Triggered

by Wjuanae

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

The love story between a good girl and a boss leads them down a triggering path as they face the beautiful and tumultuous facets of love, friendship, and loyalty.

Is true love always meant to be?

Yendi Porter always knew falling in love would be her downfall, and she avoided it at all costs—until she could no longer. Yendi surrenders to love, encountering entanglements that trigger her in the most beautiful and ugliest ways. Sunni Harper, an orphan turned boss, lives a life that the average man would envy. After violently losing his family at a young age, Sunni prioritizes money over everything, leaving no room to take love seriously. 

When Sunni and Yendi's worlds collide, they embark on a passionate journey of self-discovery, upheaval, and betrayal. The once good girl image Yendi maintained becomes tainted as she falls deeper into the fast life. Sunni is left to face his demons while being forced into a position to navigate the same game he vowed never to enter. 

Triggered captures the beautiful and tumultuous facets of love, friendship, and loyalty through the eyes of Yendi and Sunni, as well as those closest to them. Can their love survive the triggering obstacles in their way, or is true love not always meant to be?

Release date: August 26, 2025

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

Prologue

Gripping handfuls of her thick hair, Yendi brought the scissors up and snipped her beautiful tresses from the root. She cut until all her curls were lying in the sink. Staring at her reflection, she knew she’d reached her lowest of lows. She didn’t even recognize the reflection staring back in the mirror. The stray curls on her head were untamed and made her look like a mad woman. Reality finally set in for Yendi; her life was fucked up. Period. She’d cried all she could cry at this point. Something had to give. One wouldn’t believe the crazy shit she’d endured in the last year. She shook her head, thinking about how she had jumped headfirst into a lifestyle she wasn’t built for and the situations she had put herself in that she had no business being in, in the first place.

Her hands gripped the sink so tightly that her knuckles ached. How could I be so stupid? Taking a deep breath, Yendi stood up and mustered whatever strength she had left to make it to her bedroom. Her legs felt like boulders as she put one foot in front of the other. Ten steps. Ten agonizing steps was all it took for her body to find its safe haven—her king-sized mahogany bed. Sighs of relief escaped her lips as her body sank into the plush, therapeutic mattress. The moment of relief was short lived, though. His scent invaded Yendi’s nostrils the way the aroma of Sunday dinner did when entering your grandmother’s home. She couldn’t escape him. It was like life was a constant reminder of him, no matter where she was or what she was doing. Scenes of passionate lovemaking here in these sheets flashed so vividly in her memory that a moan involuntarily escaped her lips. She could feel his touch all over. She hated that she could feel him even when he wasn’t around. That’s the effect he had on her. As Yendi closed her eyes to attempt to sleep and block out the world around her, she found solitude in the fact of knowing he, too, was thinking about her in this exact moment. She was sure her memory would forever be etched in his mind. That’s the type of bond they had. Her thoughts drifted to life before all this chaos, when she was living a simple life as a good girl.

Yendi’s leg tapped impatiently as she leaned on the hostess stand, chopping it up with her coworker, Chelsea. It was incredibly slow for a Friday night. TGI Fridays was a popular spot in Raleigh on the weekends. Friday was usually when she made the most money in tips. Her shift was scheduled to end in an hour, and she’d only made $70. That wasn’t bad, but she usually brought home a couple of hundred dollars on the weekend.

“Yo, Chels, I got the next people that come through the door. I need at least one good table before I go home,” she declared, twirling her pen between her fingers.

“That’s cool. I just want to chill for the rest of the night anyway. I’m tired,” Chelsea replied as she discreetly fingered through text messages on her iPhone. Yendi wasn’t surprised by her answer. Chelsea was a decent worker, but she was just lazy as hell. She blamed it on her three kids, but Yendi knew better. That was her work buddy, though, for sure.

Five minutes later, a group of guys entered the restaurant. Chelsea sat them down for Yendi as she prepared. “It’s five of them in section B. God must have answered your prayer because it’s Dallas and his crew,” Chelsea said, patting her on the back.

Chelsea knew of Dallas through her best friend, Nylah. She was popular and knew all the ballers. Nylah bartended at one of the hottest clubs in Raleigh. Sometimes, she even got paid to host as a bottle girl at events in Greensboro and Charlotte. They were like night and day, but they had ten-plus years down as friends.

Pulling the scrunchie off her wrist, Yendi threw her head down so she could place her wild curls into a bun. She grabbed her favorite pen and five menus and headed toward the table of guys. “Hello, how are y’all doing?” Yendi asked as she placed the menus down in front of each man.

“I’ll be even better when I find out where your pretty ass been hiding all my life.” The light-skinned cutie showed Yendi all thirty-two of his pearly whites. From the chains he was rocking down to the Fendi prints on his shirt, Yendi assumed he was Dallas. He wasn’t as fine as the girls around the way made him seem, but he was easy on the eyes. His boyish features would never reveal his real age of twenty-seven years to a stranger. Yendi didn’t even know his real age. All she knew was Dallas was a “grown man with grown man pockets,” according to Nylah. Yendi blushed at his compliment but didn’t bother to acknowledge it.

“I’m Yendi, and I’ll be your server. I can start with your drinks.”

Dallas and his friends called out their drinks. One of the dudes looked so familiar to Yendi that it was scary. She couldn’t place her finger on where she knew him from. He was so into his phone that he barely looked up to give Yendi a good visual of his face. The question stayed on her mind as she fixed the drinks.

“Aye, Chels, who’s the dude sitting with the white shirt on?”

Chelsea extended her neck so she could get a better view. “I think that’s Sunni,” she replied before going to bust down a table.

It didn’t take Yendi long to figure out the association once Chelsea gave the familiar man a name. “Sunni,” Yendi repeated, smiling at distant memories. The clapping of her supervisor’s hands snapped Yendi back into reality. “Sorry,” she mumbled and turned in the direction of the men.

“Here you go.” She carefully placed each drink down. “Y’all ready to order, or you need more time?”

Two of the men placed orders for appetizers. Sunni’s face remained buried in his phone. She recognized him as an old classmate. His handsome face bore no resemblance to the bucktoothed black boy she once play-fought. Who would have known he’d grow up to be that damn fine? Yendi thought. She wondered if he remembered her also.

“Anything for you?” She turned her attention to Dallas.

Dallas licked his lips and smirked. “I’m trying to get to know you better. You too pretty to be working in a place like this. I’ll boss your life up for real, shorty.” He rubbed his goatee lightly.

Yendi could tell Dallas was used to picking up females easily from the wack-ass game he was spitting. “I’ll pass on that. I prefer to boss my own life up. Thanks.” Yendi smiled politely, turning Dallas down easily. She prided herself on being low-key and fuck-boy free. She was not about to change that for Dallas, no matter how tempting his cute ass sounded.

By this point, Sunni looked up from his phone, and his dark eyes focused on Yendi curiously. She felt her body heat rush from her cheeks to the treasure between her thighs. His dark, ebony skin was rich in pigmentation and glowed effortlessly, like an African king. His jet-black hair hung in dreadlocks at his shoulders. His mouth was full, and his jawline was strong. He could grace the cover of GQ any day. The way his dreads were twisted to perfection, Yendi knew he either had a bomb-ass beautician or a woman at home.

“Let me get an order of hot wings, bone-in,” he finally stated. His voice was deep and commanding, enough to make a woman’s panties soak from speaking alone.

“Oh, okay. Yeah, sure,” Yendi mumbled as she shuffled toward the kitchen to key in their orders. It was as if she were stuck in a trance when she looked into Sunni’s eyes. She was disappointed by the fact that he didn’t seem to remember her.

Chelsea snuck up behind Yendi with a smirk on her face. “Girl, I heard Dallas flirting with you. You better put that pussy on him quick. Snatch his ass while he single. Then when he wife you up, you make sure you come back and bless me for giving you the idea.” She playfully slapped Yendi’s butt.

Yendi shook her head at Chelsea’s foolishness. “Bitch, that’s why you got three kids now,” she joked. “I ain’t checking for him. Sunni would be more my type.”

“Good luck with that, baby girl. He got a bitch at home, and Tangie is really a bitch. She don’t play about him, I heard.” Chelsea killed Yendi’s intentions quickly. Yendi and drama never really went well together. She would rather avoid confrontations at all costs.

“Damn, I guess I can cancel that then.” She pouted as she stared in the direction of the men. They were laughing and carrying on. She observed Dallas and his mannerisms. He was flamboyant and arrogant. From the iced-out jewelry around his neck, Yendi could tell he didn’t believe in letting his money speak for itself. “What’s his deal? He probably only wants to fuck,” Yendi declared as she turned her nose up.

Chelsea shrugged. “Maybe. I know he can fuck with any girl in Raleigh, but he doesn’t just fuck anything like most niggas. Give him a chance. Maybe he can loosen your tight ass up.” She chuckled before walking away.

Yendi sighed heavily as she gave Chelsea’s words some thought. It had been a while since she’d had some male attention in her life. She decided she would give Dallas a little play, but it wouldn’t be easy. She could tell he wasn’t used to chasing. Her mother always told her men were natural hunters when it came to pursuing women. If they really wanted something, they would be willing to put in work for it. And plus, Dallas seemed like the type of guy who would enjoy a chase.

Yendi was relieved when the men finally left. It was nearly 9 p.m., and she was ready to go. Clearing off the table, her mouth dropped as she picked up crisp one-hundred-dollar bills. It looked like each man had left two hundred dollars each. On a napkin, there was a handwritten note that read:

You should be spoiled every day. I’ll do that for you. HMU beautiful 919-555-2880.

Yendi blushed at the note and placed it in her back pocket. Without a doubt, this was the biggest tip she’d ever received. She had to break bread with Chelsea before she left; it was only right. That’s how they operated.

“For you, mama.” Yendi found Chelsea and placed two hundred-dollar bills in her hands.

“Yes, bless me,” Chelsea responded jokingly. She was sure Dallas and his boys would tip nicely, but damn, if Yendi came off a whole $200 for her, she knew there was more where that came from.

“There’s plenty more where that came from. You can have it all if you play your cards right.” Chelsea gave her a wink. “Good night, baby girl. Make it home safely.”

Yendi didn’t know why she let Nylah talk her into going out. Clubbing really wasn’t Yendi’s steelo. She was what most would call introverted. In large crowds, she got irritated easily. Yet, they were standing in line outside Paris Lounge, one of Raleigh’s hottest hip-hop clubs. It was the middle of February, and Yendi was damn near freezing in her mini dress from Fashion Nova and peep-toe heels.

“Nylah, I’m about to go. I thought you said we didn’t have to wait in line.” Yendi rolled her eyes, shifting her weight from her right leg to the left.

“My homeboy didn’t come through with my booth.” Nylah sucked her teeth. Moneybagg Yo was tonight’s special guest, and all the booths were already sold out. “Just chill. You look good as fuck, bitch. Go with the flow and enjoy the night,” Nylah urged. “Once we get in, I’ll find someone with a booth we can chill with.”

Yendi rolled her eyes again and shook her head. The group of guys standing behind them had already annoyed her by trying to get her number. She was over it at this point. Security motioned for everyone to move closer to the wall to make way for VIP guests to come through. A smirk graced Yendi’s lips when she spotted Dallas and his entourage making their way up the stairs. Dallas wore a Balenciaga t-shirt, a black Margiela puffer jacket, and a crisp pair of Balenciaga sneakers to match. Three diamond chains rested on his neck, and a pair of gold slugs left his mouth shining. His appearance had females screaming his name, ready to drop their panties. They had that nigga feeling like a celebrity or hood royalty. Yendi wasn’t impressed, though.

Nylah nudged her and nodded to Dallas. “There go ya boy. Tell him to get us in.”

“I don’t know him like that,” Yendi replied as the entourage got closer to their spot in line.

“Yendi, come on.” Nylah groaned with a sly look on her face. “I know you cold.”

She sighed, regretting even telling Nylah the story of how she met Dallas. Nylah wasn’t going to shut up until they were in the club, so Yendi gave in. “Hey Dallas,” Yendi called out just as he was passing by.

“Yendi, right?” he asked, sizing her up. She could smell the liquor and aroma of weed on Dallas. His red, glossy eyes confirmed that he was high. Her attire was completely different from her work uniform, but her hair was in the same bun. “Damn, yeen never call a nigga.” He laughed, bringing Yendi into a tight hug. His cologne was intoxicating, and she knew it had to be expensive. Her dad wore expensive fragrances exactly like it. Yendi was surprised he took the time out to buy and wear cologne. Most of the young men she dealt with didn’t.

“It slipped my mind,” Yendi replied nervously. “This is my friend, Nylah,” she said, pointing to Nylah.

Dallas gave Nylah a nod but never took his focus off Yendi. “Y’all tryna kick it with us tonight?” he asked as if he were reading their minds.

“Hell yeah,” Nylah answered with no hesitation.

Still staring down at her, Dallas waited on Yendi’s response.

“It would be nice to get out of this line.” Yendi slightly blushed. The way he was looking at her made Yendi feel like she was naked under a microscope. She pulled down her dress and smoothed out the back of her bun. Suddenly, she was starting to feel insecure about her appearance.

“You look even better out of the uniform,” Dallas said, throwing his arm around Yendi’s shoulder and leading them to the club entrance.

“Look how bitches looking at us,” Nylah snickered. She loved being in the limelight. If Yendi weren’t Nylah’s friend, she would probably have tried to get Dallas all for herself.

Yendi looked around to notice the stares of jealousy from random females. Dallas reveled in the attention and love he received in the club. Women came up to him and openly flirted as if Yendi weren’t even there. Of course, she didn’t trip because she wasn’t even his girl and wasn’t sure if she was feeling him.

“Wassup, brodie.” Sunni approached Dallas and gave him their personal handshake. He was dressed in all black, and a single gold chain hung from his neck. He was looking edible with his man bun full of dreads.

“What’s good, bro.” Dallas handed Sunni a bottle of Hennessy.

Sunni shook his head as he held up a rolled blunt. Yendi assumed it was because he did not drink alcohol.

“What you ladies drinking on?” Dallas yelled over the music as they settled into his booth.

“I’ll take some of that Henny.” Nylah reached for the bottle and poured herself three shots’ worth in her plastic cup.

“I’m good,” Yendi declined as she sat down. Dallas was to her left, and Sunni was to her right. Nylah sat to the right of Sunni, and to the right of her were more of Dallas’s associates.

Nylah sucked her teeth. “Girl, loosen up. For once in your life, live a little. Tell her, Dallas.”

Yendi shrank in embarrassment. Nylah always put the spotlight on Yendi. She knew Yendi didn’t fuck with alcohol like that, let alone hard liquor. Yendi hated when her friend was pushy.

“Have a drink. Or not. You can order whatever. On my tab,” Dallas simply replied, not pushing the issue.

Yendi nodded and poured herself a cup full of rosé, just to get Nylah off her back. Nylah’s idea of having a good time involved getting drunk and not being able to remember the events that unfolded the next day.

“You smoke?” Sunni’s deep baritone whispered in Yendi’s ear.

Eyes wide, Yendi nodded, surprised Sunni was speaking to her. “I do.” She laughed slightly. She figured he understood the pressure when it came to alcohol. “I think we went to school together. Junior high,” she said after hitting the blunt.

Sunni nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I remember. You had more hair than body then.” A small smile graced his lips.

Yendi chuckled because she was known for her huge puffball in middle school. Unlike Nylah and most of her classmates, Yendi was a late bloomer. Now she had hips for days.

“She still wild?” Sunni asked, nodding toward Nylah twerking on the dance floor.

“You gotta ask?” Yendi replied, laughing. Anyone who knew Nylah knew she was a wild child. Yendi got used to Nylah being the center of attention whenever they went out. “I never expected you to be slumming it around here. I always imagined you being a rich-ass Wall Street executive or something,” Yendi admitted. She recalled Sunni’s brilliance in school.

“And I never imagined you to be slumming it with a nigga like Dallas,” Sunni countered. “But time changes things.”

Yendi’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean any offense.” She brought the glass of rosé to her lips and took a gulp.

Sunni chuckled lightly. “Neither did I.” His attention shifted to a female in a white dress who was approaching them. He stood to meet the girl before she got within earshot.

Yendi surmised it was his girlfriend from the way they embraced. The woman was looking directly at Yendi over Sunni’s shoulder, and she could feel the jealous vibes. Yendi hated confrontation, so she hoped Sunni could keep his girl in check. It wasn’t like they had anything to hide anyway. She sipped more of her drink and moved closer to Dallas. He was occupied by two strippers dancing on him. A stack of dollar bills sat at his feet as he made the money rain down on the big-booty stripper. Yendi rolled her eyes at Dallas and his antics. He wasn’t paying Yendi any mind, and Sunni’s girlfriend was occasionally looking in her direction.

“You want a stack?” Dallas asked as he held a stack of five hundred ones in front of Yendi. She shook her head no. “C’mon. I can’t throw all of this by myself.” He placed the stack in her hands and pulled Yendi between his legs. “Here, like this.” He held her wrists and moved her hand until she was throwing the money in a rhythmic motion. “There you go.” He laughed as Yendi threw dollar after dollar.

The strippers were surprisingly friendly and didn’t smell stank. She figured they had to be the best Paris Lounge had to offer since they were in Dallas’s section. “Is this what you do every weekend?” Yendi asked over the music.

Smirking, Dallas motioned for the strippers to leave. “This is just a pastime. I like to turn up and have a good time when I’m out. Because when it’s time for business, that’s all I give my attention to,” he explained. “Business can get boring. I like excitement.”

Yendi nodded. She wondered what a man like Dallas liked to do in his downtime if he wasn’t partying. He’s probably just another shallow-ass nigga, Yendi thought. On the surface, all Dallas had to offer was money and looks. From what Yendi saw, there was no depth to him.

“Sounds fun,” Yendi replied unenthusiastically.

Nylah had talked her into fucking with Dallas, and now she had disappeared into the crowd with a nigga. Yendi wasn’t surprised because that was Nylah’s M.O. There was always a new nigga with a long bankroll that she fucked with. Her niggas were friendly with their bread, and Nylah always looked out for Yendi. Although she wasn’t hurting for money because her parents were loaded, Yendi liked making her own money and spending others’ when they offered.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she told Dallas.

“A’ight, don’t take too long. Moneybagg ’bout to perform. I want your pretty ass front and center.”

Yendi rolled her eyes, something she’d been doing a lot tonight, and smoothed her dress while standing. She didn’t feel how tipsy she was until she had to push through the thick crowd of people. It was hot as fuck, and the niggas were like vultures on her.

“Excuse me,” she snapped as she pushed by a nigga trying to spit game.

BLAT, BLAT, BLAT!

Shots fired in the club, causing everyone to scatter like roaches. It was a frenzy as people pushed and shoved their way through. Yendi wanted to piss herself. One, because she’d never been that close to gunshots before. Two, because she didn’t see anyone she recognized in the crowd. Panic consumed her.

BLAT, BLAT!

Two more shots rang out. Wherever the shooter was, he didn’t sound too far from Yendi. The club instantly shrank before her eyes as hundreds of people rushed the front entrance. A push from behind caused Yendi’s face to meet the concrete floor of the club. A throbbing sensation filled her head as she touched the warm, wet blood dripping from her forehead. She tried to stand but was met with a heavy foot to the back. Gritting her teeth in pain, Yendi got up swinging this time. The next person who tried to step on her would receive her mean right hook.

“Whoa, chill, Yendi Balboa! You good?” Sunni gently grabbed Yendi by her shoulders. He touched the wound on her forehead with a sympathetic look. “Where Dallas and Nylah?”

Yendi shrugged her shoulders as tears filled her eyes. Her head was on ten, and she was beyond irritated. “I just want to go home.” Her voice quivered.

“Okay,” Sunni said gently. He rested his hand on the small of her back as they maneuvered through the now diminishing crowd. He couldn’t believe her homegirl had left her and Dallas let her out of his sight. He was thankful he had told his shorty to leave the party early.

“Where your whip?” he asked as they stood in the parking lot.

“I rode with Nylah.” Yendi instantly regretted not driving her own car. Nylah wasn’t dependable, but Yendi never imagined Nylah leaving her hanging with imminent danger lingering.

Sunni opened his mouth to speak but closed it instead and shook his head. “I’ll get you home safely,” his smooth baritone assured her.

“What about your girl?” Yendi asked. The last thing she wanted was for Sunni’s girl to come at her on some hot shit.

“She would want me to get you home safely,” he replied honestly. Tangie was a little jealous at times, but she’d never stop Sunni from helping a person in need. His selflessness was what she loved most about Sunni,.

Yendi clicked her tongue against her teeth and rolled her eyes. She wanted someone to take her attitude out on, and Sunni’s girlfriend was an easy target. “From the way she was grilling me, I find that hard to believe.” Her radar for mad bitches was always on point, and the vibe from Tangie spoke volumes.

Sunni chuckled as they climbed into his Mercedes Benz. Females, he thought. They could sometimes be such catty beings, especially when a man was involved. “She’s not used to seeing a pretty girl by my side in the club if it ain’t her. She knows you checking for Dallas, though.”

“Tsk.” It would be a cold day in hell before Yendi even thought about Dallas. “He can go check for the next chick. I don’t need a man who’ll leave me in the club like that. He doesn’t even deserve my time,” Yendi stated. She also caught the small compliment Sunni had paid her.

You right, Sunni thought, but he didn’t voice his opinion. He was sure Dallas would find some clever way back into Yendi’s life. He’d seen it too many times before. Dallas kept a new chick on his roster every few months. He never committed to any of them. Each time he found a way to hurt the girls, they would find every excuse to forgive and take Dallas back. He assumed Yendi would be no different. Sunni kept his assumptions to himself, though. He let the serene voice of Lauryn Hill mellow them out. Sometimes, Sunni needed a mental break from his usual playlist of rap music, and the queen’s lyrics offered the perfect mental getaway.

Nothing even matters, at all.

“This is my spot, on the right.” Yendi nodded her head to the high-rise apartment complex. She’d never met a man who liked to vibe to Lauryn Hill on the regular, let alone R&B. She dug that shit.

Sunni pulled the car curbside and cut the engine. “You make sure to tell Nylah that it was foul to leave you. Friends don’t do shit like that,” Sunni stated as he opened the passenger door for Yendi. He touched the wound on her head affectionately. Yendi shifted her face uncomfortably. Sunni caught himself and pulled his hand away. “My bad. You need to get that cleaned up.”

Yendi smiled lightly. She didn’t want to tell Sunni that every time he made physical contact with her, it was like bolts of lightning shot through her body. She’d never felt anything like it before. Looking into his eyes, she knew he felt the same thing. “I will. Good night, Sunni. Thanks for the ride.” Yendi gave him a half smile before disappearing through the complex’s double doors.

“Yendi, I’m so sorry for leaving you like that. I thought Sunni or Dallas had you,” Nylah said, pleading her case the following morning over a FaceTime call.

“Girl, save it. If it wasn’t for Sunni, I would have gotten trampled like fucking roadkill. Shit is not cool. To make matters worse, you left me for some dick. I could have been seriously hurt! I never even wanted to go out in the first place.”

“You act like I put a gun to your head, or that I shot up the club! Why am I always the bad guy when things go left?” Nylah indignantly defended herself.

This bitch will never get it, Yendi thought as she sucked her teeth. “You know what? You’re right. How can I expect someone who is as self-absorbed as you to understand the principle of it all? Forget I even said anything. I’ll talk to you later.” Yendi rolled her eyes.

“Yendi!” Nylah exclaimed before meeting the dial tone. She called back several times, but Yendi ignored every call. She didn’t have the time or energy to teach a grown woman how to be a friend.

The ringing of Yendi’s phone agitated her even more. She answered quickly, ready to curse Nylah out. “What now, bitch?!”

“Whoaaa.” The male voice on the other end said, “That’s no way to greet a man trying to take you out.”

Yendi rolled her eyes as she realized who was calling. “How did you get my number, Dallas?”

“I have my ways.”

“Oh, yeah, like leaving me hanging in the club?” she shot back sarcastically.

“Nah, that was a mistake. Everything happened so fast. I looked for you by the bathroom. I looked for your ass about ten minutes before I dipped. Let me take you out and make it up to you.”

Yendi bit her bottom lip lightly, debating on forgiving Dallas. “I forgive you, but I have to decline your date. I’m working all week. If you want to see me, that’s where you can find me.”

“All right, Yendi. I’m on whatever you on. You’ll see me real soon.”

Yendi hung up the phone instead of replying. She figured Dallas would give up and pursue another girl if she didn’t show interest, but Dallas liked the chase. It had been a while since any female turned him down. Yendi wasn’t with the hype, and Dallas liked that about her. She wasn’t like the usual gold-digging chick who had to be on every scene and fucked with all the balling niggas. Yendi was aware of his street status and still wasn’t impressed, which meant she couldn’t be bought or sold by any man. That was the type of woman he needed in his life.

The workday seemed to be dragging along for Yendi. She was working at her second job today as an assistant at Raleigh’s Audi dealership. Her dad got her the job because he was an old friend of the owner. She worked there part-time, and the pay was nice. It compensated enough to cover all her bills and allowed her to use her money from waitressing as a cushion. Yendi’s parents paid her rent, car note, and car insurance faithfully every month, leaving her to manage the smaller bills. Her father, Alphonso, was a businessman specializing in real estate investing. Her Filipino mother, Kimmi, owned five nail salons and spas across the tri-state area.

Yendi had watched her parents grind for everything they possessed today. Alphonso grew up poor in the rural town of Roanoke Rapids, NC, while Kimmi was raised by immigrant parents who barely spoke English. They both came from nothing. Yendi was their only child, so they unintentionally sheltered her from the world while she was growing up. It was the reason Yendi moved out after she graduated from high school. She wanted to be independent and find herself, in all aspects. Alphonso and Kimmi respected her decision, and they supported her financially, despite Yendi’s protests.

“Well, you get more interesting by the day.” Dallas’s voice interrupted Yendi’s thoughts.

“What? You checking for me now?” she joked with a smile on her face. She observed Dallas wearing a gray Nike sweatsuit with a pair of Jordan Cool Grey 9s. Two gold chains rested around his neck, but her eyes centered on the bulge resting between his legs. I know he ain’t packing like that, she thought incredulously.

Clearing her throat, Yendi smoothed the back of her bun out. “How can I help you?”

Dallas smirked, cognizant of what Yendi was thinking. “I was passing through, getting an oil change.” He nodded outside to his all-black Audi A7. “Then I spot you. . .