Sins of the Father by Stacey Johnston

Sherlyn:

If there is anything Sherlyn has learned, it’s that the past is a cruel reminder of a life that can no longer be lived.
After the death of her father, eighteen-year-old Sherlyn uncovers hidden truths about his life–horrific deeds he committed that could have a lasting impact on her life. As she struggles with the reality of her haunted past, she realizes that these unexpected truths reveal a past that may not be so easy to bury.

When her mother dies under tragic circumstances shortly after her discovery, Sherlyn leans on her best friend Sophie Valentine and the care her family provides. But even their love and support can’t erase her heartache. To combat the darkness that threatens to consume her, she continues to search out the truth, no matter the cost.

But as her quest for answers attracts the attention of one of her father’s former associates, her life is once more thrown into turmoil, and she can’t help but wonder if everything she ever knew was a lie.

Stephen:

With the threat of a menacing hitman now eliminated, Stephen is finally free from the prison that was his life for the past four years.
But it doesn’t take long for him to question what the definition of his new-found freedom really is.

When he is forced to move back to California, he discovers that he has been torn away from Sherlyn, the one person who brings light into his world of darkness. Her absence sends Stephen into a vortex of chaos and self-doubt, which begins to inform his every action. Even the best of intentions can’t stop Stephen from pushing away the light to continue his journey through the darkness alone. It’s everything he can do just to keep the remnants of his life intact.

Until tragedy strikes.
A girl struggling to find her way.
A boy trying to control his demons from the past.
Can a shy girl curb the controlling nature of the boy she loves, and will either of them survive the sins of the father?