Frank Kinkaid is every woman's dream-come-true-handsome, powerful, sophisticated, and very, very rich. A dream-come-true, that is, until he becomes her worst nightmare. For under this charismatic facade lies a man obsessed by the need to control, a man who regards women as objects to possess, to exploit, and to use to his own advantage, a man driven by heartless cruelty. For the magnetic Kinkaid, armed with shrewdness and charm, money and women seem easy to come by. But will one of these women, drawn in by fate, ultimately prove to be his demise? One storm-filled day in late April, the exquisitely stunning Laura O'Malley quite literally runs into Frank Kinkaid. Kinkaid has always loved beautiful women, comparing them to a fine thoroughbred or a rare piece of art. He immediately aspires to make Laura his own. She, on the other hand, is taken by both Kinkaid's charm and good looks and is soon caught up by this handsome and charismatic stranger who charms and beguiles her. Little does she realize the consequences that lie ahead. Annie Ross is a young and naïve girl struggling to make it through her last year of college after a failed romance that has left her torn and broken. Coming from simple and provincial roots and a strict religious upbringing, she seems utterly unaware of her striking appeal and sexual allure to a man like Frank Kinkaid. Her loneliness and naiveté combine to make her an easy and vulnerable target for Kinkaid who sweeps her into a world she has only read about. Her life will change in a way she could never have imagined. Samantha Jessup grew up the hard way and learned early on that you had to fight for your place in the world. Ambitious and driven, Samantha has developed into a tough-minded, uncompromising businesswoman. Although strong-willed and highly successful, even she is no match for the cunning Frank Kinkaid and the destruction he brings into her life. But on a dark and turbulent summer night, in the wake of a violent storm brought in on a hot westerly wind, Frank Kinkaid will finally pay for his sins, will finally meet his destiny. The question is, "Who will become his executioner?"