Rumi "Rue" Monroe was a girl who grew up too quick and too soon. When her parents died, all she had left was herself, her overworked aunt, and bills they could never quite outrun. Fresh out of a relationship after catching her man in bed with another woman, Rue is exhausted working herself to the bone, drowning in responsibilities, and done with men altogether. She keeps her head down, minding her business, praying life gives her something better than struggle and disappointment. She isn't looking for love, danger, or anything that can break her again. Until she meets him. Nazir "Naz" Creed is the coldest man in the city a quiet storm with a reputation that speaks louder than he ever needs to. Running the streets with his brothers built him an empire people fear and respect in equal measure. Naz moves with precision, loyalty, and violence when necessary, and he's never cared about much outside money, power, and keeping his circle alive. But then he sees Rue. What starts as a chance encounter turns into a collision neither of them can walk away from. Rue's sweetness clashes with Naz's darkness, her broken hope meets his guarded heart, and suddenly the city's coldest man finds himself warming to the one girl who wasn't looking for him in the first place. And the streets? The streets don't like when the wrong people start caring about each other.

Love was just a four-letter word Misused to entrust the heart of followers But it never meant a damn thing to me Until you came so unexpectedly

Noelle McConnell- Computer genius. Works for Apple, Google, the government on the weekends...but that's not public knowledge. Ezra Royce- Big time lawyer. Works with big time celebrities, extreme political scandals, and women on the weekends...that is public knowledge. Bringing childhood friends back together means nothing but trouble.

𝘐 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐'𝘮 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬

"You know how special you gotta be to change a nigga like me? Huh?" He tilted her head back to make her look at him, and a faint smile grew on her face as he wiped her cheeks. "My own grandparents couldn't do it for me and I loved them more than anything. You the one for me ma. That's why I ain't told you everything yet 'cause I don't wanna run you away. I need you." He laid his forehead against hers, gently kissing her lips. "Nobody will ever believe that King Von from O Block be crying to me like this." She smiled as she gazed into his red eyes, and he chuckled, nodding in agreement. "I ain't King Von wit' you. Just love." He kissed her cheek next, and her smile grew as her arms tightened around him for a warm hug.

Detroit has always been the type of city that carries its own unique name with pride. Full of nonstop hustlers who move with dignity, each chasing their own dream. Trevon Gardner is one of them: a rapper finally gaining real attention, trying to turn his talent into the life he's been chasing forever. Xamira Evans is a gifted cosmetologist with her own blueprint, living life to the fullest. Their worlds don't usually collide...until one unexpected moment changes everything. Now they have to face the consequences. Will it bring them together, or tear them apart?

"I made the decision to cheat on my wife because I liked the way you made me feel vulnerable and comfortable enough to open up to you the night before it happened. I ain't never did shit like that before and that's what made it easy for me to choose to risk everything I got for you." "That shit probably not a big deal to you but a nigga like me ain't never opened up to nobody but my best friend-and still..that's rare. I hate even talking about her with you but I don't even feel comfortable talking to Ariana about my feelings 'cause I know she gon' judge me. You don't make me feel like that."

"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

"See, this is exactly why I wish we never met. You came into my life and you just keep shaking everything up!" She stressed, her stomach rumbling with rage. He only stared before his lips twitched into a smirk. "You don't even believe that dumb ass shit." --- She thought running would set her free, but freedom came with a price she wasn't sure she was ready to uphold. She ran from one trap straight into another. Dreams of dancing slip through her fingers when survival forces her into a world she would have to endure. She's dragged into the dark corners of Onyx city and life is nothing as she knew it. Then he appears. A boy who feels different, who makes her believe she might have more to live for than pain. Unfortunately, in the streets nothing is ever as it seems. Every bond comes with secrets, every touch with consequences. And when betrayal cuts deeper than love, she'll learn the hard way what it really means to be slimed out. STARTED; September 18th 2025 PUBLISHED; September 27th 2025 FINISHED; FEBRUARY 7th 2026

Solani is the type of woman who lights up any room she walks into. She's single, fun, got her own job, her own place, and her weekends stay booked and busy. She's not pressed about finding love-if it happens, it happens. When her best friend and her fiancé plan a pre-wedding trip to Hawaii with the whole wedding party, Solani is all in. She's just there to have fun and maybe sip a few margaritas. But once she meets Demetri, the best man's best friend, all that "I'm just here to chill" talk goes out the window. He's fine, laid-back, and got that confidence that makes her nervous in the best way. What starts as playful flirting turns into something deeper. The two start spending every day together on the trip-late-night talks, laughing, and vibes that feel too good to be temporary. But once the plane lands back home, real life hits. Suddenly, those vacation feelings start to clash with the reality waiting for them both.