A promise. It seems like the simplest thing in the world to keep. But so often, they're broken, empty and hollow. They seem like the easiest thing in the world to believe, but after the words are left out to bleed, after they leave you waiting and wanting, after all the emptiness and hollow words-how are you going to believe the one who actually say what they mean?

'𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐀𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐎.

"I got one big ass album for you, It got over 900 pictures of you." He confessed making her jaw drop. "Do you even be picking out the best pictures and delete the rest of the ugly ones??" She looked at him in shock. "Fuck no, I keep every picture of you." He said while opening the house door and let her walk in first. "You're so crazy inlove, it's okay though me too." She smiled softly at him. "I thought you only liked me a lil bit." He locked the doors and followed her to the bedroom. "I changed my mind. I can do that." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked in the bedroom. "Type shit." He laughed and shook his head at her. Messiah was so deeply in love with Juani, nobody could tell him anything about her. He loved her with all his heart and felt like she was the reason he had smiled so much in what felt like forever. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝- March 20, 2024 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝- March 24, 2024 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝-June 16, 2024 @𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒✰

Book 1. - ❝THINGS AIN'T ALWAYS SET IN STONE, THAT BE KNOWN LET ME KNOW.❞

After five years apart, Ariah Montgomery and Najeer Porter find themselves back in the same city, picking up their friendship where they left off. But as familiar laughs and late-night talks turn into something neither of them expected, they're forced to question if things between them have truly stayed the same, or if something unspoken has been there all along.

Sa'Lani Monee Jeffries has always been the thick girl who gets overlooked or played. At 27, she's done with love, focused on stacking her money as a nail tech and minding her business. But when a fine, chocolate, six-foot-three gangsta with a low voice and dangerous reputation starts showing up at her job, all of that changes. Kaizer "Kai" Rashaad Wynn isn't the type of man she ever wanted. He's quiet, mean to everybody but her, and runs the streets with a heavy hand. Yet when he looks at her like she's the only woman in the world, Sa'Lani finds herself letting her guard down piece by piece. What starts as playful flirting turns into late-night phone calls, expensive gifts, and nights that leave her body aching for more. But falling for a man like Kai means stepping into a world of hood politics, jealous exes, and enemies who will use anything-including her-to get to him. When street drama hits too close to home, Sa'Lani is forced to decide if she can love a man who lives by a code that could get him killed... or if loving him will be the very thing that breaks her heart. Because Kai doesn't just want her body-he wants all of her. And when a real gangsta falls in love with a thick girl, he ain't letting go, no matter who has to get out of the way.

"𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘, 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄? 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄." Dejah Champagne has always believed sweetness solves everything until the Santiago name walks through the doors of her bakery. Tony Santiago isn't just any customer. He's a mechanic with oil on his hands, a kingpin with weight on his shoulders, and the last man she should ever let close. Their families' blood runs thick with betrayal, and everyone in their world knows the two names don't mix. But Tony keeps coming back. For cupcakes, for chai... for her. His quiet persistence chips away at Dejah's resolve until one yes changes everything. What begins as a dangerous flirtation soon unravels into something deeper, something Dejah never thought she could feel. Yet love is never simple when loyalty is a battlefield. When Dejah's family discovers the truth and Tony's fear of commitment collides with the weight of his empire, they'll both have to decide: is their bond strong enough to survive the sins of their families, or will history tear them apart for good? Sweet meets street, sugar meets steel, and nothing will ever taste the same.

Nyomi is hired by a mutual friend to help Khaiem expand his art lounge into a lifestyle brand. She plans to keep things professional-especially since she's still healing from a controlling ex who almost ruined her career. But Khaiem's creative, confident energy disarms her, and he's intrigued by her quiet power. What starts as creative brainstorming sessions at midnight turns into heated arguments, laughter, and stolen touches. But when her ex reappears, and Khaiem's old trust issues resurface, they'll have to choose if love is worth risking their carefully rebuilt lives.

When Kiki visits Chicago for her cousin's wedding, she never expects to get piped down by a man who talks with his hands and growls her name like he own it. Messiah ain't like these New York dudes she's used to-he move different. Ain't loud, ain't flashy, but got that hood alpha energy that make her melt. She was supposed to be there for five days max... not fall in love with a Chi-Town gangsta who flips bricks and lifts her like she weightless. But when her past follows her to Chicago and his street life bleeds into their sex-fueled situationship, the line between love and lust starts to blur. He never chased women-especially not loud, sex-crazy, no-nonsense New York ones. But Kiki? She got him talkin' about "what we is" and pressin' her spot like he tryna build a future. But love between two people who been hurt don't come easy. And in a city full of secrets, money, and murder? Somebody always gotta pay.

"Mani, you really my peace." ❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚ Imani don't do rappers. Not when attention come before intention, and every smile hide a secret. But when a late night studio session her best friend forces her to go to, puts her in the path of Messiah James, a rising star with a quiet demeanor and a dangerous smile? She starts breakin' all her own rules. Cause sometimes, the one you run from is the one sent to heal you. And ain't nothin' louder than a man who love quiet and choose you soft. She swore she wouldn't fall. He say she ain't gotta, cause she already his.