Alexia Brown has nothing left to lose. Orphaned young and recently forced out of her job over money she never stole, she is one missed rent payment away from losing the only home she has with her roommate, Nia Carter. So when Julian Reyes offers her a position as personal assistant to Cole Walter, she accepts without hesitation. Cole is wealthy, powerful, and impossible to please. Behind the hotels, shipping companies, and glittering offices lies a criminal empire built on blood and loyalty. As the heir to a business empire stretching across Los Angeles, he has little patience for mistakes and even less for people who challenge him. Alexia does both. Their first weeks together are a battle of sharp words and wounded pride, and she begins to wonder whether the generous salary is worth working for a man who seems to hate her. Cole gradually notices the things that distinguish Alexia from the people around him and he begins to show interest in her but he hides it behind his usual coldness. But Cole is not the only man paying attention to her. Zikora Wallace, Cole's charming and trusted executive, welcomes Alexia into his world. He makes her laugh, listens when she speaks, and asks for a chance at something more. Alexia enjoys his company, but only sees him as a friend. And when a ruthless rival sets his sights on Cole's business and the woman who has become his weakness, Alexia finds herself caught in a world she never agreed to be a part of.