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 ultimately prove to be his demise?

One storm-filled day 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 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 Kinkaid and the destruction he brings into her life. But on a dark, storm-filled summer night Frank Kinkaid will finally pay for his sins. The question is, "Who will become his executioner?"