Kabari Braxton had been incarcerated at the early age of 14 years old. Groomed by an older gang in his neighborhood, he was lured into robbing a convenience store-he complied intending to walk away with cash but leaving with blood on his hands instead. Tried as an adult, he spent seven years behind bars, cut off from the world that moved on without him. Now, at 21, he's granted parole and an early release. But freedom isn't what it seems. He's stepping into a world that he no longer recognizes, with no home, no family, and no direction. As far as he knows, he's completely alone-at least, that's what he expected.

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 was the kind of girl who followed the rules; soft hearted, quiet, and careful with who she let in. 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 "𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤" 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 was the reason people locked their doors at night; charming, feared, and loyal to a world he'd belong to. What started as something simple turned into something raw, all consuming, and unforgettable. He gave her a taste of danger. She gave him something to protect. But love in their world doesn't come easy. Especially when a thorn meets a rose. 🥇 in bwhm -06/16/25 🥇 in hoodromance- 06/19/25 🥉 in urbanromance- 06/21/25 🥇 in urban- 06/22/25

"I know I should've talked to you about it but I-" I started but stopped, looking down at my feet again. I had no excuse. The only thing on my mind was graduating, I never put his feelings into perspective. "Dominic, I'm sorry. I was being selfish and only thinking of myself but baby, I promise if you give me another chance.." I trailed off, breathing heavily. "..if you give us another chance, I'll never do it again. I promise." I tried to grab his face but he roughly pulled away from me. "Don't touch me." He spoke sternly, breaking me even more. "Look.." He trailed off, looking away again. "Me and you..we're done." He spoke, finally looking down at me. "Dominic." I pleaded. "Don't say that. Please." "Na', this shit is over, T." He went on and I began to sob.

"So when you gon' stop playing and let me hit that shit, Zuria?" Mitch asked while he smoked a blunt in my mother's living room and we both sat on the floor. "Let you hit this?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I watched him blow smoke into the air. "Yeah." He smirked, cockily. "How about when you learn how to talk to your girlfriend?" I took the blunt out of this hands and smashed it on the ashtray that was on the coffee table. "Whatchu do that for?" He bit his bottom lip, leaning into me. "Hm?" He went on, softly biting my neck. "I've told you, you can't smoke in here, Mitchell." "You're really not even supposed to be here." I said to him, considering my mother did not condone boys in her house but here he was. He'd completely ignored me though as he mushed his head into my neck, leaving small kisses. "Stop." I whined playfully as he pushed himself up onto me and kissed my lips, pushing me backwards with our lips still attached. "Mitch." I spoke nervously as he climbed on top of me while I now laid my back onto the carpet. "Let me hit that shit, ma." He spoke softly into my ear as he continued leaving kisses on my neck. "Mitch, we cant. My mom will be home from work soon." I expressed to him but he ran his hands up my school skirt anyway. "Stop bitchin'." "Let me finally pop that cherry, Z." He spoke, putting his lips on mine as he slowly moved my underwear aside and rubbed his fingers against my Girl. "Mm." I moaned, unfamiliar with this feeling but it felt great. And though I knew my mother would be here soon, I no longer wanted to stop. He continued rubbing it as I laid there, looking up into his eyes. As I did, he smirked down at me and I smiled small, rubbing a hand down his cheek. I was so in love with this boy.

𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 '𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞.' 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. Letter to my lover, let me explain my love to you. I know how your trauma built a grudge, but i wont judge you. Letter to my lover, your love like a drug too.. When we fell in love, I was fightin' demons and battlin' drug abuse.

"Mama, I can't just leave Abir." I admitted, telling her exactly why I couldn't do this. Not only would she be snatching me away from my family and friends but she was taking me away from the person I'd loved for five going on six years. I couldn't just walk away from him. "Baby.." She trailed off, sighing deeply. "I know you love Abir." She stood to her feet to stop packing for a moment and pulled me into her. "But I promise you, there will be other boys. Right now you have to do what's best for you and that's coming with your daddy and I to give you a better life." "Better life for who? You?!" I screamed out, becoming even more angry at her choice of words. As if my feelings were robotic and I could just turn them on and off for any and every person. "My feelings just don't matter to y'all at all, huh?" I asked, crying harder than before now. "Speak to your mother with some respect, Giselle." My father spat to me and I shook my head, watching as they stood there looking at me like some dumb teenager. This wasn't puppy love for me. I didn't spend 5 years building something, just to walk away from it for their dreams. I couldn't do it. Sinner. Book #1

"You no tell this girl that I said, I want no relations with a darkie?" She spat to me, making my eyes go wide. What? I thought to myself and Gio tried pulling me away but I snatched away from him, knowing I heard right this time. "Wait, what?" I spoke out loud and Gi grabbed me roughly, trying to pull me away again. "Why you saying these things? She's beautiful." I heard his abuelita sticking up for me as she stood to her feet and all the guys began to as well, telling their mom that she was wrong for what she was doing. "That puta heard me." She spat, pointing her finger at me. "You're too dark." She held up a brown paper bag that she was drinking her beer out of. "You no match this bag or lighter, you're too dark." "You look too much like his father. I no want you around me." She shooed me off, instantly breaking my heart into a billion pieces as I looked up at Giovanni who was looking down at me with hurt in his eyes. "Baby, please." He begged and I shook my head at him in disgust before putting my attention back onto her. "Get that darkness out of here, Giovanni. She's a demon." "Only demons have her color." She kept on going and I felt sick to my stomach in this moment as I stood there in complete shock.

"Hello, Sincere. How are you feeling today?" "Same as everyday, can't sleep, can't eat.." I trailed off, looking down at Sinclair who had a perfect mixture of both V and I. "That's not good." She said and I shrugged. "None of this is." I said and she nodded understandingly. "Have faith." She said, placing her hand on my shoulder and I nodded. I tried hard to keep the tears in because I had to be strong for everybody. The family was really going through it and I just wanted her back in my arms. V had my heart and if I lost her for good, I'd never look for love again. The doctor walked out as I sat there quietly and Clair looked over my face while she made spit bubbles. I bit my bottom lip, holding back tears as I looked at V laying there with tubes in her. Not able to hold on any longer, I broke down. "Baybeh, I need you..." I trailed off, shaking my head. "I need you so bad, I can't do this shit. I can't do life with you." I explained, looking down at the floor. "We need you, ma." My voice cracked, looking over to Sinclair who was still looking up at me. "Our baybeh girl is so beautiful, ma. I want you to see her, I want you to see her grow up. I want you to be here with us.." I trailed off, collecting my words. I wiped my face as more tears poured down and I shook my head, sighing deeply. "Wake up, baybeh." I spoke, breaking down as I bit my bottom lip.

"𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬"

- 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑