Ain’t nobody loves Rex Virgil like Melba Daniels loves Rex Virgil.

And ain’t nobody loves Melba like Rexie. Even Becky June, Melba’s cousin, can’t understand the depth of passion running between the redneck felon and the illustrious movie star fresh from the set of a Rudolph Valentino biopic. In fact, Junie insists-like a whole hell of a lot of other people-that the romance is all in Melba’s head, and that Rexie really meant that restraining order the court slapped on her.

But Melba knows better, which is why she is tricking Junie into visiting the same resort where Rexie goes for vacations. Melba Daniels has a direct line to Rexie, after all, or vice versa, and he tells her things all the time. How much he loves her. How she’s doing all the right things and just needs to trust him. How, if she wants to come away with him and live forever by the end of the night, she must appease the demonic Gray Man pursuing her…and how that appeasement must come in the form of blood sacrifice.

What Becky June ain’t never understood is that love is complicated.

And so is death.