A Wicked Deception — Karolyn Cairns

Six months have passed since the Countess of Iverleigh went to the gallows for her crimes against Catherine's family. Much has changed. Nicholas' past comes back with a vengeance as he pursues the men who tormented him as a child. To the detriment of his happiness, he seeks to destroy them all.
Catherine tries to recall the love and faith of the man she married and ignore her growing awareness to her former lover, Gabriel St. Armand, the Earl of Iverleigh. Torn apart by lies and illicit deceptions once, they discover each other again with bitter consequences. Catherine must make a choice once more and resist the man who adores her. A tragic turn makes being with Gabriel again a very real possibility. Haunted by a promise to the man she loved, she vowed to leave London and Gabriel. The Earl offers marriage now with heart in hand, upsetting her intentions. But first, she is determined to begin their life with no secrets between them. She learns firsthand how unforgiving her former lover can be when he refuses to accept the truth.The men who ripped her husband's life apart are now after her. The assassin and crime lord Caspian Roth is back keeping watch over her, appealing to her every desire through his music and passion. Time runs out as he seeks to save her from unseen dangers, a madman's obsession, and ghosts who will not die in this sequel to A Wicked Proposition. The curtain has gone up and the cast is poised to act out the revenge Nicholas has set in motion.