Everyone except for Ladi. She's tried her hand at love and the cards that she'd been dealt never stacked up. After getting her master's degree and moving back to Miami, Ladi's only focus is securing her dream job. Something that Ace Baptiste has never been… is unsure. Everything that he wants he goes for and gets it. So when he first lays eyes on Ladi and felt a connection that was undeniable it only made sense for him to have her. Will Ace's persistence be enough to make Ladi his lady or will she be the one thing that he fails at capturing? Ladi's dream job has the potential to lead to a dream love, but that's only if she opens herself up to experience it. Will she put forth the effort and give Ace a chance, or keep her heart closed off to his untainted love?

    Too dangerous. Too stalkerish. Too deadly. Living the life at the college of her dreams with her two best friends Ayanna and Melody, Zoey “Zoe” Richardson is single, having no time for a man and remains focused on her classes so she can graduate next year. Zoey and Yanna have ladies’ night at a local club while Mel follows behind her consistent unfaithful boyfriend to a house party. Getting ready to end their night, Zoey and Yanna ends up rescuing Mel from another unbearable lover’s quarrel, putting her in the crosshairs of Keno. A night where chaos erupts simultaneously in her life. Having to rely on Keno’s help, the two exchange numbers and starts getting to know each other better. Being the sweetest and most charming person she has ever met, it doesn’t take long for Zoey to fall head over heel for Keno until the real him surfaces. Unfortunately for Zoey, Keno’s wolf in sheep covered skin is revealed a little too late, costing her to endure a lifetime of regrettable decisions. Attending FAMU Homecoming weekend turns out to be the best thing that happens to Keno Daniels. According to him, he finds his future wife in Zoey. Despite his on and off relationship with his ex and his current legal woes, Keno sets out to woo Zoey, despite her claim of not wanting a relationship. Claiming Zoey has his, Keno is devastated when Zoey learns his truths and sees the real him, ending their brief relationship. Except, Keno is not easily convinced it’s over and refuses to let go. Ending things with Keno sets Zoey on the right path, leading her to meet her true king—Ezekiel “Zeek” Taylor. After forming a year long friendship and unknown crushes, Zoey and Zeek gravitate towards each other and find a real connection with each other. A connection that has them talking about the future, one with marriage and kids. However, moving on is not so easily done, especially with Keno popping up everywhere. Indiscretion, heartbreak, lies, relationships, love, and dire consequences are easily found in this mind-blowing, page turning story. In Author Lakia’s debut African American Urban Fiction standalone “When A Savage Is After Your Heart,” everything is not fair in love and relationships.

    

    

    Her only care in the world is fast money, partying and designer labels. She doesn’t have real responsibilities or plans for the future. As far as she was concerned, only today was important. She will worry about tomorrow when it comes. No one is going to stop her from enjoying her life to the fullest. She refused to live the life she watched her mother endure by the hands of her father. Her and her brother, Tone struggled together after their parent’s death. Jiera is determined to make up for all the years she struggled as a young girl. No one else's opinions about her life mattered to her. King Owens is a twenty-five-year-old, handsome rich man. He was taken from his unfit mother and raised by his father and stepmom. King wants out of the life his father was determined he inherit. He doesn’t want the throne to his father’s drug empire. For now, he is living the life that he's determined to get away from. He has a beautiful, career-oriented woman in his life. A successful career, wealth, and a beautiful family was his goals in life. He is determined to have everything he wants, even if it means going against his father’s wishes. King and Jiera have totally different plans for their future. Upon laying eyes on Jiera, King couldn’t deny himself from having her for just one night. What happens when one night of passion binds the two together for the rest of their lives? The ones that supposed to love them the most are the ones trying to hurt them the most. Will lies, betrayal and deceit take the two on a journey together? Or will it tear them apart?

    He lost his brother when he was nine and it changed his home life forever. Despite those challenges, Bully was a simple man living a simple life. All he wanted to do was become a welder and spoil the love of his life Safiya, but a freak accident robbed him of those dreams. After losing Safiya, a hatred so dark formed inside of Bully that he literally turned into a savage overnight. Without Safiya, he feels he has nothing to live for and Bully vows to never love another woman. Envy is content being a kept woman, until the streets play their hand and sends her boyfriend Mason, to the feds. Once Mason is in prison, Envy knows she has to come up with a game plan and when a minimum wage paying job doesn't cut it, she ventures into the night life with her best friend Kat. Envy runs into a lot of road blocks in the form of dysfunctional relationships, being betrayed by people she holds dear to her heart, and finding out that no one seems to be who she thought they were. In the midst of it all, she finds herself falling for the mysterious and sexy Bully. She knows she should run in the opposite direction because Bully doesn't try to hide the fact that he doesn't want a relationship but even that isn't enough to deter Envy.

    That was until Keylon committed the ultimate betrayal and Jalisa finally decided she’d had enough. She swore off trying to be with someone until she met Smoke. Smoke was probably the most gorgeous man she had laid eyes on. After experiencing heartbreak, Jalisa wasn’t sure moving on with Smoke was smart, until she realized she was connected with Smoke long before she laid eyes on him. Cortez ‘Smoke’ Campbell is hood royalty. After experiencing tragedy at a young age, Smoke did what he had to do to take the financial burden off of his Granny. Smoke is hesitant on giving his heart out until he and Jalisa ran into each other... literally. Being crossed by the last person he ever expected, Smoke realizes Jalisa is more for him than he could have ever imagined. Or is she? Even though they both had trust issues and were skeptical at first, Smoke and Gunz decided to give love a chance. Take a ride on this love journey to see if Jalisa is really ready to move on wholeheartedly or will her past destroy the new future she wants so desperately. Some say love conquers all, but does it?

    Being placed in a group home wasn’t her ideal place to live, but she soon grew to love it because that’s how she met her best friend Glamour. Now a grown woman, her mission is to become some trapper’s Bonnie, but what happens when she meets the smooth-talking and persistent Vonnie Kross? Vonnie isn’t just you’re average trapper. In fact, he is one of the most paid suppliers in the Atlanta streets that every woman craves to get a taste of. Ever since his father grew ill and died, he dropped his dreams of ever going off to college and took over the family business. Everything in his life is sweet, or so he thinks. The moment he decides to pursue Mahari, his entire world goes into a spiral. Glamour is one of the best makeup artists in Atlanta and the ultimate party girl. One drunken night leads her to meet playboy Grayson. An utter mistake has her quickly pushing him away until, finally, she decides to give him a chance and see where things can go from there.

    In fact, that was the last thing she wanted. However, a chance encounter with Jericko Cook, A.K.A. Ricko, might just change her mind. Then again, it might prove why she’s steered clear of bad boys in the first place. Between shoot outs, other women vying for his attention and a long list of deceptive characters lurking, Arianna might not be able to handle being a dope boy’s woman, or she could find out there’s a lot more thug in her than she thought. Ricko was living life and enjoying the fruits of his labor. As the man in charge, cars, money, hoes and clothes weren’t just a saying to him; it was his everyday reality. He didn’t realize that real love was the only thing he had been lacking, but it could be just what he needed. Mia had it easy. She got all the perks of a relationship except a title. Getting Ricko to commit to her was proving harder than she thought. When he pushes her to the side for what she thought was just the new flavor of the week, she realizes that Arianna isn’t going anywhere. But, Mia will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even if that means making sure no one else can have him. Sophia is Arianna’s best friend, and she is always down to ride. She’s no stranger to the street life like her friend, so when she gets the chance to get with a certified thug in Ricko’s brother, Jabari Cook, she jumps at the chance to be the Bonnie to his Clyde. Will she be prepared for the ride this young thug has in store for her, or will she have to give up? Jabari Cook is looking to get to the money, everything else is irrelevant. He is on a mission to take what he believes is rightfully his and will stop at nothing to claim his throne. Jabari will remove whoever or whatever is in the way of his money; family or not. Sophia wants to be his ride or die, but will she be used as a pawn to get him where he wants to be, or will he finally meet his match? Come take this ride through the streets of Chicago with these two brothers as they build their empire while juggling deception and love.

    

    Unfortunately, Davina isn’t one of them. With an unloving and dysfunctional mother her only choice is to take on the responsibility and fend for her little brother. Thinking that her life couldn’t get any worse she loses her job and her mother kicks her and her brother out on the grimey streets of Houston all in the same day. She runs into her longtime crush Nigel and he ends up helping her get back on her feet. Nigel is fresh out of the county jail scheming and scamming his way to the top and Davina can’t seem to resist him. Their chemistry is undeniable but to her he’s out of her league and to him; she’s just too average. They’re both on the come up but will they let their guards down and let love lead the way to the money and a relationship?

    

    What could be more elemental than Phire and Ice? Sapphire Henson and Isaiah Harrison had been riding together since childhood. She held him down through his days in the game and his thot-filled nights. But Phire had grown tired of Ice’s arrogance and when he crosses one bridge too many, is there a way for this couple to bounce back… especially when a sexy arms dealer known as Bleu is waiting in the wings to make her his own “Sapphire Bleu?” Elijah Harrison, II, can’t understand the back and forth nature of his brother Ice’s relationship with Phire. He’s convinced that Ice should be more like him and avoid drama by dodging relationships altogether… that is, till a wounded angel crosses his path one night. Ariana Alexander makes Jah throw away all his no-attachment rules. But will she allow her past to destroy any chance of their future? Joshua (Jace) Taylor was supposed to get his family out the hood the legitimate way—with his phenomenal basketball talent. His best friends, Ice and Jah, work hard to keep him out of the game and Jace works just as hard to keep up his college kid façade. Meeting the beautiful Laila MacNamara stirs his darkest desires, bringing out the side of him he wants to keep under wraps. Her heated responses to his dominance make it unlikely that the bad boy in him will stay hidden. Just as they begin to explore the limits of their passion, the intoxicating world of professional basketball, with its endless excesses, pulls at him. At twenty-one, can Jace stay strong enough to be true to Laila? Join these childhood friends from the East Side of San Antonio as they struggle to figure out where life—and love—will take them.

    With the life style her father lives, she made it her business to branch off. Even though her beauty was evident, men wanted her more because of her last name. The Banks name carried weight in the streets and for once Air wanted her own life. She moved out of the city and focused on herself. One encounter at a restaurant led her into the arms of a man that was just as heavy in the dope game as her father. Not knowing of his way of life, she started falling for his charm. Ghoul has always been a cool, calm, and collective guy. He’s very calculated and knows how to keep it together even in the toughest situations. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Ghoul has been a Dope Boy for years and one thing he knew how to do was keep the street life and home life separated. Besides making sure his money was stacking up, his only other concern is taking care of his dying mother. Who knew by him doing something so drastic one night, would have him shift his energy to Air. Air was sassy, sexy and had a spark to her that made him want her even more. Ghoul laid all of his cards on the table for her in the beginning. There was nothing she didn’t know but Air had one secret she kept away from him, for a reason. With secrets being kept and enemies plotting, once the two collide, lives may be destroyed. Will these two have a chance of survival once Air finally reveal her secret? Will Ghoul have to constantly fight for Air’s attention to get her to see that even, Dope Boys Need Love too? Secrets will be told, love will be lost and only the strong will survive.