Tampering with Temptation Soundbite

Hey, book bae!

Check out the soundbite below for Tampering with Temptation. If you can’t tell by my voice, I’m super excited about this release, lol. Tampering with Temptation is available for preorder here.

#SampleSunday - In His Possession & Finding A Wife for My Husband

Hey, book bae!

For Sample Sunday, I have sneak peeks for two upcoming releases!

In His Possession drops 6.1.21 and the preorder is available for purchase on Amazon here.

Finding A Wife for My Husband is my exclusive June paperback. Copies begin to ship out June 15th and it can be purchased (along with the rest of my paperbacks) here.

Let me know in a comment which book you’re ready to read!

Sincere

Something was wrong with his wife—Sincere was sure of that. For months, she’d been distancing herself from him, and he needed to know why. He’d already asked her straight up what the problem was and she got defensive, so tonight, Sincere decided to change his approach. Sincere fixed her favorite dinner, smothered chicken, sweet potatoes, and spinach, hoping it would help him break the ice. There were a few gifts for her in their bedroom, along with the materials for a romantic bath and massage, but Sincere wasn’t going to bring out the big guns until they were able to successfully get through dinner. 

At the sound of the garage lifting, Sincere quickly stood from the dining room table. He lit the two candles that were atop it and poured them both a glass of wine. Faith didn’t come in right away, giving him time to start a quiet Kem playlist. As Sincere fixed their plates, Faith made her way inside. The kitchen and dining room were to the left, their bedroom to the right. 

Sincere waited, frozen, hoping she would come in his direction. It wouldn’t surprise him if she went straight to their bedroom, but he was hoping she would show him a slight glimpse of the woman he’d fallen in love with. 

“What’s all this?” Faith asked sweetly, making her way into the kitchen. 

As soon as Sincere’s eyes landed on his wife, he smiled. Faith was beautiful… no one would ever be able to deny that. Her rich cocoa brown skin was blemish-free and smooth. Full lips and deep-set eyes were features that first attracted Sincere to her. Never one to stick to a style for too long, Faith often kept her natural hair protected under wigs and sew-ins. Right now, she was rocking a jet-black bob with a middle part. 

“I can’t fix my wife dinner?” Sincere asked, eyes lowering down her frame as she slowly made her way in his direction. 

She was a few inches shorter than him at five-seven, and her body was proof of her love for both food and exercise. Faith was small and slim in her stomach and waist, but her ass and thighs were thick. Sincere would always tell her that she was perfect for him, and she would tease him and say he only loved her because of her big booty and pretty smile. 

“You can, but she’s been really horrible toward you lately.”

Cupping her cheeks, Sincere’s expression softened at the sight of her eyes watering. If she cried, he would break. 

“Can she tell me why?”

“Not right now.” Before Sincere could respond, Faith added, “But I will tonight. After you have dinner.”

“You’re not going to eat?” he asked as she put space between them.

“I don’t have an appetite.”

“Early dinner?” Her head shook. “You didn’t have breakfast either. What’s going on with you, Faith? And don’t tell me nothing.”

Faith’s tongue ran across her teeth. “I’ll tell you after you eat. Okay?”

Without waiting for him to reply, she headed for the dining room, gulping down her glass of wine as soon as she was seated. Sincere was hungry, but now, he no longer had an appetite. He ended up shoving his fork around his food and taking a few bites before pushing the plate forward. 

“Tell me,” Sincere demanded. “Now.”

Faith released a quiet huff before almost whispering, “It’s back.”

A few seconds passed before Sincere asked, “What’s back?”

“The cancer.”

His heart dropped. He didn’t want to show how he was feeling on his face, so he kept his expression blank as he nodded. Though Sincere was aware of her battle with cancer in the past, it wasn’t a subject they talked about often. All he knew, obviously, was that she survived, and that was good enough for him. 

Even though he knew there was a possibility for the cancer to come back, so much time had passed that he’d honestly forgotten and considered her to be one of the lucky ones. Now, it appeared her luck had run out. Still, Sincere was confident she would be able to beat it, just as she’d done in the past. 

“Okay.” Sincere swallowed hard and sat up in his seat. “We’re going to get through this.” She smiled with a shake of her head as her eyes closed. “I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”

“Thank you,” Faith muttered, refilling her wine glass. 

“What’s the first step? Chemo?”

Her head shook. “I’m not doing that.”

“You’re not doing what?”

Faith met his eyes, gripping the stem of her wine glass tighter. “Chemo.”

He nodded. “Okay. Then what other options are there?”

She smiled bitterly with a shake of her head as she looked away. “None. I’m not fighting it this time.”

Sincere’s face twisted up. His heart began to beat rapidly in his chest. As calm and empathetic as he wanted to be, her nonchalant tone and short statements were starting to irritate him. 

“The fuck you mean you aren’t fighting it this time?”

“I mean exactly what I said. I’m not putting my body through that again. I’m tired of this shit, Sincere.”

“Bae…” His voice shook, causing him to clear his throat as he stood and walked over to her. Kneeling before her, Sincere took her hand into his. Squeezing her eyes together tightly, her head shook as her chin trembled. “If you don’t fight this, you’re going to die. Is that what you want?”

Her tears finally fell as she licked her lips. “Of course I don’t want to die.” Faith’s eyes opened. “But I’m tired of going to the clinic three or five times a week and feeling like shit. And I’m not doing the surgery again. Or radiation. I’m tired of it all, Sincere.”

Gritting his teeth, Sincere stood and sat in the chair next to hers. “We can talk about this later. I know you’re probably overwhelmed and…”

“There’s nothing for us to talk about,” Faith interrupted. “I’m not doing chemo. Period.”

“This is Scar. She will be your server tonight.” His grip heightened from her hand to her arm. “But hear me clearly—she belongs to me. She is my possession.” Releasing his hold, Malcolm smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek. She tried not to react, but she couldn’t keep her body from stiffening as she closed her eyes. 

Her eyes opened, and Malcolm was gone. She smiled, happy to be out of his presence. 

“What can I get you all to drink? Y’all want bottles to start?”

“Champagne,” he said, forcing her to look into his dark chocolate eyes. 

“Champagne? Are you celebrating something tonight?”

He shrugged before shooting her a soft smile. “I guess you could say I’m celebrating meeting you.”

This wasn’t the first time a man had flirted with her, but it was the first time a man had flirted with her knowing she belonged to Malcolm. Honestly, she didn’t know how to respond. If it was anyone else, she’d reject him to keep him safe, but he had to know who Malcolm was. He had to be aware of the danger flirting with her would place himself in. 

“I’m honored to make your acquaintance as well,” Scarlett confessed. 

He extended his arm, large hand open and waiting to accept hers. Resisting the urge to look back, Scarlett placed her hand inside of his, chills covering her arm though his hand was warm. And soft. And veiny. As his thumb caressed hers, he stared into her eyes. 

“Scar, is it?”

She nodded. “Scarlett Graham, but everyone calls me Scar.”

“Scarlett,” he muttered, licking his lips as if he liked the way her name tasted. Pulling her closer, he added, “Beautiful name for an even more beautiful woman.”

“Thank you…”

“Black.” He paused, head tilting as he looked her curvy frame over. “Assad Black.”

“I’m um…” she pulled her hand from his, “…going to get you all a few bottles of champagne.”

She didn’t have to look back to know that he was watching her walk away. She felt his eyes on her the whole time. As soon as she made it behind the bar next to Vanna, she practically fell against it. 

“Girrrrrl,” she stretched, squeezing Vanna’s hand. “Did you see that shit?”

“I diiiiid. That nigga wants you!”

“It seems like it, and Malcolm made it clear that I belong to him!”

Vanna’s head shook as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I told you… if anyone can get you out of here… it’s them. What do they want?” Scarlett didn’t reply. She was too busy allowing her brain to process Assad’s boldness. “Scar?”

“Huh?”

“I said what do they want?”

“Oh. Um. It’s…” She turned and counted everyone seated at their long, rectangular table. “It’s eight of them, so give me four bottles of Moët to start.”

“Is it someone’s birthday or something? We need to send our girls over with you if it is. Get the fireworks and shit going in this bitch.”

Scarlett chuckled. “No. I asked if they were celebrating, and he said he was celebrating meeting me.”

Vanna grinned. “This is it, Scar. This is it. I feel it in my spirit. It’s something about them.”

Something about him.

“I can’t think about that right now. I just have to make it through the night without Malcolm starting to suspect anything. He’s bold and dangerous, but I’m the one that will have to pay for it. So I can’t even play with him like that.”

Vanna’s head shook as she pulled two trays from under the bar. One held the champagne while the other had glasses and everything else they would need. The women slowly made their way back over, and the whole time she walked, Assad’s eyes were on her… as if he just didn’t give the slightest fuck about what Malcolm had said. Scarlett’s nipples hardened, and she knew he’d noticed it when he smiled. 

“You got a man, beautiful?” the man who looked like a younger version of Assad asked.

“I do,” Vanna replied with a smile and wink. “I got a few.”

“Can they fight?”

They laughed. “They can. They can shoot too.”

“Shid, me too, so wassup?”

Assad’s head shook while the man who was seated on the opposite side of him said, “This nigga. I see he ain’t learned his lesson yet.”

“Mane, fuck you.”

“Y’all chill with all that,” Assad ordered, silencing both men immediately. 

When the younger man followed Vanna back to the bar, he left his seat next to Assad open, but she wasn’t expecting him to ask her to sit down. 

“Oh, no. I couldn’t,” she declined gracefully.

“I insist.” 

Assad stood, giving her the chance to take in his full height. She was five-five, and by the difference, he had to be at least six-two or three. 

She liked that shit.

Clearing her throat, Scarlett looked around casually in search of Malcolm as she made her way around the table. He did instruct her to make sure they returned, so she had to play nice. 

“Is anyone ready to order?” she asked as Assad pushed her seat up to the table.

“Nah.” Assad declined.

“Shit, I am. Their wings are good as hell,” the man seated next to him countered. 

Scarlett chuckled. “I agree.” 

Looking around, her eyes landed on Kendall. After beckoning her to their table, she asked her to help her serve them by taking their orders and letting her know when they were ready for pickup. Kendall agreed, heading around the table to see what everyone wanted. Scarlett looked around again, and this time, her eyes found Malcolm. He nodded and gave her a soft smile of approval, which allowed her to relax a little more into her seat.

“Be honest with me,” Assad spoke, gaining her attention as he placed one of the champagne flutes in front of her.

“I shouldn’t. I’ve been drinking tequila all night.”

He smiled as he filled the flute halfway up. “Don’t worry. You’re safe here. I’m not going to let anyone take advantage of you.” She didn’t know why, but there was something about his eyes and tone that made her believe him, which was a miracle within itself. “How did you get caught up with a nigga like Malcolm? What does he have on you?”

Scarlett chuckled nervously. “Why can’t we be in love?”

Assad’s head shook as he poured himself a glass of champagne. “He didn’t introduce you as the woman he loves and treasures; he introduced you like you were his prized possession.” 

Licking her lips, she swallowed hard. “I can’t say.”

Assad nodded. “But I’m right?”

Her eyes shifted in Malcolm’s direction, and surprisingly, his attention was on Bianca. 

“Yes.”

Assad nodded before taking a sip of his champagne, and her eyes focused on his perfectly manicured hands. She was supposed to believe this man was in the black mafia? While she couldn’t deny he had the aura of a man who wasn’t to be fucked with, he looked more like a model. From his tall, wide, walnut-colored frame and dark chocolate eyes to his square head, curly tapered mini fro with shaved sides, and his high cheek bones. 

Assad was beyond handsome. 

Even his beard looked soft, curly, and well moisturized as it drew attention to his brown and pomegranate-colored lips. They looked so fucking soft. Every time she looked at them, she had to lick hers. 

“Are you safe with him?” Before she could look in Malcolm’s direction again, Assad’s hand was going to her thigh. “Focus on me,” he commanded softly.

Looking toward the ceiling to dry her eyes, Scarlett inhaled a deep breath. 

“Are you safe with him, Scarlett?”

He squeezed her thigh gently, holding the space for her while she fought to stay in the present moment. Unable to answer him vocally, she shook her head as her eyes slowly lowered to his. 

“Okay.” He removed his hand and sat back in his seat just as Kendall was making it over to their side of the table. 

By the time she was done, Scarlett stood and took the notebook from her. 

Sample Sunday - In His Possession

Hey, book bae!

Enjoy this sneak peek of In His Possession before it goes live June 1st. It is available in eBook form on Amazon here - bit.ly/IHPBLove - and in paperback form on my website. Just click the tab that says Books :)

Assad

“I’on know why you wasted your time going over there anyway,” Hassan grumbled as they sat at their usual table in the back of Assad’s bar, aptly named Kirby’s.

The table was always left empty, no matter how packed the bar was. It didn’t matter where Assad was or how comfortable he was in that space, he never allowed anyone to sit or stand behind him. That was a lesson their uncle had to learn the hard way when an enemy caught him slipping from behind and killed him. 

“If she ain’t cleaning some shit that don’t need to be cleaned, she organizing or planning or doing whatever the fuck she can to not focus on what’s happening in real-time,” Hassan continued. 

Between the two brothers, Hassan was definitely the one most bitter over their situation with their mother, which made no sense to Assad since he was the one who dealt with the brunt of her abuse, neglect, and drug use when they were kids. If anything, Assad did everything he could to shield Hassan from it, and maybe that’s why Hassan hated her as much as he did. Not because of what she did to him, but because of what she did to his brother.

Still, Assad loved his mother… unconditionally… no mother how toxic and unhealthy trying to have a relationship with her was.

“She’s allowed that,” Assad countered.

“The fuck for? ’Cause Colt broke her heart thirty years ago?”

Assad’s head shook as he remained patient, not swayed by his brother’s passion. The same passion that kept Hassan from being ready to take over the business should anything happen to Assad. He was too fucking emotional. Always acting or reacting first instead of thinking things through logically. It was that way of moving that made them an easy target for their enemies, which was why Hassan was hardly ever allowed to speak during meetings. Money was his main priority… something that forced him to remain in his head… not in his heart.

“I’m not about to go there with you,” Assad dismissed, standing as their waitress arrived at their table. 

Every time he stood in the presence of a woman, she smiled. Waitress or not, Assad had been groomed to be a gentleman, and he would always give women that respect. Honestly, he liked being soft with them, because it calmed the beast he had to be in the streets. 

“Hello, Mr. Black,” she greeted with a grin. Her eyes lowered to Hassan who was still seated as she added, “Mr. Black.”

“Good evening, beautiful,” Assad replied as Hassan all but fucked her with his eyes. 

“When you gon’ give a real nigga a chance?” Hassan asked, taking her hand and pulling her between his legs.

“What I tell you about fucking with her while she’s on the clock? Try to get your dick wet on your own time,” Assad commanded, pulling his vibrating phone out of his pocket to silence the call. 

“Mane, fuck you. If I wait until she off the clock, her ass gon’ run outta here so fast I won’t even have the chance to talk to her.”

“Well… maybe that should be your confirmation that she don’t want shit to do with your ass.”

Maliya giggled softly, covering her mouth as she composed herself. “Do you gentlemen want your usual?”

Assad eyed his brother before deciding for them. Instead of going for their usual French Connection with Hennessy Black, he requested, “Give us a bottle of D’USSÉ XO.”

“Yes, sir.”

Assad slumped down further in his seat after she walked away, needing the alcohol quickly so he could begin to relax. 

“I know you don’t understand why I choose to try and celebrate her birthday with her every year, but I appreciate you keeping this tradition with me.”

Hassan’s head shook. “Long as you know I do it for you—not her. I’on mind taking shots with you to celebrate her life, because, without her, I wouldn’t have you. I’ll always be grateful to her for that. For you.”

Smiling with one side of his mouth, Assad gripped the back of his brother’s neck and pulled him closer to kiss his temple. Hassan hated it every time he did it, but Assad would never stop showing his brother love. Their father made him promise to look after Hassan when he left the country, and that was a responsibility he would never take lightly… no matter how old they got. 

“Fuck I tell you about kissin’ all on me and shit, bruh?” The frown that covered Hassan’s face made Assad chuckle. 

“If you were in tune with your masculinity, it wouldn’t bother you so much. I’m your brother, nigga. I’ma always show you love.”

Hassan’s eyes rolled as Maliya set her tray on the table. He licked his lips, eyes lowered to her breasts, and Assad couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head. Maliya wasn’t the slightest bit interested in Hassan or any man into illegal activities for that matter. She was working the night shift while in college, mainly because Assad’s bar was exclusive and his patrons tipped well. But she was a lady about her shit, and she was smart as fuck, so she put up with Hassan’s flirting and advances just like she did everyone else’s because she knew her pocket would be fatter by the end of the night. 

“If you need anything else, just let me know,” Maliya directed after placing their shot glasses in front of them. 

Doing the honors, Assad poured them both a shot before they toasted to their mother’s birth, her life, and their existence. She may not have been the most present parent, but everything she and Colton did shaped the man Assad was today, and as he looked around his bar… he was filled with a sense of pride that would forever leave him grateful. 

Final Sneak Peek - The Mourning Doves

Hey, book bae!

Here is the first chapter (unedited) of The Mourning Doves for your reading pleasure before it goes live tomorrow. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

(Unedited) 

Ariel’s head was spinning from the hustle and bustle around her. With this being the first weekend on campus, there were students all over. Though her parents offered to stick around and help her familiarize herself with the campus, she decided against it, needing a taste of independence before her classes started on Monday. As she spun around in a circle, she was starting to regret it. 

There were millions of buildings, streets, and people it felt like. Clutching her map of the campus, Ariel nibbled on her bottom lip. If she couldn’t figure out how to get to the computer lab soon, she was going to say forget it. 

“What’s the point in having a laptop if I have to go to the lab for the WIFI password to even use it?” she grumbled, head buried in the map as she walked straight ahead. 

After about a minute or so of walking, the crowd around her began to clear.

“Oh shit,” was yelled from what sounded like a distance, and as soon as she looked up, her eyes ballooned when she realized why. 

Inhaling a sharp breath, Ariel found herself paralyzed as she stared at the football that was heading straight for her face. Bracing herself for the painful impact, her body tensed and eyes sealed shut. A strong wind passed her before a thump followed by a grunted, “Ooph.”

Her right opened first, then the left, landing on the man that had caught the ball and was lying right at her feet – literally. She smiled, shaking her curls in nervousness. 

“Are you okay?” Ariel asked, extending her hand to help him up.

“Yeah. Are you?” He took her hand into his, but he didn’t apply enough pressure to make her feel like he really needed her help getting up.

“Yeah, thanks to you. I froze.”

He chuckled softly, wiping grass and dirt from his side. “I saw. It was my fault, though. I told him to go wide, but I hadn’t looked back to make sure no one was in the quarter. This area is usually empty.”

“Yeah. Well. I’m lost.” Ariel chuckled quietly, finally admitting that fact out loud. 

“Where are you trying to go?” 

“The computer lab.”

He nodded. “You need your student account information and the WIFI password?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“I can show you where it is if you want.” His eyes lowered to the map in her hand. “That thing doesn’t really show you how to get anywhere.”

Ariel smiled. “Right. I’m not a visual learner, so this is useless to me without step by step directions.”

With a quiet chuckle, he put the football under his armpit. Ariel tried not to notice how attractive he was, but that was kind of hard to do with his wide acorn colored frame standing directly in front of her. 

“If you’d like, I can show you where it is. I can show you around campus too.”

“I wouldn’t want to pull you away from your game.”

His head shook as he looked back at the three men that were watching their interaction. 

“If I had to choose between them and you…” He returned his eyes to her. “I would definitely choose you.”

Her head hung briefly as she blushed. “Okay. That would be great then. What’s your classification?”

“Freshman but I came earlier in the summer for practice.”

“Oh. Okay. Cool. Well yes, lead the way then.”

He stared at her for a few seconds with a small smile before turning and leading her in the opposite direction that she was going in, which made Ariel glad that he’d offered to show her to the computer lab. 

Their walk was silent, but it wasn’t awkward. Every few steps, he’d look down at her or she would look up at him. He was taller than her, but not by much. Maybe five inches or so. He had the prettiest dark brown eyes Ariel had ever seen. So dark they looked black. Housed by naturally arched brows, they were inviting and alluring. 

“This is it,” he said, deep voice lower than it had been. As if he hated making the announcement. Was he unyielding to the idea of letting her go so soon? 

“Thank you…” Ariel giggled quietly. “What’s your name?”

“Michael. Everyone calls me Mike, though.”

“Thank you, Mike. I’m Ariel.”

Michael extended his hand, and Ariel placed hers inside. It was significantly larger than hers. Rougher on the palm, but the top was smooth. As Michael caressed her hand with his thumb, he pulled her closer. Gently. 

“I could wait for you out here,” he offered, staring at her in a way that made her body react to him physically. No man had ever made goosebumps prickle her arms… or make her nipples pebble. “Show you back to your dorm so you won’t get lost.”

“I would like that.”

Michael’s expression, naturally hard, made his smiles even more magical when he gave them. When his dark brown lips curved, Ariel couldn’t help but smile herself. His bottom lip had a pink center that felt like a bullseye constantly drawing her attention. 

“Cool. Gone take care of your business. I’ll be right here.”

She nodded, in no rush to release his hand. When she finally did, Ariel turned and headed into the computer lab. As soon as the door closed behind her, she released a shaky breath and smiled. Maybe getting lost was going to lead to her finding a new friend on campus… 

💙💙💙

When they made it back to her dorm, Michael’s eyes lowered down her frame as his tongue circled his cheek. She didn’t realize she was backing away from him until her body gently pressed against the door. His right arm extended, hand resting on the side of her face. The sweat that was on his forehead had dried, and even with him being active in the sun, he still smelled clean and fresh thanks to the cologne he was wearing. 

“I think you should give me your number, just in case you get lost again.”

Ariel blushed, twirling one of her curls around her pointer finger. “You think so?”

“I do. So I can come and find you.”

“I don’t know,” she teased, looking away briefly. “I might need you one day and you’re in class or something. Seems it would be kind of pointless if that was the only reason I gave you my number.”

“Impossible,” Michael rejected, voice lowering when he added, “I would always come for you.” There was something about the sincerity in his voice that made her believe him. “But I mean…” He shrugged and looked up as if he was in deep thought. “If you wanted us to get the most out of it, I could call you for other things too.”

“Like what?”

“Like asking you out for a date.”

Feeling bolder than she ever had before, Ariel suggested, “You could do that now.”

Taking the hand that was playing with her hair, Michael kissed her palm as he stared into her eyes. 

“May I take you on a date and get to know you better, Ariel?”

Biting down on her bottom lip, she nodded. “Yes,” Ariel agreed lightly. 

“Cool. Are you available tomorrow night? Around six?” She nodded. “Aight. I’ll pick you up then.” 

“Okay. Do you need to put my number in your phone?”

“I don’t have it on me. Just tell me what it is. I’ll remember.”

Ariel giggled as she turned to unlock the door. “Are you sure?”

“Trust me, ain’t shit about you forgettable.”

Heat rose from her toes to her cheeks when she looked back and found his eyes zeroed in on her small, round yet wide ass. After rattling off her number, Ariel thanked him again and quickly went into her dorm. Leaning against the door, she inhaled a deep, calming breath. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she needed to get a handle on it quickly. 

Ariel wasn’t a stranger to dating, flirting, or sex for that matter, so she wasn’t sure why she was reacting to Michael so intensely. Whatever the reason, she’d need her nerves to settle before their date tomorrow. 

Final sneak peek - Love's Battleground!

Hey, book bae!

Tomorrow is the day… Love’s Battleground goes live! Here’s one final sneak peek. Let me know in a comment if you’re ready!

—

Amalia

Amalia valued communication and quality time. She couldn’t possibly marry a man who didn’t feel the same. For her first date with Montrell, he was proving they didn’t have those same values. He’d spent the first thirty minutes of their time together constantly scrolling on his phone. And even though he’d asked her to tell him about herself, he wasn’t really paying her any attention. 

She thought, as a musician, he’d understand her love for poetry and music, but that hadn’t been the case. He did give her his undivided attention when they talked about his dreams and goals, though. 

Though she hated being on her phone during a date, she’d rather be on it than look like a damn fool, staring into space while he was on his. With a sigh, Amalia pulled her phone out of her purse. Kawan had been on her mind like crazy. She didn’t like how things ended between them two days ago. It wasn’t her intention to come off as judgmental, but looking back on her reaction, Amalia could understand if Kawan felt that she was. 

Unable to resist, she opened their text thread and sent, You still trying to get rid of me? 🙂

Not expecting Kawan to reply right away, or at all, she opened her Instagram app and uploaded the picture she’d taken of herself before she left home. Before she could finish her caption, her phone was vibrating with Kawan’s response. Exiting the app, Amalia held her breath as she read, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again. 

Amalia: Well… I started not to text you, but I wanted to let you know that I just needed some time to process what had happened the other day. 

Amalia: I would still like to work with you. 

Kawan: You sure? I ain’t no square ass church boy, Amalia.

Amalia’s eyes lifted to Montrell, who was still deep into whatever he was looking at on his phone. 

Amalia: I never thought you were or expected you to be. I like you as you are. 

She watched her phone intently as his iPhone dots danced around the screen, then stopped. He obviously had something to say but had changed his mind. 

Amalia: Are you going to help me record or not?

Kawan: A’ight. Where you at?

Amalia: On a HORRIBLE date. He’s been on his phone the whole time, which makes me feel like he’s disinterested in me 🙄

Kawan: Damn. Where y’all at?

Amalia: Firebirds. 

Kawan: In Cordova?

Amalia: Yeah. He said it’s his favorite spot, but I don’t too much care for it. 

Amalia waited for Kawan to respond, but he didn’t. She alternated between texting Regan and scrolling Facebook while Montrell randomly asked questions that didn’t lead to full conversations. About fifteen minutes had passed before Amalia thought she was seeing things. Her eyes widened at the sight of Kawan. His hand lifted briefly as the hostess greeted him, eyes remaining locked on Amalia. He looked so damn good in his simple attire—crisp white T-shirt, dark-colored jeans, white shoes, and a black fitted snapback.

Lowering her head, she grinned. Not once did it cross her mind that Kawan would show up after asking her where she was. 

“You ready to go?” he asked, not even bothering to address Montrell, who finally set his phone down. 

“Huh?”

Without asking a second time, Kawan pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and placed it on the table.

“This should cover her meal and your time. ’Preciate you getting her out the house, my guy.” Kawan took Amalia’s hand into his, helping her stand. “You look beautiful, Molly,” he complimented, making her blush as she grabbed her purse off the back of her chair. 

“Who is this, Amalia?” Montrell asked, sitting up in his seat. 

“Oh. Um. Kawan,” was all she offered. “I think I have to go.”

Kawan’s half-grin as he wrapped his arm around her waist had Amalia’s nipples hardening. 

“Did you eat any of your pasta?” he asked casually, leading her out of the restaurant. 

“Are you seriously stealing me from my date?”

“Yeah. So did you eat?”

She chuckled as they exited the restaurant. “No. I just had a few bites of the lobster dip, but that’s all.”

“Cool. What kind of food do you like?” For a few seconds, all Amalia could do was stare at the side of his face. He looked at her, laughing at the sight of her partially opened mouth. “What?”

“You are something else.” She had to resist the urge to kiss his dimple when he licked his lips and smiled. “I missed you, Kawan.”

“I missed you, too,” Kawan agreed, opening the door of a purple Challenger. 

“This is yours?” she asked, to which he nodded. “I take it purple is your favorite color.”

“For cars, yes. Black is my favorite color in general.”

Amalia inhaled a sharp breath when Kawan leaned down and buckled her seat belt. Their eyes remained locked for a few seconds before he removed a fallen eyelash from under her eye. Before he could discard of it, Amalia grabbed his wrist and whispered, “I have to make a wish.”

He smiled softly and nodded. Closing her eyes, Amalia inhaled a deep breath and made her wish. When she opened them, she blew the lash from his fingers into the blowing wind.

“What did you wish for?” 

“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“Or you can tell me, and I can make it come true.”

Amalia chuckled as he stood upright. “What? Like God?”

“No. Like a man who has the power to give his woman whatever the fuck she wants…”

—

Tomorrow!

Sample Sunday - Love's Battleground

Hey, book bae! Here’s a look into Love’s Battleground before it goes live April 1st!

Unedited, Explicit

“I got ‘er,” came from behind her as the arm placed a Faygo and bag of Rap Snacks next to her things.

“Yes, sir, Kawan. What else can I get you?”

“Two Swishers.”

Amalia looked back, frozen at the sight of Kawan. He looked down at her and smiled with the left side of his mouth. 

“Wha’chu doin’ out this way?” Kawan asked, pulling her from the trance he’d had her in to look down and grab his wallet out of his pocket. 

“Um, I had to drop someone off. What makes you think I don’t live out here?”

He chuckled quietly. “You couldn’t, not acting the way you do.”

His accusation replaced her shyness with a challenge that had her putting her hand on her hip as she turned more in his direction. “And how do I act?”

There was still a comfortable smile on his face as he handed the cashier a twenty-dollar bill. “Like you sheltered as fuck.”

Amalia scoffed, but she couldn’t deny it. She was sheltered—as fuck. Deciding not to go back and forth with him, she pulled a ten dollar bill out of her pocket to hand it to him, but he denied it.

“I can pay for my own things, Kawan.”

“I know,” was all he said before waving his change off from the cashier. 

As he grabbed both their bags the cashier asked, “Hey, Kawan, can I talk to you about something real quick?”

“Yeah, that’s cool.” Kawan handed Amalia her bag and told her, “Don’t go outside without me.” She nodded, jerking the bag slightly when he didn’t release it. “Do I need to keep this to make sure you stick around?”

With a smile, her head shook softly. She didn’t want to tell him she wasn’t going to stick around either way nor did she want to lie, so she remained silent. 

Once she was sure he was listening to what the cashier was talking about, she slowly backed back toward the door. The moment she stepped outside she regretted it. 

“Aye, miss lady,” the man in the black shirt called, grabbing her wrist. “I was trying to get your attention before you went in the store.”

She shimmied softly, trying to remove herself from his grip. But she regretted it when, “Damn, she got a fat ass too,” came from behind her. 

“Oh word?” a third man asked, stepping closer and looking behind her. 

“Damn. She sho’ do,” the fourth stated, rubbing his hands together as he stared at her ass.

The door opened, and she could have burst into tears with gratitude at the sight of Kawan. With no words, all it took was a look and tilt of his head for the men to back away from her. They scattered quickly, causing Amalia to wonder just who in the hell Kawan was and why his presence was able to evoke such fear. 

“Didn’t I tell you not to come out here without me?” he questioned, closing the space between them.

He was a few inches taller than her, forcing her to tilt her head to look up at him. “I—I… thank you.”

His anger dissolved as his eyebrows and shoulders relaxed. “It’s cool. You in the Wagon?” Amalia nodded. Kawan licked his lips and looked around before walking her to her SUV. He opened the door for her as he asked, “How far you stay?”

“Like thirty minutes away. I’ll be fine though.”

Kawan considered her statement for a few seconds before nodding in agreement. “I’ma follow you out of the neighborhood just to be safe.”

“Okay, thank you.” Before he could close her door, she asked, “Um… are you… will you be at Kacy’s Saturday?”

“Nah. I just went last weekend because my sister wanted to go.”

Amalia let a few seconds pass before she said, “I’ll be there.”

Kawan smiled. “You saying you a reason for me to go?”

Realizing how bold her statement sounded, Amalia adamantly shook her head. 

“Oh. No. Not at all. I was just saying because you wanted to hear my poem. I think I might do it this weekend. Since I’ll have time to mentally prepare.”

“I might come through. If I do, you better be worth it.”

Amalia’s grin caught her by surprise. “I always am.”

She closed the door quickly, refusing to believe she was flirting… with him of all people. Instead of pulling right off, she watched him go to his purple old school whip and get inside. Rolling the window down and blasting a rap song Amalia had never heard in her life, Kawan reversed and motioned for her to do the same with his hand out of the car. Amalia wasn’t exactly sure what it was about Kawan that was so attractive to her. 

Sure, he was fine, but she’d come across attractive men all the time. But there was something different about him. Something that made her want him. And Amalia was sure she was crazy… but it seemed like he wanted her too. 

—

Are you ready for more of these two? I hope so! Let me know in a comment below!

Lie in It - Tomorrow!

Hey, book bae!

Here’s the synopsis and a short soundbite for tomorrow’s release! Let me know what you think in a comment!

Synopsis:

Regal Pierre is convinced he’s met the love of his life when Sophia Black’s car breaks down on the side of the road. They have a lot in common and balance out each other’s differences. It seems as if fate approves of their union...until a mistake from Regal’s past resurfaces. When Sophia becomes aware, they both have to look at the mess leftover in Regal’s bed and choose if they want to lie in it... 

Life/Social Media Update + WIP Details

Hey y’all!

I’m just rambling about life, canceling my previous preorder, and what I’m working on next in this voice memo. Have a listen!

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Preface to my next project...

Hey, book bae!

So, check out the soundbite of me rambling about my upcoming project :)

Final sneak peek - Promise to Keep it Trill!

Hey, book bae! Promise to Keep it Trill goes live tomorrow, but it is available for preorder here.

Here is one last look inside before it goes live!

Unedited

Jason 

MPD had caught Makayla slipping. It didn’t matter what went down over the weekend, she was dedicated to her Early Head Start school. She loved her babies and refused to let them living in low-income parts of the city keep them from being prepared for Kindergarten. Bright and early Monday morning, she made her way to work, and by lunchtime, she was being arrested for assault. Honestly, Jason didn’t expect Makayla to have a warrant, otherwise, he would have made her sit her ass down somewhere. 

It wasn’t the first time she’d beat a bitch’s ass, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Carmen was scandalous, though, and she’d pressed charges against Makayla as soon as she was awake and alert. To her credit, she hadn’t told the police who shot those fatal shots, but that wasn’t enough for Jason to not want to have her handled. 

What Jason couldn’t understand was why she didn’t have a bond. The assault charge was petty compared to the charges he and Kannon were charged with. It didn’t surprise him to see two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder attached to his name because of what happened at the park, but Makayla’s charge and lack of a bond wasn’t sitting well with him. When he found out about his warrants, he’d already planned to leave the city and lay low for a while until shit blew over, but he couldn’t do that while Makayla was still locked up.

When his lawyer arrived at the safehouse, Jason made sure no one had followed him before locking up and leading him to the living room.

“Explain this shit to me,” Jason ordered, plopping down on the couch.

The wooden cabin wasn’t just a hideout from the law, but it was one of his favorite places of peace. He’d come here whenever he had a lot of shit on his mind. Winter or summer, he’d let the fireplace crackle while he sipped some brown liquor and smoked a blunt… and stayed until shit made sense in his mind. 

“You and Kannon have warrants. The list is growing as time progresses. They are trying to hem you up with everything they possibly can to make sure something sticks.”

Last time Jason checked, he just had the attempted murder and murder charges, but as he refreshed the page, he noticed they were adding more counts because the shooting was done in a crowded space with bystanders. The bullshit weapons and public nuisance charges he wasn’t even worried about. 

“I’on give a fuck about this. I wanna know why Mak doesn’t have a fucking bond,” Jason clarified. Though his face was stone and his voice was calm, he was raging on the inside. He needed to get Makayla out – now. Yeah, she could handle herself, but she didn’t belong in jail, especially for protecting one of them. 

“Honestly…” Davis shrugged. “I believe the prosecutor intends to use her to lure you and Kannon out of hiding. They know if they can’t find you, with her, they can get you to come to them. They probably will push her court date out six months to a year, no bond, in an attempt to get her to snitch and fold or get you to come forth and surrender yourself.”

“Mak ain’t no snitch. She’ll sit for a year before she goes against either of us.”

That had always been the case. Makayla had made it clear, if she had to, she’d take a small amount of time for either of them because they both had previous charges. Jason, himself, was on his third strike. If he went down for this, there would be no getting out. He’d been smart with his business in the streets, but his bad ass temper had gotten him into a lot of trouble. 

Davis’ face twisted in confusion. “What happened, Weaver? Why on earth would you start shooting in broad daylight with innocent bystanders and witnesses around at that?”

Jason’s head tilted as he remained silent. It didn’t matter if Davis was his lawyer or not, he wouldn’t be telling him any details about what happened. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense to Davis anyway. No one understood the connection between the three of them. Since Jason had been sold to Carlos and Kingston, Kannon’s father, by his crackhead mother, the two had been looking out for each other. And as soon as they met Makayla, they realized she had the same heart.

Still, they both would do whatever it took to protect Makayla and keep her safe… even if that meant surrendering himself to these bullshit ass charges. He’d do it a million times over. No one would stand in his face, disrespect his best friend while trying to tarnish his character and not deal with the consequences. Jason didn’t regret laying those bodies down at all. If he’d change anything, he would have just grabbed Makayla and handled those niggas in private. But that wasn’t how he moved, so it wasn’t no point in dwelling on that shit now. Kannon had saved his life years ago and had the permanent scar to prove it, so if Jason had to sit down to pay him back, he’d have to be cool with that.

“What are the options?” Jason asked, not bothering to answer Davis’ question. 

“We can wait until Wednesday to see if the judge will give her a bond when she’s arraigned, but she has Judge Nolan, and if she doesn’t have a bond now, he’s not going to give her one. Especially if the prosecutor mentions where this assault happened and that she is connected to you.”

Jason nodded, already knowing what was up. He had a few judges and police on his payroll. One that he hadn’t been able to get on his team was Nolan. Nolan genuinely hated them and how they ruled the city, and if given the chance, there was no doubt in Jason’s mind that he would use Makayla to get to him.

“I don’t want her to sit in there until Wednesday, but if she has to…”

“If she has to, she’ll be read her charges and offered a public defender. If she wants to get her own lawyer, she’ll be given the date he or she needs to be put on record and her court date will be scheduled. Without a bond, she’ll have to sit until it comes.”

Jason sighed as he stood. Grabbing his glass of cognac, he walked over to the fireplace and stared into the flames. A few seconds passed before he decided, “Let me see Makayla, then I’ll make my move…”

—

I hope you guys are ready for tomorrow! If you are, let me know in a comment below!

Sample Sunday - Promise to Keep it Trill

Hey, Book Bae!

Promise to Keep it Trill comes out on the 5th, so I wanted to share a chapter for sample Sunday! I wanted to pick something that showed the dynamic of this friendship triangle. Hope you enjoy!

—

Kannon 

Unedited

 Kannon wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself if he wouldn’t have made Makayla ride with him. She was clearly in a bad mood, and he knew if he didn’t get her out of her hotel room, she’d sulk and constantly think about what was bothering her. Makayla was almost always in a bad mood after she dropped Austin off, which was why Kannon often did it. It didn’t matter how ugly Gina acted when she and Makayla were alone, she was always on her best behavior around him. 

Even though she was sitting in the passenger seat of his car pouting, Kannon knew her well enough to know she was happy to be away from the hotel. Giving her time to herself, he didn’t bother her with conversation as a playlist of Memphis rappers played in the background. As if Jason felt that they were together, he called. Unlike most inmates, he had a cellphone that he was able to use freely. 

“Yeah?” Kannon answered, hoping the sound of Jason’s voice as it blasted through the car via Bluetooth didn’t catch Makayla too off guard. 

“Who you wit’?” 

Makayla’s eyes rolled, and she sat further down in her seat.

“Mak.” Kannon looked over at her as he said, “We’re in the car so she can hear you.”

Jason sighed heavily into the phone. “How did the meeting go?”

Kannon shook his head. While he understood Jason’s desire not to hold Makayla back, he hated how he’d chosen to do so. The fact that he was able to completely ignore her and act as if she never existed wasn’t helping her move on… it was causing her to hate him more and more. 

“It was coo’. We just coolin’ it now.”

“Aight. I was just checking to make sure everything was straight. I’ll see you next week.”

“Aight, one.”

“One.”

Kannon waited a few seconds to see if today would be the day Jason acknowledged her, but it wasn’t, so he disconnected the call.

“You good?” he asked, to which she nodded.

She’d already had to deal with her mother; being ignored by Jason was the last thing she needed. He texted Jason, Stop doing her like that, or I’m going to stop answering your calls when she’s around. Kannon reached across the center console and took her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. She continued to look out of the window, blinking watery eyes to dry them out. 

By the time they’d pulled into the parking lot of his mother and aunt’s businesses, Jason had texted him back.

Jason: The fuck I do? 

Kannon: Nigga. You know what you did. She ain’t got no daddy and her mama ignore her or talk bad to her, she don’t need that shit from your ass too. 

Jason: I made it clear what was up on my end. We done and it’s for her own good.

Kannon: Nah. YOU were for her own good. She’s accepted that it’s over but you don’t have to be cruel about it.

Jason: Cruel? I’m doing what’s best for her.

Kannon’s head shook. Sometimes there was no point in trying to talk to Jason, and he didn’t know why he was wasting his time. Makayla was in her phone in another world, not bothered by Kannon’s slow movements to get out of the car. 

Kannon: Whatever man. Like I said, if you do that shit again I’m not answering your calls when she’s around. That ignoring her shit fucks with her mental and I’m not letting you or nobody else do that.

Jason called back, prompting Kannon to step out of the car as he answered with, “Yeah?”

“I don’t need you to protect her from me. I know what’s best for her.”

“Apparently you do. You told me to look after her and make sure nobody hurt her. You’re included in that, too. I’m telling you that woman still loves you no matter how much she hates you, and when you do that, it makes her feel like you never gave a fuck about ’er.”

“You know that’s not the case.”

“I do, but she don’t. So if you don’t put an end to this shit, I will.”

“Aight, aight,” Jason conceded. “Just let me know when she’s around and I won’t call. I don’t want to do anything to intentionally hurt her, but it ain’t no communication between me and Mak. It’s best this way.”

“Aight,” Kannon agreed before disconnecting the call and going to the opposite side of his Hellcat to let Makayla out. 

There was a slick smirk on her face, as if she’d heard his end of the conversation, but she didn’t say shit about it as she grabbed his hand. They walked to his aunt’s chicken shack hand in hand. It was directly next to his mother’s beauty salon, and the sisters were known for getting into all kinds of shit together. 

If there was an environment that could get Makayla out of her funk, it was Wanda’s Chicken Shack. Wanda served all kinds of soul food, but she specialized in chicken – baked breasts, fried wings, and roasted quarters, to be exact. As soon as they headed into the restaurant, Makayla’s smile widened. The atmosphere was chill. Small, dark, music blasting. Half of all the tables were taken, and there was a line to the door with people waiting for to-go orders. Pictures of Wanda with celebrities lined all the walls leading to the kitchen… where Wanda and Tracy were standing over the fryers with red cups in their hands, laughing. 

The brightly lit, spacious kitchen would have been unbearably warm had it not been for the large fans blowing. It in itself had become a space to party. In the corner of the kitchen and away from the food was a small card table with several flavors of MD 2020 and bottles of Budweiser on it. After speaking to the pair of sisters, both Kannon and Makayla headed to the table. While she opted for the grape MD 2020, Kannon grabbed a beer.

He watched as she talked to his mother, aunt, and cousins. Staying back, he played a few rounds of spades with his cousins. It didn’t take long for Makayla to start returning to her normal self, and by the time the MD 2020 was good and in her system, she’d washed her hands, pulled her hair back, and put on a white apron to start frying chicken and fries with Wanda. 

The music seemed to change every hour. Once the old school songs that his mother and aunt requested stopped, rap music began to play. His younger cousins alternated between washing dishes, serving food, and jookin and Kannon couldn’t help but join in. Not everyone liked or understood what vet G-Nerd had coined urban ballet for the streets. But that gangsta walk and getting buck had been a part of urban Memphis culture for decades. 

He thought back to his days at Crystal Palace skating rink, jookin trying to impress the girls and his crew… when life was a less heavy time. Kannon couldn’t deny just how much he missed that shit.

Makayla put the plate of buffalo chicken tenders in front of him, pulling him from his thoughts.

“What’s on your mind?” she wondered, smiling down at him.

Her naturally lazy, light brown eyes were sitting even lower because of the alcohol and Kannon swore she got even more beautiful with time. He often wondered how her Werther’s Original caramel candy-colored skin would taste. If it would be as sweet as it looked. Or if her plump, pouty lips would feel like the soft pillows they looked like. She must have been done cooking because she took her hair out of the rubber band and fluffed her wavy curls back in place. They framed her square face and rested on her shoulders perfectly. 

“Just thinkin’ about a simpler time,” Kannon confessed before taking a swig of his beer. 

“I feel you.”

“I ’preciate you making me tenders instead of wings.”

Makayla nodded with a smile. “It’s nothing.”

But it was everything. She handled him like she knew him, always taking his wants, needs, and desires into consideration. 

“How you feel?”

“I’m good now, thanks to you.”

“Good.” 

Kannon bobbed his head once before picking up one of the buffalo chicken tenders. He couldn’t resist allowing his eyes to lower to her ass as she walked away. Her frame was slim and it wasn’t the biggest, but it was enough to jiggle when she walked and twerked. She was a part of that lil booties matter too movement, and Kannon had to admit, he enjoyed watching what little bit of ass she had shake and jiggle. 

Pushing those thoughts away, Kannon focused on his food and all the love in the kitchen. As long as Makayla was back in good spirits, that was all that mattered…

—

I can’t wait for you to read this baby! It goes live Tuesday, but it’s available for preorder here. As always, thanks for the support, and I hope you enjoy!

Promise to Keep it Trill - A look inside!

Hey, book bae!

It’s been a long time, almost two months to be exact, but I have the details for my next release! Check out the soundbite and other details below…

Preorder link

Playlist link

Mailing list - text BLOVE to 42828

Let me know if you’re ready for this read in a comment below!

FINAL SNEAK PEEK - FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY BOOKS!

Hey, book bae! Here’s one final sneak peek into all of tomorrow’s releases! I’m SO freaking excited! It is my most sincere desire that you all enjoy these books as much as I enjoyed writing them!

You can head over to Amazon to preorder the books, purchase gift boxes, and enter to win 1 of 5 mini love token gift boxes by clicking here.

Faded Mirrors: Featuring Smoke & Mira

Unedited

Before she could walk away, Smoke took hold of her wrist. He pulled her close, brushing her hair off her shoulders with his palm as he stared into her eyes. 

“Why you always runnin’ away?”

Her smile was bitter as she lowered her head and avoided his eyes. “I’m trying to save you, Princeton.”

Tilting her head by her chin, Smoke assured her, “Ain’t shit you can throw my way that I can’t handle, love. I promise you dat.”

Licking her lips, Mira considered his promise before whispering, “I’m no good for you. I’m in a fucked-up relationship, and I got a lot of habits and issues. Trust me when I say it’s best for you if you stay away.”

“Nah.”

“Nah?” she repeated before smiling and gently pushing him away. “I didn’t ask you a yes-or-no question, Princeton.”

“You also ain’t saying shit that means anything either. You think I give a fuck about your issues? I got issues, too. We can put them hoes together and make our own version of Vogue. ’Cause this here that we got… this shit is fate.”

Mira’s head shook as she took backward steps away from him and laughed. “Nah. I don’t believe in fate.”

“Why not?”

Her smile fell. “Because that would imply that I believe love is out there for me, but I know it’s not.”

“You’re right… love ain’t out there for you.” He took a step in her direction. “It’s right here, looking you dead in your eyes.” Her eyes shut as she clenched her jaw. When her shoulders caved and she covered her face, Smoke’s head tilted as he rolled his tongue across his cheek. “I’ll fall back until you ready, though.”

Mira’s breath came out shaky as she dropped her hands. Avoiding his eyes, she nodded and agreed with, “Don’t wait,” but at this point, Smoke was certain that was beyond his control. Like he said, it was fate. Now that he’d seen her three times and knew a sure way to get to her through his sister, there was no way he was letting her go. 

“I’ll walk you out,” he offered, to which she nodded in agreement. “How you know my sister?”

That put a smile on her face. “We met at a brunch day party like three months ago. Both of our niggas stood us up, and we couldn’t be seated at a table for two alone, so we ended up sharing a table. We’ve been rocking ever since.”

That would explain why he was so drawn to her. If Mira had any of the traits Oakland had, that was why he felt the urge to protect her. 

“That’s what’s up. She needs some solid people in her life.”

“Me too.”

“Obviously not, ’cause you got a real nigga right here tryna fuck with you.”

Mira laughed as he patted his chest, and even though he was smiling, Smoke was serious as hell. He was coming up with all kinds of reasons in his head beyond her beauty that made him crave her so damn much. 

“I see you gon’ be corny just like your sister.”

“Aye, we ain’t corny… we just got a different kind of sense of humor.”

“Umhm.” Mira giggled softly, stepping more into his space without even realizing it. 

When they made it outside to her Infiniti, she stepped directly in front of her door. She might not have wanted to admit it, but that was her way of stealing a few seconds more of his time. Smoke would let her have that. 

“Well… thanks again for the other night.”

“It’s cool. Stay safe, a’ight?”

With a smile, Mira replied, “And you stay dangerous.”

Mirroring her smile, Smoke wrapped his arm around her to open her door. When she still didn’t move, he stepped closer. Pressed his body into hers. 

“You know what the fuck you doing,” he warned, voice low and thick with the lust he was trying to control. 

At the feel of his dick hardening against her, Mira bit down on her bottom lip, resting her hands on his chest. 

“What am I doing?”

“Tryna start some shit you ain’t prepared to let me finish. Lea’ me alone until you ready, Mira. For real.”

Conceding to his only request, Mira nodded as her hands slid down his arms. 

“Okay. I will.”

That was what he needed, but it for damn sure wasn’t what Smoke wanted. Tilting her head back with a handful of her hair, Smoke rested his forehead on hers. He told himself not to do it, but he couldn’t resist measuring the softness of her lips. One peck was all he told himself to get. All he’d allow his soul to have. But when she moaned quietly and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, he had to go in for a second. With no fear, Mira’s eyes remained locked with his as he tenderly pressed his lips against hers a third time.

It wasn’t until he pulled away and clasped his hand around her neck as he bit down on his bottom lip did she close her eyes. Lips parted, she willingly allowed his tongue to enter. She moaned again, and Smoke’s eyes closed as he melted under the touch of her skin. As her hands slid under his shirt, he pressed her harder into the car… forcing himself to pull away. 

Tugging at his silver link chain, Smoke stepped back as she released a shaky breath. 

“I really have to go now,” she announced, quickly opening her door before he could do it for her.

Love is the Byline: Oakland and Azriel

Unedited

“You have a very beautiful smile,” the bartender complimented as he set my drink down in front of me. 

“Thank you,” I replied, more perky than I intended to. To be honest, a part of me was hoping I could establish a quick bond with him before Azriel arrived just in case he was as much of an asshole as I thought he would be. 

“Are you single?”

I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, the sexiest baritone I’d ever heard said, “Not for the next week.” 

Squeezing my thighs together instantly, I inhaled a deep breath. I had three weaknesses: confidence, a deep, sexy voice, and a good smelling man. If this was Azriel, he was definitely harnessing all three. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions and assume he was him, because it could have just been a random shooting his shot. As he sat on the bar stool next to me, he casually looked my frame over before telling the bartender his drink order. 

“On a scale of one to ten, how upset with me are you?”

My smile was crooked as I took his fine ass in. He had the prettiest shade of black skin I’d ever seen. And I do mean black. Black like vanilla black. But the long beard on his face was even darker, just like the low fade on his head. He had classic black man features – wide nose, dark eyes, big lips. Jesus. I needed this to not be Azriel. 

“Why would I be upset with you?”

“Because I challenged your articles and set the board up to finesse us into this bullshit ass experiment.”

Yeap.

Definitely Azriel. 

“Azriel?” He nodded, pulling out his wallet to show me his I.D. “Damn. I didn’t know they made ‘em like you anymore.”

His hearty laugh sent chills down my spine. 

This man was fine as hell. 

I was loving everything about him when I was supposed to be slicing him deep for writing rebuttals to my articles. To my truth. To my beliefs. 

As his laugh settled down and his eyes opened, they lazily looked into mine as he licked his lips. 

“I can say the same for you. If I would have known you were at the BWE picnics all this time I definitely would have come through.”

We stared at each other for a few seconds as our smiles lingered and wavered, and without the distraction of his voice, I was reminded that he was my competition. Almost my enemy. At that point, it didn’t matter how good he smelled or how fine he looked…

Love is the Byline: Pryer and Deacon

Unedited

“What you think?” he asked, finally breaking the silence. 

I shrugged, looking at him briefly before my eyes went down to my French manicured nails. It was my favorite style, and I loved how they looked against my rich cocoa brown skin. 

“I don’t want to do it.”

“Why not?”

I didn’t want to tell him the truth. That love made me feel weak and I didn’t like that feeling. I didn’t like falling victim to the emotions of men, or the lack thereof. I liked only what I could control – sex. 

“I just don’t.”

“You scared of me?”

That caused me to look back at him. “Why would I be scared of you?”

Deacon smiled softly as his head tilted. “People always fear the unknown.”

“Well, I know you well enough to not fear you.”

His head shook as he stood. “Nah. You don’t know me at all. I think you want to know me, and because I didn’t submit to your will, that scares you. Now you runnin’, and this challenge is going to make it difficult for you to do that.”

Tapping the table with his knuckles, Deacon nodded, as if his mind was telling him he was correct with his assessment of me. Shit, he was. I wasn’t going to tell him that, though. 

“I want you to know…” He paused and took a step in my direction. I think the rise of my chest as I inhaled and held a deep breath is what kept him from taking another. “You’re safe with me, Pryer. Okay?”

Looking away, all I could do was nod and pray he left before my tears fell. Truth was, I didn’t want to be this emotionless, hardened shell of a woman. I wanted to be the way I used to be – able to feel, love, and express freely. Able to surrender and trust men. But Armani destroyed that part of me. Even after him, as I stumbled to find my way with men, the ones that came and left those first couple of years further confirmed they weren’t to be trusted. Eventually I just stopped trying. 

Now, they expected me to let a man inside of the places I’d closed off for years. Almost a decade now. Releasing a shaky breath, I wiped my eyes as my head hung. There was a lot riding on this, and even though I didn’t want to tell Deacon, he was right – I was scared as hell. 

—

Are you ready for tomorrow?! If so, let me know in a comment below!

You WANT this Smoke -- Faded Mirrors

Hey, book bae!

Here’s a look into Smoke’s first chapter in Faded Mirrors. The entire series is available for preorder on Amazon. I’ll drop the link and other goodies below. Enjoy ❤️

—

Smoke

Unedited with explicit language

Smoke was growing tired of this shit. He had better things to do than watch one of his workers be beaten senseless. This, however, was necessary. If there was one thing Smoke didn’t tolerate, it was disrespect. No matter the form, disrespect of any kind led to anyone being dealt with. One of the quickest ways for Smoke to feel disrespected was to not obey his commands. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes, a motherfucker was either too bold or too damn stupid and would try him.

Today, that motherfucker was Isaac.

Isaac was a corner boy who worked his way up to lieutenant over the course of two years. He’d always been hungry, but Smoke felt he was too greedy. In this business, greed was a setup for your downfall. In Isaac’s case… his greed led him to sell prescription pills… to Smoke’s customers, on his block, nonetheless. 

Every time Smoke thought about it, he’d get angry all over again. 

“Enough,” he ordered, just above a whisper, but his team was so in sync with him they heard and understood his command. 

Smoke’s head tilted as he looked Isaac’s body over. Crouched in a fetal position, his body shook as he heaved and coughed up blood. Smoke sauntered over to him, walking just as slowly as he spoke. He was never the kind of man to rush – the earth even moved at his command. Smoke didn’t consider himself God, but he fully took advantage of the godlike qualities and power that he had inside of him. 

Squatting, Smoke turned Isaac over to his back with the butt of his G19 Glock. 

“What were you thinking?” Smoke asked, looking over Isaac’s bloody body. His head shook as he rolled his tongue over his cheek. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?”

Isaac opened his mouth to reply, coughing up more blood instead. There was no doubt in Smoke’s mind that he had some broken ribs and was bleeding internally too. Soon… he’d be out of his misery… but there was one thing Smoke needed to know first. 

“Who is your supplier?”

Isaac’s eyes widened before they sealed shut. His head shook as he inhaled short, choppy breaths. 

“Isaac,” Smoke called, but it was more of a calm warning. 

“I can’t tell you. If he finds out, he’ll kill me.”

Smoke chuckled as he looked up at his business partner and close friend, Montego. Montego’s head tilted as he cocked his gun. All he needed was one word and he was ready to send a bullet through Isaac’s brain.

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll kill you. Now…” Smoke paused. Smiled. “Who do you think you need to fear most?”

Isaac looked away, only letting a second pass before he muttered, “Simeon.”

“Call him.”

The moment Isaac jerked his head back in Smoke’s direction he winced. “I—I ca—” 

Smoke shoved his gun into his mouth, unmoved by the tears that slid down his face. “I wasn’t asking.” Lowering himself to Isaac’s ear, he whispered, “Don’t make me have to say it again.”

—

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Playlist Link

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—

As always, thank you for the continued support, and I hope you enjoy this wild ride!

Chapter Sample - Faded Mirrors

Hey, book bae!

Here’s a look into Faded Mirrors featuring Smoke & Mira…

Unedited

Mira

Mira thought she was seeing things, but he was real. It wouldn’t matter how much time had passed, Mira would never forget him. From his tall, wide, muscular frame to his cashew colored skin with its red undertone. Mira had seen him in her dreams. He’d awakened a hunger within her where no other man had even given her an appetite. 

Mira’s nipples hardened as she took in his aura. Even dressed simply in a loose fitting gray shirt and black jeans… he was still the finest man she’d ever seen. His mouth parted slightly when he noticed her, pulling Mira’s attention to his heart shaped pomegranate hued lips. They were enclosed by a short, thick beard that she wanted to feel rubbing against her thighs. Under turned eyes the color of black coffee eased down her frame as his large, veiny hand slid down the front of his neck.

She looked from the ring on his right hand to the sleeve tattoo sliding up his right arm. And the left arm. His left hand. Mira wondered where else he had tattoos. Her mouth had watered so much Mira had to swallow and try to compose herself as he walked over to her. If she would have known she was going to run into him at the drugstore, she would have tried to make herself look more presentable. Mira casually looked down at the loose fitting black sweats and white form fitting t-shirt she was wearing. She squeezed the bun on the top of her head before looking away as he approached.

He sat next to her… dangerously close to her… though there was more than enough space on the bench for at least two more people. 

“Hey,” he greeted, sitting up and resting his elbows on his thighs.

Mira looked at him briefly before mumbling, “Hi.” 

She’d been given a shot for the pain before she left the emergency room, so she was feeling like her normal self again, but after the long day she’d had with Chris… the last thing she wanted to do was entertain another man – no matter how fine he was. 

And ol’ boy was fine.

Fine didn’t even seem like a good enough word to describe him. 

He was… handsomely indulgent. A visually decadent treat. One that Mira wanted to feast on again and again. Him. If she wasn’t careful, he’d definitely be her next addiction. 

“I said if I saw you again… I’d get you.”

His declaration made Mira smile as she turned her eyes in his direction. 

“Is that why you didn’t bother trying to change my mind?”

He nodded. “It is. Where your sisters and brother?”

Mira checked the date and time on her phone. She’d been in such a crazed state that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d talked to them. Based on the date, it had been a day and a half. Every time she talked to her sisters they asked her about the guy who watched YouTube videos while they ate and if they could go back to the restaurant to see him again. Up until this point, Mira could only brush them off. Now, she’d be able to tell them something.

“They are probably with their babysitter now unless their mother got off early.”   

Mira hoped he didn’t ask if they have different mothers. She didn’t realize how cryptic what she said sounded until she actually said it. 

He nodded, eyes lowering to her bandaged foot. “What happened?”

Mira looked down absently. “Oh. I dropped a bottle of wine and a few pieces went into my foot.”

“Shit. I’m sorry to hear that. So you’re waiting on a prescription?”

“I am. What are you doing here?”

She didn’t see any bags or products near him. 

“I was just checking in. This is my store.”

Mira’s brows wrinkled as her mouth parted slightly. She smiled, head nodding in pride. 

“So you’re the Edwards of Edwards Drugstore?”

“I am.” He mirrored her smile, extending his hand for her to shake. Mira looked down at it hesitantly before placing her hand inside of his. Convinced she was volatile by nature, Mira felt a calmness envelop her immediately as his grip on her hand tightened. “Princeton Edwards. It’s definitely a pleasure to officially meet you.”

For a moment, all Mira could do was nod until Princeton released her hand. Then, she was able to speak. 

“Mira. Mira Langston. And it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

With one bob of his head, Princeton leaned forward and inhaled her scent. “I’ve been smelling you all around me since the last time I saw you.” 

“Princeton…” She almost sang, squeezing the bun on the top of her head.

“Damn,” his head flung back and eyes closed briefly. Adam’s apple bobbing, Princeton ran his hands up and down his thighs before returning his eyes to her. “Say my name like that again and I’ma give you a reason to.”

Innocently, Mira giggled. “Like what…” Her head tilted and she licked her lips before adding, “Princeton.”

“Like it’s yours. Like I’m yours.”

Her smile fell, and their eyes remained locked for a while until her name was being called out. Pulling herself out of his trance, Mira stood and tried to limp over to the pharmacy area, but Princeton stopped her. 

“Go sit down,” he ordered, not waiting for her to agree. 

Doing as she was told, Mira nibbled on her bottom lip and watched as he retrieved her prescription. Her heart began to race as her armpits sweated in anticipation. She had to keep herself from jumping up and down like a dog preparing to receive a treat. 

“You need anything else?” Princeton checked.

“No, just the pills.”

With one bob of his head, Princeton lowered himself slightly and picked her up bridal style. Mira squealed as she tightened her grip around his neck. She definitely wasn’t into affection and physical touch from men, especially strangers, but there was something about Princeton that made her melt into his touch. 

“You didn’t drive did you?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“It didn’t hurt my foot. I’m good.”

He looked at the side of her face as he carried her outside. “You sure?” Mira nodded. “I think you should give me your number or let me trail you home just to be safe.”

She laughed softly. “Oh, that’s why?”

“Yea. I mean… what kind of man would I be if I didn’t make sure you made it home okay?”

“And that’s the only reason you’d want my number?”

Princeton’s mouth twisted to the side as he thought her question over. “Nah, but it would be a start.”

Yes.

He was definitely as dangerous as she first thought he would be.

“My car is the white Infiniti over there.”

“Cool.”

Princeton carried her across the parking lot as if she was weightless. She weighed a good one hundred and fifty pounds, but he held her up as if that was nothing. Nearing her car, Mira hit the button to unlock it. Princeton got her inside, leaning down to her eyelevel to ask, “If I ask you out, will your answer to my question be the same as this question?”

Mira thought it over, laughing when she realized she’d be agreeing to a date whether she said yes or not. 

“That is not fair, Princeton.”

He bit down on his bottom lip and looked at hers every time she said his name. Mira hadn’t been into kissing, but for him, she’d make an exception. 

“How not?”

“There’s only one answer.” 

Princeton shrugged. “I made it easy for you to make the right one.”

Unable to hide her smile, Mira’s head shook as she confessed, “You are dangerous as hell.”

“Now you know where to find me when you’re ready to take a risk and reward yaself. Even if I’m not here… they know how to get in touch with me.”

Standing to his full height, Princeton closed her door and walked away with the same slow saunter he’d hooked her with the first time she saw him. And just like the first time, he held her captive until he was no longer in sight. When he wasn’t, Mira looked down at the prescription and rolled her eyes when she noticed it only had thirty-pills. That would have to do for now. She opened the white bag and pulled out the orange translucent bottle, ready to pop at least two of the pills now. 

Head tilting, she waited for the desire to fill her, but it never came. Mira wasn’t sure if it was because she was still feeling good off the shot or her interaction with Princeton. Either way, she dropped the pills into her purse and started her car before calling to see if her newest yet closest friend, Oakland, was available to meet her for cocktails and tacos before she headed back home. 

—

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—

Happy Sunday!

Behind the Book - Now Playing: Reel Love

Hey, book bae!

Sooo, Now Playing: Reel Love went live yesterday. If you haven’t downloaded it already, you can do so here.

I absolutely fell in love with not just this story but the main male character. Maddox is one of the realest men I’ve ever written about. He’s, in my opinion, the kind of man all black women deserve! Check out this soundbite as I discuss the book and the characters.

First chapter sample - Now Playing: Reel Love

Hey, book bae! Here’s a look into the first chapter of my next release! I will be reading the full first chapter in my Facebook group tonight at 6pm CST. If you want to join me, details will be posted below!

—

Daliah

I could not stand Maddox Adams. When we were kids, he was an annoying little fuck. Absolutely insufferable. We didn’t see each other often because I lived in Legacy Lakes and he lived in Memphis. Every summer, he’d come to Legacy Lakes with his brother, Ryley, and I would go to Memphis. In between the transition, there would be one full week that we would be at our grandparents’ houses that were next door to each other.

And that week, my God, was the most horrible week of my life. 

He would annoy the hell out of me. I mean really just get under my skin. There was a time, I think I was eight or nine, and I couldn’t have weighed more than sixty pounds… but I tried to beat the shit out of him! He’d put gum in my hair, and I was too scared to show my grandma, so I cut it out. Boy… I tried to light his ass up! 

Maddox had been my mortal enemy from like… the age of five to fourteen. After that, he stopped spending the summers here. Apparently, he convinced his parents that he was too old to spend his whole summer in our boring little town. After that, I didn’t see him again. 

He would come for holidays with his family, but I was always in Memphis when he came around. 

Looking back on it now, I think I hated Maddox so much because he was a funny looking little asshole that I had a crush on. But he was so mean to me and uncaring that it made me dislike him. Which only made me like him more. We found ourselves in this paralyzing cycle of extreme emotions that made our grandparents punish us for our fights more times than I could count. 

As I thought about it now, I couldn’t help but smile. Maddox had been all I could think about lately – not for any good reason either. 

His grandmother, Elaine, died three months ago. According to her lawyer, there was something in her will pertaining to both me and Maddox. He couldn’t read it unless it was while we were together. I hadn’t expected Gma Laine to leave me anything. Even though we’d gotten really close before she died, it still hadn’t crossed my mind. I lost my grandmother six months ago, and Gma Laine stood in her place as much as she could. 

They were truly soul mates and best friends. Their husbands died years ago, and they held on to each other. It didn’t surprise anyone that they died so close to each other. Gma Laine would just stare at me for minutes on end sometimes because I looked so much like my grandmother. Eventually, she stopped eating and keeping up with her physical activities. She lost her joy. Her hope. And there was no doubt in my mind that she’d died of a broken heart. 

Trying to shake those thoughts from my head, I looked myself over once more in the mirror. 

The jumpsuit was absolutely perfect. 

From the way it hugged my frame and accentuated my curves to the way the sequined silver design shined and screamed extra as hell. It was just my style. The more I looked at it the more I fell in love with it. 

Stepping out of the fitting room, I looked to the left for my best friend, Fantasia. Our styles were kind of similar, but I wore more daring designs and colors than she did. When I found her, Fantasia was at the end of the dressing room on the right whispering into her phone. As she watched me walk over to her, she ended her call.

“Who you talking to?” I questioned, putting my hands on my hips.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re not getting that are you?”

With a scoff, I looked down at the jumpsuit that I was utterly in love with. “I planned to. You don’t like it?”

Fantasia’s face twisted as if the scent of something rotten had permeated the room. Ignoring her, I looked myself over in the wall length mirror. Suddenly, it didn’t look as good as I first thought it did. 

“That’s too damn extra, Daliah. Where would you even wear that?”

With a shrug, I continued to stare at the jumpsuit. It was strapless with a slightly low cut in the middle, exposing the sides of my breasts as they sat up from the sewn in push up bra. 

“I don’t know. Maybe to a club or party.”

She chuckled with a shake of her head. “Girl, please. If you wear that to any club, they will light your ass up. You look like a damn disco ball.”

Even though I didn’t want to agree with her, I couldn’t help but laugh. “Fuck you, Fantasia. I look good.”

“Umhm,” she muttered before giggling again. “I’m for real though. I’m not going anywhere with you if you wear that.”

I sighed as I headed back into the dressing room. After looking myself over once more, I pushed the jumpsuit down my body. Even though I was in love with it before I’d gone out to show her, I was over it now. It was definitely loud and shiny, but I didn’t think it was as bad as she was making it seem. Still, I decided to not buy it just to be safe.

As much as I loved Fantasia, she had a way of bringing the vibe down whenever she was around. She could be a true energy sucker, and me and Mona were the women she chose to leech on. I guess a part of me maintained my relationship with her because I felt tied to her at the soul. We had gone through so much as children and had so much in common. The main difference was, I grew up and out of my issues, but she never did. Fantasia was just as negative and bitter as she’d always been. 

—

As always, I hope you will enjoy this book!

It’s available for preorder here.

And if you’d like to tune in when I read the first full chapter tonight, make sure you join my Facebook group and turn your notifications ON.

Until next time, love, B.

Character Intros - Now Playing: Reel Love

Hey, book bae!

I’m starting the month off with Now Playing: Reel Love featuring Daliah and Maddox.

Hmm… what can I say about these two :)

Their grandparents were best friends and lived next door to each other when they were children. To put it mildly… they couldn’t stand each other, lol, but it was only because they liked each other. Maddox was a bit mean and Daliah was a bit annoying. By their teenaged years, they stopped seeing each other altogether. It isn’t until their grandmothers pass away and leave them with their business that the two are forced back into each other’s lives.

Daliah is a nurturing caregiver by heart. She wants the best for everyone around her, but she often overlooks her own needs and desires. A few people in her life don’t deserve to be there, and even though she’s a great, loyal friend… eventually she will learn the hard way that not everyone is deserving of a place in her life.

When she realizes she’s going to have to deal with Maddox for six months, she’s totally against the idea… but she’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep the movie theater open — even if that means playing nice. Her goal is to show Maddox that Legacy Lakes has a lot to offer… and she does too.

Maddox is selfless to the core. He’s a provider by nature, and the financial weight of his family and girlfriend are both on his shoulders. He’s used to being in GO mode all day every day, but going to Legacy Lakes forces him to slow down. It’s during that time that he begins to realize what’s truly important in life.

When he realizes he’s going to have to deal with Daliah for six months, he’s totally against the idea… and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to sell the theater and return to his normal life — even if that means getting back on Daliah’s bad side. Except, the grown up version of Daliah doesn’t seem to have a bad side — internally or externally. The crush he had on her in childhood seems to resurface… and he’s not the scrawny, scary little boy who was afraid to talk to girls anymore.

—

Now Playing: Reel Love is available for preorder on Amazon here.

You can add it to your Goodreads here.

And if paperbacks are more your style, you can preorder it and snag a few other titles here.

—

This book has been so fun to create, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I’m enjoying writing it! As always, thanks for the continued support!

Let’s stay connected!

If you haven’t already, make sure you join my mailing list here. If you’re on Facebook, you can join my new group established March 2020 here.

—

Until next time,

Love, B.

TOMORROW - To Protect & Swerve

Hey, book bae!

I’ll be back tomorrow with another entertaining read! This one will feature Apollo and Larisa! Check out the synopsis and sneak peek below!

—

Synopsis

As one of the creators of the Youngbloods car club, Larisa has always loved speed, fun, and adventure. She’s a sensual woman who enjoys pleasure of all kinds – especially in the bedroom. Larisa will date and be intimate with just about any kind of man… except law enforcement officers. 

When she meets her next Dom at Kink, an underground BDSM club, she immediately becomes smitten by him and wants to make him hers. Things get a bit more complicated when she finds out what he does for a living. Forced to choose between one of the best drivers her club has ever seen and some of the best sex of her life or the trauma of her past and commitment to never date a cop, Larisa finds herself stuck between his rock and a very, very hard place.  

Will she choose the pleasure of her present or succumb to the pain of her past? 

—Unedited and very, very vulgar :)—

Tonight, I was on the prowl for a new Dom. I’d finally called things off with Felix before he left and I wanted to have someone else on hand for when I needed to be fucked or dominated. Being the boss of the elite custom car lot I owned with Rome on top of managing our car club and being the oldest of my siblings had me in leader mode most days. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief stints with my Dom’s because it allowed me to be soft, surrender, submit, and release control.

On those nights, I didn’t have to have the weight of the world on my shoulders. I didn’t have to think and make decisions. I didn’t have to lead anyone and earn their trust. On those nights, I released all control in exchange for protection, fun, pleasure, and sometimes mind blowing sex. 

Usually if I felt the end of a relationship with a Dom nearing, I’d try to have a new one on standby. This time I didn’t have much time to prepare. Breaking things off with Felix happened suddenly but it was necessary. It was the morning after we’d spent the night together before his trip. He asked me to go with him, and I just had to end things then and there.

He took it better than I thought he would, but I could also tell that he was disappointed. At this point, that was no longer my concern. I’d made it clear to him that this was only about sex and that he shouldn’t catch feelings – he did, and they were his to deal with.

As I looked around Kink, I tried to find a man who was here alone. No one really caught my eye until I noticed a big, buff, black, beautiful ass man seated at the bar. Out of respect, I never approached men who were already attached to a sub. Some had multiple subs at a time, but that wasn’t my cup of tea. Because of my schedule, I didn’t like to share. I wanted access to all of my Dom’s free time. Period. Plus, if he was a good Dom, I would get possessive as hell and not want another woman to have access to him while I did.

But there was something about him… something about his looks, the way he regally sat atop the bar stool. How he would casually look over at his sub and whisper something that would have her shivering in her seat. How his eyes would scan her frame as if he had the capability to rip her soul and pussy apart and put both together to fit him and him alone.

Quite frankly, he looked dangerous as fuck – and I wanted him.

Running my hand down my neck, I licked my now dry lips as my nipples hardened. It would be risky as hell to approach them, because they could very well have been a couple, but neither had rings on their fingers so I was cool with that. I’d never take a married man from a woman, but if they were just dating… he was still available in my eyes. After inhaling a deep breath, I made my way over to the bar. 

Stepping between them, I ordered my signature drink, a cosmopolitan. As I waited for the bartender to make my drink, I looked to the right at the side of his face. Noticing me watch him out of the corner of his eye, he smiled softly as he slowly tilted his head in my direction. The moment his eyes locked with mine my nipples began to harden. His eyes lowered, zeroing in on them as they pebbled.

He didn’t bother to hide his attraction either, and I liked that shit. 

“Are you married?” I checked, drawing his eyes back to mine. 

“No, but I’m here with someone.”

I shrugged, not bothering to look back at her. “I’m looking for a new Dom. Can we go in one of the private rooms and talk?”

He chuckled, showing off his white, straight teeth. The Lord knew what he was doing every time he gave a chocolate man a pretty ass white smile. 

His already gruff, low voice grew deeper from husk when he challenged me with, “I doubt getting me in one of these private rooms to talk is what you got on yo’ mind.”

—

As always, thank you for the support! I hope this is one you’ll enjoy :)

Set Up for Love - First Full Chapter

Hey, book bae!

I hope you’re ready for tomorrow (around midnight tonight if you preordered) because Set Up for Love will be live!

Here’s a look into the first FULL chapter…

Zara

unedited

Cayden was showing his ass on the court. He was in rare form all night. I got so caught up in the hype that I was yelling and cheering just as loud as the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies fans were. True enough, it was my duty as Cayden’s wife to always be his greatest support system, in the public eye at least. But sometimes our problems were so heavy I couldn’t even fake the funk in public. Those days, though, I would avoid his games if at all possible.

Paparazzi could be a bitch, and if they even had a brief thought that Cayden and I were having issues, they would make up lies to sell or harass us until they found some type of proof. 

The only time I could really stand Cayden these days was when he was playing ball. It was the only time I saw the best in him. There was a shitload of things I could complain about regarding Cayden Hudson the man, but when he became his alter ego, C-Murder, on the basketball court… none of those things existed.

“Girl! I don’t know what has gotten into your man tonight, but he is on fire!” Brittany grabbed my arm as she yelled. Her excitement further increased mine. Filled me with pride. I loved when they gave Cayden love. He needed it, because obviously the love I gave him wasn’t enough.

“Ain’t he, though? I can’t wait to get his fine ass home!”

Brittany laughed as we high fived. Cayden may have been a dog ass nigga, but he was a loyal one. Faithful? Nah. In fact, we hadn’t had sex in six months. But the way he was showing out tonight… it may have been his lucky night.

Cayden was fine as hell. That’s what first drew me to him. I didn’t normally go for light skinned men, only because I loved how good chocolate skin looked against my own, but Cayden was the exception to my preference. He was a tall, slim red bone with the prettiest features. From his tight, hazel under turned eyes and pink lips to his exquisitely chiseled jaw and high cheek bones. He had curly hair that I always wished our children would have, but he always wore it in plaits that came down to the top of his ears.

We hadn’t had any children, and at first, I used to feel some type of way about it. Now… I think it was God’s way of looking out for me. No matter how much I loved Cayden, I’m sure God knew he wasn’t the man for me. That we wouldn’t be together forever. And when I was done with a man, I completely cut him out of my life. If we had kids together that wouldn’t have been possible.

My attention shifted from Brittany to the court. Cayden had gotten the ball again and was caged in. Everyone had jumped to their feet, and now was one of the times I was glad I always had courtside seats. I held my breath, squeezing Brittany’s wrist as I watched him intensely. There were only twenty seconds left in the fourth quarter and we had come back from a ten-point deficit. All we needed was two points to tie and three to win. 

I knew Cayden – he wasn’t going to try and pass the ball so one of his teammates could shoot a guaranteed two pointer. He’d rather take the possible three and lose the game than share the spotlight at this point. 

“C-Murder! C-Murder! C-Murder!” I began to chant, and Brittany and the rest of those around us began to chime in. Soon, that’s all you heard across the stadium. With seven seconds left on the clock, Cayden faked left and turned right, shaking ankles like crazy before releasing the ball. My head lifted, eyes wide and mouth open as I watched the ball. I knew it was going in before it did, but I waited until I heard that swoosh before jumping up and down in my six-inch stilettos. 

The crowd went wild! Nights like this we used to pray for. We first met in high school but there was no attraction there. Just friends who chatted and believed in each other. That changed right after college, though. 

Every time I watched him play, I was in awe. No matter what we were going through within our marriage, I was so proud of him for finally making his dream a reality. Just last year, he suffered from an injury that doctors said would keep him from ever playing professional ball again. But here he was… not only playing but on the starting lineup.

Moments like that were bittersweet. They showed me that Cayden was capable of doing anything he set his mind to. They showed me that I was loyal as fuck. They also showed me that Cayden was a man led by his desires. It didn’t matter how down for him I was, how much I loved him, or how much of myself that I gave to him… Cayden’s desires always outweighed anything else.

Whether that desire was drugs, gambling, alcohol, or women… Cayden would always get what he wanted and deal with the consequences later.

When I was younger, I thought unconditional love meant I had to accept him as he was and deal with the shit. As a grown woman who had healed from childhood wounds and past heartache, I realized unconditional love was acceptance but that it should only be reserved for men who could give it back. Men who wouldn’t force me to accept anything that would hurt me, disrespect me, or dishonor our vows. 

Shaking those thoughts off, I tried to stay in this moment. All of his teammates ran over to him, hugging him and showing him the love he deserved. Of course every news outlet in the building wanted to get a quick word with him before he went to the back. A few of the other basketball wives, girlfriends, and even some of the bolder side chicks came over to me and congratulated me like I had done something. As I normally did, I simply thanked them before grabbing Brittany’s hand and heading back to where I usually met Cayden.

Some of them were cool, but after games, my only thought was getting Cayden home before he got into any trouble. Brittany’s husband played for the Grizzlies as well, but he’d been benched because of an injury. He was sick over it, so I was spending a little extra time with her to keep her spirit in check. It was draining as hell dealing with an emotionally unstable man. Brittany poured her everything into him, and as her friend, I felt it was my duty to make sure she always got a refill. 

Once we made it to the back, Cayden was wrapping up another interview. His body was still covered with sweat, and I had to remind myself that there was a good chance he’d say or do something to piss me off before we made it home. At the sight of me, he winked, and I genuinely smiled. 

I listened as they went over his stats, and he didn’t even seem fazed to hear that he’d scored eighty of their one hundred and thirty points. Brittany cut into my thoughts, telling me she was about to head out because her husband was calling her. He must have been watching the game at home. After she left, I gave Cayden my attention again as he wrapped up his interview. 

He walked over to me, keeping a little distance between us since he was sweaty and slightly stinky. It wasn’t an unbearable stench… more salty smelling from the sweat than anything else. 

“They want me to do a press interview real quick after I shower, then we can head out.”

I agreed, as if I really had a choice, then followed his security to what had become my favorite chill area in the FedEx Forum. While I waited for the press conference to start, I scrolled social media. My timeline was buzzing with excitement over the game. The Grizzlies had gone through a losing streak. Cayden had a lot of weight on his shoulders trying to consistently bring the team to victory because he didn’t have much help. Just recently they’d done a few trades and it finally looked like they had a solid team.

When I was bored with social media, I checked my email to see if anything new had arrived since the last time I checked. I had my own money and business outside of Cayden. True enough, he gave me the seed money to start my elite housekeeping business years ago, but I’d paid that back over the years and it was all mine now. 

It was important to me that Cayden knew I wasn’t with him for his money, so I never asked him to pay for or buy me anything. Any time he did, it was because he wanted to. We’d just purchased a new home in Memphis together because the one we were living in for our five-year marriage was the one he’d gotten when he received his first signing bonus.

The house was really nice, but I didn’t feel like it was my own. The house we were in now we picked out and decorated together. Both of our names were on the deed, and I even helped pay for it. His crazy ass put the money right back into my account, but still. I didn’t tell him, but I was glad he did! With how things were going between us, I wasn’t secure in our marriage. I needed to save all my coins in preparation for being on my own again after so long.

Not long after, the press conference started, and I gave Cayden my attention. He’d changed into one of his signature dark gray tailor made suits that fit his slim, tall, muscular frame perfectly. I listened and watched with pride as he answered their questions with careful thought. At the end, he made it clear that he didn’t know where he would be without God and me. That I was his everything and he’d never loved anyone the way he loved me or had support the way he gets support from me. 

When it was done, his security led me outside to the black car that was waiting for us. I hated to admit it, but I was happy to see him standing by the car. He never got in without me. At the sight of me, he smiled and put his phone in his pocket. I was so caught up in the moment I actually kissed him back when he wrapped his arms around me and lowered himself to me.

“Don’t think a nigga didn’t hear you screaming my name out there.”

Even though I blushed, I pushed him away bashfully. “Yea right.”

“I’m for real, Z. I can always tell your voice apart. Every time you yell or cheer, I know it’s you. I heard you start that chant in the final seconds too.”

He stared at me as our driver open the door. “Well, you know I will always support you. I’m proud of you. You were amazing. Congratulations, Cayden.”

He grinned and thanked me softly before helping me inside the car. We sat so close our thighs touched. Cayden’s arm wrapped around me as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Absently, I rested my hand on his thigh. Our moment of peace was shattered when he received a phone call that lasted less than thirty seconds.

“Uh, I’m going to make sure you get home safely then head out.”

Not wanting to give him an attitude prematurely, I asked, “With who?”

“Just a few of the guys.”

All I could do was chuckle. Cayden should have been a pure soul because he was such a horrible fucking liar. Every time he lied, he’d twist his mouth to the side. That’s why he owed so much fucking money at these damn gambling rings! He had no type of poker face. 

My nostrils flared as my body slacked. Tilted head, I chuckled softly. 

“If you’re going out with a bitch just say that shit with your lying ass.”

“Zara…”

“Fuck you, Cayden.”

With a groan, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll just tell them not tonight. I’on’ feel like arguing with your ass, Z. For real.”

“This isn’t an argument, and you don’t have to tell them shit. I know you’re lying. If you’re not going out with some bitch you’re going to a casino or underground gambling ring, and I’m not giving you no more of my damn money when you get in over your fucking head.”

“Whatever, Z,” he grumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket. 

He sent a quick text before stuffing his phone back in his pocket and looking at the side of my face. 

“You happy now?”

I scoffed and shook my head. Looking out the window, I had to keep myself from going off.

“I’ll be happy when you get your shit together.”

“This why I made other plans. A nigga ain’t tryna spend his night dealing with your fuckin’ attitude, Z. I just led my team to victory. You think this what I wanna go home to?”

That—that was it.

“Nigga! We were good until you lied. Your ass might’ve gotten some pussy tonight, but you lied! As always. So I don’t give a fuck how you spend your night at this point. Just don’t say shit else to me.”

“You been real slick at the mouth lately. I’m not gon’ tolerate too much more of your disrespect.”

“You think I like talking to you like this?” I paused, voice shaky as I fought tears. Closing my eyes tightly, I inhaled a deep breath. “I hate talking to you like this. I hate letting you upset me and bring me out of my character. I hate feeling like my own husband isn’t worthy of my love, respect, and submission, but you do this to me, Cayden. And since I obviously can’t count on you to be a man worthy of those things, I guess I need to take matters into my own hands and make sure I do whatever it takes to maintain my integrity and loving, respectful nature.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Shaking my head, I clenched my jaw as I blinked back tears. “You gon’ leave me?”

No matter how many times I thought about divorcing Cayden a day, I hadn’t told him of my plans to. It hurt too much. I don’t think I’d ever have the courage to ask him for a divorce, unless he did something to really piss me off. Otherwise, I would probably just pack all my shit one day while he was out the house and have him served with those papers. 

“You gon’ leave me like all them otha suckas did, Anna Mae?”

As much as I didn’t want to, I smiled. Pulling my mouth to the side, I shook my head as I fought back a laugh. Cayden knew I loved movies, and What’s Love Got to Do With it? was at the top of my list. It always made me angry to see how Tina Turner was treated, but it always reminded me of my worth and that only I had the power to remove myself from situations that no longer served me.

“Shut up, Cayden.”

“Let me see that smile.” He turned my head in his direction as he made the request. Closing my eyes, I smiled harder as his kissed my cheek. “I’m sorry, aight?” Then my neck. “I did lie, but it wasn’t to be with another woman.” Then my chin. “I was going to a private poker game.” Then the other cheek. “A few of the guys bet on the game tonight, so I was going to collect my winnings and use that to play. But I’ll stay home. I don’t want you mad at me.”

When he returned to his space in the car, I opened my eyes. I was glad that he told the truth, and that it wasn’t another woman, but I wished he would have just told me that from the beginning. It could have saved us from having an unnecessary fight.

“You can go out. Have fun.”

He waited a few seconds, gauging my sincerity.

“You sure?”

With a smile, I nodded. Cayden was the kind of man who thrived off enjoying himself. If he would have stayed home, he would have been miserable which would have made me miserable. Yea, it would have been nice to spend some time with him before he hit the road. And yes, I was going to be bored as hell alone. But I’d rather be alone and have peace than get into it with him over silly shit that wouldn’t matter when the sun came up.

“Positive.”

“Cool.”

He kissed my cheek. But this time, I didn’t feel a damn thing. Looking out of the window into the darkness of the night, I released a soft sigh and tried to figure out how the hell this had become my life.

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