💢This is dark romance.💢 Reader's discretion is highly advised. *** "Stop crying Geneva." His eyes held hers, he wanted her to listen. "I haven't done anything to you. Yet." *** Book Two in the Rodriguez Series. Highest Rankings: #1 Hurtful

He prayed for her in the dark. She begged to God for him to let her go. Ky'leigh Ace thought loving a man like Julian "Toro" Cortez was just part of growing up in the Southside. But when he got locked up, she found out the truth: being in love with a gang member was one thing-raising his daughter alone was another. Six years later, he's back. Fresh out. Full of pain, pride, and poison. But Ky has changed. She's colder now. Stronger. Smarter. And she's been keeping Jurnee away from the streets. But Julian doesn't play when it comes to his daughter. Or Ky. In the world they come from, love ain't sweet-it's war. And every night, somebody's out there whispering a Lover's Prayer just to survive it.

"This is not a sob story, it's a love one." In a world of high societal expectations Malaysia is one of the many fighting to reach the goals expected by her family. After being raised by a single mother for half of her life then transitioning to a world with too many overbearing male figures, she's ready to explode. Seymour is the last person she should be with. From his street affiliation, trauma from abandonment, all the way to his baby momma drama he is the blueprint of what should be avoided by someone who is as perfect as she is. Except Malaysia now understood the reason for true rebellion. Everyone in the world understood the hierarchy of societal grounds and why they would never work, but their connection hit too fast, too deep, and quickly becomes dangerous. She was tired of living up to the expectations of her parents and her brothers. It was time for her to take her life back. There was a long list of reasons why they shouldn't have been involved with each-other, but there was only one reason why they should've. That was enough. STARTED ; JANUARY 5th, 2026 PUBLISHED ; FEBRUARY 11th, 2026 FINISHED; March 19th, 2026