Streetlit Stories

BENDO: THE COOKER A Gulf Coast Crime Novel by C.L. Sims Ben Doe is the man dangerous people call when money, territory, and reputations are on the line. Across Palmetto, Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa, and Miami, he is known as Bendo-the Cooker, a respected Gulf Coast power connected to the Night Crown. When counterfeit packages stamped with a broken crown begin moving through Florida under his name, Bendo's empire starts collapsing from the inside. Product disappears, bodies fall, federal pressure rises, and private photographs of his children prove the enemy is closer than anybody imagined. The greatest threat may be Tavion, Bendo's younger brother, who is tired of living beneath his shadow. A polished criminal businessman offers Tavion his own territory while revealing secrets connected to their missing father and the violent history behind the Night Crown. Now Bendo must protect his mother, children, women, brother, and Gulf Coast kingdom while exposing traitors inside his organization. Every lie leads to more money, sex, blood, corruption, and mayhem. BENDO: THE COOKER is a gritty, explosive urban crime novel about brotherhood, dangerous women, cartel power, family betrayal, Black enterprise, and a man willing to turn the Gulf Coast into a graveyard before allowing anybody to steal his name. And when the broken crown finally falls, a new enemy rises-the Black Sun, setting the stage for Book Two.

After their best friend is murdered on the last day of school, three teens vow to find justice in a city that's already forgotten them. But in St. Pete, every answer leads back to one name: The Boogeyman. As a mysterious benefactor embeds himself in their lives, the line between "savior" and "killer" begins to blur. They wanted justice. Now, they just want to survive.

FUCK MY PHONE A Novel by C.L. Sims Danielle is beautiful, hardworking, loyal, and tired as hell. Between raising three children, working long shifts at Bell Grace Meadows retirement home, handling family responsibilities, and trying to keep her relationship together, Danielle barely has enough time to breathe-let alone answer every call, text message, video chat, and notification that lights up her phone. Her boyfriend loves her, but he cannot understand why the woman who claims to love him keeps ignoring his calls. Danielle always gets back to him eventually, but "eventually" is no longer good enough. Every unanswered ring creates another misunderstanding. Every missed text starts another argument. And every time Danielle says she was busy, somebody thinks she is hiding something. The truth is simple: Danielle does not hate the people calling her. She hates that damn phone. When she is not caring for elderly residents, taking care of her children, dealing with workplace gossip, or trying to enjoy a plate of blue crabs in peace, Danielle is fighting to protect the small amount of time she has left for herself. But when suspicion, jealousy, family drama, workplace problems, and relationship pressure begin piling up, Danielle learns that ignoring the phone does not make the problems disappear. One missed call could cost her relationship. One unread message could change her family forever. And one call she finally decides to answer may expose a truth nobody is prepared for. FUCK MY PHONE is a funny, emotional, dramatic, and deeply relatable story about Black love, motherhood, exhaustion, communication, trust, and a woman trying to remain herself while everybody around her demands a piece of her time. Danielle loves her family. She loves her man. She loves her children. She just does not love answering that motherfucking phone.

In Briarport love doesn't come gentle. Kairo Lewis built his life on control; of his block, his money, and his emotions. There's no room for weakness in his world. Cheyenne Thomas wasn't supposed to matter. She was just a girl with sharp eyes and too much pride to ask for help. But somewhere between late nights and hard truths, lines blur. When love grows in a place it shouldn't, they'll both have to decide what they're willing to risk to keep it. Because in the streets, everything fades eventually. Even the high.

Nalani had finally found peace. After walking away from a relationship that left her questioning her worth, she focused on one thing-herself. Work, family, and the quiet life she built were enough. Love wasn't even on her radar anymore. Then one night out with her friends changes everything. Kashamere isn't the type of man Nalani ever imagined getting close to. He's confident, street-smart, and known throughout Tampa for moving in circles far from the world she grew up in. But beneath the chains, reputation, and late-night lifestyle is a man who notices the small things about her that others overlook. What starts as harmless conversation slowly turns into something deeper. But Nalani's past isn't done with her yet. Her ex, Oso-the man who once broke her down piece by piece-is suddenly back around, and he's not ready to let her go. As old wounds reopen and tensions rise, Nalani finds herself caught between the life she rebuilt and the feelings she's developing for a man who comes from a completely different world. Loving Kashamere might feel right... But in his world, nothing comes without consequences. And sometimes the hardest part of moving forward is finally letting the past stay where it belon

This is an original story of a BK (aka Bishop's Kid) who lovingly goes by Raichelle, Rai, Sunshine, or Sunni (due to her usually SUNNY disposition). But after growing through a difficult time, she regrettably found herself back in her home town. Series of events have put a dark cloud over her head, causing her to feel less of her usual happy self. But she is determined to make do with what she has. On the bright side, she reconnects with family and old friends. She even makes a few new ones along the way. Or does she? Raichelle is on a journey to rediscover who she really is and put her life back together. Trying to find her FINALLY, whatever that entails. She is determined to discover her peace in the midst of all of life's chaos. Hope you enjoy. :) Oh yeah...she's an extra thick, ::::SPECIAL NOTE:::: Hey, Yall! I'm so excited to FINALLY be putting this out here. After literally YEARS of debating, as well as sitting on this particular story since 2016, I finally decide to take the plunge! I'm still in the beginning stages of being a writer, but it's something that I've always wanted to do and had an interest in. There have been things in my life causing me to hold back and doubt myself, including ME! BUT NOW HERE I AM! SO HERE GOES! plump, chocolate, country chick by heart in case you're wondering...

Terrance wanted one thing more than money or street respect - a real family. At 38, he's living fast, selling weed, and avoiding love until Marsha unexpectedly walks into his life. She's 24, recovering from meth addiction, raising a quiet little girl named Legacy, and carrying more pain than she admits. What starts as an unlikely connection quickly turns into passion, healing, and the family Terrance always dreamed about. But love built on broken foundations can become dangerous. After marriage, Terrance begins noticing secrets he can't explain - hidden Facebook accounts, emotional distance, lies that slowly destroy his peace of mind. When Marsha leaves him for a man she met gaming on Fortnite, their relationship spirals into betrayal, addiction, manipulation, and heartbreak that changes everyone involved... especially Legacy. The Crime Of Betrayal is an emotional romance thriller about trauma, emotional cheating, addiction, family, and the devastating consequences of loving someone who doesn't yet know how to love themselves. Raw, painful, and deeply human, this story explores how betrayal can destroy trust - but accountability and healing can still save a soul.

After losing their parents at 14 Nina and Lola are left alone to navigate the world. When the twin sisters plot to rob local drug lord Luckie, they know they're taking a risk. Desperation and eviction notices cloud the judgment of the pair leading to a deadly cat and mouse game. Will the sisters finally come out on top? What comes free, won't come cheap.-TM Copyright © 2017 Toni Munford All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Reached #84 in Mystery / Thriller

My latest book, Kindling A Real Love is NOW available on Amazon!: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLZVLCJ2

⚠⚠Third Boook⚠⚠ 15 years later and Messiah is finally out of jail and ready to see his son. With Kyrie being 16 and and Josiah 15... will Messiah find out his paternity truth? With Christina still by his side how will she feel about her job that got her and Zonique by while he was locked up? What will happen once he finds out? Jesus has two children and works full-time. With Laniyah being on her toes about Messiah... How will Jesus feel? It's always some going on Behind Closed Doors.

The year was 1971, and Khalid Muhammad spoke out emphatically against the violence and drugs that plagued the Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn community, and tragically he's killed as a result of. Following soon after, a bitter, violent, vortex encircles the lives of his family. It's now 1985, and his wife Waseema struggles against all odds to hold the family down, but it all gets away from her, quickly. The oldest son, Mustapha, resorts to selling drugs; Rasheed, another sibling, gets caught up in robbing drug dealers; and a sister, Shaheeda, falls prey to the crack-cocaine and prostitution that ravages the once proud and thriving Bushwick-Hylan Projects. To only make matters worse, Rasheed and his crew rob a larger than life stash of cash and drugs from one of Brooklyn's top dope pushers, and then make plans to take down his main stash next. In the complex web and circle of events that take place next, Rasheed unwittingly stumbles on a break surrounding circumstances involving his father's death; and the web is further tangled as he finds out all too late, that unknowingly, betrayal by his lover, and his best friend hinder his quest to get closer to the ones responsible. However, his crew, and his family manage to all unite in an attempt to get from under the clutches of a phycotic drug king-pen, Carlos. In the all too thrilling, Houdini-like finish, his father's past threatens to hold on to secrets that may one day set Rasheed free from his demons. But, all is not lost as Khalid's last words are revealed; a Arabic translation for the melodramatic lunacy of Rasheed's crazed world-the only clue...dunya!

Wealth, designer labels, luxury cars, and status...Nothing else mattered in Kodi's world. She was addicted to the glitz and glam of the South Beach lifestyle; mingling with A-list celebrities and Miami's elite, sipping cocktails by the beach, and attending exclusive parties. Kodi wouldn't change her life as a socialite for anything. Problem is, she's broke. Blowing through her inheritance and the large settlement from the wrongful death of her parents, Kodi is facing eviction from her pricey, ocean view condo and repossession of her Rolls Royce. And with no life skills or work experience at the age of 24, Kodi struggles to make ends meet. But despite her financial troubles, she refuses to humble herself and sacrifice her luxurious lifestyle. That's until her reckless actions lead her to the wrong side of town where her life is left hanging in the balance. The product of immigrant parents, Po was born in the dirt and raised by the streets. Motivated by his impoverished upbringing, he started from the bottom and worked his fingers to the bone. Now, he has the world at his fingertips. With his businesses, legal and otherwise, flourishing, he's now able to take a step back and enjoy the simple life...or so he thought. With an unexpected love vying for his attention and outside influences threatening to destroy everything he's built, Po is forced to determine what matters most, love and family or money and power. From luxury cars and black cards to bullets and bloodshed, Kodi's fairytale life vanished in the blink of an eye. But when she's introduced to the criminal element of Po's world, will she prove to be his ride or die or is he nothing more than a means to her rise back to wealth?

The Story of Aaliyah & Dorian Vance "I walked through the dark so we could live in the light." Aaliyah Jackson was the smart girl with a plan, until she fell for a man with a past that wouldn't let him go. After a journey marked by a heartbreaking walk for freedom, the tragic loss of a child, and a war for the truth, she emerged as the Queen of a legacy built on honesty. Dorian Vance was a king of the block who realized his crown was heavy with lies. To save the woman he loved and the son who needed him, he had to burn his old life to the ground. Together, they stepped Beyond the Shadows to build a kingdom where peace is the only law.

She was a innocent girl until she met a street boy.

Aliyah finds herself in a sticky situation after crossing an old path. It places her brother, her life, and love life on the line. Secrets become exposed and chaos sets in. How will it turn out?

Alexis grew up in an abusive household, both verbally and physically, and witnessed her mother being abused. As the oldest of four siblings, she had to grow up quickly and take on a caretaker role because her mother struggled with depression. Despite the abuse, her mother was a go-getter, working hard to keep a roof over their heads, even if it meant staying in hotels or moving frequently during hard times. Growing up, Alexis was deeply affected mentally by the abuse she saw and endured. She was shy, sweet, and creative but often labeled a "troubled" or "fast" child because she ran away from home multiple times. Her life began to shift when she met her middle school sweetheart, Brian, who helped her escape the chaos of her household. Now, Alexis is a 24-year-old mother of two with Brian. While life is stable in some ways, she feels a growing emptiness. She struggles to work enough hours because she prioritizes the children, leaving Brian to work long hours to cover the bills. She's drowning financially and emotionally and questioning whether she made the right life choices. Her life takes a turn when she meets a man named Chris, who challenges her boundaries, awakens desires she's suppressed, and turns her world upside down. Alexis faces a choice follow what's safe and right, or what feels thrilling and forbidden.

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3 brothers, 2 Rules, & 1 Mistake. The Breadwinner: Meet Gates De La Torre, the oldest out of the three brothers. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton University and owner of De La Torre Union, the first major black owned bank in Houston, Texas. Gates has it all that any black man could dream of, in America, a nourishing wife, two beautiful twin daughters, a place to call home, and his most prized possession The D.U ( De La Torre Union ) . The Hustler: Meet Gideon De La Torre, the second oldest of the three brothers. As cliché as it sounds Gideon is the epitome of a business man by day and a true hustler by night. College wasn't for Gideon, but he was just as smart as his oldest brother. He works as a manager at the D.U., but after 5:00 pm he reigns supreme in the streets of Houston. Gideon always told his brothers there were two rules in the game which were: Rule number one Trust no one and rule number two don't forget rule number one. The Player Meet Giovanni De La Torre, the baby of the three brothers. Your typical male hoe who loves women and women love him even more. Giovanni works at the D.U. as a accounting specialist, but the problem is he can't keep his penis away from the tellers or wives that come into the bank. Giovanni soon meets his match in the games he plays with women's hearts and soon forgets his brother Gideon's two rules which leads to one mistake that puts the bank and his brother's life in jeopardy.

a pair of young lovers leave their criminal past behind to start life anew in a ghost town and are reunited with the unresolved demons that compromise the love affair they chose over everything. *cover by me