Ray Shane is an ex-vice cop trying to turn his life around after spending five years in prison on corruption charges. He works as the head of security for The House of the Rising Sun, a strip club that secretly hides an illegal gambling den. During a night on the job, a masked gang storms the club to rob it of $300,000, and the ensuing shootout leaves the club owner's son, Peter, dead. When the police arrive, they suspect Ray acted as the inside man for the robbers.
Ray's relationship with Jenny Porter is rocky after her regrettable affair with Tony, the right-hand man of their boss while he was imprisoned. Ray is then recruited by his boss, small-time gangster Vinnie Marcella, to track down the killers behind the heist. He finds help from his former police colleague Jimmy LaGrange, who furnishes information, but Vinnie and Tony grow suspicious that Ray may have been involved in the robbery.
That night, Tony and his partner, Joey, set up a hit on Ray at his motel. After escaping, Ray stays with Jenny at her apartment, where she reveals she became a call girl only until his prison sentence ended. He forgives her, and they share a moment of closeness. The next day, Ray meets informant Charlie Blackstone, learning that Tony is planning to take over Vinnie’s position. He also uncovers that the crime was organized by an unknown mastermind who had the crew whacked to protect themselves. The shooter refuses to testify, and Ray is forced to kill him in self-defense.
Tony goes to see Carlos, who runs on the same criminal map as Charlie, but the plot thickens when Priscilla Zello—aiding Tony by sleeping with Carlos to keep him loyal—becomes offended and shoots Carlos dead, a move Ray counters by killing Priscilla.
Ray contacts the police and informs Vinnie at his office that they were set up, with Tony framing Ray for the robbery and pitting Carlos against Vinnie. Tony arrives with the money to confirm the truth, while Jenny is held hostage by Joey. Jimmy appears, having been bribed to kill Ray, but instead hands Ray a gun, triggering a ferocious shoot-out. Jimmy and Joey are killed, and Tony escapes with Jenny down to the floor of the club. There, Jenny manages to escape with the money and tosses it to the strippers.
In the parking lot, Ray fights Tony until the police arrive, and he tries to convince them that Tony orchestrated the robbery and set him up. When Tony shoots toward Jenny, the police shoot him dead. Jenny pleads with the police that Ray is innocent, but her testimony is not enough, and he is arrested and taken into custody. In the end, Jenny shares a final kiss with Ray before he is driven back to prison.
