Kane Davenport is a primary character and another of the novel’s first-person narrators. The chapters titled with his first name are written from his perspective and trace episodes from his storyline. Kane is the only child of Grant and Helena Davenport. The Davenports are not only one of the founding families of Vencor but also one of the most powerful names in Graystone. They “hold the town and beyond in the palms of their hands” (103). Because of Kane’s parentage, he carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. His father Grant has abused him since he was a small child, convinced that this mistreatment would eradicate Kane’s softer qualities and turn him into the powerful, cold-hearted machine needed to run the Davenport family, Vencor, the Vipers, and Graystone. Grant continues to abuse Kane in the narrative present, even though he is a grown man and a college student. His mother Helena has always stood silently by, aware of the abuse but emotionally incapable of standing up to Grant.

Kane’s steely exterior and callous demeanor are manifestations of his childhood trauma. His father has raised him to be this way. Kane has a softer heart but feels incapable of accessing his true emotions and character. Whenever he starts to show any sentiment, he quickly quashes these emotions. He is afraid of betraying his persona and ruining his reputation. He is known for being cruel, single-minded, and unapproachable.

Kane is also a dynamic character who changes as a result of his enemies-to-lovers romance with Dahlia. He falls in love with her at first sight, when he and his fellow Vencor members are trying to kidnap her sister Violet. “Her eyes […] blaz[e] with fire” (431), and her feisty demeanor “pique[s] [Kane’s] interest” (433). He demands that his friends Jude Callahan and Preston Armstrong spare her life because he is curious about and attracted to her. At the same time, Kane does everything in his power to bury his feelings for Dahlia. In his chapters, he repeatedly tells himself that Dahlia is a nobody, is worthless, and is a threat to his reputation and stoicism. However, his behaviors belie this inner monologue. Kane does treat Dahlia aggressively—particularly during their violent sexual encounters—but in his heart, he is jealous of Dahlia’s attention and time. He does everything to be with and control her. This is how Kane understands intimacy.

Over time, Dahlia teaches Kane how to acknowledge, identify, work through, and honor his emotions. She validates his pain and trauma. She encourages him to confront his past. She teaches him to love with more openness. With Dahlia’s help, Kane discovers a truer, freer, and more honest way of being.

Violet is a secondary character. She and Dahlia “aren’t blood-related, but [they] met in a foster home” and have been close ever since (39). Their foster family was abusive to both of the sisters, causing Violet and Dahlia to rely on each other. Violet always tried to take care of Dahlia and step in when Dahlia was suffering. She is the reason they escaped their abusive circumstances and sought out a new life together.

For most of the novel, Violet is in a coma because she was attacked and kidnapped. Dahlia is determined to find the people behind this incident to avenge her sister. Without Violet, Dahlia feels alone. She is also terrified of losing her sister because she is the only real family Dahlia has left. At times, Dahlia is overcome by sorrow when she realizes she is still in danger of losing Violet:

It’s been over three months since the attack. Every day she spends in a coma lowers her chances of ever waking up again. Her mental activity is diminishing, and the doctor basically told me to give up hope and stop getting excited whenever her fingers twitch. […] Just now, I had the very scary but realistic thought that I might never…have a conversation with my sister again (363).

The possibility of Violet’s death devastates Dahlia. She wants to avenge her because this is her only way of coping with her sorrow and grief. Violet’s tenuous condition throughout the novel—as described above—also creates ongoing narrative tension. Dahlia is never sure if Violet is improving or not.

Dahlia later discovers that Vencor tried to kill Violet because she failed to save Preston’s stepmother Susie from being murdered. It’s difficult for Dahlia to reconcile with this secret aspect of Violet’s life, but she ultimately forgives her sister for her mistakes.

Violet wakes up in the latter chapters of the novel, and her recovery affects a hopeful mood, delights Dahlia, and adds to the optimistic ending. The sisters reunite and rebuild their lives together with Kane’s help, and the restoration of their relationship also contributes to Dahlia’s happy ending.

Grant Davenport is another of the novel’s secondary characters. He is Kane’s father and Helena’s husband. He plays the role of the archetypal villain or antagonist. Since Kane was six years old, Grant has abused and mistreated him because he perceived Kane to be weak and pitiful, deeming him unfit to take over the family business, Vencor, and the Vipers. Grant is a flat, static character who shows no compassion. He is so wicked that he has erected a torture chamber within which he has mutilated and violently punished Kane for years.

Grant creates narrative tension because he is the only character whom Kane truly fears. Kane has grown accustomed to his abuse but is also desperate to triumph over him. The only way Kane knows to transcend Grant’s abuse is to kill him, and in doing so, he frees himself fully from his traumatic past. He ultimately shoots Grant and deposits his body in the ocean after Grant kidnaps and tortures Dahlia. Dahlia temporarily feels guilty for this incident, but soon realizes that Grant’s death has set both Kane and Helena free.

Helena Davenport is a minor character. She is Grant’s wife and Kane’s mother. Although Dahlia has sympathy for Helena, Kane blames her for failing to protect him. Helena has always been aware of her husband’s mistreatment of Kane. Even still, she has done nothing to stop him. Dahlia guesses that her inaction is a symptom of depression and fear, and she understands that Helena is also a survivor of Grant’s emotional abuse.

Dahlia forges a friendship with Helena and visits her independently and with Kane throughout the novel. Kane initially doesn’t understand the women’s connection, but Dahlia’s kindness towards his mother ultimately deepens his love for her. At the same time, Kane holds Helena accountable for Dahlia’s kidnapping and torture. Despite Dahlia’s goodness towards Helena, she fails to protect her from Grant, too, highlighting the static nature of Helena’s character.

Dahlia and Kane both make amends with Helena by the novel’s end. Dahlia readily forgives Helena for failing to intercede when Grant captured her, reminding herself that Helena was a survivor of abuse, too. It takes longer for Kane to rebuild his relationship with his mother, but with Dahlia’s help, he gradually pursues this aspect of healing.