Ethan tries to leave one life for another: probable death for a possible life. But what he leaves behind doesn't necessarily want to let him go. Shackles from the past bind his wrists while promises of a better life scare the hell out of him. How could someone possibly want him to be a part of their life and their family? What he thought was his chance for salvation, in the form of the firm roles of a BDSM relationship, proves to be a very different story altogether. Marc Matthews, a Dom at a local club, turns Ethan's life upside down without the help of a whip. While Matthews tugs at his heart, Ethan remains determined to raise the walls inside his chest to protect what is left of a hollow existence.