Ace Renaldo and Lauren Dunn have known each other since high school. She knows all about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. She is in love with him, but telling Ace how she feels could drive him away and ruin their friendship means more to her than anything else. To block his pain Ace fights needs the violence to numb the agony he harbors inside. Before Lauren came around, Ace knew all too well what being alone felt like. She’s everything to him, his entire world, and he wants to be a good man for her. But Ace knows he’s too damaged to love or be loved. Once they share how they feel for each other will their lifelong friendship be ruined? Can Ace overcome his need for violence, and can Lauren accept Ace for the man he’ll always be?