He's renowned for his swordsmanship—and his relentless pursuit of his desires...

Once a starveling bootblack, Christien Lenoir has risen to become the sword master known as the Falcon.

When a desperate gambler stakes his plantation in a late-night card game, sharp-eyed Christien places his bet. He wants River's Edge—and the tempestuous widow whose birthright it is. The only way for Reine Cassard Pingre to keep her beloved home is to accept Christien's bold proposal of marriage. Their union is electrifying, but the honeymoon may be cut short by the lurid secrets at the heart of River's Edge...