Philippe Renault feels an intimate connection to the prostitute Lilah the first moment that he sees her standing at the top of Madame Cheney's plush bordello staircase. It's more than just the fire in his loins that the dark-haired beauty arouses. The vulnerable look that he sees in Lilah's eyes captivates his heart. Renault gets the sense that Lilah knows as much as there is to know about suffering as he does, maybe even more. At last, he has found a kindred spirit, the remedy for his crippling loneliness. He wants her to be his and his alone, body and soul. Forever. But the harder he tries to break through her icy exterior, the more she resists. He begins to wonder if he was wrong about her. Maybe it isn't his affection that she seeks, but only the contents of his fat purse.

Lilah is instantly drawn to the tall, enigmatic stranger standing at the bottom of Madame Cheney's bordello stairs. Though the full beauty of his face is hidden by the odd black mask that covers the flesh of his left cheek, Renault exudes a rare countenance of grace and gentility. He is a human being in a room full of beasts. When Renault's warm, passionate gaze meets Lilah's, she is filled with hope, a newfound desire to live and love. But Lilah has a secret to guard, and falling in love with Renault is a luxury she can't afford to indulge in. She must do everything in her power to drive Renault away before his fiery embrace loosens her tongue.

Will Renault discover Lilah's secret before it destroys them both?