Seduced by My Power

by R. Michelle

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

Brothers De’Maceo and De’Mario Reed are back for more, and the only thing certain in their lives is each other.

With Saiyah’s surgery pending, De’Maceo’s mind is working overtime to find out who tried to take away the love of his life. There are only two people who hate De’Maceo and Saiyah: Drew and Londo. Not knowing where neither are, Maceo is back to the drawing board, searching for the person. And with the Convention on hold, Maceo has nothing but time to eliminate those who are trying to eliminate him and everything he’s built.

Mario has been through his fair share of changes, but nothing could prepare him for the words that his girlfriend is about to drop on him. The blow to his heart is one that he never expected. Severing all ties with her is what is necessary, but his heart has always belonged to this one girl and maybe that’s the problem, he needed a woman to handle his love.

Erian’s heart is filled with nothing but hate and envy. With no real reason to feel the way she does, she does the unthinkable, ultimately jeopardizing everything including her life. With so many secrets lorded over her head, Erian continues to place blame on everyone around her. 

With all the drama that’s brewing, friends turn to foes, and no one can be trusted. Everybody around the Reed Brothers has them questioning the motives of everyone around them. The only thing certain in their lives is each other.

Release date: November 24, 2026

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

It had been a couple of days since I learned about what happened to Mario, and no lie, that shit was eating me up on the inside. I couldn’t do shit but cry when I heard that leave my brother’s mouth. The fact that he kept it away from me so long and broke down at the sight of our pops made me feel like less than a man. I had been having a fucked-up attitude toward everybody, mostly Saiyah. She was taking the brunt end of it, and she ain’t deserve that shit. She ain’t do shit to me, and I felt fucked up just thinking about how I treated her, but I don’t even know how to feel now.

My brother, my nigga since forever, just told me that some fucking pimp molested him, and my mother knew. Seven … My brother was fucking 7. Macayla would be 7 in a year, and I would be damned if anybody laid a hand on her. I would body anyone who attempted to bring harm to her. And Li’l Mace was 3. If I ever found out some shit like that happened, I think I would have Chicago painted red for my kids. I loved the fuck outta my kids, and hearing my brother, my baby brother at that, tell me he was molested, and I wasn’t there to help him, had stirred some shit up inside of me. I couldn’t even look him in the eyes. And it wasn’t because a nigga raped him but because I failed him. If I could go back in time, I would stop her from taking him, but how could I do anything when she used to sell me for crack, then buy me back after a week?

“Mace, your food is on the bed. The kids and I are going to the mall. Do you need anything else?”

I looked up at Saiyah as she looked at me, and I felt fucked up. Here she was, making sure I was good, and I was treating her like shit. I wished I could take back all the shit I said to her. Pulling her to me, I set her on my lap.

“What is it, Maceo?”

“I wanted to apologize for how I’ve been treating you. It wasn’t right, and I wasn’t right for how I’ve been treating you. Just knowing what I know makes me feel like a fucked-up older brother. I’m supposed to protect Mario, and I couldn’t, and I didn’t. What am I supposed to do?”

“There ain’t nun you can do, bro. I’ve dealt with that. It’s nothing for you to dwell on. Clearly, it did not affect who I am and how I live my life. You were 8, bro. How much could you really do? Mama ain’t no saint, and I don’t care if the bitch lives or dies. I love her, but she was the worst parent we could’ve had, so get yo’ ass up, and let’s go see what this bitch gotta say. I love you, bro,” Mario said, walking over to me from the doorway. Saiyah got up and moved out of the way as I stood up and pulled my brother into a hug.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me, Mario? Why you keep that shit from me?” I asked him, tears escaping my eyes.

“Bro, wasn’t shit that we could’ve done. Mama is the cause of all of this, man. I promise you, I would’ve told you if I thought you needed to know. I don’t want you to dwell on it. Let it go for me, but most importantly, for yourself. I know you hurting and wish you could’ve saved me, but, bro, I’m good. I love you, and you’ve been there every time I needed you. Missing that one doesn’t mean shit to me.”

I nodded. “I love you too, man. Let me talk to Saiyah really quick.”

He pulled out of the hug and left the room. I started to speak to Yah, but she stopped me.

“Don’t apologize. I understand, Mace. If it were Erian, I would have felt the same way. Do you see how Erian treated me during the whole ordeal? You did what I did, and that’s lash out. If no one understands that, I do. Your food is on the bed, your clothes are hanging up in the bathroom, and your water is ready. Go ahead and do what you need to do. The kids and I will see you when we return. Oh, and I enrolled in classes online. They start in August—just thought I should let you know.” She kissed my lips and left the room.

Sitting down on the bed, I grabbed the tray of food that my baby had made and devoured it. After I had finished, I soaked in the tub for an hour, then got out and got ready for today. About twenty-five minutes later, someone knocked on my room door as I was tying my shoes. Telling the person to come in, I looked up and saw Mario.

“Congrats, bro,” he said, and I looked at him in confusion. What the fuck is this nigga talking about? I thought to myself.

“Bro, what are you talking about?” He held up the pregnancy test that read positive, two to three months.

I snatched that shit out of his hand and looked up at him. “Where’d you get this shit from?”

“The downstairs bathroom.”

“What the fuck? She ain’t even let me know she was carrying my seed.” I went to grab my phone, but couldn’t find it.

“Fuck is my phone?”

“Bro, chill out. I don’t even think she knows. She doesn’t think she can have kids, remember? If she does know, give her a minute to let it register in her head. Let’s worry about handling this situation with Pops and Ma; then you can worry about Yah.”

I wanted to object, but I knew I needed to get this over with and give Yah her space. Grabbing my keys and jogging down the stairs with Mario behind me, I left the garage and set the alarm as I backed out.

I had a lot of love for my mama, but I also had a lot of hate for her. The shit she put us through wasn’t worth it. I had to struggle to get my brother and me food, clothes, and into school. Hell, it took me years to graduate from college. I just finished that shit a year ago, but I did it. I’d always been headstrong and determined, not letting anyone get me down, but knowing that my pops didn’t know about me made me look at him differently. I guess I could give him a chance to be the father he always wanted to be. But one wrong move, and I would leave his ass stankin’. Pops or no Pops, if a nigga crossed me wrong, I was deading him before he could dead me. These streets didn’t love nobody. That’s why when I came home at night, all that street shit was left behind me once I crossed that threshold.

After the hour drive, we pulled up to the rehab gates. I gave them my name, then saw Chyla, her husband, and my pops all standing outside, talking. Chyla had told me they found my mama in a crack house, but I didn’t give a fuck. I made them detox her until she was coherent because I wanted her to answer every question that I had.

“What’s up, y’all? Where she at?”

“That bitch down there fucking lying!” my pops snapped, and Mario chuckled.

“Take me to her.”

My pops led the way to her, and I was impressed by what they called a rehab. This shit was nice as fuck. Getting to the door, Chyla pushed it open, and we walked in. In the corner sat a frail woman who rocked back and forth. I could tell we were going to be down here for a while.

“Ma!”

She looked at me, and her eyes lit up. “De’Maceo, De’Marrion—my babies. I missed y’all. Look at how grown up y’all are! Come closer so I can get a good look at you.”

Walking toward her, I stopped in front of her. She looked up at me as the tears spilled from her eyes.

“De’Maceo, you’ve grown up to be so handsome—Mama’s protector. Always looking out for your brother and me. I’m sorry, baby. I had that monkey on my back, and I swore that I was going to get it off, but it was hard,” she said. As she looked in my eyes, I could see she was being sincere.

“Ma, I got a question. Be honest with me.”

She nodded as she wiped the tears that had fallen. Then she pulled me into a hug.

“What’s my pop’s name? And where that nigga at?”

“His name is Demarcius. He doesn’t know about you or your brother. I didn’t tell him about y’all. That mothafucka broke my heart. I gave him my everything, and he treated me like a piece of ass. Stay away from him, baby. There are things about him that you don’t know. Be careful around him and don’t turn your back on him, because he will surely stab you in it,” she whispered the last part to me. I took heed of her warning. Crackheads lied about a lot of shit, but she was giving me a warning.

Pulling from her embrace, I looked into her face. “You serious about getting clean, Ma?”

“Yes, De’Maceo. I know I can never make up for what happened to you or the things I did to you, but I would like to be in my grandchildren’s lives. If you don’t want me to be, I completely understand,” she said.

Before I could respond, Mario chimed in. “Why?” his voice pierced the air.

“Why what, De’Marrion?”

“Why the fuck did you sell me to that fucking pimp? Do you know what that nigga did to me? Do you know I still wake up in cold sweats from that shit? Why would you do me like that? I didn’t do a fucking thing to you. I was fucking 7, Ma. Seven! What did I do to deserve that nigga to touch me?”

“Mario, what are you talking about?”

“You sold me to that fucking pimp, Jason! You know who the fuck I’m talking about.”

Her hand shot to her mouth, and she looked at him before approaching him, but he put his hands up, stopping her.

“Mario, he was just supposed to watch you, baby. I had no clue that he had done this to you. Why didn’t you tell me? I would never let somebody harm y’all. I don’t care how bad a mother I was; I never harmed y’all, and neither was anybody else going to. Why didn’t you tell me?” she cried. I could tell that she didn’t know anything had happened to him.

“I hate you! Straight up! I hate you, and I don’t give a fuck what Maceo does about his children, but you can never be around mine. I put that on everything I love. Before you see my kids, they’ll see you in a casket. Trust and believe me. Mace, don’t trust that bitch.”

“De’Marrion, you know I would never hurt you. Have I ever?”

He looked at her with bloodshot eyes. “I hope yo’ ass die. And the day that you die, I’ma spit in yo’ fucking face. I hate you, bitch.” Mario hated to call a female a bitch, and since this was our mother, I knew that he was serious. He turned to leave, but she called out to him.

“De’Marrion, I’m sorry!”

“Yeah, you are a sorry bitch. Mace, I’ll be in the car.”

I nodded at him and waited until the door closed. Mario got his answer, but I wanted the rest of mine. “Where is my pops?”

“I sent him to jail. He didn’t know about you boys. He isn’t even aware that you’re alive. He was in here to visit me awhile ago, but I had nothing to say to him. Don’t trust him, baby. I’ve done a lot wrong, but he’s a snake, baby. I know all about your dealings in the street, son. Be careful because with him out, he’s going to pretend to care, but don’t believe it. He seems genuine at first, but as time goes on, the monster in him surfaces. Watch yo’ back, baby. I love you. Now, go check on your brother,” she told me before I told her I loved her back, then left the room.

She gave me a lot to think about and dwell on. I was going to have Chyla get all the info on him. Something about him didn’t sit right with me a couple of days ago, and it still didn’t. I knew a snake when I saw one, and he was hissing loud as hell.

I took the elevator back up to the ground level, and my mind was clouded with all types of thoughts, but mostly about my brother. He said he was fine, but the rape was still bothering him. I didn’t want to bring it up because he would only lie to me.

Stepping off the elevator, I saw my pops and Mario standing face-to-face, yelling at each other. Rushing over there, I pushed Mario back and stared down my pops. I don’t give a fuck about that nigga like that. It was my brother before anybody.

“Who the fuck are you staring at like that? I don’t give a fuck how much taller you are than me. I’m yo’ daddy; you not mine.”

“I don’t give a fuck who yo’ pussy ass is. My brother is before any nigga on these streets. I don’t give a fuck about what you’re saying or feeling. I’m my brother’s keeper.”

He looked at me, licked his bottom lip, then laughed. “A’ight, you got that. But you can’t always fight his battles.”

“Is that a threat, fuck nigga? Because if it is, I got an extended clip for you and any other bitch-ass nigga that comes for my brother. Speak to my piece and back the fuck up,” I gritted out. He looked at me and bobbed his head.

“I see y’all li’l niggas get yo’ hotheadedness from me, and that’s cool and all, but let that be the last time you threaten me. Son or not, I’ll knock yo’ ass out.”

“Pops or not, I’ll show up at your funeral in white just to show you how I don’t give a fuck. When you speak to my brother, you’re speaking to me. Believe that. Now, what the fuck is going on?”

“I’ll answer that!” Chyla said, stepping forward.

“What’s up, cuz? What happened?”

Mario made a scoffing noise, and I looked at him. He chilled out for a minute but kept mugging our pops.

“Mario doesn’t want to be associated with your father.”

“A’ight. I don’t see the problem. He’s not obligated to get to know no-fucking-body. If he don’t want to, he don’t have to.”

“So, fuck me, huh? I didn’t even know y’all existed. I was robbed of even knowing y’all,” Demarcius said. I looked him up and down, then at Mario.

“That’s a personal problem. I don’t care about you or that bitch that gave birth to me. Mace, I’m in the truck, bro.” Mario walked toward the truck. I looked at my pops, but something about him didn’t sit right with me.

“Aye, cuzzo, let me talk to you real quick.”

She nodded and walked with me. “What’s up, Mace?”

“You getting the same vibe from my pops that I’m getting?”

“I’m already on it. When a man’s handshake don’t match his eyes, I already don’t trust him. He has a secret security detail following him everywhere.”

I bobbed my head, letting what she said sink in. “I want guards watching my mama around the clock. She knows something about that nigga, and I wanna know what it is. She told me not to trust him, and I believe her. She was too scared and shook as she talked about him. Mario don’t even know I don’t trust dude. My mama may have been fucked up, but she would never let anybody harm us; this I know for a fact.”

“I got you, Mace. Get home to Saiyah. Just to let you know, I called dibs on being the godmother. The convention is in a week. I expect you at the round table.”

Shaking my head, I then nodded at Delgado and got in my truck. Mario looked at me and shook his head. Starting the car, I pulled back on the gravel road.

“What’s up, bro? What happened back there?” I asked him.

“I don’t trust that pussy, and neither should you, bro.”

“Oh, trust me, bro. I don’t trust that nigga. He ain’t allowed around us until I got all the facts on him. Something ain’t right about him,” I told Mario.

“True. But drop me off by Erian’s crib. She just told me Saiyah was crying about the pregnancy test. Go talk to her, bro, and be easy on her,” he said to me in a sincere voice.

“I got you, bro. Hopefully, it don’t bring us back to before Macayla. I love that fucking girl too much.”

“I know you do, so be easy on her. She’s scared. Listen before speaking, bro.”

“I hear you, man. I do.”

I drove to Erian’s apartment, and when I got there, I saw Saiyah getting out of the car. Mario looked over at me and shook his head. I wasn’t going to fuck with her. I just wanted to see what was up with my baby. Parking my truck, I got out and walked up behind her. She didn’t even see me.

“Say, Miss Lady. Can I take you on a date tonight?” I could see her cheeks going up in a smile.

“I don’t think I can do that. My man wouldn’t appreciate that.”

I smiled as I licked my lips. “But yo’ man don’t got shi. . .