In Regency England, Victoria Ashford lives by day as a respectable young lady. But by night, she revels as the anonymous author of scandalous stories whispered about in forbidden corners of society. Imagination soon gives way to longing, and behind a borrowed mask, she commits the ultimate transgression: trading places with a courtesan for one night beneath the control of the man she has always desired.
Matthew Corwin, Earl of Sussex, believes authority is best wielded in silence and shadows. His masked encounter with a remarkably responsive, willing woman awakens instincts he rarely indulges. When he uncovers her true identity, desire turns razor-sharp. Her deception demands correction and Matthew is more than willing to remind her exactly who holds the power.
Yet when a blackmailer threatens to expose Victoria's secrets, Matthew's need to command shifts into something far more dangerous: the urge to protect. And as their forbidden game deepens, he discovers that surrendering control of his heart may be the one thing he cannot master.