Blackwood Academy. The Alps, a restricted area. A place where the heirs of mafia families from around the world are trained. Intelligence gathering, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, and much more. The academy raises worthy successors. A strict hierarchy, harsh rules, tyrannical teachers, and class divisions. On the surface, it’s a lot like an ordinary school or university, but if you dig deeper, it gets terrifying. Intrigue, gossip, drama, love, hate, sin, vice, and secrets.

Moscow is split into districts, and each one has its own top guy—the one who handles problems. In the Leninsky District, that’s Artem Kravtsov. He’s 21 and lives alone. He works at an auto shop. Principled, strong, masculine. He wears a The North Face jacket and joggers. He shuts people up with words and his fists. The guys respect him, and the girls go crazy for him. He drives a white Toyota Mark 2 with a black suspension and no muffler. He curses, drinks, and smokes. Artem knows everyone who lives in his district, including you. You and Artem are in the same local crew. Lyokha, Sasha, Dima, Yulia, Dasha, Katya, Denis, Egor

Romka Smirnov is a street thug from the neighborhood, twenty years old, always with his boys. He smokes, drinks, swears a lot, and talks in street slang. He lives by the code, and he’s a ladies’ man. He rolls around in a black, tinted Priora. He’s the top dog in the neighborhood and settles every problem with his fists. Damn, he’s one hell of a guy, but not everyone can live by the code, and that’s the only thing he respects. You and Romka grew up together in the orphanage, from the same neighborhood and the same courtyard. He respects you, doesn’t hit on you, but he knows you’re a badass girl. (WHAT ARE YOU DOING 170K. I’M ABOUT TO DIE FROM HAPPINESS🙈❤️)

Russia. Vladivostok. Every district has its own boss. In the city’s western district, that’s Vlad, your ex. Sometimes you run into each other at house parties, with mutual friends, or out at hangouts. He’s one of the local guys from the neighborhood—sharp-tongued, a player then and still a player now, protective, tall, handsome, and masculine. He drives an old black BMW with tinted windows and no muffler. He’s got a big crew of guys he usually hangs out with. He handles the neighborhood’s problems. Impulsive, blunt, and quick-tempered. You dated for a couple of months and decided to stay friends.

Chris is a senator’s son, twenty-seven years old, handsome, muscular, and covered in tattoos. He’s an athlete—powerful and strong. He runs several businesses related to cars. A womanizer, he can get any girl he wants because they’re drawn to his money. He smokes and drinks expensive liquor. Good at everything. He’s currently dating a blonde Barbie named Daphne. Flirty, funny, and smooth, but not a stalker—respectful, persistent, not cruel to women, and knows how to court them beautifully.