Harry knows the hard alleys and rules of life on the docks. Still a stranger in town, his fists have carved a name that whispers of power and prowess. Bound by an ironclad indenture to the Boss, Harry's days are spent navigating the city's concrete veins in a roaring truck, his nights haunted by the promise of a sanctioned fight that could make him a free man.

But the docks belong to the Thin Man's family, and his son has a chip on his shoulder for Harry. He craves a piece of Harry, eager to test his mettle against the man whose very name evokes images of shattered jaws and broken dreams.

Harry stands ready, his resolve as solid as the muscles that ripple beneath his skin. He's faced down foes twice his size, absorbed punches that would crumble mountains, and emerged victorious from battles that would send lesser men to their knees. But he's about to face a fight his fists can't win.

Harry never told Ida he was working for the Boss. A woman as street-wise as she is beautiful, Ida sees all the angles. And she doesn't like any of them. With a single, heart-stopping revelation, she delivers a blow that lands with the weight of a sledgehammer-"A Punch to the Gut" that sends Harry reeling. No man has ever managed to floor the indomitable Harry Hornroot, but Ida's words are a knockout punch that threatens to bring the Pugilistic Powerhouse to his knees.

For the first time in his life, Harry's got something to lose. His only chance is with Ida in his corner. But is she already throwing in the towel?