Aphrodite is a courtesan who runs Aphrodite's Club in London. Twenty-four years ago, Aphrodite's three daughters (Francesca, Marietta and Vivianna) were stolen by a woman called Mrs. Slater. Mrs. Slater was known to steal children and sell them to the highest bidder. Aphrodite hires Sebastian Thorne to search into the lives of her daughters to ensure they are no longer in danger from the past. She also intends to hand out her own brand of retribution to the Slaters.

Francesca rescues Sebastian from the moors (Emerald Mire has a reputation for swallowing up everything and everyone that wanders into its path). Sebastian is a practical man with no time for fairy tales. He wonders how it is that such a proper woman has such improper, luscious-looking lips. Because of her heritage, Francesca had long ago vowed to never allow a man to stir the passions she feared were in her just below the surface. She didn't want to end up like her mother, tossed from lover to lover. But the heart is not always a very logical organ. Good sense tells her she should be running from Sebastian Thorne as quickly as possible, but good sense has little to do with it. He fascinates and frightens her at the same time. Sebastian feels a kiss from Francesca Greentree would bring a dead man back to life.

Even though Francesca vowed to never have anything to do with her mother, circumstances force her to rely on her. And even though Francesca swore to never give her heart to any man she finds herself drawn to Sebastian like a moth to a light.