I knew I wanted her since the first time I saw her at that kitchen counter sobbing. I could see the pain in her eyes, and I knew she had never been loved right. She probably never had someone console or love her the way that I knew I would. I couldn't love her then. My heart wouldn't allow me to, knowing that everything or everyone that loves me ends up leaving this earth.

I knew how to love because I loved my Yaya more than life. I knew that I could love because of the baby I had grown within me and now held; I loved her more than I loved myself. As I watched this man sleep peacefully beside me, one arm around me, keeping me close, I knew that I loved him. I knew that I could see forever with him, and I knew that he would kill any and everything moving when it came to protecting me.

After my Yaya passed away, I didn't have anyone that cared for me. I mean, not even a month after Yaya was in the ground, he sat me down in the living room and sold me to a thirty-year-old man. I was sixteen, and my big brother, the man who was supposed to protect me, sold me off like cattle on a farm. My entire life has been to please Zayne. I'm his fourth wife and the youngest wife. Nobody has ever protected or cared for me. I was tossed the cards that life handed me and had to make do with them. That is until Cappadonna Delgato and I cross paths—again.

A year away helped me realize that Delgato power doesn't just apply to the males in our family. Being away showed me that the same power cruised through my blood. That same power helped me remember who I am. I am Capri Delgato… Baby Doll. A lawyer by day, and the hood's princess by night. The one who will ride for her family. Ms. Delgato, who will make sure her brother never returns to prison because I know the ins and outs of the legal system. With my niece-in-law, we gonna show 'em that the Delgatos don't just run the streets…

There were a lot of things that I could live without. I had lived without freedom for the past fifteen years. My wife was someone that I couldn't live without, and I needed her. Alaia saved a lot of people with just a touch of her hand on my arm. She calmed the beast within me, reminded me what I had at home. Alaia was someone that I refused to live without, and now, they took her from me. They touched my wife and thought they would be able to live to talk about it. You didn't touch a Delgato and thought you would live. You didn't touch what was mine and think you could live.

Everything happened so fast. So much was said, and so much blood was shed. As I stood there with blood on my hands, a knife in someone's head, and everyone looking at each other, there was only one person I could think to call—my husband. Meer would figure out what to do, and he would come when I called. As I stared at what used to be my best friend, standing with blood on her hands, I realized she had shed the best friend title, and became my sister. Zoya and I stared at her, and it solidified that she would protect the Delgatos, Infernos, and Casellis as her own.

When Meer saw me off at the airport, I never expected to come home and become his wife. His daughter becoming mine. Our lives intertwining into one. I didn't think I was worthy of being loved the way this man loved me. Worthy of a man telling me how's he coming behind me and actually standing on that. He loves and accepts all parts of me. Our families have become one because of our love. For every good thing in my life, there's always a bad thing lurking. Death. Dishonor. Redemption? We're in the end game now.

Retired hit woman Celine Briggs loved few people in this world; her husband Caleb, and her ex-handler, Brian Devereaux. When Celine took her marital vows, she exchanged the life of guns, drugs, and violence for the peaceful life as Caleb's wife. However, not all things buried stay hidden. When Celine's past comes knocking, it rattles her world and forces her back into the life she vowed to give up. Now she is turning up the heat on the streets of Chicago, showing no mercy to the men who've undoubtedly marked themselves.

I shouldn't have felt this way about her. She's my brother-in-law's first love. She was forbidden fruit. Ain't shit ever been forbidden for me. I take what I want, and I want her. I shouldn't have these strong of feelings for a woman I just met. I wanted to lay every man who even thought about looking her way… including my brother-in-law. Erin was mine before she even knew it. Our paths were meant to cross, our futures to intertwine.

Our family is being tested in the worst way possible. Bonds are broken, while new ones are formed. Mistakes will be made. Hearts will be broken. But at the end of the day, we're family and we ride for each other. I'm about to step into a new role, shedding the Delgato name for the last time, and stepping into my new role as Capri Inferno, the wife of Quameer Inferno, the sister-in-law of Quasim Inferno, head of Inferno Gods, and the daughter-in-law of Mina and Papa Inferno. When it's all said and done, I will make sure the Delgatos and Inferno always end up on top.

In this collection are updated stories from some of your favorite Valentines.

I wasn't supposed to take on any new clients. All my current couples were already a handful. A marriage therapist with a failing marriage. If only they knew. That is until Kami Lynn walked into my office without her husband. I only treated couples. I was supposed to help save her marriage, instead I was the main reason for its destruction. I did everything the way I was supposed to. I graduated college. Went straight into my career. Got married and had a few crotch goblins and even accepted an outside baby for that man.

Stevie Bluehaven faces a tough decision: break the number one street code or stay in an abusive relationship. Choosing herself, the twenty-seven-year-old dog groomer goes against the grain and runs to a new city with her baby, best friend, and the clothes on her back. Taking advantage of her fresh start, Stevie pours all her time into building her clientele and restoring her faith in herself. However, an impromptu night out leads her to a place inhabited by a dangerous man, with broadening energy and protection the runaway didn’t know she would need.

I’m a professional. I have strict rules of conduct when it comes to my business, Taylar Made Events. My number one rule? Don’t flirt with the groom. But … What about the groom’s moody, but hot brother?

You ever met somebody and knew right away they were going to be your forever? Yea, me neither. But when my path crossed with Devyn Banks, I knew she would leave a stain that was hard to wash out.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and Charlotte and Seth are not looking for romance. Armed with emotional-support bear spray, Charlotte is in self-imposed isolation and on guard from men. Having a stalker can do that to a person’s nerves. Just across the hall and giving off woodsy vibes is Seth, a recently divorced arborist. As in today recently. Heights, he’s fine with. Trust? Not so much.

Lana Fleming’s sister has vanished from the set of TV’s hottest show, and no one seems to care. Desperate for answers, Lana sneaks in as an extra, only to get stranded with Griffin Hart, an A-list action star with a reputation for good abs and bad decisions. Though Griffin didn’t expect to be cast as a librarian’s sidekick in a real-life thriller, he’s weirdly into it—and into her. Even more unsettling—she sees right through his playboy persona. But their meet-cute soon turns deadly when they uncover a Hollywood scandal for the ages.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Meet Randi Burnett—she’s brilliant, she’s beautiful, and she works for the bride. Missing groom? Intoxicated in-laws? Crying ring-bearer? You name it, she wrangles it. Too bad her personal life isn’t thriving like her side gig as a bridesmaid for hire. Recently dumped, Randi throws herself into her biggest challenge yet when she’s hired as a maid of honor and pretend best friend for an ice queen bride. There’s just one problem—the best man is infuriating, overprotective, and anti-marriage.

Beckett: If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have. I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride. My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart.

My brother's freedom is in jeopardy and in my hands. How could I be so happy in my life and scared at the same time? No matter what, I know what needs to be done, and that's to protect my brothers. The one person I never thought I would see was standing a foot away from me. When Tasha was sent out my life, I never thought I would see her again. I never got to handle her the way that I always wanted to, but now it was time to make sure this bitch joined her son—in the dirt. On my unborn child, I was going to make sure that the family came out on top.

A year away helped me realize that Delgato power doesn't just apply to the males in our family. Being away showed me that the same power cruised through my blood. That same power helped me remember who I am. I am Capri Delgato… Baby Doll. A lawyer by day, and the hood's princess by night. The one who will ride for her family. Ms. Delgato, who will make sure her brother never returns to prison because I know the ins and outs of the legal system. With my niece-in-law, we gonna show 'em that the Delgatos don't just run the streets…

Everything happened so fast. So much was said, and so much blood was shed. As I stood there with blood on my hands, a knife in someone's head, and everyone looking at each other, there was only one person I could think to call—my husband. Meer would figure out what to do, and he would come when I called. As I stared at what used to be my best friend, standing with blood on her hands, I realized she had shed the best friend title, and became my sister. Zoya and I stared at her, and it solidified that she would protect the Delgatos, Infernos, and Casellis as her own.

When Meer saw me off at the airport, I never expected to come home and become his wife. His daughter becoming mine. Our lives intertwining into one. I didn't think I was worthy of being loved the way this man loved me. Worthy of a man telling me how's he coming behind me and actually standing on that. He loves and accepts all parts of me. Our families have become one because of our love. For every good thing in my life, there's always a bad thing lurking. Death. Dishonor. Redemption? We're in the end game now.

I knew how to love because I loved my Yaya more than life. I knew that I could love because of the baby I had grown within me and now held; I loved her more than I loved myself. As I watched this man sleep peacefully beside me, one arm around me, keeping me close, I knew that I loved him. I knew that I could see forever with him, and I knew that he would kill any and everything moving when it came to protecting me.

After my Yaya passed away, I didn't have anyone that cared for me. I mean, not even a month after Yaya was in the ground, he sat me down in the living room and sold me to a thirty-year-old man. I was sixteen, and my big brother, the man who was supposed to protect me, sold me off like cattle on a farm. My entire life has been to please Zayne. I'm his fourth wife and the youngest wife. Nobody has ever protected or cared for me. I was tossed the cards that life handed me and had to make do with them. That is until Cappadonna Delgato and I cross paths—again.

I'm a protector, and my family is my responsibility. When it comes to my team, I'm the same way. They are family and the reason that me and Capone are able to do us in the streets, knowing they are tucked away safe. As a man, you sometimes fall short, and something—someone—falls through the cracks. I know one thing; I put that on my grandson that I'm going to crack his uncle's skull. He has hurt his own family, tossed them out to the wolves, and has hurt mine. I don't take too kindly to people hurting mine.

There were a lot of things that I could live without. I had lived without freedom for the past fifteen years. My wife was someone that I couldn't live without, and I needed her. Alaia saved a lot of people with just a touch of her hand on my arm. She calmed the beast within me, reminded me what I had at home. Alaia was someone that I refused to live without, and now, they took her from me. They touched my wife and thought they would be able to live to talk about it. You didn't touch a Delgato and thought you would live. You didn't touch what was mine and think you could live.

I knew I wanted her since the first time I saw her at that kitchen counter sobbing. I could see the pain in her eyes, and I knew she had never been loved right. She probably never had someone console or love her the way that I knew I would. I couldn't love her then. My heart wouldn't allow me to, knowing that everything or everyone that loves me ends up leaving this earth.

I shouldn't have felt this way about her. She's my brother-in-law's first love. She was forbidden fruit. Ain't shit ever been forbidden for me. I take what I want, and I want her. I shouldn't have these strong of feelings for a woman I just met. I wanted to lay every man who even thought about looking her way… including my brother-in-law. Erin was mine before she even knew it. Our paths were meant to cross, our futures to intertwine.

Puma Wade learned early on that you can't count on a soul in this world. Everyone who has ever loved her has either abandoned her or let her down. The walls around her heart were there to protect her from getting hurt again, but when she meets a smart-mouthed club owner, things take an unexpected turn.

Psalm Reign is the IT specialist for his family's online brokering business. When his brother is shot and sent home under 24-hour nursing supervision, he moves in to assist with caring for his brother and watching his back. As handsome and successful as Psalm is, he's always been more into gaming and computers than the fairer sex. When the gorgeous chocolate nurse gains his attention, he starts to wonder if there is more to life than his family's crime empire and designing games.

Michelle and Kelsie have never had it easy, but the one thing that has remained consistent in each of their lives are each other. Both in their early twenties and with the stress of the world on their shoulders, they both manage to still be there for each other through it all. Michelle's dream is to be a top stylist, well her dream was a reality until she was fired from Naomi's shop because of her boyfriend. Tasheem is all Michelle knows, and that's being physically and mentally abused by the man she has loved since she was younger.

Freedom McGurry loved Ghost like no other. Even though she was nineteen and he was a bit older, broke and trying to trap, she loved him. One night in 2009 causes her to rethink things and she disappears off the face of the earth. She leaves Ghost wondering what ever happened to his love. Liberty, Freedom’s twin, loved her man Pook. After he caught a drug case, she loved him so much that she would have held him down to the end of time. That is, until she sees another woman pregnant with his baby and wearing the same exact ring he had gifted to her.

Egypt's life is thrown into chaos when her home and bakery are burned down, and she suspects her ex-boyfriend is behind the destruction. With her business in ruins and her heart shattered, she seeks refuge at her parents' home, only to discover a shocking truth about her past that rocks her to the core. As she struggles to come to terms with this revelation, she receives a call that changes everything.