"So you just wanna fuck me forever, and that's it, huh?" "I ain't say-" He sucked his teeth. "We already talked about this shit, Z." "Nah." She chuckled dryly. "You just keep shutting me out." "Why you doin' this to me, Ma?" He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hm? Why you tryna fuck everything up?" • • • • • • 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚊 𝚗𝚘𝚗-𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚊 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌, 𝚊 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚌 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚌 💌👻 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟷 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚅𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜

New Orleans isn't just a city-it's a pulse. A rhythm. A hunger. And nobody knows that better than Arielle Washington, a tired single mother grinding just to make rent in the Desire Projects. Love left her a long time ago, replaced with diaper bags, house keys, and survival. That is, until a new housekeeping job drops her into the home-and world-of ICE the most dangerous man in the streets. ICE doesn't do mess. Doesn't do feelings. But there's something about Ari-her fire, her silence, her scars-that draws him in. And when business gets bloody and loyalties are tested, the line between protector and predator blurs. Because in the Dirty South, nothing comes clean... not even love.

"You trust me?" I look up at him, staring into his light brown eyes that stared directly at me. It felt like he was staring into my soul trying to read me. I could barely answer his question because I was busy looking at him. Once I realized I was staring like crazy, I quickly look down. "I do." ----------------------------- She's the girl you never saw coming, the unexpected one who calms you, centers you, and still she turns out to be the surprise love of your love. She gets you, really gets you like no one ever has. She is your best friend, lover, and soulmate all wrapped in the prettiest package. She is unforgettable, she is like no one, which is why you are addicted to her mind, her soul, her body, and her presence. You can't get her out of your system. You taste her and she runs through you hot like blood and fire. She never leaves you no matter what, because she too, knows how rare the connection is. You have never had anyone stick by you like that before. She is the safest place you ever know. You are soft for her no matter how hard life gets, she is there and your feelings never change. She loves you fiercely and you feel her love deep in your bones and in your soul. She is the one who makes you feel whole in a way you never have before and that terrifies you. But, what terrifies you even more...is losing her. 03/12/21-04/25/21 Rankings: #9 in africanamerican 9-16-21 #84 in urban 9-16-21 #113 in blacklove 9-16-21 #1 in blacklovestory 9-16-21 #45 in contemporarylit 9-16-21 #18 in blackcouple 9-16-21 #218 in urbanromance 9-16-21 #1 in saveblackcharacters 9-16-21

"You just don't look....safe." Essence said while sipping her drink. "Naw, I only ain't safe for the niggas that hate me." "But for you, I'll be real cautious..."

What if the love of your life only stood across the street from you? What would you do? Cross the street or wait for them to do so? Would you guys both make the attempt or let the busy streets wash past you guys and blind your eyes of the future you guys can have? Let the honking block your ears of the expression of love that could be once heard. Let the cars, trucks and buses block the views of the pumping hearts that hold value to you both. Let the bystanders get through you both erasing every memory you guys once accumulated. What would you do as you stand on his block?

"Montana, come here." He nodded his head toward the door, leaving out of the room. Staying silent as Ms. Carol looked at me, I kissed the back of Josiah's hand before leaving out of the room. As I walked out, Messiah stood there looking at me in disgust while I closed the door. "What are you doing that shit for?" "Huh?" I said since I had nothing else to say, just trying to stall time to get my words together. "Why are you stripping, Monty?" Sighing, I decided that I wasn't going to lie like I'd originally planned to do after listening to Chocolate's stupid advice. "Money." I spoke simply and he scoffed as I looked down. "Why not just ask Josiah for money instead doing hoe shit?" "First of all, It's not doing hoe shit. I don't have sex with anyone. I just dance. And I don't want to ask him for any money. It's not his job to take care of me." "So stripping..." He trailed off with a laugh. "..stripping was the last resort? Instead of putting your pride aside?" Saying nothing, I just looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please don't tell him, Messiah." I could already tell by the look on his face that he was going to tell him. "I ain't gon' tell him.." Thank God. I thought. "..you are." "What?!" I shrieked. "No. I'm not." "You are." He spoke in a demanding tone. "Please. You know how he is." I expressed "And you know how he is too but you made that bed." "Messiah, he's going to kill me." I begged. "I know." He shook his head, walking away from me. "Better figure it out. You got until the end of the day to tell him or I will." He mumbled before walking back into the room.

This story is the definition of trouble in paradise. What Shai-Anna believed to be a normal trip to Jamaica turned out to be much more than what met the eye. One week away gave her the ability to see what had been underneath her nose this entire time, she was able to feel things she never felt before, she was able to get the love that she always deserved... but at what cost?

dive in, to see what it's like to be a pimp's wife.

"That's your fucking problem right there, Kai." "You want me to keep chasing you and I'm not doing that shit no more." He spat, looking into my eyes as I looked back into his. "You want to leave without letting me explain, then go ahead and leave, Kai." "I'm not stopping you." "But if you want this shit, Kai.." "Then come get it." He spoke sternly, unbuttoning his button down shirt as I stood there in shock, turning around completely to look up at him. Taking his shirt off, I watched as he stripped himself down as his muscular, tall, fit figure appeared and I can't say this man wasn't drop dead fine. Though I was so mad at him in this moment, my mouth dropped, looking at how good he looked. "I'm done chasing your ass, bruh." "You want me, come get me."