Blood on the Floorboards

Isabella's world is shattered when she finds her foster family slaughtered by Roman, the boy who once promised to protect her. Blood stains the kitchen, her abusers are dead or dying, and Roman—her childhood love and betrayer—stands before her, mask in hand, knife dripping. The trauma of her past and the horror of the present collide as Roman claims he's come to save her, but his methods are monstrous. Isabella is torn between relief and terror, unable to process the carnage or the return of the only person who ever made her feel safe. Roman's obsession is clear: he will never let her go again, no matter the cost.

Childhood Promises, Broken

Roman and Isabella's bond is forged in the fires of childhood neglect and abuse. Both are foster kids, shuttled from home to home, learning to survive in a world that doesn't want them. Roman, tough and angry, finds solace in Isabella's kindness, while she clings to his protection. Their friendship is a lifeline, but it's also fraught with the pain of abandonment and the scars of trauma. When Roman is suddenly taken away, Isabella is left defenseless, and the promise that they would always be together is broken, leaving wounds that never fully heal.

Reunion in Ruin

Three years after Roman's disappearance, he returns in a storm of violence, killing Isabella's abusers and dragging her from the only life she's managed to build. The lines between savior and captor blur as Roman's obsession with Isabella becomes clear—he's not just rescuing her, he's claiming her. Isabella, traumatized and furious, fights him at every turn, but her body remembers the safety and longing she once felt. Roman's love is possessive, dangerous, and absolute; he will kill for her, and he will not let her go, even if she begs.

The Games We Play

Roman and Isabella's relationship is a constant game of predator and prey, echoing the childhood games they once played. Now, the stakes are deadly. Roman delights in chasing her, both literally and emotionally, while Isabella oscillates between fear, anger, and reluctant desire. Their connection is primal, rooted in shared pain and the thrill of the hunt. The violence that surrounds them becomes foreplay, and the boundaries between love and hate, pleasure and pain, are constantly tested.

Lost and Locked Away

When Roman is sent to prison for avenging Isabella's honor, both are left to navigate a world without each other. Isabella, abandoned and alone, learns to survive in a hostile environment, her heart hardening with each passing day. Roman, locked in a cell, writes her hundreds of letters that never reach her, his obsession growing with every unanswered word. Both are haunted by memories and the hope that one day, they'll find each other again.

Predator and Prey

Upon Roman's release, he stalks Isabella from the shadows, watching her every move, orchestrating her life from afar. When he finally reveals himself, it's with the same violence and intensity as before. Isabella is torn between the comfort of his protection and the terror of his possessiveness. Their dynamic is more dangerous than ever, as Roman's need to own her collides with Isabella's desperate desire for autonomy.

The Ties That Bind

Roman's love is suffocating, manifesting in physical restraint and psychological games. He ties Isabella up, both literally and figuratively, forcing her to confront the depth of his obsession. Yet, even as she fights him, she cannot deny the twisted comfort she finds in his arms. Their relationship becomes a battleground, with Isabella struggling to reclaim her agency and Roman determined to keep her by any means necessary.

Becoming Monsters

Roman's brutality is both a weapon and a love language. He kills without remorse for those who hurt Isabella, and she is forced to confront her own capacity for darkness. Together, they become monsters—each complicit in the other's sins. The world around them is unforgiving, and survival means embracing the parts of themselves they once feared. Their love is forged in blood, and neither can escape the consequences.

Letters Never Sent

The truth of Roman's absence is revealed: the letters he wrote from prison were stolen by Isabella's foster family, leaving her to believe he had abandoned her. The realization devastates them both, but it also brings clarity. Their suffering was not the result of indifference, but of cruelty and circumstance. The letters become a symbol of everything lost and everything that might still be salvaged.

The Price of Survival

On the run from the law and the criminal underworld, Roman and Isabella must navigate a world where violence is currency and trust is a liability. Roman enters underground fights to earn money, risking his life for their future. Isabella, caught between gratitude and resentment, struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monster he's become. Every victory comes at a cost, and the line between survival and self-destruction grows ever thinner.

The Arena of Pain

When Isabella is kidnapped by a rival gang seeking revenge on Roman, the full weight of their choices comes crashing down. Roman's rage is unleashed, and he will stop at nothing to get her back. The rescue is brutal, and the aftermath leaves them both scarred—physically and emotionally. Isabella must decide whether she can forgive Roman for the danger he brings into her life, and Roman must confront the reality that his love may be as destructive as it is redemptive.

Running from the Past

Fleeing their enemies, Roman and Isabella embark on a journey across the country, living out of a caravan and trying to build a new life. The road is fraught with tension, old wounds reopening as they struggle to trust each other again. Yet, in the quiet moments, they rediscover the tenderness that once bound them. Their love, though battered, proves resilient, and together they begin to imagine a future free from the shadows of their past.

The Choice to Stay

Isabella, for the first time, is given the choice to leave. She runs, desperate to reclaim her life, but Roman finds her, and they are forced to confront the truth: they are each other's only home. The decision to stay is no longer about fear or obligation, but about love and agency. Isabella chooses Roman, not because she has to, but because she wants to. Their relationship, once defined by trauma and control, becomes a partnership built on mutual need and acceptance.

Love in the Shadows

In the safety of their new life, Roman and Isabella learn to love each other without violence or fear. They confront their demons together, finding solace in each other's arms. The sex is raw and cathartic, a way to reclaim their bodies and their power. Through vulnerability and honesty, they begin to heal, forging a bond that is unbreakable.

Forgiveness and Fireworks

Their journey culminates in a moment of joy and celebration, as Roman takes Isabella to Disneyland—the place of her happiest childhood memory. Surrounded by light and laughter, they dance beneath the fireworks, finally free from the ghosts that haunted them. Forgiveness is not easy, but it is possible, and together they choose to embrace the future.

Home Is a Moving Target

With new identities and a caravan as their home, Roman and Isabella travel the country, making a life for themselves on their own terms. They are fugitives, but they are also free—free to love, to fight, to dream. Their family is small but fierce, and together they carve out a place in the world where they belong.

The World Is Ours

In the epilogue, Roman and Isabella have found peace, if not safety. They are partners in every sense, their love forged in fire and tempered by forgiveness. The world remains dangerous, but they face it together, unafraid. Their story is not one of happily ever after, but of survival, resilience, and the enduring power of love.

Characters

Isabella (Bella)

Isabella is a product of the foster system, shaped by neglect, abuse, and the desperate need for connection. Her relationship with Roman is both her salvation and her curse—he is the only person who ever made her feel safe, but his love is as dangerous as it is comforting. Isabella is resilient, learning to survive in a world that wants to break her. She is fiercely protective of those she loves, especially her younger foster brother Jeremy, and her journey is one of reclaiming agency and learning to choose love on her own terms. Her psychological scars run deep, manifesting in anxiety, self-doubt, and a constant battle between longing and fear. Over the course of the story, Isabella transforms from a passive victim to an active participant in her own life, ultimately choosing Roman not out of necessity, but out of desire.

Roman Riviera (Mickey/Ares)

Roman is the embodiment of the antihero—traumatized, dangerous, and utterly devoted to Isabella. His childhood was marked by abuse and abandonment, leaving him with a deep-seated need to control and protect. Roman's love for Isabella is all-consuming, manifesting in violence against those who hurt her and a refusal to let her go. He is both her savior and her captor, blurring the lines between love and possession. Roman's psychological profile is complex: he is impulsive, prone to rage, and struggles with feelings of worthlessness. Prison hardens him, but his obsession with Isabella never wavers. He is capable of tenderness, especially in private moments, but his primary language is violence. Roman's journey is one of learning to temper his instincts, to love without destroying, and to accept that true connection requires vulnerability.

Jeremy

Jeremy is Isabella's younger foster brother, representing the innocence and hope that both she and Roman lost. He is a reminder of what they are fighting for—a chance at a better life, free from abuse. Jeremy's presence grounds Isabella, giving her purpose and a reason to survive. Though he is largely a background character, his safety and well-being are central to Isabella's decisions.

Marcus

Marcus is Isabella's foster brother and one of her primary abusers. His cruelty and entitlement are emblematic of the dangers Isabella faces in the foster system. Marcus's actions set the stage for Roman's return and the cycle of violence that follows. His death at Roman's hands is both justice and trauma, forcing Isabella to confront her own capacity for darkness.

Greg

Greg is the foster father, a functioning alcoholic who enables and participates in Isabella's abuse. He represents the failures of the system meant to protect vulnerable children. His murder by Roman is both retribution and a turning point, marking the end of Isabella's captivity and the beginning of her new life.

Millie

Millie, the foster mother, is a passive participant in Isabella's suffering. She is complicit through inaction, choosing survival over intervention. Millie's character highlights the complexities of abuse—she is both a victim and an enabler, trapped by her own fears and limitations.

Rico

Rico is Roman's cellmate in prison and later an ally in the underground world. He provides comic relief and a counterpoint to Roman's intensity, but he is also dangerous in his own right. Rico's relationship with Roman is one of mutual respect and rivalry, and his interactions with Isabella add levity and tension to the narrative.

Damien

Damien is a member of the Alvarez cartel and Roman's contact in the criminal underworld. He is pragmatic, resourceful, and largely amoral, helping Roman and Isabella out of self-interest as much as loyalty. Damien's presence underscores the dangers of the world Roman and Isabella inhabit, and his actions often force them to confront uncomfortable truths.

Connie

Connie is the forger who provides Roman and Isabella with new identities. She is fiercely independent, unapologetically abrasive, and a rare example of a woman in control of her own fate within the criminal world. Connie's role is brief but significant, representing the possibility of agency and self-determination.

Vargas

Vargas is the leader of the rival cartel, a constant threat to Roman and Isabella's safety. He is ruthless, cunning, and unrelenting, serving as the primary external antagonist. Vargas's pursuit forces Roman and Isabella to confront the consequences of their actions and the reality that violence begets violence.

Plot Devices

Dual Timeline and Flashbacks

The narrative structure alternates between the present-day chaos and formative flashbacks, gradually revealing the depth of Roman and Isabella's bond and the traumas that shaped them. This device builds suspense, deepens character motivation, and allows the reader to experience the cyclical nature of abuse, love, and survival. The flashbacks serve as both exposition and emotional anchor, making the present-day violence and obsession more poignant.

Letters as Unsent Communication

Roman's prison letters, stolen and never delivered, are a powerful plot device. They represent the pain of miscommunication, the agony of separation, and the hope that love can survive even when all seems lost. The eventual discovery of the letters is a turning point, reframing the narrative from one of abandonment to one of tragic misunderstanding.

Violence as Love Language

Violence is both a literal and metaphorical language in the novel. Roman's brutality is an expression of love, a way to reclaim power in a world that has taken everything from him. For Isabella, violence is both terrifying and comforting—a sign that someone is willing to fight for her, even as it endangers her. This device complicates the morality of the characters and forces the reader to question the nature of love and justice.

Predator-Prey Dynamic

The recurring motif of predator and prey—through games of tag, literal chases, and sexual encounters—serves as both a metaphor for their relationship and a means of exploring trauma bonding. The thrill of the chase becomes a stand-in for intimacy, and the boundaries between fear and desire are constantly negotiated.

Found Family and Chosen Home

The concept of home is a moving target for Roman and Isabella, both literally (as they travel in a caravan) and emotionally. The plot device of found family—choosing each other and, eventually, Jeremy—underscores the theme that belonging is not about place, but about connection and choice.

Redemption Through Agency

Isabella's journey from passive victim to active agent is mirrored in the plot structure. Her eventual choice to stay with Roman, not out of fear but out of love, is the ultimate act of agency and redemption. The narrative rewards her autonomy, suggesting that survival is not just about endurance, but about reclaiming the power to choose.

Analysis

Skin of a Sinner is a dark, unflinching exploration of trauma, obsession, and the messy, often violent ways love can manifest in broken people. Avina St. Graves crafts a narrative that refuses easy answers, instead immersing the reader in the psychological complexity of two survivors who find solace—and danger—in each other. The novel interrogates the boundaries between protection and possession, justice and vengeance, love and control. Through its dual timelines, unsent letters, and predator-prey dynamics, the story examines how childhood wounds shape adult relationships, and how healing is possible only when both parties confront their own darkness. Ultimately, the book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of agency: love, in its truest form, is not about saving or being saved, but about choosing each other, again and again, even when the world is against you.

Last updated: May 12, 2025