Book excerpt: An erotic battle of wills unfolds in an electrifying game of love and vengeance . . . "Inventive and steamy." --M. J. Rose Betrayed by a group of men he called friends, Edmond Dantès is wrongfully imprisoned for more than a decade. When he finally escapes his captivity, he remakes himself as the wealthy and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. His list of those upon whom he will seek revenge is long, but it is the love of his life, Mercédès Herrera, for whom he holds his deepest loathing—for she, too, has betrayed him. He will do anything to destroy her . . . Mercédès was devastated when she learned of the death of her beloved Dantès . . . and circumstances beyond her control have forced her into a loveless marriage. But when the Count of Monte Cristo comes on the scene, she alone sees through his disguise and beyond the harsh, vengeful man to the one she once loved. He is determined to destroy Mercédès and all she holds dear . . . she is just as determined not to succumb to this mastery. From the seaside town of Marseille to the exotic caves of Monte Cristo Isle . . . Dumas's classic story of dark revenge is retold from an entirely new perspective . . .