Book excerpt: Chastity Baker is a teenaged prostitute and meth junkie living on the streets of Memphis. After being arrested and hitting rock-bottom, she makes herself a solemn vow, that she would leave prostitution and drugs behind and live a better life. Making good on her vow, Chas takes the necessary steps to improve her life, only she cannot seem to outrun her past. Her past mistakes follow her in the forms of a sadistic and vindictive ex-pimp and drug-supplier, who now wants her dead, various people who know her from her darker days and cruelly pass judgement on her, circumstances that arise and present themselves as roadblocks to her progress and her arresting officer, who now wants to protect her and eventually falls in love with her. Chas keeps her eyes on her goals and continues with focused determination. Will she reach success or will she let adversity, haters, and her own insecurity and negative feelings about her past bring more failure? The message Chas receives from others, doesn't always ring true.