Gangsta by Monica Walters

Gangsta is a state of mind and a state of being… Everything I do is gangsta.

Joel Knight, although the righthand of a kingpin, is a boss in his own right. Being raised by his father, who was a part of a kingpin’s inner circle, afforded him knowledge of the streets. His name is feared simply because he has followed in his father’s footsteps. He’s never known his mother and has no desire to even know who she is. Recently leaving the game behind and traveling the world, he’s determined to find out what his next steps should be. While in Puerto Rico, he takes part in what he believes is an island rendezvous. However, when he sees her two years later in Houston, she smooths out his rough demeanor and has him questioning life as it is.

I need a gangsta to always be down for me… handling me like I’m the only woman that matters.

Losing her father at a young age, Keondra Mott has learned to make things happen on her own. Observing the code of the streets from the small amount of time she had with him proves to serve her well. She’s a no-nonsense type of woman and feels like if a man can do it, so can she, especially regarding her love life. While she’s looking for love, she’s far from being desperate. She’s about her money and about experiencing the pleasures life has to offer. All that comes to a screeching halt when she reconnects with a fling from a vacation two years prior. While hiding her true emotions to guard her heart, being around him makes her weak.

Gangsta loving at its best… that’s what’s required.

Fighting the feeling is the type of time Joel is on, and Keondra doesn’t mind following suit. He doesn’t know how to accept his emotions for what they are, because he’s always had to be hard and unapproachable. Keondra doesn’t want just another notch on her studded belt, but she refuses to accept his potential to be better and refuses to wait for him to fulfill it. Joel has a decision to make, but will he have the ability to make the right one?