Protective. Obsessive. Sarcastic. Hacker that works both behind the screen and in the field to take down human trafficking rings. Known to those criminals as “Z”. No one else knows that that is what he does for work.

Josh Hammond is Tyler's best friend and a highly skilled professional hacker. Having left college after a personal family scandal, he remains a loyal and practical confidant for Tyler. He is deeply embedded in an interconnected social network of covert operators and provides critical technological support. Vegan Aly’s fiancé.

Aly Cappellucci is an ER nurse and Josh's fiancée. She has a history with Tyler but now firmly occupies the role of a supportive friend and medical resource within their close-knit group.

Lauren Marchetti is Nico's girlfriend and heavily involved in managing the logistics of Velvet. She organizes the club's specialized floors and handles the practical aspects of their legitimate income streams. She is a cam girl and advocate for sex workers.

Nico (Junior) Trocci is a compact, dark-featured Mafia scion who serves as Tyler's reluctant business partner. Their partnership was forged through mutual blackmail, leading them to jointly run Velvet, an exclusive multi-level play club.

Tyler Neumann is a 25-year-old underground bookie who operates under the alias Theo Strickland. Raised in extreme poverty, he harbors deep resentment toward the wealthy and runs illegal poker games to exploit their recklessness. Calculating and observant. He uses a mix of charm and sharp provocation to manipulate those around him. Josh’s best friend. Stella’s boyfriend and sub. Also AJ’s boyfriend.

Stella McCormick is a 35-year-old tattoo artist who has carefully distanced herself from her family's wealthy social circle. She curates a defensive Gothic aesthetic and relies on sharp, sarcastic banter to keep others at a safe distance. Tyler’s girlfriend and dom. Also AJ’s girlfriend. Chronic gastritis

AJ is a wealthy, enigmatic figure from Stella's high-society circle. Unlike many of his peers, he demonstrates genuine emotional intelligence, warmth, and an uncomplicated approach to desire. He treats others as equals rather than pawns, bringing a stabilizing and surprising energy to Stella and Tyler's tense arrangement. Stella’s and Tyler’s boyfriend.