Born to wealth and privilege but now widowed and betrayed on the unforgiving Arizona frontier, Viola Ross finds herself forced to choose between starvation and marriage to her husbands murderer. Instead she takes a scandalous risk: to turn her back on polite society and become the mistress of sensual William Donovan. With his reputation for ruthlessness when necessary and a piercing stare that can stop a man--or melt a woman--Donovan seems fully capable of defending her with his bullwhip and Bowie knives. She has no idea what else he can do with those big, callused hands--but shes going to find out. . .

She was a dream who could destroy him. . .

Donovan is stunned by Violas offer since hes always seen her as a fairy princess far beyond the reach of any self-made Irish immigrant. Women like her might enjoy an affair with a man like him--and hes more than proven himself in that capacity--but they wouldnt suffer the scandal of becoming his wife. But how will Viola react when she discovers the darkness of his erotic hungers? And once hes sampled her shy beauty, can he bear to let her go?

Theirs was a passion on the edge. . .

As desire flares to life between Donovan and Viola, a killer watches, his lust for her turning to deadly vengeance. For his allies are the very men who once destroyed Donovans family, and this time, theyll let no Irish Devil stand in their way. . .