The Duke’s Wicked Bargain. The Dark Dukes Society, #3

He needs an anchor. She needs a savior. In the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair, the most dangerous game is the one played with the heart. Arthur St. Clair, the Duke of Ashworth, is a man of cold ledgers and frozen silence. Known to the ton as the "Icy Autocrat, " he has spent years building a wall of reputation to protect his family's crumbling legacy. But when a looming scandal threatens his ambitious canal project, Arthur realizes he needs more than money-he needs a wife who can navigate the treacherous waters of high society without making a ripple.
Enter Elara Vance: the wallflower who sees everything. For three Seasons, Elara has lingered in the shadows, an invisible observer of Mayfair's deepest secrets. When her brother's gambling debts push her family to the brink of ruin, Elara is forced to emerge from the corners. She offers the Duke a wicked bargain: she will play the part of the devoted fiancée, neutralizing his rivals and securing his social standing, in exchange for the gold that will save her family.
The rules are simple: No real feelings. No true intimacy. A clean break once the canal is funded. But as the "Regency-Light" banter turns from sharp-edged sparring to genuine heat, the lines of their agreement begin to blur. From rain-drenched shepherd's huts to scandalous masquerades, Arthur and Elara find themselves caught in a web of their own making. With a vengeful rival determined to expose Elara's lineage and a "Midpoint" confession that changes everything, the Duke must decide if he's willing to sacrifice his ironclad control for the one woman who truly sees the man behind the title.