Book excerpt: This Ruthless Rustanov Plays to Win! When social worker, Sam McKinley meets hockey player, Nikolai Rustanov, it’s fire at first sight—a fire Sam totally runs away from as quickly as her heels can carry her. All Sam has ever wanted is a nice, normal family with a nice, normal man. The arrogant Russian hockey player who claims he doesn’t believe in love right before he offers to “eat her for breakfast,” is about as far from that as a girl can get. But some fires just can’t be put out. Soon after meeting Nikolai, Sam forms an unexpected bond with a tragically orphaned boy who turns out to be his nephew. And did we mention, Nikolai is ruthless? Determined to acquire the beautiful social worker as a caretaker for his previously unknown ward and a conquest for his bed, Nikolai moves Sam and her useless dog into his mansion. Sam is dead-set on running, but Nikolai is determined to catch her. And when he does, he’ll do just about anything to make her finally surrender to their blazing passion.