Sophie Pettigrew was in dire straits. Her brother, Edward, had been in London living the high life since he came into his title of Viscount Litchfield after the death of their father. Now, he had gambled and lost everything. The only thing Sophie had left in this world was a derelict old crumbling down abbey and a small allowance left to her by her mother which was barely enough to buy food. She was desperate and desperate times called for desperate measures.
When Sophie walked into the famous gaming house, The Devil's Lair, to plead with Mr. Benedict Kingston, the proprietor, not to allow her brother to gamble away the only thing she had left, there was no way she could imagine how that night would change her life.
Benedict Kingston normally didn't get involved in the personal problems of the men that gambled and lost at The Lair. But when the beautiful and enticing Sophie Pettigrew walked into his apartments to plead with him to never allow her brother to gamble there again, he couldn't help but be intrigued by her beauty and curious about her circumstances. When he discovered the despicable plans her brother had for her, he couldn't stand by and watch something so lovely be hurt by the one person who should have been protecting her. After Benedict found himself thrust into a position of power and prominence he never aspired to, the proposal he had for Sophie was the perfect solution to both of their problems.
Sophie had not expected to see Benedict Kingston again after that night she visited him at The Devil's Lair, but when he offered her a proposal that would be beneficial to them both, how could she refuse? If she could just somehow manage to resist his charming smile and wicked suggestions, then one day she would have the freedom to live her life as she wanted and would be safe from her brother's schemes.
By offering Sophie Pettigrew marriage, he was solving two problems. As his wife, he would be able to protect her from her brother and assuage his guilt in the hand he played in her brother's downfall, and Sophie being from a prominent aristocratic family, would be able to help him navigate the ton in ways he had previously been unable to do. It was the perfect solution, except that the more time he spent with the beautiful young Sophie, the more he realized it would be impossible to let her go and give her the freedom he had promised her.
Just when Benedict realizes the futility of revisiting the charms of his beautiful wife, an unknown assailant fueled by jealousy and revenge tried to take it all away. Would Benedict be able to stop the culprit before Sophie was hurt or would his actions cause him to lose her forever?
