In love, the odds may never be in your favor. Ruthless, wealthy, social outsider Marcus Dandridge has fallen in love. Hard. So hard he’s already attempted to force marriage to Lady Joanna Longford by means of blackmail—and failed utterly, gaining the eternal enmity of her brother. Now desperate, Marcus consults his friend, Mrs. Dove-Lyon at The Lyon’s Den, whose recommendation is a wild gamble--one Marcus would never lay odds on at his gaming establishments. But he’s so desperate to have Joanna, he’s willing to roll the dice just once more. Lady Joanna Longford, just out and already bored by the conventional gentlemen she’s met, is suddenly intrigued by the darkly handsome Mr. Dandridge. He’s different from the other Society men—which makes her even more susceptible to his unconventional pursuit of her. Still, the odds are against them, until Fate—and her brother’s decree that they will never marry—triggers a defiance that may well spell disaster for both of them...