Beneath the elegant facade of Victorian high society, the mysterious men of the St. James Society play only by rules of danger and desire. Rance Welham, the Earl of Lazonby, has survived scandal and disgrace, even evading the Queen's justice at the end of a hangman's rope. Now he's about to gamble everything on something far more dangerous--desire. An exotic and elegant beauty, Lady Anisha Stafford fled her native India to seek refuge within London's secretive St. James Society. But accepting protection from someone called a cold-hearted killer is a double-edged sword . . . especially when he's the most intriguing man Anisha has ever laid eyes upon. In a world where treachery abounds, no one can be trusted--and no true passion can be denied. Together, these two tempestuous souls will risk their lives for a love that could redeem them . . . or destroy everything they hold dear.