Everybody expected Jalen Carter to crash out after prison. Instead, he came home trying to be a father. Trying to stay free. Trying to move differently. Trying not to lose himself again. But Amir Johnson makes that shit difficult. His best friend has been attached to his side since they were kids, still loud, still reckless, still the only person who can get under Jalen's skin without trying. And the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore the tension building between them. Now with his baby mama wanting their family back, old street problems resurfacing, and feelings neither of them knows how to handle... everything they built together could either save them- or destroy them..

What happens when your heart finds comfort in the one person tied to your pain? Still reeling from the loss of her sister and nephew, Oriana is just trying to survive-and her on again, off again boyfriend Tyrell isn't helping. When a tense encounter at the barbershop introduces her to Lamont. A quiet man haunted by his own tragedy, an unexpected bond begins to form. But Lamont is hiding more than his grief. The murder of his best friend Dante still casts a long shadow- especially since Tyrell might know more than he let on. As emotions deepen and secrets unravel, Oriana finds herself caught between two men and a history that refuses to die.

Kion, a hardened gang member, and AJ, a new recruit, find their relationship evolving from simple camaraderie to something deeper. As they navigate their complicated lives, they begin to confront emotions they never expected.

❝YOU AS REAL AS THEY COME, BUT YOU WOULD RATHER BE ON THEM DRUGS.❞ 2/1/20 - 1/28/21.

𝐎𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐢𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬..