Master of Fortune

The music stopped, but he scarcely noticed. The crowd applauded, and in the back of his mind Henry realized that he’d found the first group he’d sign to the Everest Records label. But, he thought, he’d also found something else.

Astrid watched him with those big brown eyes of hers, and he leaned in and kissed her. He didn’t think about consequences or warnings. Didn’t think about winning or business. Just thought that this woman was temptation incarnate and he was tired of denying himself.

Astrid Taylor is a girl who’s made some bad choices when it comes to love. She lost her last job after a disastrous office romance, and the last thing she wants is to find her new boss attractive. But Henry Devonshire is the kind of man who can shake even the strongest resolve, and he does for Astrid.

Henry Devonshire was born into scandal. One of three illegitimate heirs born to Malcolm Devonshire in the same year, he’s always been hounded by the media. His mother is ’70s pop sensation Tiffany Malone. So Henry’s not a man who has a conventional set of morals. The fact that Astrid is technically off-limits makes her all the more appealing to the former rugby star.

Their romance is really, at the heart, about two people who have been searching for acceptance of who they are. They fall in love not because of their differences but in spite of them.

I hope you enjoy the first book in the DEVONSHIRE HEIRS miniseries. I had a lot of fun researching and writing these stories.

Happy reading!

Miranda’s Outlaw
#1169

Her Baby’s Father
#1289

Overnight Cinderella
#1348

Baby at His Door
#1367

Some Kind of Incredible
#1395

The Tycoon’s Temptation
#1414

The Tycoon’s Lady
#1464

Cinderella’s Convenient Husband
#1466

Tycoon for Auction
#1504

Cinderella’s Millionaire
#1520

††
In Bed with Beauty
#1535

††
Cinderella’s Christmas Affair
#1546

††
Let It Ride
#1558

Sin City Wedding
#1567

††
Mistress Minded
#1587

††
Rock Me All Night
#1672

†
His Wedding-Night Wager
#1708

†
Her High-Stakes Affair
#1714

†
Their Million-Dollar Night
#1720

The Once-A-Mistress Wife
#1749

**
Make-Believe Mistress
#1798

**
Six-Month Mistress
#1802

**
High-Society Mistress
#1808

*
The Greek Tycoon’s Secret Heir
#1845

*
The Wealthy Frenchman’s Proposition
#1851

*
The Spanish Aristocrat’s Woman
#1858

Baby Business
#1888

§
The Moretti Heir
#1927

§
The Moretti Seduction
#1935

§
The Moretti Arrangement
#1943

Taming the Texas Tycoon
#1952

‡
Master of Fortune
#1999

“Why should we listen to this?” Henry faced the lawyer across the polished boardroom table.

“I think you’ll find your father’s—”

“Malcolm. Don’t call him my father.”

The Everest Group had always been Malcolm Devonshire’s life. Of course, now that he’d turned seventy, it was no surprise that the old man had gotten in touch with him and his half brothers. He probably wanted to make sure that his life’s work didn’t end with his own death.

Geoff was the eldest of the three of them. Henry couldn’t really say much about the other men. He didn’t know either of his half brothers any better than he did their biological father. Geoff’s very aristocratic English-looking nose betrayed his place in the current royal family.

“Mr. Devonshire is dying,” Edmond Strom said. “He wants the legacy he worked so hard to create to live on in each of you.”

Edmond was Malcolm’s…butler, Henry thought. Or maybe man of affairs would be more apt.

“He didn’t create the legacy for us,” Steven said. He was the youngest.

“Well, he has an offer for the three of you now,” Edmond said.

Henry had actually met his father’s lawyer and personal assistant more times than he had his father. Edmond had been the one to deliver Christmas and birthday presents when he’d been younger.

“If you would all please sit down and allow me explain,” Edmond said.

Henry took a seat at the end of the conference table. He had been a rugby player and a pretty good one to boot, but that had never gotten him the one thing he’d really craved—Malcolm’s acknowledgment of him. He couldn’t explain it any better than that. His own father had never recognized any of Henry’s accomplishments. So he had stopped looking for it and gone his own way.

Which didn’t explain why he was here now. Maybe it was simple curiosity about the old man.

Edmond passed three file folders across the table, one to each of them. Henry flipped his open and saw the letter his father had written to the three of them.

I have been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. I’ve exhausted every avenue to try to prolong my life and have now come to believe I only have six months left.

None of you owe me allegiance, but I hope that the company that brought me into contact with your mothers will continue to prosper and grow under your leadership.

Each of you will control one of the divisions. You will be judged on the profit you make in your segment. Whoever shows the best acumen for running their segment will be appointed CEO and Chairman of The Everest Group.

Geoff—Everest Airlines. His time as an RAF pilot and traveling the globe will serve him well.

Henry—Everest Records. I expect him to sign the music groups he’s already helped make their way up the charts.

Steven—Everest Mega Stores. Hopefully his genius for knowing what the retail public wants will not fail him.

Edmond will monitor your progress and make reports to me. I would have come to speak with you today, but my doctors have confined me to my bed.

I have one caveat. You must all avoid scandal and focus on running your segment or the deal is off, regardless of profit. The one mistake I made in my life was letting my personal life distract me from my business. I hope the three of you can benefit from my mistakes and I trust you will accept this challenge.

Yours,

“Before you turn down Malcolm’s offer, you should know that if any of you opt out, the money that was put in trust for your mothers and for each of you will be forfeit upon his death. The company would retain it all.”

“I don’t need his money,” Geoff said.

Henry didn’t either, but his mother might. She and her second husband had two sons they were raising. Though Gordon made a decent wage as head coach for the London Irish, they could always use a little extra, especially since they’d have to pay for university for those boys.

“May we have a moment to discuss this alone?” Steven asked.

Edmond nodded and left the room. As soon as the door closed behind Edmond, Steven stood up.

“I think we should do it,” Steven said.

“I’m not so sure,” Geoff said. “He shouldn’t put any stipulations on his will. If he wants to leave us something, so be it.”

“But this affects our mums,” Henry said, siding with Steven as he gave this more thought. Malcolm had broken off all contact with his mum once she was pregnant. That had always bothered him. He’d like to give her something of Malcolm’s…the thing that Malcolm had prized more than any of the actual living people who’d been in his life.

““It does affect them,” Geoff said, leaning back in his chair as he thought it over. “I see your point. If you two are in then I’ll do it, as well. I don’t need his approval or his money.”

“Me, either.”

“So we’re all in?” Henry asked.

“I am,” Geoff said.

“I think he owes our mothers something on top of child support. And the chance to turn a bigger profit than he did? Now
that’s
something I can’t resist.”