I am not a drug dealer. I am not a seller… I am not a handler… I am not an abuser… I am not a promoter… I am not a smuggler… However, I understand that I can not save the world or the people who have chosen those paths. So, making substances safer, grander, and extremely unique is my life’s work. What I have created can’t be duplicated, stepped on, or mistaken for anything else.

In such a chaotic world, there was one thing that Kincaid desired—peace & quiet—and there was one person who could provide it. Sulphur Kincaid.

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.

Ember and Judah have loved each other since children, but business interests and family ties have kept them apart. While Judah is trying to protect his precious empire, Ember is trying to protect her heart—even if it means ending their long-term affair.

Beautiful disaster. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of her. Who hurt you? The first question comes to mind when I open my mouth to greet her. Although it wasn't the easiest to reach, I knew her heart was pure. Gentle to the touch yet stubborn as a bull, she made it hard to resist her. Unintentionally, she sank her hooks in me. She was the calm before my storm. A thunderous, darkening storm with lightning that graciously exposed the paternity of my brother and me. Though the gloom of it all lingered above both our heads.

After a near seven-month hiatus, here you go.

I loved the way he made me feel. The way he warmed my insides and made my lady parts drum. I loved the way he looked at me, as if I was the best thing that God had created. And, just for him. His round eyes and solid frame was a source of inspiration. I found myself scribbling his features into my pieces. One after the other. Stroking my canvas as I imagined he'd stroke me. And, when he finally did, we'd make one unique piece.

Years of suppressing my truest desires and most prominent needs in our relationship had my emotions all over the place, heart hardening and every element that made me a woman seem like a flaw. The softness that I was founded on wasn’t welcomed. Over the years, I’d managed to dilute my vulnerability, conceal my pain and deal with my feelings alone. I was merely a shell of the woman that I’d entered the relationship as. But, today, I was reclaiming my power.| This is a novella. |

Meet Trent Bailey, who is fighting for the right to continue his stellar professional football career after enduring striking legal woes in the recent past. Trent cannot and will not blow his second chance for anyone; after all, this is the blessing he's been praying for. After receiving confirmation that staying focused is all he needs, it's what he aims to do. No distractions. That's until he bumps into two unexpected overnight guests.

Nalani, a dedicated and compassionate teacher, never expected her life to take a turn when she met Lorenzo, a single father trying to rebuild his life after a painful divorce. When Nalani becomes the teacher of Lorenzo’s daughter, fate plays its hand, intertwining their lives in ways they could never have foreseen. As Nalani and Lorenzo spend time together, their connection grows stronger, igniting a flame neither of them can ignore. The walls around their hearts crumble as they navigate the complexities of love amidst the challenges of co-parenting and healing from past wounds.

Logic is doing his best to stay focused on just living. After the death of his brother, he decides to leave the streets alone. He can't imagine his mother having to bury another son or visit him in jail. But the idea of letting his brother's killer go free is really weighing heavily on him. Especially knowing his brother's killer was the one person he used to trust the most. Joy has been watching Logic for months and knows that she has to have him. This man is everything. There is a certain mystery about him that pulls her in and won't let go.

Xiomara's bad and she knows it. She's not only a cute face; she's working on her degree as well. Left with scars from her past, she's only focused on her money and building her brand. After encountering Jrue in the club, she's offered a job that unknowingly changes things for her, causing her to look at her choices differently.

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.

Gideon “Gee” Powers has one hundred and eighty days to secure his rightful place as head of the family. Rhian Barnes has one hundred and eighty days to complete a bucket list. One night in Sin City blurs the lines and two become one.

With ten years into a successful marriage and a thriving business, Destiny Harris was living the life most only dreamed of. There was only one addition that would bring everything full circle, but a harsh reality turned her world upside down. Betrayal and lies replaced the truth she believed to be the foundation of her happy life. MyKyng Masters was a man of substance and structure. Even at a very young age, he had a firm grasp on everyone and everything around him. With an already complicated life, the last thing he needed was a reminder that no one can maintain complete control.

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.

Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel - The Vipers. Their deals are as sordid as their business, and their reputation is enough to bring a grown man to his knees, forcing him to beg for mercy. They are not people you mess with, yet my dad did. The old man ran up a debt with them and then sold me to cover his losses. Yes, sold me. They own me now. I’m theirs in every sense of the word. But I’ve never been meek and compliant.

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.

We're not free to give into this. She's 19, and I'm 38. And I'm her boyfriend's father. Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

Eight years ago I fell into a secret summer fling with my best friend’s little sister before our lives went in different directions. Now, I’m the grumpy to Juliet’s sunshine on a popular dating podcast we host, and when a wealthy fan gives us a charming coastal cottage as the biggest thank you ever, we head to the town where I grew up to give it a makeover. And find the house has only one bed. Located under a mirrored ceiling.

I am not a drug dealer. I am not a seller… I am not a handler… I am not an abuser… I am not a promoter… I am not a smuggler… However, I understand that I can not save the world or the people who have chosen those paths. So, making substances safer, grander, and extremely unique is my life’s work. What I have created can’t be duplicated, stepped on, or mistaken for anything else.

In such a chaotic world, there was one thing that Kincaid desired—peace & quiet—and there was one person who could provide it. Sulphur Kincaid.

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.

Beautiful disaster. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of her. Who hurt you? The first question comes to mind when I open my mouth to greet her. Although it wasn't the easiest to reach, I knew her heart was pure. Gentle to the touch yet stubborn as a bull, she made it hard to resist her. Unintentionally, she sank her hooks in me. She was the calm before my storm. A thunderous, darkening storm with lightning that graciously exposed the paternity of my brother and me. Though the gloom of it all lingered above both our heads.

She’s an angel. And she doesn’t mind dancing with a demon. That’s why I’d move mountains, dry seas, and hydrate the desert if it made her happy. She brought goodness to the world. It was only right that I made it hers, along with the two tiny beauties that shared her hazel eyes and perfect smile. For them, I’d do whatever. For them, I’d become whoever.

After a near seven-month hiatus, here you go.

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

Atlanta, Georgia, 1950–Michael can’t believe his eyes as he watches the man he loves marry a woman from the back row of Mount Zion Baptist Church. When the beautiful couple is pronounced man and wife, he leaves his home in Georgia for the chance of a better life in New York City. Alexander is just trying to exist in Queens, New York. Although his family is aware of his unnatural attraction to men, they adore him. The price of hiding his true identity from the rest of the world leads to a deep and painful loneliness for Alex, even in the bosom of a loving family.

Nalani, a dedicated and compassionate teacher, never expected her life to take a turn when she met Lorenzo, a single father trying to rebuild his life after a painful divorce. When Nalani becomes the teacher of Lorenzo’s daughter, fate plays its hand, intertwining their lives in ways they could never have foreseen. As Nalani and Lorenzo spend time together, their connection grows stronger, igniting a flame neither of them can ignore. The walls around their hearts crumble as they navigate the complexities of love amidst the challenges of co-parenting and healing from past wounds.

Hearts are broken and healed. Scars, both physical and emotional, are formed. Happiness is found, then lost, then found again. Over the course of a year, these sisters face shattering blows and remarkable triumphs as they embark on a journey, figuring out that pesky little thing called love.

The day Ximena Solomon met Hiram Moss, the last thing either of them was expecting was to find true love. Yet still, their connection ran deep, their attraction was undeniable, and what grew between them was nothing short of love at first sight. Ximena and Hiram cannot deny the magnetic pull they feel toward each other. They begin to spend more time together, sharing their hopes, dreams, and deepest feelings. With each passing day, their bond grows stronger, and they realize that they have found something truly special in each other.

He's every woman's dream. Thanks to his humble beginnings, he's edgy, outspoken, and determined to win. Holt is also the highest-paid wide receiver in the league and well worth the money he's paid. Not only is he worth millions, but he's also physical perfection. That alone has every woman willing to do any and everything he asks. Well… every woman except one, Sutton Kelly.

Xiomara's bad and she knows it. She's not only a cute face; she's working on her degree as well. Left with scars from her past, she's only focused on her money and building her brand. After encountering Jrue in the club, she's offered a job that unknowingly changes things for her, causing her to look at her choices differently.

As a rapper who hasn't been lost to the gimmick of autotunes and meaningless lyrics, Sinful K stays true to himself. With just sixteen bars, he can grab the attention of millions all across the world. While everyone hears what they consider dope music, Sinful is simply trying to escape past traumas by getting lost in his music. However, there is no amount of money or fame that could extinguish the pain and torture he's endured. The music only brings him peace for moments in time… what he desires is for his mind, body, and spirit to be on one accord, permanently.

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.