Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
I was desperate. I arrived in Vegas to dance as a ballerina, but the ballet company went kaput before I even unpacked my bags. Whoops! Desperate for money, I began playing high stakes poker at casinos on the Strip.
But I’ve never met an opponent like Patrick O’Lachlan. The alpha male is tall and dominant, with a smirk on those mobile lips that make me want to kiss him and smack him at once. He’s got broad shoulders that fill out a tux, a muscled chest, and thick thighs resembling tree trunks.
Most of all, he has a snake so long and powerful that my mouth went dry ...
Yes, I saw it.
Yes, I almost lost my concentration at the poker table.
Yes, I want to win ... as long as the game ends with me on my knees, panting and mewling as Mr. O’Lachlan feeds me the prize!
I’ve always had a thing for strong-willed beauties but when Ashley Finnegan sits down at the high rollers table, I almost laugh. The beautiful blonde can’t be a day over eighteen. Yet I’m entranced by her intelligence, saucy smile and lush curves. She flaunts her body like it’s an asset ...
... which of course it is.
Even worse, Ashley bet her curves in a high-stakes gamble, intending to win the hand ...
... but I won instead.
Like I warned you, sweet girl, don’t bet against a billionaire because now, those curves belong to me...
…and I fully intend to claim what’s MINE.
Can you say clean sweep? Ashley’s a young woman living by her wits on the glittery streets of Vegas, when her composure is swept away by a ruthless billionaire from abroad. Patrick O’Lachlan is cunning, dominant, and he knows when to strike ... with Ashley as his prize! Hunker down for a steamy, breathtaking tale of romance and intrigue which includes handsome European playboys, innocent young virgins, and even a soaring castle in the Emerald Isle. It’s time to indulge in your wildest fantasies, so click “Read” now! No cheating, no cliffhangers, and always a happy ending for my readers
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
Patrick
“Patrick, pleeeease,” my little sister whines. “I really need your opinion!”
I barely look up from my phone.
“Ainsley, that shit doesn’t interest me, and you know it. I’ve never been interested in fashion, and especially not purses. That kind of fuckery is for society ladies. I’m not even sure why I’m at this boutique.”
My little sister rolls her eyes at my foul language, even if it doesn’t bother her. She’s exasperated at my behavior, and I can feel it rolling off her in waves.
“It’s because the salesladies are so much nicer when you’re in the store. When I’m here alone, they practically treat me like Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman. And that’s before Richard Gere shows up. They look at me like I’m a whore who should be run out of town as quick as possible, and who’s leaving germs on their wares.”
That makes my head snap up.
“Are you serious? Is that actually happening?”
Ainsley rolls her eyes.
“Okay, so no. It’s not that bad. They don’t treat me like garbage because salespeople are well-trained these days, especially if they work for high-end designers. But I do get better service if you’re here, Paddy, and it’s because you’re so handsome and charming with the salesladies,” she wheedles. “They practically faint when you’re in the vicinity, and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them asks you out on a date by the time we’re done shopping.”
I shoot my younger sister an unamused look, but Ainsley grins right back, totally unashamed. This time, it’s me who rolls my eyes because why do siblings have to be so fucking annoying? Then again, maybe we’re not related because Ains looks nothing like me. Whereas I have dark hair, a bronzed complexion, and flashing black eyes, my younger sister has red hair, pale skin, and green irises. I suppose I could be classified as “Black Irish,” whereas Ainsley has the fair complexion and ruddy tresses common to the Emerald Isle.
Still, we are related (as far as I know) and it’s my job to take care of Ains. After our parents died, I became my sister’s guardian and it wasn’t too bad at first. She was a child and trusted me one hundred percent. But then, Ainsley hit her teenage years, and can I just say I deserve an award for the shit I’ve put up with? Don’t get me wrong because I love my sister. But the combination of hormonal, boy-crazy behavior and an uncanny ability to push my buttons would make any man lose his shit. Again, I can hardly believe I’m in a women’s boutique at this moment, waiting on my ass while she shops.
I take a deep breath before staring at my sister, eyes like daggers.
“You tell me if the salesladies are rude,” I say in a terse tone. “I’ll have a word with management about it.”
Ainsley laughs merrily, her chubby cheeks still child-like.
“You’re not going to have a word with management, Patrick. You’re going to tear this place apart! Figuratively, of course. You’re going to buy every outpost in this chain, and then bankrupt them. Everyone here is going to lose their jobs, and all because they got on the wrong side of an angry Irishman.”
I nod sardonically because it’s true. I’ve been CEO of our family business, O’Lachlan Distillery, since I was twenty and I run the joint with an iron fist. My hard work put our lagers onto the map, and we’ve branched into a chain of microbreweries that have seen international success. People don’t just drink Guinness anymore. They reach for O’Lachs, and we’re currently in the process of getting our bottled beers into U.S. stores. Once we corner the American market, who knows what comes next? I have an itch for total world domination, and more than likely than not, I’ll succeed.
But getting here wasn’t easy. I was an untested boy when I took the reins at O’Lachs, and it was hell on Earth for the first couple years. Don’t get me wrong because my parents, Marty and Luanne, left us with a thriving family business, and I had trusted advisors counseling me from the start. But I had to learn the ropes overnight, and the transformation from college boy into cunning businessman was rough.
But ultimately, the hard work paid off, and the company’s experienced astonishing growth and unparalleled success in the last twenty years. People in the Emerald Isle have always been familiar with our shamrock logo, but now, all of Europe knows us. My first million was made at twenty-five, and I’ve never let up. In fact, I’m not even sure why I’m still grinding so fucking hard because I have good people working for me, and they’re more than capable of handling our U.S. expansion. There’s no need to bust my ass like a rookie who needs to prove his worth.