In the gritty underbelly of the city's mafia world, Preyor Enve Carter stood tall as one of the most formidable bodyguards money could buy. At 28 years old, she exuded a dominant aura that commanded respect - her mind as sharp as the finest blade, her talents unmatched. Born into the powerful Carter family, the largest and most influential of the three reigning mafia dynasties, Preyor was raised on a code of unwavering loyalty and ruthless precision. Her latest assignment seemed simple enough - protect Malivia Arai Beút, the cherished 24-year-old princess of the Italian mafia clan. But Malivia was no ordinary client. Beneath her artistic soul and quick wit lay a fiery spirit that refused to be tamed, even by her overly protective family. After a string of failed bodyguards and narrowly escaped kidnappings, the Beaúts knew they needed someone extraordinary to safeguard their most precious gem. As Preyor delved into her new role, she quickly realized that Malivia's defiant nature would be her greatest challenge yet.

A teenage girl name Ariyah from Maryland carries the weight of heartbreak with her when she moves to Chicago - a city full of new faces and harsher realities. After being shattered by her ex too many times, she learns to keep her guard up and emotions locked away, becoming cold and nonchalant to protect herself. But Chicago isn't just another place to hide; it's where she crosses paths with Dayvon Bennett - a streetwise young man whose life is tangled in the city's dangerous rhythm. As their worlds collide, she must decide whether to let her walls fall and risk everything for love, or keep running from the pain she's known too well.

"I don't know how to do this." He was almost embarrassed to admit it. "I ain't been right with you in a long time, but I'm gon' ask anyway. Please don't take her from me." His plea cracked something open inside of his chest. "I know I ain't a good man. I done did some shit that I can't take back and I can't make it right. But she is, she's good. She's the light in so many places I didn't know were dark." "So if there's a price that needs to be paid for all the pain that I have caused in this word and done onto others put it on me. I'll pay it. I swear I will. I'll protect her with my last breath. I'll listen and heed her warnings. I'll slow down and come home more and stop thinking that I'm alone in this world." "Just please let my baby wake up. I love her, I'm in love with her and I can't do this without her. If waking her up means I got to sacrifice letting her go so she can be safe. I'll do that. Just don't take her from this earth." "In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

One summer. One mistake. One year of pretending it never happened. Rhea Collins thought leaving Florida would bury the night the ocean almost took her life. She was wrong. A year later, an anonymous message proves the past doesn't drown - it watches. Someone knows what happened on the water. Someone knows her name. Someone wants to talk. As fear resurfaces and secrets tighten their grip, Rhea is forced to confront the truth she and her friends agreed to silence. Because the worst part isn't being followed. It's realizing the summer they survived never actually ended. Some secrets don't stay buried. They wait.

Kay never planned to fall in love. She's a bartender who minds her business, keeps her head down, and understands that some men come with silence instead of promises. Rome Brewster is one of those men. He's charming, romantic, and dangerous in a way that doesn't need explaining. He shows up. He stays late. He learns her routines without asking permission. He doesn't offer forever-just consistency, protection, and a presence that feels too rare to ignore. What starts as quiet attraction turns into something deeper. Something chosen. Something neither of them names out loud. This isn't a story about being saved. It's about loving someone as they are. About wanting without ownership. About choosing the moment even when you know it won't last forever. Some loves don't come to stay. They come to change you.