Yasmin Mariman admired the overhead view of the French Riviera. Hopefully, a new chapter to mark her ambitious plan. The private plane had received the go-ahead to land in Nice since there were no airports in Monaco. Instead of the helicopter ride to the principality, she opted for ground transportation to get her to Monaco.

She’d use the private limo sent on her behalf from Laurent Holdings. A private shuttle would bus her entourage to the hotel. Despite the inconvenience of no airport, she looked forward to treating this tiny principality like her private playground.

Yasmin opened a Pernod Ricard Perrier Jouet champagne bottle and poured the decadently expensive, but personalized-to-taste liquid gold into her glass. She sucked in a mouthful of champagne and let it rest on her tongue before she swallowed. Exquisite. A serene smile settled into place for the remainder of the ride. Life was about to get interesting.

The closer she got to the tiny kingdom of Monaco, the more confident she was of her vision—dig in, then take over the luxury real estate market, thereby burying her father’s friend-turned-betrayer. She swallowed another mouthful of champagne. Revenge tasted particularly sweet today.

The flight attendant prompted them to ready for landing. Yasmin was eager to comply as it brought her closer to her starting point. Her mind raced through the day’s schedule that started with meeting Dane Laurent. A sharp disappointment to be handed down to the youngest Laurent when she expected to meet the head of the clan—Philippe. Guess she’d make do with the heir to the throne for the short term.

Her vendetta was against his father.

She’d agreed to meet with the pup. He’d do until she got what she wanted. All the intel about Dane that she’d paid for now resided in her brain. The youngest of the family seem to have a natural tendency toward arrogance. And from what she’d read, the history with his brothers proved that he could be conniving, as well as loyal.

He displayed sparks of independence with his business moves to diversify Laurent Holdings away from the real estate business. Meanwhile, the aversion to anyone outside the family entering the inner circle matched his father’s tight-knit inner circle where the Laurent brothers served as advisers.

Yasmin unsnapped her make-up compact and checked her appearance in the mirror. She touched up with an additional layer of lipstick and finished with few dabs of powder to her nose and forehead to cut the sheen. If she couldn’t get to Philippe right away, she had the time and patience to plan and set ablaze his inner circle. Disrupt and destroy.

The plane descended over the Mediterranean Sea with wheels smoothly touching down. They taxied with the main airport on the left and majestic Alps in a wide arc along the horizon. Per the schedule, they’d arrived on time. Now the plane continued to the private terminal that offered its exclusive patrons necessary privacy. 

Excitement didn’t need to stir within her. She was on a constant high of adrenalin once she’d boarded the plane for Monaco. No part of this plan was sanctioned by her father. But she’d never intended to get his blessing.

Instead, she would reclaim her father’s interests, with the bonus of Philippe’s apology. This was a gift to her father. None of her brothers cared about righting wrongs. Lying down, turning the other cheek, surrendering had no place in her heart. The Mariman legacy was as important, if not more than the Laurent’s.

“Will we be going to the hotel before heading to Laurent’s headquarters?” Sheera, her assistant, asked without looking up, as she scrolled through her phone. Her thumbs moved rapidly over the tiny keyboard answering Yasmin’s emails.

“Straight to Laurent’s office. Any outstanding details about our condos should be squared away. Means that we might be at the hotel for one night.”

“I could have taken care of this without having to go through this unnecessary exercise.” Sheera wasn’t privy to the full extent of Yasmin’s plan and her frustration showed in the subtle scolding.

It wasn’t in Yasmin’s nature to need a confidante. Her assistant who had become a friend had been with her long enough to know that Yasmin preferred working on projects without too much input or sharing until progress had reached a certain point.

In this case, no one needed to know her plans or intentions until the boulder had started rolling down the mountain. She readily relied on gut instinct. Win or lose. Having any critic’s doubts rattling around in her brain couldn’t happen.

“You have a list of to do’s. No need to add this one,” Yasmin said.

“As you wish.” Sheera’s eyebrows settled low pushed down by her frown. “Will you be free for the remainder of the afternoon?”

“Not sure, I’m going off-script. But, go ahead and set up separate meetings with Bellaire and Mainard. Make sure that they will see each other as one meeting ends and the other begins.” Yasmin tapped her blood red polished nails on the armrest as she mulled over the stage she’d be setting. “And have the meetings at my hotel suite.” Yasmin hesitated over the next decision. She’d never played this close to the fire. “I might have a late-night guest. If so, I want no interruptions. I’ll let you know.”

To Sheera’s credit, her face didn’t reflect any curiosity for the guest’s identity. Her thumbs continued their mad typing as Yasmin added to the to do list.

The plane door opened and the warm temperature of Nice welcomed her. With a hand against her belly to stop the nerves, she took a few seconds to calm herself. She refused to look too hard at the reason. Everything had been planned to the smallest detail. Even her clothes choice turned into a production with her sister and Sheera weighing in. Although she couldn’t elaborate on what she needed to accomplish her small supportive network worked as a team to get her to this point. To calm herself, she tried not to second guess what she now wore.

Considering the weather and how the ensemble looked on her, she’d gone with a crisp white pantsuit. Against the soft brown of her skin, the effect was striking, as she wanted. Thanks to the genes of both parents, she was just under six feet. But she preferred the additional five inches thanks to Louboutin footwear. Per her research of Dane Laurent, she’d have two inches above him. She sucked in her lip to prevent smiling, but she looked forward to peering down at him when they met.

Yasmin stepped out of the plane and surveyed the busy atmosphere of the airport. No pomp and circumstance with her arrival. The entourage was on a commercial jet and was probably going to be stuck in the customs line for a bit. In the meantime, she’d quietly enter the country.

When the most opportune time presented itself, she’d make a splash to court the media and her colleagues in the industry that a serious player was in town.

“Anything wrong?” Sheera asked since Yasmin hadn’t budged.

“Nope. All is well.” Yasmin took an exaggerated deep breath and exhaled. “Let us proceed ahead with our invasion of Monaco.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Yasmin’s clout and diplomatic passport expedited her entry into Monaco. Beyond the restricted area, she spotted her driver who waved to her. With no sense of urgency, she approached him and introduced herself.

He offered a curt nod. “I’m Richard Salvetti. Mr. Laurent has assigned me as your driver.”

Yasmin nodded. “And you knew it was me?” He showed a photograph of her professional headshot photo displayed on his phone. “Okay. Laurent’s office, then.”

“As you wish.”

He only nodded.

Yasmin parted ways with Sheera, who would take the lead with the rest of the staff. In the meantime, she’d have a private one-on-one with Dane. By the evening, she’d meet with the smaller competitors of Laurent. It would give the impression that she considered buying out the competition. A little hiccup in the local industry pleased her, especially with Laurent Holdings sitting comfortably at the top of the heap. More than likely her strategy would be met with derision and the usual analysis about her skills.

Big mistake on their part.

Not only had she studied at the prestigious London Business School, she had interned with two of the world’s richest real estate moguls in China and Germany. Favors granted for inner sanctum access to her father. But she didn’t squander the opportunity to feed her understanding of the market’s volatility and the real estate sweet spots unfolding around the world.

It was because of her understanding of the business that her father gave her the commercial real estate division to manage. A powerful message sent to the industry, but also within the company, including her brothers who were often dismissive of her abilities.

While the men closed rank and dominated the real estate arena, many didn’t show her respect or think that she had a brain for the business. In their estimation, women with money were to be appeased and indulged or treated as the storefront for the man with the smarts.

On the surface, Monaco wasn’t on her radar except as a place to hang out and rub elbows with her Hollywood friends. The region wouldn’t add significant gains to the company’s overall assets. The field was tight with Laurent Holdings and the Grimaldi royal family holding sizeable market shares. But this was purely personal. The epic takedown would have the tremors to match the aftershock of a major earthquake. Bringing the Laurents to their knees promised to satisfy her appetite for vengeance.

She was ready to light the fuse.

The driver opened the limo’s door. As she was about to step in, she saw a partial view of a pair of legs—a man’s—outstretched and casually crossed at the ankles. She hesitated for a second before folding her body and sliding into the car’s cool interior.

“Welcome to Monaco. I’m Dane Laurent.”

He was a step ahead of her.

Yasmin stomped down on any outward reaction and took proffered hand and shook it. Firm. Steady.

“Would you care for a beverage?” His voice had a deep rich timbre that could narrate a spy thriller audiobook. His expression remained neutral, but his direct gaze didn’t fool her.

“Was actually planning to finish this. Maybe you’d like to share.” She handed over her bottle of champagne that she’d taken from the plane.

He took the bottle and poured. “I don’t drink.” He handed the glass to her but raised a water bottle in a toast. “To happy memories yet to be made.”

She sipped daintily. “I’m sure that we’ll be talking about this visit long after we’ve left your hospitality.” Both a promise and a threat.

“Marvelous.” He tilted his head back and drank from the water bottle.

His Adam’s Apple bobbed as he consumed almost half the bottle’s contents. No reason to shy away from also broadening her gaze to parts of his body that were exposed, like his neck. Thick, sturdy, and sort of perfect.

The man had size on him. Hard to miss. Wasn’t due to overdoing calories. His jacket lay across his leg. The long sleeve white shirt did little to hid the muscled planes of his chest and mass of his shoulders. The muscle corded along his neck, the sculpted masculine face that showed off the sharp angles of cheeks, forehead, and chin, and the span of the material against his arms as he moved clued her that Dane had a well-toned, athletic body.

“And thank you for the car. Very thoughtful.” She gestured toward the driver with a slight nod toward Richard.

“De Rien. You’re welcome. More champagne?”

“No. I’m satisfied.” She handed back the empty glass. Time to pay attention and whittle down on distractions.

“Since I’m sure you have a busy schedule, I thought that we’d head to the Palisades first. The property is in the northern region.” He looked at his watch. “We can have a light lunch there before the tour.”

“I’d like that.” Yasmin found that trying to avoid his piercing blue eyes was impossible. His gaze fastened on her with so much intensity that there was almost a physical hold keeping her in place.

She wasn’t the type to sink and melt into a puddle over a man’s eyes. And she wasn’t about to do so. Yet, she didn’t understand the tiniest of flickers in her belly as she continued to look deep into the crystal blue depths. She blinked to break away, to concentrate, to stop the meandering thoughts.

“Do you treat all your clients with this personal touch?” Yasmin opted for bluntness to snap loose from the connection.

“Our clients have individual requests and needs. I aim to exceed their expectations every time. Out-think them, if you will.” His mouth hitched into a half-smile that felt too automatic.

“Ah. I’m a difficult woman to pin down. Rising to my expectation might be a bit much even for you as if bored by their conversation.” She looked out the window and paid attention to the scenery.

“I suspect your past experiences may be at the feet of lesser men. And I do not belong to that category—never have and never will.”

“Then I hope you’re up for the challenge.” Yasmin looked down in her lap to conceal her true feelings that there would be one winner—her, one loser—him in his near future. Then she looked up into his eyes. This time, she readied herself for the magnetic pull. “You’ve come highly recommended, Mr. Laurent.

“As it should be. And please call me Dane.”

She nodded. “Call me Yasmin. All my friends do.” Her smile spanned the width of her face full of friendly invitation.

Friendship accepted.” He offered his hand for the second time.

Oh! This time his hand didn’t relax and release hers. Or was that her doing?

It wasn’t the car hitting a rough patch in the road. It wasn’t her champagne diet on the plane and in the car beside Dane. The tummy flip occurred so suddenly over a mere handshake that she almost burst out in giggles.

Maybe the off-kilter feel had something to do with his cologne. Subtle, woodsy, and alluring. Maybe she should stick her head out of the window to clear her brain.

The alternative—to lean over, press her body against his arm, and inhale deeply—had better appeal, though.

Why did he have to be so damn … gorgeous?

His affected casualness didn’t fool her. Although he sat back in the seat with his legs still extended and that smirk popping on and off his face, she didn’t trust him. She certainly couldn’t read him, but she had that warning ping in her gut that he wasn’t an innocent.

Shrewd eyes, hard face—serious, chiseled, and a square jaw with a right-angle dimension, and a mouth that was neither wide nor a flat line. Good looks that weakened her knees.

She bit her lip to stem the inner happy dance that his lips had body. That if kissed, there would be a good mix of firm and soft in its fullness. Damn, she needed another fucking drink.

“Would you like some water?” He leaned forward with a new bottle of water. Before she took it like a dehydrated victim, he untwisted the cap and poured it over ice in a glass. Then he handed it to her. Again, the half-smile appeared.

Sipping on the water, she dug deep for any acting skills to appear equally as calm as her host. While her reaction was a shock to her system, she didn’t need to reveal to him how much he revved her engine.

She licked her lips of the moisture from the water.

His nostrils flared. Ever so slightly. His hand stroked over his knee and gripped it. Were these signs that he wasn’t as cool and unaffected by her.

Such an idea appealed to her ego. This time her mouth hitched into half-smile.

Soon the car turned onto the Palisades property and passed through the security gates after the driver talked to the guard and swiped an access card. A short drive brought them to the front of the main doors where a doorman promptly stepped into place and opened the limo door.

Yasmin slid out and adjusted her clothing. She was grateful to be out of the confines of the car with her host. A small taste of freedom with the fresh, warm air feeling heavenly against her skin. She inhaled and closed her eyes to enjoy the moment before she reset her brain for the next phase.

“Let’s go in, shall we?” Dane’s voice startled her from behind.”

When he stepped up to her side, she joined him for the walk to the property. There was a strong chance that they’d be added to her collection of homes for the next few months.

They entered through the automatic doors and into the cool palatial lobby. The brochure didn’t do justice to the architectural beauty of the place. Art deco with a modern twist of chrome, glass, and black marble carved a half-moon-shaped reception area. Uniformed attendants wore a silver-gray ensemble that blended their presence in a seamless transition with the interior decor.

“We have one hundred units in this building. Many of the floorplans have two stories, with a few having an additional third floor. Elevators are programmed to service specific floors. This building also has an available penthouse at the top with an exclusive elevator.”

Yasmin nodded as she listened to the impressive details and amenities, but withheld any real judgment until she saw the space. “Let’s check it out.”

He pushed the button to summon the elevator and it came within seconds. The doors whooshed open and they entered.

“Security?” she asked. She knew there would be surveillance, but was interested in where it was since she didn’t see any cameras or extra staff overtly guarding the premise.

“There is a ten-person security detail. Along with cameras, there is in place other secret technology that we use to protect our clients’ interests. However, we prefer a look that is inviting rather than a formidable setting.”

“A serious breach could ruin your reputation. Have you had any issues?” She knew the answer from the reports. There had been a botched attempt over five years ago before Laurent Holdings bought the property. But she wanted to remind him of that vulnerability.

Now that got him.

Yasmin watched him bristle. The upward tick of his mouth wasn’t a smirk, but more like a grimace.

But then his expression relaxed. “Our security protocols are constantly reviewed and updated. I’d be happy to schedule a meeting with the head of our security so that customizations for your specific needs can be addressed.”

“Hmmm. We’ll see.” She had her own security detail and rarely relied on outside assistance. Her mercenaries, as she liked to call them, were well-funded, loyal, and deadly. She doubted Laurent’s security protocol or their team could outmatch hers. Her disdain pretty much said so.

The doors opened and Yasmin stepped out into a small hallway. Only four units shared this set of elevators.

“This way.” Dane walked ahead and opened one of the doors. Taking her time to walk through, she paid attention to the details that mattered to her. Confined floorplans with too much structure didn’t appeal to her. One room should lead into the other without walls and other contrived obstructions.

Her footsteps clicked against the polished faux wood floor. Persian area rugs anchored the center point of each room. She didn’t have to touch the fibers, scrutinize the pattern, and coloring to know they were of high quality.

“The property is ten years old built to accommodate the resurgence in popularity of the Cannes Festival, car racing, and the annual regattas. People can’t get enough of Monaco. It’s one of our first investments. Initially, we only planned to run not manage properties. But, here we are.”

“Very interesting. I just need a pit stop for the summer but mainly for my staff, you understand.”

“Maybe a member of your staff should have been the one to see the property.”

“Not if I’m paying for it. Besides, wouldn’t want them getting bamboozled and given a shitty property.” She turned slowly in the room. “Not that you have shitty property.”

“Nor do I bamboozle anyone.”

“And with such pristine reputation, of course, you wouldn’t.” Her wide smile was meant to agitate.

He didn’t respond, instead continuing with the tour. His presentation left out no unnecessary details but lacked any further inviting charm. She wondered how long he’d stay tensed and out of sorts. Toying with him revealed which buttons to push or linger over for her enjoyment.

“Here’s a remote to darken the window to your preference.” He pointed to the device that was within reach of her hand.

Yasmin tested it on the window darkening it a smidgen. “A good feature for when I walk around nude. You wouldn’t believe the complaints from sanctimonious hypocrites in other places I live. You’d think they never saw tits and ass before.” Yasmin had no compulsion to attain Laurent’s admiration. This wasn’t the normal business deal. She was willing to disrupt by any means necessary. And the rugged sexiness that Dane possessed appealed to her in more ways than she could’ve imaged.

“Maybe it’s your particular assets that caused the consternation rather than the general idea of privacy.” His accusation left her wondering if he held any appreciation of said assets. It would be a pity if he didn’t have the matching tingling bit of excitement from standing next to him. Not that she needed his approving nod. But she was used to men seemingly dissolving in her wake. A boost to the ego.

“Think I’m going to like it here,” she declared.

“You will.”

“A personal guarantee?” She bit her bottom lip as her flirtatious cue.

“Absolutely.”

“However, these condos are more suited for my staff. It would never do for me.” She closed the gap between them. “I want a condo befitting a billionaire.” She paused and sniffed at the stylish apartment. “Can you handle that order?”

Without as much as a blink, he said, “This was the appetizer.”

“Well, then I’m ready for the main course.” And with you as part of that meal.

Crossing the line with the devilishly handsome Laurent hadn’t been in the plan at all. But for her enjoyment, she certainly would add him to the menu.