Title Page

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Dedication

To my friends and family, who have offered support and encouragement.

For the loves of my life, Shaniece and Leo, I do it all for you.

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge first and foremost, Sha and Leo, who are the blood flow to my heart and the motivating forces who give me the strength and courage to explore uncharted waters. I would also like to acknowledge my mom, who’s shown me how positive change combats complexity. I love where we are. To my grandpa, I am so joyful we found you and for the memories we will make; my sister, I hope you know how much you mean to me; my nieces Mia and Nisa, my personal cheerleading squad, your bright futures await; and Iyanla Vanzant, thank you for being my accountability partner.

I am also grateful to those who gave a portion of their lives to complete this book: award-winning writer Holly L. Lorincz, thank you for cultivating my vision; my agent, Chip; and the many other people who worked to edit, typeset, and launch this story.

Last but not least, to the readers of this book … I hope you enjoy it! These pages are for you, a place I can share some of my hard-earned wisdom regarding strength and personal growth, especially as I have come to realize the power of choice, the risks and benefits of following the status quo, and not being afraid to break a cycle. My personal mandate for growth is unapologetic, calculated, and results-driven. I choose to accept or deny the life experiences that will be woven into the fabric of my being. So can you.

Chapter One

Angel Gomez hissed under her breath.

Claro. Of course. If she was going to get a paper cut, it would be from the page illustrating the male reproductive system. The twenty-three-year-old sucked at the thin line of blood on the web of her hand, squinting hard at the flayed cojones in her anatomy textbook.

As a nursing student, Angel knew the male anatomy—from the bulb to the external urinary meatus—but her ability to reel off the Latin names of penis parts seemed to scare the living, breathing version away.

Not that I want a man, she reminded herself, her inner voice stern. Focus, girl.