Malik Archer is used to being watched. On the court, off the court, it doesn't matter. Discipline, faith, and routine keep him grounded, but none of that prepared him for wanting someone he can't afford to lose.

Sage's first day at a new job could be described as nothing, but interesting. It wasn't the job. Wasn't even the manager. It was him.

"mine too." Two of these enemies has hated each other with a passion since grade school. It was going to stay that way, at least that's what they thought until a new boy moves on their block with his older cousin. He is quiet and shy as if he seems to always be in his thoughts. This interest the two young men and they both want him. The two battle out, going out of their way to have him. Little do they know, the boy wants them both.

"I just wanted you to know, you're all I want, you're what I need, baby." - Rod Wave

Zontae "Zonny" Carter has spent his whole life surviving by one rule: don't be different. On 55th Street, respect is everything-and Zontae has it. He runs with his gang, rides for his brothers, and keeps his head down. Nobody knows his secret. Nobody can. Across the hood, Apex controls the other side-organized, ruthless, untouchable. Their leader, Trell King, is everything Zontae shouldn't be drawn to: powerful, calm, openly dangerous... and watching him. When tension between 55th and Apex escalates after a deal goes wrong, Zontae finds himself caught in the middle during a late-night confrontation. Instead of killing him, Trell lets him walk-on purpose. From that moment on, Trell starts appearing everywhere Zontae is, testing him, protecting him, claiming space in his life without ever touching him. Zontae's confusion turns into anger. His loyalty to 55th clashes with feelings he doesn't understand, while Trell sees through every lie Zontae tells himself. As violence between the gangs worsens, Zontae's secret becomes harder to hide-physically and emotionally. One wrong move could expose everything. Montey's growing suspicion, Dayshawn's quiet concern, and Big Rue's pressure force Zontae toward a breaking point. When a setup goes bad and Zontae is injured, it's Trell who saves him-taking him into Apex territory and making a dangerous offer: protection, truth, and a way out... if Zontae stops running from who he is. Now Zontae has to choose: stay loyal to a world that would destroy him if they knew the truth, or step into Trell's shadow and risk becoming everything he was taught to hate-while finally being seen.

"You saved my life." "I wasn't gon' let you die." "I know that... but that don't make it less real."

"𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐤𝐢, 𝐈'𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭" - SZA, Low -- Genesis Owens will make sure you know he's not gay. The people at his school would bully him if he was, which he clearly isn't. He would lose all of his friends, be kicked off the basketball team, and people would never let him live it down. But he's obviously not gay. He doesn't mind gay people, he just isn't like them. Not even the new boy at school, Indigo Adams, could make him question his sexuality. I mean...could he? (Oh my god this book so ass🙏)

In this city, blood is currency. The streets don't forgive, and they certainly don't forget. "Ah got you, pa," Kaelen whispered his chin resting on julian's head "Ain't nobody ever gonna hurt you again."

𝟎𝟖.𝟎𝟗.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓- 𝟏𝟐.𝟎𝟗.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 "𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧' 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞."

Two fathers and their best friend What could happen? Created-1/26/26