"You may now kiss your bride". They were the last words my mother heard before she collapsed on the church steps, poison ending her pitifully short life. When her new husband dies minutes later, all eyes turn to me. There are whispers. Accusations. The verdict is split. I murdered them both. Or I'm the next to die.

I’m the ruling queen of Saint View Strip. After growing up poor, taking my clothes off and dancing for men is all I know. My thriving club and the people I employ are everything. They’re my ride or die, and I’m theirs.

As a bodyguard, I have one rule: don't get attached. Yet Daisy's got me hooked. When I'm asked to protect her, I can't resist. She's warmth and kindness wrapped up in a curvy package, and I'm willing to cross any line to keep her safe. Almost. No matter how torn I am between duty and desire, there’s only one chance I can’t take. For her, I’ll risk anything—except for my heart.

Diagnosed with a rare terminal illness, I’ve spent over half my life in the Strand Corporation’s state-of-the-art treatment facility. I keep my chin up and do everything the doctors order, praying one day I’ll walk out of here in perfect health. But when that day finally arrives, it’s nothing like I hoped it would be. Instead, it comes in a hail of gunfire, along with four distractingly handsome men who say they’re here to rescue me. 

Five years ago, I masterminded the infamous massacre of the Tri-state Timberwolves. The streets outside the Wolves HQ ran red with the blood of the old guard, and not one of those members loyal to my father were spared mercy. Not a single one. I let the media twist and distort the story. My new recruits eagerly proved themselves in spreading false news, in covering our tracks. To the general public, the Tri-State Timberwolves were extinct. But that couldn’t have been further from the truth.