Theodore Bennett was the typical most wanted guy in college - being a nepo baby and captain of the football team, Theo had the face, the body, the charm and of course, his fair share of girls drooling over every little thing he did daily. However when it came to grades, he slacked. The last thing Theodore wanted was ending up forced to be in a presentation group led by the girl whose guts he hated. Maria Michaels - Nigerian, but born and raised in Ireland moved to the US for college, was who you could call the 'perfect student'. She continuously scored high in assignments, had several friends, was elevating in cheer and was positively known by as much people possible within a month of her arrival. Of course, she also, had the face, the body, the charm, the attention, and the grades Theo lacked. The last thing Maria wanted was ending up forced to lead a presentation group including the guy whose guts she hated. "Fucks sake", they say, the exact same time.

She grew up in a broken home- a mother grinding a 9-5 just to survive, and a father who gave her the world... before prison took him away. As an only child, she learned two things early: from her dad: how to want more from her mom: how to get it herself. But when she refused college, her mother slammed the door in her face, leaving her homeless at eighteen. With nothing but a duffel bag and stubborn pride, she crossed state lines and rebuilt her life from the ground up, earning every dollar under the neon lights of The Velvet Whisper. Comfort. Independence. Control. She thought she finally had it all- until Grim, the silent, dangerous owner of the club set his sights on her. And when Grim wants something? He always takes it.

Rumi "Rue" Monroe was a girl who grew up too quick and too soon. When her parents died, all she had left was herself, her overworked aunt, and bills they could never quite outrun. Fresh out of a relationship after catching her man in bed with another woman, Rue is exhausted working herself to the bone, drowning in responsibilities, and done with men altogether. She keeps her head down, minding her business, praying life gives her something better than struggle and disappointment. She isn't looking for love, danger, or anything that can break her again. Until she meets him. Nazir "Naz" Creed is the coldest man in the city a quiet storm with a reputation that speaks louder than he ever needs to. Running the streets with his brothers built him an empire people fear and respect in equal measure. Naz moves with precision, loyalty, and violence when necessary, and he's never cared about much outside money, power, and keeping his circle alive. But then he sees Rue. What starts as a chance encounter turns into a collision neither of them can walk away from. Rue's sweetness clashes with Naz's darkness, her broken hope meets his guarded heart, and suddenly the city's coldest man finds himself warming to the one girl who wasn't looking for him in the first place. And the streets? The streets don't like when the wrong people start caring about each other.

"I know I should've talked to you about it but I-" I started but stopped, looking down at my feet again. I had no excuse. The only thing on my mind was graduating, I never put his feelings into perspective. "Dominic, I'm sorry. I was being selfish and only thinking of myself but baby, I promise if you give me another chance.." I trailed off, breathing heavily. "..if you give us another chance, I'll never do it again. I promise." I tried to grab his face but he roughly pulled away from me. "Don't touch me." He spoke sternly, breaking me even more. "Look.." He trailed off, looking away again. "Me and you..we're done." He spoke, finally looking down at me. "Dominic." I pleaded. "Don't say that. Please." "Na', this shit is over, T." He went on and I began to sob.

"That's your fucking problem right there, Kai." "You want me to keep chasing you and I'm not doing that shit no more." He spat, looking into my eyes as I looked back into his. "You want to leave without letting me explain, then go ahead and leave, Kai." "I'm not stopping you." "But if you want this shit, Kai.." "Then come get it." He spoke sternly, unbuttoning his button down shirt as I stood there in shock, turning around completely to look up at him. Taking his shirt off, I watched as he stripped himself down as his muscular, tall, fit figure appeared and I can't say this man wasn't drop dead fine. Though I was so mad at him in this moment, my mouth dropped, looking at how good he looked. "I'm done chasing your ass, bruh." "You want me, come get me."

They were raised by killers. Now they're everything the world was afraid they'd become.

"What it's called when the patient grow feelings fa therapist?" He asked, and she chuckled, staring at him. "Transference."