When Ryan's mother marries Blaine Nelson he hopes he'll gain a fun-loving stepdad. Instead, he gets chaos, pain and fear. And while Blaine relishes tormenting Ryan, he can never imagine just how dark and sadistic his stepfather truly is.

When Dreamer meets Teddy she sees a broken young man and hopes her love will change him. Instead, he returns her love with fear, cruelty and control.

As a child, Hannah thinks she’s dying, then learns her mom betrayed her.

When Letisha meets Phillip, his charm lures her in. But when his dark side emerges, Letisha finds herself trapped with a monster.

Patrick Bruce idolizes his fun-loving older brother, Lance; however, as he watches Lance descend into darkness, he feels powerless to stop him; he never imagines the horror of the unspeakable acts his brother is capable of - until it's too late.

When Letisha meets Phillip, his charm lures her in. However, when his dark side emerges, Letisha is trapped with a monster. She manages to escape him, but when she discovers he’s wanted for rape and murder, she knows she’s lucky to be alive.

When Shaquoia and Imani first meet Isiah, they sense his evil and they don't know why their mother would date a man like him.

As children, Tabitha and Ann endure their brother Terry's twisted games and as adults, they try to cut ties, but their mother, Edwardyne, clings on and is always willing to give him one more chance.