Academy/Slow Burn/Slow Build/MMFMMM/Mafia/Swim Team Never underestimate the power of a pawn. My life seemed pretty perfect until I turned twelve. Then everything was destroyed with a fainting spell, a doctor’s visit, and a diagnosis that rocked me to my core. Now at seventeen, I am being shipped to a new country and school with no support from my father. I’m facing a tangled web of lies and truths that will test and threaten to break me, but I’ve never been the type to back down. The Kings of Wayward Academy set their eyes on me, and the chess game begins. We are the Kings of Wayward Academy, but this school is not like others for the filthy rich with pretentious attitudes. The most ruthless families in the world have attended Wayward for generations. The land is neutral ground, heavily guarded, and the laws upheld by an unseen organization that no one dares to take on. But, boredom, for people like us, is a deadly disease. One that usually ends badly for anyone caught in our snare. Then Princess arrives, Ren Davies, the new girl. Armed with her sharp tongue and striking looks, she has everyone taking a second look. I’ve never met anyone with a fearless streak like hers. It was inevitable that she would attract our attention. The game begins, and the bets are set. Which King will win? There are just some games that were never meant to be won.

The fall of a knight starts with a crack in his armor. The pieces are perfectly set, and play has just begun, but my pawn has already fallen. Of all the guys, my money was not on Myles to choose Princess over me. Ren Davies has proven to be a worthier opponent than I gave her credit for and refuses to bow at my feet. Her past is a confounding maze of deadends that leave me with many questions and no answers. But one thing is clear…she is a threat. As my knight betrays me and begins to pull away, I need to regroup and formulate a new plan of attack. Whatever power it is that she holds is seeping deeper, forcing me to change my tactics, but I fear that it is already too late. The question becomes, who will fall next?

The arrogant bishop feels superior, but it will race the fastest to its downfall. I had been looking forward to summer break since learning I was going home for a month. Not only would I see my Aunt Nadia and my best friend Lizzy, but I wasn’t traveling alone. But being home wasn’t at all what I thought it would be… I’m drowning in mysteries and have to find the answers or die trying. It is becoming clear that I never truly knew my parents or the dark and depraved world I live in, but the blinders are gone. When my summer of relaxation turns deadly, I race cross country with the most unlikely protector to make it to safety before those hunting me can finish what they started. There are only two things I’m certain of anymore. I have a glowing target on my back, and the only people I can trust are the Kings. That is unless Nash Collier decides I’m more useful as a chess piece. Then all bets are off.

The rook’s heart is as cold as stone, but when the rock crumbles, the spoils are twice as sweet. Death follows me around like a dark cloud just waiting to strike. First, it stole my mother, then my aunt, and now my father is missing. Even though I’m told to walk away, and even though finding him shouldn’t be my top priority, the memory of him begging me to talk to him haunts my dreams. Consumed with protecting me, the guys struggle to let me help find answers to the mysteries that only grow deeper. That is until a gift arrives on my eighteenth birthday that will blow up my world forever. I find an ally in the most unlikely source. Liam doesn’t treat me like I need to be protected and instead challenges me to prove my worth. So, when a high‑stakes game of poker can change the course of all our fates, I jump at the opportunity. But, I quickly find that when you play for life or death, you need to be aware of the wildcard.

Father tried to make me a pawn, but I controlled my destiny. I would be a queen and take all that was mine. The car shifted, and the metal groaned, making me jump. “What the hell was that?” His worry was evident through the phone. “Oh god…we’re slipping.” The rushing water was so high that it pressed against the window and came in around the door. A small crack spider‑webbed across the glass as the pressure built. “Oh my god, Dimitri isn’t going to make it in time.” \\\* From the first moment I saw her, I fell hopelessly in love. One bloody nose later was all it took for me to know she was my forever. I might have only been ten at the time, but my heart had never beat for another. Unfortunately, business meant more to our families and signed marriage contracts tore us apart. But defiancé flowed through our veins thicker than blood. She was my oxygen, and I couldn’t breathe without her. There was only one thing I could do…become one of the most powerful Dons in the world and crush anyone who dared oppose me. The path of good intentions might be lined with gold, but it still led to hell, and my world once more burned around me. One day, I would take back what was rightfully mine, even if it meant going to war.