All Zarinah wanted was to fall in love. Growing up, she had kissed her fair share of frogs. When an unconventional situation leads her to Lawson, her wishes might become reality. Lawson is the new CEO of his family's hotel casino chain. He's tired of aimless dating and women just wanting his money. When he meets Zarinah, he instantly feels like she's the one.

Skylar Addison is one of the best sports attorneys in the city, so when the firm she worked for “reallocated” her out of a job, she felt as if the rug had been snatched from up under her. Finding out that her ex had her terminated after she decided that she no longer wanted to be in a relationship, only made matters worse. After a pity party at a local bar and grill, Skylar found herself falling for the type of man she swore she would never think twice about.

All Jerzey wanted was a family of her own. After things don't work out with her ex-husband, she takes matters into her own hands. Being a foster mom isn't easy, but having her best friend by her side to help makes it a little easier. That is, until the two blur lines and suddenly a friendship isn't enough.

From the moment his eyes met hers, there was something. Time stood still, the world around them vanished, and electricity... instant electricity. Immediately, she owned him in an inexplicable way he couldn’t quite understand. He couldn't escape her. Not in his dreams. And soon, not even in his reality. He was the man that made her soar. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than him. Absolutely nothing. His touch made her levitate. When she was with him, she was limitless. He felt like home.

When souls are tied, it's never goodbye. A boy I was that summer evening I met you, pulling your belongings out of the truck and into your new home. I knew it was love then. A whole man I was the day that you met me at the altar and agreed to love me until death do us part. A shell of a man I've become since it did, unable to move on, move forward, or progress in any way until I discovered that not even death was permanent enough to keep us apart. A better man I'm destined to be, knowing that, at some capacity, you're still with me. Our love is one that never dies.

Assad Black, alpha protector and leader of the Black Mayhem Mafia, does whatever it takes to keep his family safe. When he meets Scarlett Graham, he extends her the same grace. Winning her in a poker game to secure her freedom, Assad doesn’t expect having her in his possession to open a rabbit hole of problems for him. Used to being used and abused by the men in her life, Scarlett finds it hard to accept Assad’s help as genuine. As she waits for the day he reveals what she considers to be his true colors, Scarlett falls for the beast of a man who sees beyond her beauty.

Honey Williams doesn’t trust men. Between her father and last lover, a part of her struggles with resenting the entire species. She’s spent the past six months hidden in the safety of her parents’s home hoping her kind heart will never be the cause of pain and misfortune again. That seems possible until a cranky client causes chaos … which leads to her meeting Mr. Librarian.

Ashira, a belle from the suburbs, is the wealthy acting CEO of her father’s booming building firm. That's when she’s not the dancer on the Gram and TikTok, dating the latest Black Hollywood shooting star. To her, Jas, a construction laborer, is a walking conundrum. He’s fruitlessly ambitious yet steadfast in his spiritual convictions. He’s enigmatic, well-read, regimented, and poor. Oh, and a felon. An incredibly disarming parolee who wants no connection to her. Until he does.

You met them in the Valentine and Rose series. In this prelude, I will formally introduce you to Malik Anthony Clark, Tristian Neil Clark, and Langston Jamal Clark.

Yonas “Nas” Kadir is a man of few words. He has learned the art of never showing his hand, which is a valued asset for a man who balances his life between dark and light. There’s not much he desires that isn’t as good as promised to him, which is why Dae Richardson can fight the attraction but will ultimately fall for his good looks and undeniable charm, or so he hopes.

Samad Baker has always been comfortable existing in the shadows. Allowing others access places Samad and the ones he loves in jeopardy. Nilou finds conflict with her heart and the life she chooses while Samad has conflict with his troubled past. If two conflicted hearts collide, there is bound to be an emotional explosion and when the smoke clears, there’s no guarantee that either will still be whole.

Kenya Higgs has the perfect life, at least from the outside looking in. Her husband Boston is handsome, wealthy, and he showers her with extravagant gifts like every day is Christmas. Kenya gets to rub elbows with the most affluent people in the community and take vacations at the drop of a dime. Kenya’s life is perfect, that’s if you don’t consider the unspeakable things going on behind the arched doors of their breathtaking mansion.

Zahi was young and living life to the fullest. Then, he was thrust into fatherhood and forced to change his outlook on life, love, and happiness. The self-proclaimed bachelor did not expect to be swept up in emotions he'd never felt. However, caring for his daughter, Zuri, charged a part of his heart that he thought was dead. The spark awakened a need for more out of life. From the moment he laid eyes on India, he was drawn to her. The pull was so intense, and no matter how many times he told himself to stay away from her, he just couldn't follow his own command.

At twenty-one, Ason ‘Ace’ Williams Jr. knows all about inevitable endings. He’s formerly famous, a popular rapper’s muse, the son of a three-time NBA champ, and a little… complicated. After a disturbing scandal and loss rocks his world, he’s left to deal with both in a city that doesn’t quite feel like home. It’s a place filled with old family friends he’s never met, reminders of all the endings he’s had to endure, and even worse—he’s stuck there after his dad takes a job no one ever imagined him taking.

Cassius Avery’s life is anything but simple. Music is his escape from reality and has earned him the name “Billion Dollar Cash”. The void that exist in Cash’s life is one that money can’t fill and has been present for the majority of his life. Tru Bisset has experienced heartbreak and betrayal on unimaginable levels. Torn between the comfort of her past relationship and the need to be secure in her future, she struggles daily to remember her worth. Both Tru and Cash are aware that they need to leave the past in the past, but it’s easier said than done.

Assad Black, alpha protector and leader of the Black Mayhem Mafia, does whatever it takes to keep his family safe. When he meets Scarlett Graham, he extends her the same grace. Winning her in a poker game to secure her freedom, Assad doesn’t expect having her in his possession to open a rabbit hole of problems for him. Used to being used and abused by the men in her life, Scarlett finds it hard to accept Assad’s help as genuine. As she waits for the day he reveals what she considers to be his true colors, Scarlett falls for the beast of a man who sees beyond her beauty.

Shalom Daniels has everything she wants in life outside of marriage and kids. Her career and personal relationships are flourishing, except when it comes to the relationship that matters most—one with a man dedicated to cherishing and protecting her heart. Fresh out of a relationship with a man who was almost perfect, Shalom begins to question if her boundaries and standards are too high, or if it simply isn’t her time for her happily ever after yet.

Billie Hopkins is discontent living life for her mother. The painter and baker spends her days working at her family’s business. Even though she wishes she could change her life, she doesn’t have the motivation to do so… Until her boyfriend of three years breaks up with her and gets engaged just six months later. Worse, his fiancée wants to hire Billie to bake their wedding cake. That seems to be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back and forces Billie to do something different with her life—even if it’s just for three days.

Dauterive Jersey married the wrong man, and she’s suffered silently because of it. The free-spirited, independent woman has been dying for an escape. When she finally has the courage to divorce her husband, he vows to make her pay with an age-old threat—if he can’t have her no one can.

Ex-convicts Remedy and Armor used their time behind bars for rehabilitation. When they were released, they built a real estate empire in their small town of Jasper Lane. The bad boys with good hearts have it easy when it comes to business, but their personal lives leave a lot to be desired. When Callie returns home, the last thing she expects is to not be able to find a place to live. One of the perks of having a best friend in real estate is supposed to be unlimited apartment opportunities, but that isn’t the case for Callie.

When it comes to Jabari Hicks, competition is non-existent. With a keen focus on securing a championship ring, Jabari’s only competition is himself. On the court, he is deadly. Off the court, he’s a protector. And as a Lord, he’s fierce and loyal. Kinnidi Trent has a light that illuminates the dark spaces of her mind, but she can’t completely shine until she lands in a place of peace. When she escapes the restraints that stifle her creativity and happiness, Kinnidi finds herself in the right place at the right time.

For a man like Merc, his reputation has always preceded him. Known for his allegiance to the criminal underworld as a protector, the gangster only shows love to his family… and his son and the woman who birthed him are at the top of that list. When Merc decides to take one last job before retiring, he doesn’t think it will include protecting a woman he’s been trying to avoid but can’t seem to get rid of. A woman who softens him and brings out the lover he’s kept hidden over the years.

Javyous “JV” Goldsmith was inches away from having the career he’d worked his entire life for. One misstep and he found himself having to prove he deserved to be in the ring and that was the worst body blow his ego has ever received. Kehlani James didn’t have much she was proud of except being an amazing mother and business owner. There was no way in the world she could make sense of being married to a celebrity boxer who has recently been condemned for almost killing a man. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. JV and Kelani have to decide if one plus one truly equals two.

After seeing the man she’s been dating post an engagement announcement, Jahnae Greer is devastated. With the advice from her friends, she goes out and has a drunken one-night stand with a handsome stranger. Months later when she finds out her ex-boyfriend isn’t the father of her child, she has no idea how to get in touch with the man from her one-night stand. She vows to raise her daughter alone until two years later when she sees him on a news report that he’s been arrested.

Kenya Higgs has the perfect life, at least from the outside looking in. Her husband Boston is handsome, wealthy, and he showers her with extravagant gifts like every day is Christmas. Kenya gets to rub elbows with the most affluent people in the community and take vacations at the drop of a dime. Kenya’s life is perfect, that’s if you don’t consider the unspeakable things going on behind the arched doors of their breathtaking mansion.

For teenagers Angel, Rahsaan, and Kahmeer, the summer before their last year of high school is the time for unadulterated fun. What they don’t expect is for a party to lead to a shootout that changes the trajectory of their summer and their lives permanently. Cousins Imani and Darla, don’t expect connecting with Angel and Rahsaan to reshape their hearts and lives, but it does. They learn quickly that the only thing stronger than love is hate, and the only person they can trust is themselves.

When Montana Dixon returns home to Memphis, she’s given the opportunity to financially secure her future for the rest of her life. With that opportunity comes a commitment of marriage to a man she’s never spoken a single word to. Having sworn off love, Montana is okay with an arranged marriage for the sake of business—until she runs into her ex—the man who showed her how love can hurt.

Syre Reign has always been seen as the family screw-up. Wherever he goes, his reputation as a hothead with repeated run-ins with the law precedes him. From a young age, Delilah Gold has groomed her sons and nephews to take over her online empire. Everyone has a place in the family business, even Syre as the head of security. Now that Delilah is retiring soon, she sets a plan in motion to merge her family dynasty with the infamous Black family through a marriage of convenience.

Cadence was forced to run to protect the one person she would give her life for. Sol was forced to run to protect the one person who he feels that he failed. You can’t hide from your indiscretions and you definitely can’t hide from your heart. When two creative souls are drawn to each other with an undeniable connection, the riffs and harmonies are a beautiful complicated mess.

The moment Dante Williams wakes up on the side of the road, unsure of where he is or who he is, his life changes for the worse. After a brief stay in the hospital, Dante is released to the care of his loving wife, Sade. Sade is beautiful, successful, and loyal. So loyal, she devotes herself to Dante indefinitely, hoping this will help him appreciate what he has—his life and his wife. While seemingly having it all, their perfect marriage isn’t enough to keep Dante from digging up the past in hopes of recovering his memory. It isn’t long before he begins questioning Sade’s intentions.