Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, Gabriel St.Croix has never known family, friendship, or affection. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only bond is with the young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality that surrounds them. But all that is about to change. The boy's family has found him and they are coming to take him home. Sarah Munroe blames herself for her brother's disappearance. When he's located safe and unharmed despite where he's been living, she vows to aid the man who rescued him in any way she can. She helps Gabriel face his demons and teaches him to trust in friendship and in love - but when the past catches up with him, he must face it on his own.

As a mercenary, pirate, and professional gambler, Gabriel travels to London, France, and the Barbary Coast in a desperate attempt to find Sarah again and all he knows of love - but on the way he will discover that the most dangerous journey and the greatest gamble of all - lies within the darkest regions of his own heart.

Warning

Gabriel's journey from a man who knows nothing of friendship or affection to a man who is able to love and accept love is a hero's journey, though not, perhaps, one typical of most romances. I've tried to give an honest portrayal of the problems and issues many who survive cruelty and abuse confront, and as a result, it may be too dark and edgy for some readers and it may not appeal to those looking for a lighter read. Those who like raw-edged emotion and intense romance spiced with high adventure, exotic locales, and an extra dollop of history, will I hope, be in for a treat. Like most of us, Gabriel and Sarah are flawed characters trying to do their best, and I dare you not to fall in love with them.