Hakeem & Tasia : A Brick City Love Story (Hakeem & Tasia #1)

Hakeem was an all American Ball player who had offers for a full ride to just about every Division 1 School across the country but when his parents died in a fatal car accident leaving him to care for himself and his twelve year old sister everting in his life changed. Seven years later Hakeem was a senior at Essex County College and his sister Kaliyah was about to graduate from high school and Hakeem had been supporting him and his sister by working for Simuel a local drug dealer.
With ball, school and being on the block Hakeem had very little time for anything that wasn’t a priority like making money and taking care of his sister so even though he wanted Tasia in his life he kept his distance. Hakeem didn’t want to bring her into his world and not be able to give her the time and attention he deserved especially now that Simuel was stepping down and offering his empire to Hakeem and his best friend and Jodie. Jodie and Hakeem began as runners and corner boys so for Simuel to respect them enough to allow them to take over for him was an offer that neither of them could refuse.
The two of them graciously accepted knowing that here would be fall out form people who had a lot more history with Simuel’s organization than they did. Running and empire would require a lot more time than running a block but Hakeem and Jodi are determined to make it work. Now if only they can keep things moving with Juice and Rock plotting against them from the inside since they felt like they should have been the obvious choice to run Simuels Empire. Rock and Juice had been right there by Simuel’s side living in his shadow so when Simuel named Jody and Hakeem as the next in line Juice and Rock began plotting to prove that Simuel made a huge mistake. Will Hakeem and Jodie be able to stay ahead of the gam or will rock and Juice catch them slipping and take over.
Taisa had been in love with Hakeem since freshman year when he came strolling in her Lit class taking the seat that she had already claimed but through the years they never seemed to be able to find their way to each other. Now months away from graduation a Tasia has an encounter which causing Hakeem to place Taisa under his protect. They start spending a lot of time together making it hard for them to deny their feelings but for as long as Tasia cold remember she has had dreams of being a fashion designer so before the ink is dry on her diploma Taisa plans on moving to New York to make that happen. Will she be able to give up any chance of a future with Hakeem to pursue her dream? Tasia knows that Hakeem will never leave the streets alone especially now that he has agreed to take over for Simuel so she has a tough choice to make which could lead to her losing the love of her life.