Showing results by narrator "Nicole Smalls" in All Categories

Love should burn slow, but with Ezra "Ethic" Okafor it is always fast and fleeting. After an accidental killing affects Alani, the woman he loves, she thinks he's a monster. Separated by tragedy, the pair endure a loss like nothing they have ever felt, and their connection is impossible to repair. Ethic is reduced to misery and raising his children alone once again. With Morgan in the throes of a passionate love affair and Bella in need of guidance that he can't provide, Ethic is in turmoil. He's failing as a man, and the fingerprint he is leaving on the world is a bloody one.

After receiving a phone call that changes his entire world, Zeus leaves his relationship hanging while trying to uncover the secrets his brother Dionysus has lingering throughout New York. With the Zoo Boyz by his side, the brotherhood shakes things up to put the pieces of the puzzle together and finds that Dio was involved in something deeper than they had imagined. With guns blazing, Dio has faced an unexpected turn. Taking his life for granted more than once has finally caught up with him. Dio is faced with some harsh realities as his growth determines his fate.

Life has never been easy for Ethic. Since he was a young boy he has battled loss after loss while struggling to navigate through a treacherous world. When he met Alani Lenika Hill, he knew that he had met the woman who would love him back to life. They have weathered a storm together, and their love is so fated that neither wants to let it go, but it seems their bubble of happiness is an illusion, because life around them is falling apart.

Seven to Da Cove rules over Parkside Cove and Lake Hill. Now that the aftermath of the Princes and the Kings has settled, the world they thought would simmer down is still boiling now that the Zoo has arrived. Egos are running high when Pierre learns that his ex, Sasha (Freckles), and her newfound love, Zeus, are in the same town. While Pierre believes he's going to reclaim what he feels is his, he runs into a brick wall. Trying to remain loyal to his crew and cousin Quinton (Soho), he forcefully connects with a journalist who shifts his world.

'Sublime short stories of race, grief, and belonging . . . an extraordinary new collection' New Yorker 'Evans’s new stories present rich plots reflecting on race relations, grief, and love' New York Times, Editor’s Choice ‘Brilliant . . . These stories are sly and prescient, a nuanced...

Meet Omari, a gorgeous, hardworking 28-year-old man from the South Side of Chicago. No matter how hard he works at his job at UPS, it is never enough to take care of himself and his long-term girlfriend. After continuous pressure from his older cousin, Ching, Omari finally trades in busting his ass for working under Ching, hustling three major blocks on the West Side. All is good as Omari juggles work and the drug game - until Ching involves him in the murder of someone who ends up being the governor's nephew.

The ultimate love story began in White Lines, and now, in this stunning conclusion, Jada and Born come full circle - but not without paying a hefty price. On the surface, Jada's life is back on track - she's battled her demons, her son is a permanent part of her life - but it still feels like she's on shaky ground. What she really needs to settle her soul is to have Born back in her life - and in her arms - again. But reuniting with the man she loves is proving to be the hardest thing she's ever fought for.

Desdimona Green has been the name on everyone’s lips in Blink, Texas. Twenty-five years ago, at the age of 18, she shot and killed one of Blink’s wealthiest men, a pillar of the community, oil baron Julian Gatewood. The Gatewood family was considered untouchable, so the whole state of Texas was rocked to its core over Julian’s murder. But people were even more shocked to discover that Desi was Julian’s daughter and that her mother had been his lover for years.

Zeus, Chevy's right hand, has caused some riff within the crew. As he tries to regain control of his friendship with Chevy and his brother Dionysus, he learns that some deeper issues need to be addressed. With him being known for his grave decisions, Zeus is determined to prove he's different.

For a sheltered mama's boy like Demarcus, everything was coming up roses until a life-changing experience showed him that every rose has thorns. After a well-orchestrated set-up, Demarcus' plans to go to college are derailed by a trip to state prison. It is while in the belly of the beast that the mama's boy has to make the choice between being a man - or being a victim. Upon his release, Demarcus tries to get his life back on track, but his felony conviction causes door after door to be slammed in his face.

Harmony used to love love. She loved the idea of being in love. As a result, Valentine’s Day was her favorite holiday...was. Now, she hated the very thought of it. Cody had ruined it for her and any chance of her ever falling in love again. He ruined it so much that when she met Dallas, she didn’t trust him to lead her to fall in love with love again.

In part 2 of Property of a Rich Nigga, Jah struggles with the loss of Faye and Buck. Coupled with the stress of heading the crew and his family, he unravels chaotically.

As the Zoo Boyz brotherhood teeters on the brink of collapse, the story unfolds further as Preach grapples with the ultimate choice of siding with the streets or the pulpit. Between trying to be the perfect Preacher's kid and remaining a friend to his brothers, his faith never wavers. During the Zoo Boyz's quest to understand Chevy's inexplicable desire to travel, Preach crossed paths with an individual who would alter the course of his life in ways he never imagined. Navi enters Preach's heart like a thief in the night.

Georgia, 1995. A gentle push from her sister causes Francine Adams to agree to one date with the handsome, Jalal Dorsey. When his ex-girlfriend makes an appearance, a perfect evening takes a turn for the worse. Blinded by humiliation and desperate to put distance between herself and the drama, Francine flees the upscale eatery. Unfamiliar with Atlanta, she wanders down a dark side street and encounters a series of unfortunate events.

Malik Carter, the youngest of the Carter brothers, finds himself heartbroken, shattered, and bewildered after one fateful night shatters his world and leaves him and Bria estranged. Events spiral out of control pushing them apart to confront their demons alone.

Once the streets pull you in, they own you. Or at least that's the way it's been for Nautica. Growing up in the hood, all she's ever known is the fast life - fast money illicitly made through scandals and relentless scheming. But when a big scam nearly finishes her off, she decides she wants more out of life than the hustle and tries to make a new life for herself on the East Coast.

I’d been in love with Aiden Walters since I was a little girl. We’d grown up as neighbors in small town Wisconsin. I knew him inside and out, and he knew every single piece of me. I was there when his career took off, and I was almost certain I’d always be a part of his life. It wasn’t until a scandal broke out that I was forced to end things with Aiden. He didn’t take it very well. The boy I once loved began to hate me. He went off to California, leaving his entire past behind—including me.

Lamin Michaels learned at his mother's knee the importance of chasing paper, so it's no surprise he gets into the drug game when he's just a teenager. When he meets Zion, a product of the New York City foster care and prison systems, Lamin knows he's met the perfect partner in crime. Together they build a huge narcotics empire.

Feared in the streets and respected in the shadows, Easton Edwards is a man without limits. As a contract killer with no moral compass, he takes lives without hesitation—until Rhythm Meeks stumbles into his world. She's nothing like the women he's used to. Innocent, ambitious, and too damn...

A few months after his surgery, June 'Chevy' Calloway is discovering what life is like on the other side. Newly married with a baby on the way, Chevy has found himself caught in a war with the Prince of the Cove. While trying to manage the crew and take care of his own family, he's entangled in the midst of the Merciers. Although he has declared that he won't give his grandparents a second chance, he can't escape them. As Chevy navigates through the Cove, things begin to unravel not just in truth and secrets but also in his own identity.