Christophe Marchand understands the danger of beautiful things.Heir to a worthless title, Christophe knows the only way to build an empire in the twenty-first century is with ruthless violence, single-minded focus, and cold, hard pragmatism.That means no distractions.But that's before he lays eyes on Charlotte Duval.Charlotte Duval is no man's arm candy.An expert in antique furniture, Charlotte is biding her time as an assistant curator in Los Angeles when she learns her father has died. Traveling to Paris to close up his antique store, Charlotte plans to finish the job as quickly as possible, preferably without touching the still-tender wound of her estranged relationship with the father who was always impossible to reach.And even the enigmatic Christophe Marchand can't tempt her to stay.But the discovery of an elaborate ring hidden inside a 16th century writing desk sets off a chain of events that sends her to Christophe Marchand for protection. Soon the pair are traveling across Europe in search of answers to an unsolved theft that once rocked the art world -- and to the unbridled passion that will change their lives forever.