Italy, 1492.A ruthless mercenary skilled in the art of conquest. An heiress who refuses to be tamed. The Devil's own bargain . . . Cara di Montessori has a price upon her head. Her traitorous uncle has murdered her father and seized her home. Her only hope of survival, and of regaining her birthright, is an alliance with her childhood nemesis, the infamous mercenary Il Diavolo. The most irritating - and seductive - man Cara's ever met.Battle hardened and world-weary, Alessandro del Sarto has earned the sobriquet Il Diavolo. He needs a politically expedient marriage to secure the lasting peace he craves,but the simpering ladies of court hold little interest. More than anything, he longs for a challenge.Headstrong beauty Cara has always been Il Diavolo's only weakness, the one woman he's never been able to forget. When she appears at his door begging for help, the two strike a devil's bargain. In return for his assistance, for two weeks Cara must entertain his guests, relieve his boredom - and warm his bed. Cara has no intention of succumbing to del Sarto's studied seduction, but the passion that simmers between them is more potent than her paper twists of gunpowder. Surrounded by danger and intrigue, she must choose between what she's always thought of as her destiny, and what could be the greatest prize of all - her heart's desire.