Milan Ren Vaughn and Kairo Benton have spent months turning their apartment hallway into a silent warzone. She's convinced he's loud, messy, and allergic to respecting her peace, while he swears she was born to complain about anything he does. Their neighbors know the tension. Management knows the tension. And Christmas is the only thing keeping the building from falling apart. So when the manager assigns them to co-run the annual Christmas charity event, neither of them takes it well. Still, the holidays won't wait, the toy drive needs saving, and someone has to hang the lights - even if it means working side by side with the one person they can't stand. But as the season settles in, something unexpected begins slipping through the cracks. Late nights of planning feel calmer than they should. Their banter softens. The glow of the holiday lights makes everything seem a little less harsh, and a little more... possible. Moments that should've meant nothing start to feel like something they can't explain. They promised their truce would end after Christmas. But the holidays have a funny way of revealing gifts you never knew you needed - especially when they're wrapped in the person living right next door.

She thought Mexico would be a simple escape-until one unexpected encounter changed everything.

ꜰʟᴀᴡʟᴇꜱꜱ ᵂⁱᵗʰᵒᵘᵗ ᵃⁿʸ ᴵᵐᵖᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐁𝐱𝐁

𝙀𝙘𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐛𝐱𝐛

"You mine, Pa. You hear me?"

"Lately she on her own, and she having dreams about dying. Rather bleed before crying. She can leave but it's timin'." Sequel to The Price Of Peace

" I don't even like you like that." Her face scrunched up in disgust watching water drip from curls in his hair. " 'Cause you love me. Just like I love you." He retorted with a grin, disregarding the deflecting she was doing. --- They were two sides of the same city-until one move split them down the middle. Elijah and London were inseparable once, bonded by childhood summers, beat-up bikes, and secrets too deep for anyone else to know. Unfortunately, when Elijah's mom packed up and moved her family across Onyx to a rival neighborhood, everything changed. She always thought when she spoke to him again he would've changed like her. She was witty, sarcastic, and had a low tolerance, but he was still the same calm , sweet, cute boy with a heart the size of the sun. Some things haven't changed. Some things never change. The pull between them, the memories that still burn etched marks in their brain, and the words they never said out loud. In a world where loyalty can be life or death, and love isn't always enough to cross old lines, Elijah and London find themselves circling each other again. --- STARTED; MAY 26th, 2025 PUBLISHED JUNE 6th, 2025 FINISHED; SEPTEMBER 27th 2025

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BOOK 2 I was too busy gripping the sheets, moaning to argue with this dumbass. "Fucking love how you sound,ma," he murmured? his lips brushing against my ear. "Only for me, right?" "Y-Yeah," I stammered, barely able to form fucking words. "Damn right," he said, pulling his fingers out and replacing them with his dick. THIS STORY IS NOT EDITED ‼️