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‘I make it a point not to credit rumours, but it seems in this instance the rumours are true, Sasha Fleming. ’

The way he said her name—slowly, with a hint of his Latin intonation—made goosebumps rise on her flesh. ‘What exactly do you think you know about me?’

‘Sex is your weapon of choice. ’

‘I beg your pardon?’ she squeaked as the backs of her legs touched the side of the bed. ‘Did you just say—?’

‘You need to learn to finesse your art, though. No man likes to be bludgeoned over the head with sex. No matter how … enticing the package. ’

‘You’re either loopy or you’ve got me confused with someone else. I don’t bludgeon and I don’t entice. ’

He kept coming. She leaned back on the bed and felt the hem of her shirt riding up her thighs.

‘For goodness’ sake, stop!’

He stopped, but his gaze didn’t. It continued its destructive course over her, leaving no part of her untouched, until Sasha felt sure she was about to combust from the heat of it.

Desperate, she darted out her tongue to lick her lips. ‘Look, I’m not who … whatever you think I am. ’

‘Even though I can see the evidence for myself?’ he rasped in a low voice.

About the Author

MAYA BLAKE fell in love with the world of the alpha male and the strong, aspirational heroine when she borrowed her sister’s Mills & Boon^® at age thirteen.

Shortly thereafter the dream to plot a happy ending for her own characters was born. Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon is a dream come true. Maya lives in South East England with her husband and two kids. Reading is an absolute passion, but when she isn’t lost in a book she likes to swim, cycle, travel and Tweet!

You can get in touch with her via e-mail,

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

is Maya’s debut book

for Mills & Boon^® Modern™ Romance!

The Price

of Success

Maya Blake

First and foremost for my dear sister, Barbara, who

gave me the book that started this wonderful journey.

For my husband, Tony, for his unwavering support

and firm belief that this dream would become reality.

For my HEART sisters—your incredible support

kept me going right from the beginning—thank you!

And finally for my darling MINXES!

You are the best cheerleaders a girl can have

and I’d be totally lost without you.

CHAPTER ONE

THE moments before the crash played out almost in slow motion. Time paused, then stretched lethargically in the Sunday sun. And even though the cars were travelling at over two hundred and twenty kilometers an hour, there seemed an almost hypnotic, ballet-like symmetry in their movement.

Sasha Fleming stared, frozen, her heart suspended mid-beat, terrified to complete its task as Rafael’s front wing clipped the rear tyre of the slower back marker. Hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of carbon fibre bent backwards, twisted in on itself. Ripped metal tore through the left tyre, wrenching the car into a ninety-degree turn.

The world-renowned racing car launched itself into the air. For several brief seconds it looked more like a futuristic aircraft than an asphalt-hugging machine.