Book excerpt: To protect a daring young lady and her brother, he must defeat his villainous past or lose the only thing worth fighting for.Hardened by a childhood in the rookery and honed by years as a bare-knuckle boxer, Mason Hale revels in his reputation as a ruthless moneylender to London's Underworld. But everything changes when he commits to caring for his young daughter and the mysterious boy who protected her when Mason couldn't. When Lady Katherine Blackwell discovers someone is intent upon abducting her brother for an unknown purpose, she has no one to turn to except a man known for brutal efficiency in the boxing ring and on the streets. She just needs Hale to keep her brother out of danger while she uncovers who is behind the attacks.As the East End scoundrel takes up residence in their Mayfair manor, Katherine starts to suspect their bodyguard is made of more than brute strength and a brash attitude. And though Mason has no illusions regarding his sordid and violent history, the more Lady Katherine declares she doesn't need a hero, the more he wants to be exactly that. If you like shameless heroes, intrepid heroines, and undeniable chemistry, you'll love Amy Sandas's bold new historical romance novel, Noble Scoundrel.