Despite all of his obvious demons, Crescent has fallen hard for Hamisi. She’s even gone from vowing to never date another thug to overlooking his profession and choosing him over certain family members. Crescent craves Hamisi like a drug, and when it comes to her, the feelings are mutual on Hamisi’s end. But is love enough? He’s been angry and withdrawn for so long that participating in a healthy, functional relationship isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Throw in the fact that he’s getting deeper into the streets, and the drama is never ending. Bodies are piling up, but so is the money, and every time the Martin brothers promise to fall back from robbing, they’re tempted with a lick a little more tempting than the last. But will greed cost them their lives? Aaliyah’s already battling PTSD from being shot, and being violated by someone she trusted doesn’t make it any better. Betrayal from Imad doesn’t help her depression, and Aaliyah begins to wonder if she’s cursed. All she wants is to be happy, but for as bad as she wants happiness, Aaliyah doesn’t ever want to be a fool for love. When it comes to forgiving Imad, she’s torn between what her heart wants and what her pride is encouraging her to do. Armani is propositioned by a man at her job, and what he’s offering is the job of a lifetime as far as Jimmy is concerned. Armani is hesitant, but she knows that denying Jimmy won’t sit well with him. He’s so determined to come out on top that he doesn’t think of all of the potential consequences. When Jimmy and his brothers complete the job, it leaves Armani looking at him differently. On top of that, the job may cause more problems than it’s worth.

Jayda is happier than she’s ever been. The love of her life is doing big things, and she’s almost done with law school. What is supposed to be the happiest night of Jayda’s life is cut short within a matter of seconds, and her world changes forever. Jayda becomes numb. She’s just walking through life existing, and she doesn’t think she’ll ever be the same again. It’s not until she meets Azaan that she realizes that she’s still capable of feeling something. Determined to use the situation for her own gain and nothing more, Jayda soon discovers that the handsome Haitian hitta from Miami, might not be as easy to get over on as she predicted. Azaan Cezar is big on family, which is why he has no issues leaving Miami and heading to North Carolina to start a business for his younger brother. Beautiful, successful women come a dime a dozen in Miami, and a pretty face was never the thing to get Azaan riled up. Jayda is more than beautiful though. Her entire vibe is hypnotizing, and Azaan discovers that he just might not be ready for the emotionally scarred and obviously bitter Jayda.

Azaan’s relationship with Vickie is crumbling, and he no longer has to wonder who he should be with. The decision is made for him when he discovers that Vickie is still keeping secrets from him. When she calls on Azaan to clean up one of her messes that turned deadly, it’s then that he realizes that he doesn’t really know her. Azaan is ready to risk it all and be with Jayda, but she’s still grieving Biggs’ death and still running from Azaan. Will he grow tired of chasing a woman that doesn’t want to be chased? Azaan is also keeping a secret, a secret that if Jayda finds out, she’s sure to hate him for. It’s clear to anyone with eyes that Azaan makes Jayda happy. No matter how much she tries to fight it, he’s it for her. Jayda tries to keep herself busy by enrolling back in law school but not even that changes the fact that her mind has suddenly become consumed with Azaan. Just when she decides to put her guard down, Jayda finds out that Azaan has been keeping a huge secret from her. One that could alter their relationship forever.

Seven came along at a time when Alexis needed him most and restored her faith in men. As she waited for the façade to end and for his true colors to shine through, Seven remained the same. Alexis fell in love with him and thus began a love affair for the books, until the night she discovered that all men really are the same and Seven is no different. Infinitie is living the life of a spoiled, care-free teenager thanks to her guardian Julio. When Infinitie’s mother went to prison, he swooped in and saved the day, but all the money in the world can’t protect Infinitie from heartbreak. After she loses the love of her life, she fears that she will never be the same. Janai and Emir have a tumultuous relationship that even Janai can’t figure out. After much heartache, she finally finds the strength to leave and as the saying goes, it ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun. See where it all began in this prequel to the three-part series that readers loved.

Quadim realizes that Castillo made a grave mistake when his people didn’t make sure Quadim was dead before getting rid of the body. Panama has a newfound vendetta against Quadim and he no longer cares about being on probation or going back to prison. His only thought is avenging what happened to his soulmate. Natalia meets a man that satisfies her desire to be loved by a thug. He’s everything that Leonard isn’t and Natalia soon learns that the grass is pretty much never greener on the other side. She wanted adventure, and she got it in Jovaughn, a handsome hustler with an abundance of money and a plethora of women. In the end, she realizes she may have bitten off more than she could chew.

Dre is following in his brother Dom’s footsteps no matter how many people tell him he’s better than the streets, but he’s not trying to hear it. Circumstances have hardened Dre, and all he cares about is a come up. When the beautiful Chanel moves back to the hood, rumors are swirling that she’s stuck up and only deals with men that have money. Dre can respect it and doesn’t even try to shoot his shot, until unforeseen circumstances bring the pair together in a way they never expected. Montego has been out of the streets for years, and it’s taking a toll on him. He’s feeling inadequate, and it’s causing problems in his and Courtney’s relationship. Strong willed and stubborn, Courtney doesn’t want to have to slow down at the peak of her career, but will her relationship survive if she doesn’t? Dom sees Adijah changing before his very eyes, and he doesn’t like it. Her newfound success has her acting different, and despite the problems it causes, Dom has always vowed to ride with her right or wrong, but is Adijah too wrapped up in her own world to see that?

Misa Wells lived a life that many women envied. After losing her first love Tek to federal prison, Misa’s hardships as a single mother didn’t last long. Alex, AKA Philly, swooped in like a true knight in shining armor. As one of the richest drug dealers in North Carolina, Philly made Misa’s every wish come true. From buying her an upscale salon to moving her into a neighborhood amongst doctors and politicians, it seemed that Misa had it all. When she gets the call that Philly was murdered, her life changes seemingly overnight. From learning of Philly’s infidelity to being visited by a ghost from her own past, Misa can’t even grieve in peace. Her best friend of twenty years, Big Tyme, steps up to the plate and is by her side, even if it means neglecting his own girlfriend. No one but him knows that he’s loved Misa for the past twenty years, and he refuses to let her get away, even if it means breaking the heart of the woman that loves him. Misa’s daughter Aaliyah lost her biological father to prison, and then she loses Philly. Aaliyah attempts to numb the pain with bad habits and poor decisions. When Philly’s godson comes to town, Menalique is like Philly reincarnated. Each time he checks Aaliyah about something she’s done, it irritates her until she realizes that he’s handsome, charming and soon to be rich after taking over Philly’s empire. But loving dope boys never worked out for her mother, and Aaliyah is terrified of losing love to the streets. Will love conquer all?

Courtney has been in a dead end relationship with Dejon for five years, all for the love of a dollar. Meeting him when she was young and looking for a come up, Courtney would have never imagined the turmoil that being money hungry would leave her. Determined to let him go and start fresh, Courtney packs up and goes to Raleigh where she vows to find herself and never again depend on a man. Meeting the sexy Montego Carter almost immediately, Courtney continues to tell herself that she has no time for love and relationships, but Montego has other plans. Adijah is a teenaged mother with a pro athlete for a baby daddy. No one understands why she won’t take him to court and try to come up off his newfound riches, but that’s the last thing on her mind. Adijah wants to get it out the mud, and when she meets the sexy Dom, she begins to do small favors for him in an effort to earn money. Adijah soon becomes smitten with the sexy thug who is the complete opposite of everything she’s used to, and soon, she’s addicted to a man that she knows is no good for her.

When the love of Alex’s life is snatched away from her, she tries to go on without him, but it’s hard. She’s young and the world is still turning, so eventually, she has to move on. If Satan had a son, it would be Quadim. Even though he saved her in a sense, he was far from a knight in shining armor. Being dependent on him and having love for his brother that she helped to care for, made her stay in a dead end situation for far too long. When she wants to leave, Quadim doesn’t get the memo, and he vows that if he can’t have her nobody will. Kyreem aka Panama is home from a prison bid and trying to do the right thing, but he just can’t get with being broke. Reconnecting with two old friends puts him in the right situations to come up and rekindle love, but it also places him directly in the middle of some beef.