Raised in the mean streets of Harlem, Queen Cavelli was a daddy's girl to the core until her father, Julius, was gunned down at her sweet sixteen birthday party where her mother was also kidnapped by his murderers. Days later, her brothers were arrested by the Feds and she was left alone with no way to support herself. Then Andre enters her life and tries to help her set things right. 

Although Queen is hesitant to trust anyone, she can't ignore his boss nigga status, impeccable swag and thug mentality. Soon he becomes everything she needs and teaches her the rules of the streets as well as the rules of the heart. With him by her side, Queen gets control of her father's empire but when jealousy rears its ugly head in the form of a childhood enemy of Queen's who has her eyes and affections set on Andre, things start to go very wrong. 

Tiffany has hated Queen since grade school when she first laid eyes on the pampered princess whose family was treated like hood royalty everywhere in Harlem. When she sees the relationship that Queen has with Andre, someone she had been sweating for months, she can't help but want to ruin everything Queen has going. And although she's nothing but a hoodrat, she has a sister in high places who could help her with her plans. 

Kelis is an NYPD officer in East Harlem with a secret of her own; her baby daddy is Trinidad, a notorious dopeboy in the same area she patrols. When she lands a promotion that puts her on a case, she is ecstatic until she realizes she may be hunting the man she loves. But Trinidad has another secret, which he shares with Kelis' ratchet sister, Tiffany.

Formerly published under the title, 'Us Against the World'.