained a bored expression as he slipped it into his pocket and glanced around the table. Noting the other two looked most put out, but it was Lord Buckley who looked especially livid. Sebastian realized it was time to end this once and for all and take his leave. He would need to take extra precaution from here on as he called out to several friends to join him for a nightcap at his home. Safety in numbers, so to speak.

Lord Buckly looked furious, and Sebastian knew the game had just changed. He could no longer trust his own safety. And when he had time to regroup, he was determined to find the woman who had just saved his life because whether she knew it or not, she had just gained a marker, and he always paid his debts.

***

Blurb

In the glittering ballrooms of Regency England, Sebastian Cambridge is a man of many faces. A rakish gentleman known for his devastating good looks and disarming charm, he is the envy of men and the object of many women's desires. Sebastian's reputation as a notorious card sharp and womanizer precedes him, with wealthy widows and high-stakes gamblers alike falling prey to his cunning. Arrogant and brash, Sebastian believes he is untouchable—until he meets an intriguing and determined woman seemingly immune to his charms.

Devastated by her friend's murder, Olivia Price, a woman of Caribbean and English ancestry is on a relentless quest for justice. Disguising herself as a servant in a notorious gentleman’s gaming club, she infiltrates high society in search of the killer. In this clandestine role she crosses paths with Sebastian inadvertently saving his life.

As their worlds collide, an unexpected and fiery alliance forms, sweeping them from the opulent splendor of London's elite gatherings to the dark, perilous corners of the city's underbelly. Amidst danger and treachery, they must navigate their growing feelings and unravel a web of secrets that threatens to destroy them both. If they survive they may just discover that the greatest gamble of all is falling in love.

Content Warning: Not suitable for persons under 18. It contains mature content.