Author's Note 2022: I took this story down for the time being, because people suck and I'm not happy with the writing anyways. IT WILL BE REPOSTED at a later time to where the writing style matches my current one. It may be completely changed in terms of plot and everything else, so consider it a new story in the works at this point :)

"How are you supposed to keep your man with your hair in that mess, Tamia?" "And has your hair been looking like that all week?" She went on talking about my hair now, considering it was blown-out instead of well kept, hot combed and straightened the way that she liked. "No, mama." I dragged, annoyed completely now with all of my peace gone in this moment. "I just got out of the shower and I just finished washing and blow-drying my hair." "I'm going to hot comb it and then flat iron it when I'm finished doing my skincare." "Yasin's not going to be home until tomorrow probably anyway." I threw in there but of course she wouldn't chastise him about why and where.

"Montana, come here." He nodded his head toward the door, leaving out of the room. Staying silent as Ms. Carol looked at me, I kissed the back of Josiah's hand before leaving out of the room. As I walked out, Messiah stood there looking at me in disgust while I closed the door. "What are you doing that shit for?" "Huh?" I said since I had nothing else to say, just trying to stall time to get my words together. "Why are you stripping, Monty?" Sighing, I decided that I wasn't going to lie like I'd originally planned to do after listening to Chocolate's stupid advice. "Money." I spoke simply and he scoffed as I looked down. "Why not just ask Josiah for money instead doing hoe shit?" "First of all, It's not doing hoe shit. I don't have sex with anyone. I just dance. And I don't want to ask him for any money. It's not his job to take care of me." "So stripping..." He trailed off with a laugh. "..stripping was the last resort? Instead of putting your pride aside?" Saying nothing, I just looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please don't tell him, Messiah." I could already tell by the look on his face that he was going to tell him. "I ain't gon' tell him.." Thank God. I thought. "..you are." "What?!" I shrieked. "No. I'm not." "You are." He spoke in a demanding tone. "Please. You know how he is." I expressed "And you know how he is too but you made that bed." "Messiah, he's going to kill me." I begged. "I know." He shook his head, walking away from me. "Better figure it out. You got until the end of the day to tell him or I will." He mumbled before walking back into the room.

Brett Black is a 34-year-old man who is broken, inside and out, with two kids to look after on his own since his wife's passing. But when his friend, and business partner, suggests that his daughter, nineteen-year-old Olivia Davis, should babysit for him things begin to change. Brett notices how Olivia isn't the baby he once held years ago anymore, and that she had matured into a young woman who was perfect, inside and out. What happens when attraction comes into play? It's wrong, they both know that, but is it enough to stop the burning desire they feel for each other?

When River crosses paths with a man who speaks to every hidden hunger inside her, their connection spirals into an all-consuming pull neither of them can resist-but is she Grayson's salvation... or his ruin? *** Everyone in River Avelle's hometown knows about Grayson Maddox-the troubled bad boy who almost killed another student in the middle of the school hallway. Those who look into Grayson's eyes only see pure fury and hatred. They all think he's beyond redemption, even Grayson himself. But not River. As the seemingly perfect good girl, River saw something more in those alluring grey eyes. Something worth holding onto. From the first time their eyes connect, both Grayson and River feel the intense, undeniable attraction between them...but neither of them understand what's pulling them together so fiercely. The closer they get and the more vulnerable they become, River has to wonder: is she saving Grayson from his darkness? Or is she just pulling him further into hers? *** He tips my head toward his with his index finger, keeping my eyes trained on him and driving me crazy with the primal look on his face. His grey eyes look heavy, filled with dark desire, and a shock runs up through my core. Everything around us disappears and all I can sense is him and the hardness pressing between my legs. "What are you doing to me, River?" he whispers, his voice raspy and utterly captivated. His face is lowering and I'm closing my eyes, waiting for soft lips to press against mine. My whole body is on fire as I hold my breath for his touch. *** Cover by @strayin

He continues to stare as the young girl hums quietly, while keeping her eyes locked on the book in her hands. At the sound of his footsteps, she suddenly stops reading only to look up and let out a squeal, one that he found adorable. Her already rosy cheeks become even brighter. "Hello." He melts at the sound of her angelic voice and says his next words carefully, softly. "Hi sweetheart." She tilts her head to the side as he unknowingly stares at her with a certain longing. "Who are you?" "I'm Seth. What's your name?" He questions, taking a step into her room. She grins, causing two cute dimples to appear on her cheeks. "Daisy." ~ In which Seth Andrews, who is usually quiet and brooding, becomes captivated by his best friends little sister, Daisy Miller, who believes everyone has at least a little good in them.

"Why do you care if I'm mad or not?" It was the only thing I cared about knowing at this point. "You're smart King. You figure it out." Ace Carter was bad news and so were his friends. Luckily, I stayed away from him, his friends and all their drama. It was easy enough, being invisible and all. ••• But Ace noticed me one day. That day changed Ace and me. He wanted a favor and that deed was to pretend to be his girlfriend for three weeks, at most. ••• There was no way in hell I could ever like the guy, even though he was smoking hot, and seemingly sweet, so I agreed. ••• The more I got to know Ace, the more I realized he wasn't just a bad boy or a player. He was sweet and caring. ••• But I wasn't sure I was ready for the feelings being around Ace incurred from me. But something told me Ace would fight until he got me to want him back.

"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.

"Halima just called me." She spoke up, talking about my sister. "She said your mom wanted to talk to me." "Oh yeah.." I trailed off, thinking about what my brother had just told me. "She wun' see you and Mya." I told her, already knowing what it was my mama wanted from her. "Yeah, I know. We just talked." She spoke surely as I licked my lips slowly, waiting for what she was going to say next. I already knew she wasn't feeling it. "It's just-" "I don't want to go down there and you-" She started but stopped as I waited for her to speak. "-you get involved with them again." She spoke truthfully, saying shit that I already knew she would. I already knew she was gone bring that shit up. She always do. "I don't trust Delante or any of your stupid ass friends because they are only interested in taking you backwards, Cain." "And I'm not going for that again." "I'm not." She spoke seriously and I sighed deeply, really used to hearing this shit already. "We're at a better place in our lives and I'm not playing those street games anymore."

"Cain, if you can't leave the streets for me and our baby, then me and you, we're done." I pointed between the two of us as tears streamed down my face and he bit his lip, looking down at the floor before he looked back up into my eyes. "Aight." "Shit over then, babygirl."