The main character, John Wingate, is the wealthy CEO of a major shipping company, who's work schedule has denied him a normal family life. He has filled the void with numerous relationships with beautiful women of similar lifestyle, living around the world he travels constantly. He has a chance encounter with Carrie Latham, a young, struggling, single mother on his regular jogging trail and becomes involved with her little daughter who has terminal cancer. He becomes so close to them that, after the childs death, he adopts Carrie and introduces her to his lavish world. She eventually marries JT Wingate, John's nephew and COO, and on their honeymoon are taken hostage by Somalian Pirates while on a cruise aboard a company ship. This takes us through the first 19 chapters on the book. The remainder of the book, the next 26 chapters, is about John's efforts to develop and execute a plan to rescue JT and Carrie using retired US Navy Seals.