If I could give this story 3 1/2 stars instead of 3, I would have. This is basically a love story about a physically & mentally damaged guy who has pretty much stayed in the shadows due to his deformity. That doesn't stop him from getting what he wants - whether success in the financial world or his share of women. His main thing is not letting anyone close to him.Well...along comes Katie who has become an object of his desire and lust due to a self-portrait of her that he purchased from the coffee shop she works in. Of course she becomes his current challenge to get her into bed. However, he hasn't ever encountered someone like Katie - she meets him head on in his sexual whims and desires but she is also a pure loving soul who sees past his deformity. She's not out to get anything from him except his love. In the first half of the story, I was a little taken aback by how easily Katie fell into his sexual wishes so soon and sudden. Cain came across a bit like a stalker, lurking in the night - but it was understood that he preferred the darkness of the night so he could hide his deformity. He also came across as hot and cold and it was puzzling to Katie.Of course since he doesn't believe he is deserving of her love, he initially pushes her away with cruel and cold words. But credit has to be given to Katie - she didn't slink away or let his mean words push her away..initially. I kept thinking that if someone said those means things to me, I would have been gone in a flash. But because she didn't let his words push her away, he started to see the relationship in a different light. But of course his demons kept coming out and eventually it did accomplish in pushing her away.The second half of the story was simply a realization. It takes a true love to take you out of the darkness and into the light...but only if you can see it in yourself that you are worthy of being loved. Love isn't easy - when you find that love you have to hold on. And that's what Cain comes to realize in the end. The book started off with light BDSM and turned into a deeper story of love.
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