Nayeli is a 30-year-old single mother raising her spirited 7-year-old son, in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. After enduring heartbreak from failed relationships, including the painful fallout with her son's father, Nayeli has sworn off the idea of romance. Instead, she pours herself into her career and focuses on being the best mom she can be. But life has a way of shifting even the most carefully laid plans. When news spreads that a mutual friend from Nayeli's close-knit circle has tragically passed away, old bonds are rekindled. Among those returning to town for the memorial is Shai Smith, a 36-year-old successful sports trainer who has spent years traveling for his career. Nayeli and Shai have known each other for over a decade, always sharing playful banter and harmless flirtation. They've laughed off their chemistry as nothing more than jokes - two people who were never in the right place at the right time. In the wake of loss, Shai stays in town longer than planned, reconnecting with old friends and reflecting on the fragility of life. As he and Nayeli cross paths more often, their once lighthearted interactions deepen. Despite the spark between them, both Shai and Nayeli carry the weight of past heartbreak. Shai's last relationship left him wary of trust, and Nayeli is terrified of exposing her son to a love that might not last. But as the days pass, their connection becomes undeniable. Through laughter, tears, and the lessons of loss, Nayeli and Shai learn that healing isn't about forgetting the past, but finding the courage to embrace what's ahead. In the echoes of shared memories they discover that sometimes, love doesn't come when you're searching for it.

"Damn. Hasn't even been that long and you got a whole rock on your finger now, huh?" "...What are you doing here?" She unthinkingly rubbed her swollen belly, the tight knots forming in her stomach at the same time. "What you mean? I came for the art." His tone was sarcastic as he gestured at the paintings on the walls. She watched his eyes drift down her body, before he tightly clenched his jaw. "But I see I have more than one thing to congratulate you on." He said, bitterly. • • • • • • 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛? ❤️‍🩹👻 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝟸 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚅𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 (𝚜𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚕)

"I'm not ready to forget you, Lavender."

After eight years of estrangement, the untimely death of her father calls Keyser Gooding back to her family home, forcing her to relive the physical and verbal abuse she endured growing up at the hands of her foster brothers, Deon and Joel.

Book 1 of 2 ❤️ Soriyah and Derek's story. 18+

Hate that love can, get so dangerous

𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐈 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮

"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

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?

Trinity Smith has always wanted more from her marriage to Meech. After three years together, she feels lonely and unfulfilled, especially when it comes to intimacy. Desperate to fix things, they start going to therapy, and for a while, it seems like there might be hope. But everything changes during a Thanksgiving gathering. Trinity meets Dayvon Bennett, Meech's close friend and a father himself. What begins as a simple connection quickly turns into a passionate affair, pulling Trinity deeper into a world of forbidden love and lies.