Carolina “Cookie” Milton has been a stripper since she was sixteen. An old pro at twenty-seven, she has clout at her bar. One of her usual customers is a man named Frank Porter. One night, Mr. Porter’s son gets too handy, and she embarrasses him in front of the entire bar with her impressive self-defense skills. After the bar closes that night, he tries to attack her in the parking lot, and she fights back. He pulls a knife, and in a moment of fear, she pulls her gun and shoots him. Frank Porter wants her blood. Vince Hart is no stranger to killing men. There’s something dark in him that feeds on it. He’s bored with civilian life and lives life a little like an adventure junkie. Hookups, taking chances, adventure trips—anything to quiet the ghosts. He doesn’t think he could ever settle down, but watching all of his brothers do it makes him feel a little envious. He figures he’ll just live until he dies and be better for it. He’ll never have to lose anyone like Luke again. He’s broken from it.