I'm used to being alone, until she changed everything...When my ex-wife left, she said the cruelest words she could think of, and I took them all to heart.Now I work at my loveable bastard cousin's tattoo parlor and keep most people at arm's length. I have the occasional one night stand to take the edge off, but there can never be anything more than that for me.I don't let myself think about how lonely I am. At least I'm not ruining anyone's life, right?Then Emily walks into Wishbone Tattoos, asking about the receptionist job. And this shy, smiling, kindhearted woman is everything I've ever wanted.I can't help falling for her, even though I know I mustn't, for both our sakes.But there's something about Emily I don't know. Something that will make her the exception to my hard and fast rule...She's battle scarred herself, and running scared from a dark past which snaps at her heels, but I'm not going to let anyone hurt her ever again, I swear to god.And maybe, if we're lucky and we both want it hard enough, the two of us will finally get what we deserve.