Jasani Bennett has lost everything - his baby mama to an overdose, his faith in women, and now his home. All he has left is his four-year-old son, Sincere, and the cold streets of Chicago in December. When the snow turns to freezing rain, Von's pride nearly costs them shelter until Jailyn Wilson, a stylist stuck in Chicago for the holidays, sees them outside as she's driving back to her Airbnb. Against her better judgment, she lets them in for the night. What was supposed to be one night turns into days as Jasani struggles with his trust issues and Jailyn struggles with her loneliness. The tension builds as she teaches Sincere the joy of Christmas while slowly breaking through Jasani's walls. But the question is - will Von let go of his pain and accept that maybe, Christmas didn't just come to Chicago, it came to save him?

"𝖨𝖿 𝖨 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾, 𝗒𝗈𝗎'𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖻𝗂𝖽𝖽𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝗎𝗂𝗍 - 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗆𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖨'𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗇 𝖺 𝖻𝗂𝗍𝖾." Jayda was your average preachers daughter. Bible study, properly dressed, spoiled. It wasn't until she met King Von, otherwise known as Dayvon-that her life was flipped upside down. Usually, the preachers daughter changed, but it seemed like her good aura rubbed off on Von, who couldn't help but get his act together for the sensitive girl...and it all started with attending...church.

"I treated them bad I wouldn't be mad if i was to get treated the same way... so treat me the same way."

Khysen Bennett grew up in the streets with a father who turned him into a soldier, not a son. Violence was all he knew, and loyalty to his dad, Kion Bennett, was the only way to survive. He never questioned orders, until his father told him to follow Saija Fletcher and take her out. She was supposed to be just another target, watching her, move, and pull the trigger, but the more Khysen watches her, the more he feels something he hadn't felt in forever, and that makes the job impossible. Now he's stuck between the only life he's ever known and the girl who makes him want better. With his anger always one call away from blowing up and his father watching his every move, Khysen has to figure out what's worth more - his loyalty or his heart, but in his world, turning your back on family can get you killed.

"What it's called when the patient grow feelings fa therapist?" He asked, and she chuckled, staring at him. "Transference."

In a world where loyalty means everything, Brielle Banks must choose between the family she's always known and the man who could destroy it all. Caught between revenge and unexpected attraction, sparks fly behind bars. Will she fall into Sincere's dangerous world-or will their violent past rip them apart?

There's always a hand in the darkness, don't grab it.

"You can't see the future. I might have a chance. You don't know for sure." He mumbled, making her expression soften. "M-my mom used to tell me t-that birds still sing even after a storm. Why shouldn't people feel as free t-to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them?" Samir stopped talking for a moment to regather himself so that he didn't stutter, but Nina froze completely. "You don't have to settle with him Nina. It's been five years an-and you're not a-as happy as you should be. You smile differently with me.. and you cry a lot with him. I just think that you deserve to enjoy your time with someone other than h-him for a minute because there's still sunlight out there for you too, even if you can't see it yet." How did he become her source of 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 so 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲? A short story.