Desire Has No Mercy

Desire Has No Mercy is a luridly titled work of some distinction. Spoiled daughter of wealth and privilege Julia comes to a casino to beg the owner to allow her sister's gambling debts to be destroyed. Julia's sister is engaged to a powerful man who will break the engagement if he learns of her debts. Julia is the product of a stifling but privileged upbringing scarred by loneliness and vulnerability. Her strict and unyielding grandmother held sway over her life.

Julia comes face to the face with the hard bitten but dynamic casino owner, Rome Demario. he mocks her while recalling their tortured past. Rome was a poor son of a laundress for Julia's family and they share memories of lonely childhood spent gazing across the divide. Julia is humilated yet her family pride makes her demand the IOU's from Rome. He barters sex with Julia for the debts, and she angrily agrees, scornfully submitting to Rome's sexual advance.

Julia comes in contact with Rome again months later. The cool and poised Miss Van Deere is pregnant, and threatens to abort the child. Rome quickly takes her away to his homeland fortress, brining her childhood maid they both remember. Rome attempt to make the best of things but Julia scorns him again and again as the child grows.

Feeling trapped both by her programming of the wealthy upper class mores and used by her sister, Julia lashes out at Rome once too often. Just as her feelings waver he leaves, and they re-unite in a touching affirmation of love as the baby is born. Julia and Rome can finally belong to each other, as their childhood eyes promised.