In the early 1930s, during the Prohibition era in an unnamed American city, Tom Reagan is the right-hand man to Leo O'Bannon, the Irish mob boss who controls the city. Leo finds himself in a vicious gang war with Johnny Caspar, an ambitious Italian crime boss who demands Leo's protection of a bookie named Bernie Bernbaum, citing the unwritten law of ethics among criminals. Bernie, however, is also the brother of Verna Bernbaum, Leo's girlfriend, complicating Leo's decision-making. Tom, seeing the potential downfall in Leo’s blind spot for Verna, advises against protecting Bernie, fearing it could lead to an all-out gang war. Despite Tom's counsel, Leo chooses to protect Bernie, igniting conflict with Caspar and putting his own power and relationships at risk.

As the gang war escalates, Tom’s strategic maneuvering becomes even more critical. Caught in a web of betrayal, power struggles, and romantic entanglements, he navigates the dangerous alliances and rivalries within the mob community. His loyalty to Leo is tested as he is drawn deeper into the conflict, forcing him to balance his survival instincts with his intricate ties to the people he serves. The tension reaches a peak when Tom's cunning and loyalty are put to the ultimate test, leaving him to decide where his true allegiances lie amidst the backdrop of treachery and violence that threatens to tear apart the world he knows.