Life is the hardest teacher of all: it gives you the test first and the lesson afterward.

For Kelly, the lesson is simple: Eat or be eaten.

Known on the block as “Cocaine Kelly,” she has managed to keep her double life separate. On one side, she’s a dutiful daughter and a promising student. On the other, she’s the architect of a rapidly expanding narcotics operation. But the balance is shattered when Snake, a veteran hustler with a terrifying reputation, declares war on her crew.

Snake thinks he’s dealing with amateurs. He’s wrong.

Backed by Porsha, her ride-or-die, and a security detail that operates with military precision, Kelly is ready to stand her ground. But as the rivalry escalates into open warfare, the lines between friend and foe begin to blur. Betrayal lurks in the shadows, and the Feds are circling closer than anyone realizes.

Kelly wanted to build an empire, but she’s about to find out that the higher you climb, the harder you have to fight to stay alive.