Was it ever me... or just him?

She was broken, pregnant, and abandoned. He was grumpy, guarded, and done with love. But somehow, they became each other's safe place. When Amiyah Le'Rae Vynter's abusive ex finds out she's pregnant, he does the cruelest thing he can-kicks her out, leaving her homeless and heartbroken with nowhere to go. Carrying a child she didn't ask for but already loves, Amiyah vows to do everything on her own...until a caramel-skinned, tattooed stranger with a permanent scowl changes everything. Cassian Rhyse Holloway doesn't do relationships, and he definitely doesn't do drama. But when he sees a shivering, pregnant woman at a bus stop in the middle of the night, something inside him snaps. He takes her in, promising himself it's only temporary. Yet, the more he's around her-the late-night conversations, her soft laughter, the way his big hands fit over her growing belly-the harder it is to keep his distance. He's grumpy, overprotective, and quick to threaten anyone who even looks at her wrong. She's sweet, vulnerable, but stronger than she gives herself credit for. Together, they're messy, complicated, and falling for each other in ways neither expected. But when Amiyah's toxic ex tries to crawl back into her life, Cassian has to prove that he's not just her shelter-he's the man who's ready to love her and the baby she's carrying, no matter what.

Harlem doesn't forgive debts - it collects. Xyla never asked to be part of her father's street mistakes, but when his debt comes due, she becomes the payment. Snatched from her normal life and dropped into a world ruled by corners, codes, and consequences, Xyla finds herself under the control of Onyx - better known in Harlem as East. East runs his block with silence and fear. He's respected, dangerous, and untouchable. Loyalty is his currency, violence is his language, and weakness gets you buried. Keeping Xyla was supposed to be business - nothing more than leverage. But Xyla isn't weak, and she refuses to bow to the streets that claim her. As Harlem closes in and enemies start circling, tension turns into temptation and hate turns into something neither of them planned. East is torn between the rules that made him and the woman who's breaking every one of them. Xyla must decide if survival means escaping him... or standing beside him. In a city where love is a liability and trust gets you killed, one thing is certain - some debts don't get paid in cash. They get paid in blood, loyalty... and desire.

18 year old Seven is the pride of 12th Street. With a 4.0 GPA, a clean record, and a future that stretches far beyond the projects, she's the "good girl" everyone points to. She lives her life by the book, tucked safely behind the protection of her brother, Serge, and the iron gate of her porch. She's a goldfish in a shark tank, and she knows it. But the walls Serge built are starting to feel thin. Ghost is the first crack in her foundation. He's Serge's right hand, a man who has known Seven since she was in pigtails. He's respectful, steady, and moves through their house with a silent, predatory grace. He knows the "don't touch" policy better than anyone, but the way he watches her from the kitchen door tells a different story. He's the familiar danger, the one who's always there, whispering that he sees the woman she's becoming. Then there is Lucky. If Ghost is the fire, Lucky is the cold, dark eclipse. As the man who runs the neighborhood, he doesn't come inside, and he doesn't play by anyone's rules, not even Serge's. He doesn't talk much. He doesn't have to, his presence is a loud enough statement. Seven is caught in the crosshairs of two different kinds of power. One man is her brother's best friend who respects the house, the other is the street legend who intends to own it. On 12th Street, loyalty is everything... but some temptations are worth the war.

Knight Howard is the perfect man so perfect he's juggling two separate families who know nothing about each other......

[-] "He saw all the stars in the solar system in her eyes." ••••••• Delani Taylor is the type of girl who wears silk ribbons in her hair and sketches anything and everything. She's blunt and straightforward; except for when comes to her feeling about her best friend. The sweetest boy who could always make the most trouble, and always listens to one person; his best friend. August Beckham had many happy places the stars, the hidden field of flowers behind the school, but most importantly; his best friend. ••••••• "Delani, Imma cum." I grit through my teeth. It was at the point I had to close my eyes because if I continues to watch at her ride me I would cum in a matter of seconds. "Can you hold it for me? I'm almost there baby, I promise." She saids through shallow breaths. My legs start to tremor as I threw my head back against the comforter when I feel her tighten around me, "Fuck I-" I felt a tinge of embarrassment when my words turn into a whimper. "You're doing so good, August. So fucking good." She moans. ••••••• Book Two of the Beloved Series Can be my read as a stand alone. 6/16/22- 1/1/23

𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖇𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖙𝖘. 𝕼𝖆𝖉𝖉𝖗𝖎𝖞𝖆𝖍 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕯𝖊𝖏𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖊 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖚 𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖇𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗. 𝕴𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖕 𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖊𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖍 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖚 𝖊𝖛𝖗𝖞𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌? 𝕯𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖘 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖒? 𝕯𝖔𝖊𝖘 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖗 𝖆𝖑𝖑?

"What are you, what are you so afraid of?" "Darling you, you give but you cannot take love." ♡︎IN WHICH| he's scared to love again, and she tries to help him overcome it. -------------- "i love me enough for the both of us." "i know you been through more that most of us." started: April 11th 2024 published: April 23rd 2024 ended: June 10th 2024 rankings 🎀 #1-kayflock 💕 #1-drill 🎀

In a world of drugs and guns that men dominate, Kaya Okoro is feared amongst them all for the standing her father's mafia holds and the reputation she has built by carrying out deeds that no other can do without leaving a trace. However, with her father's sudden passing she and her family are now left extremely susceptible to the dangers of the male dominated world that would rather burn than to see a woman, her mother, lead the mafia. Unwilling to back down, Kaya's family do their best to put on a brave face by attending the annual gala of peace between all mafias, where she is reunited with Dakari Adisa, a childhood friend.. Dakari Adisa is a well respected and connected man who built his empire with his own two hands, drugs being its strong foundation. He isn't close to his family due to issues with his parents, so in his world are only a small circle of friends who replace them. When all hell breaks loose at the gala of peace and Kaya is at the center of it. Unable to set herself free, Dakari gives her a hand per her mother's request, but this hand comes with the proposal of marriage, something Kaya didn't think she would involve herself in, though with her life on the line she has no choice but to accept. And unsurprisingly being married to Dakari not only saves her life but reawakens feelings she can't understand and doesn't want to because ironically in a world as deadly as this one she fears nothing but emotions.