When A Real Man Loves You

By Regina Swanson

Selena Mathis fell head over heels for Theo Carter. She went into the relationship well aware of his first family. His vow to love and cherish her regardless of his situation showed her how it feels when a real man loves a real woman. When Theo unexpectedly dies in a suspicious house fire, Selena shuts herself off from loving again and focuses only on raising her two daughters.


Zell, Selena’s oldest daughter, can be a handful. She reminds Selena of herself at the age of eighteen. Zell is hell bent on learning things the hard way. As much as Selena tries to shield her from loving the wrong man, Zell has her own idea of what a real man does for a real woman. Although her mom and sister have always thought she was the strong one, circumstances involving her current boyfriend send her into a position of needing someone to build her back up again. 


Boz is the youngest of Selena and Theo’s girls. She’s the complete opposite of her sister. She doesn’t have time to think about boys or anything other than making the best grades and getting into a good college. Boz, being the softer of the sisters, is used to Zell stepping in to fight her battles against those who choose to treat her with anything other than respect. Boz’s plan to stay focused on what’s most important to her begins to unravel when she meets her first love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Royalty Publishing House
• Release date: Nov 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781648405228

Book preview

When A Real Man Loves YouWhen A Real Man Loves You

Contents

Synopsis

Prologue

1. Boz

2. Selena

3. Jersey

4. Zell

5. Boz

6. Zell

7. Boz

8. Zell

9. Selena

10. Boz

11. Zell

12. Selena

13. Boz

14. Selena

15. Jersey

16. Zell

17. Selena

18. Jersey

19. Boz

20. Selena

21. Zell

22. Boz

23. Jersey

24. Selena

25. Zell

26. Boz

27. Jersey

28. Selena

29. Zell

30. Boz

31. Jersey

32. Selena

33. Zell

Get a FIRST Look!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Pre-Order Your Copy Now!

Read More on the LiT Reading App!

Join Our Mailing List!

© 2018 Royalty Publishing House

Published by Royalty Publishing House

www.royaltypublishinghouse.com

---

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Any unauthorized reprint or use of the material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage without express permission by the author or publisher. This is an original work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Contains explicit language & adult themes suitable for ages 16+ only.

Selena Mathis fell head over heels for Theo Carter. She went into the relationship well aware of his first family. His vow to love and cherish her regardless of his situation showed her how it feels when a real man loves a real woman. When Theo unexpectedly dies in a suspicious house fire, Selena shuts herself off from loving again and focuses only on raising her two daughters.

Zell, Selena’s oldest daughter, can be a handful. She reminds Selena of herself at the age of eighteen. Zell is hell bent on learning things the hard way. As much as Selena tries to shield her from loving the wrong man, Zell has her own idea of what a real man does for a real woman. Although her mom and sister have always thought she was the strong one, circumstances involving her current boyfriend send her into a position of needing someone to build her back up again.

Boz is the youngest of Selena and Theo’s girls. She’s the complete opposite of her sister. She doesn’t have time to think about boys or anything other than making the best grades and getting into a good college. Boz, being the softer of the sisters, is used to Zell stepping in to fight her battles against those who choose to treat her with anything other than respect. Boz’s plan to stay focused on what’s most important to her begins to unravel when she meets her first love.

When a Real Man Loves You tells the story of a single mom raising her girls without the positive influence of a male to teach them what to expect from the men they choose to date. Selena, Zell & Boz are prepared to let you take a look inside their personal lives and give them the advice they need to find the love they desire.

Boz sprinted down the street, rushed to her front door and swung it open so hard and fast that the little old house that she lived in with her mother and sister rattled like it was about to fall.

Mom, Boz screamed.

Selena came running into the living room wondering what was going on. As soon as Boz saw her mother she threw herself into her arms and bawled as though she were experiencing the worst pain that her little ten-year-old body had ever felt.

Boz what’s the matter? Selena asked, already suspecting that it had to do with those little nappy-headed girls in Boz’s class. Selena couldn’t wait to pack up her girls and get the hell up out of East Dallas. Although she was grateful for the house that her grandfather had left to her, dealing with the people that lived there and their kids who went to school with her girls wasn’t even worth it.

Boz tried her best to get her words out through her sobs and tears. Selena couldn’t make out a word that she was saying but already suspected that it had to do with the nappy heads or that Jenkins girl that lived two houses down. Natasha Jenkins was always saying or doing something to Boz when her sister wasn’t around.

Where’s Zell? Selena asked. Before Boz could answer Zell came bursting through the door panting like she’d just run ten miles.

Dang Boz, do you have to run so damn fast?

Watch your mouth girl, Selena told her.

Sorry Momma, Zell breathed. But I been trying to catch up to her for the last three blocks.

What happened? Selena asked.

Natasha Jenkins told Boz that if slavery was still going on she would be picking cotton and I would be working as a house nigga, Zell explained. And then she told her she must be adopted because she the blackest one in our family.

Am I adopted Momma? Boz cried.

Hell no, Selena spoke. "How the hell would you be adopted when you look just like

Zell?"

It was true. Boz and Zell had the same everything except Boz was milk chocolate and Zell was creamy vanilla. Once you got past the color, there was no way you couldn’t see that they were sisters.

Selena was pissed. She was tired of hearing people comparing her girls’ skin tones and making Boz feel bad about her complexion being darker than her sister’s. Boz was the prettiest little girl she had ever laid eyes on including light complexion, dark complexion, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian and any other skin tone that she had seen. Her skin was so smooth and natural looking that people compared it to the color of a Hershey’s bar. Boz just didn’t know her beauty yet. As much as Selena told both her girls how beautiful they were daily, evil ass people in the world told them different. Zell, on the other hand, had it going on from head to toe, just like Boz, and she knew it. That girl’s self-esteem was through the roof. Selena wasn’t worried one bit about Zell letting anybody treat her less than. But Boz was a major concern. She hoped that Boz would grow out this phase and start to be more confident in herself.

And where were you when all this was being said? Selena turned to Zell. Zell was still panting. She was the most unathletic of the sisters.

I was coming from my locker when Reese ran up to me to tell me what was happening.

And what did you do? Selena asked, already knowing that Zell probably handled

Natasha. Zell was just as protective of her little sister as Selena was.

I didn’t ask no questions. I just walked right up to Natasha and busted her ass dead in her mouth.

Ouch, Zell cried out as Selena picked up a brush, threw it and connected with Zell’s head. Boz laughed out loud.

Oh, so I’m taking up for you and you gone laugh at me? Zell smiled. She was glad that her sister was feeling better.

I’m not going to keep telling you to watch your damn mouth, Selena fussed at Zell. Next time, I’m taking a belt to your behind.

Selena was glad that Zell had handled Natasha. She knew that she would. But it was like Natasha wanted Zell to go after her at least once a week. She knew that Zell didn’t play about her little sister. Yet and still, she had to do or say something every week to Boz and get the shit kicked out of her by Zell. I just wish that Boz would take up for herself. Kids won’t leave you alone until you knock them flat on their asses, Selena thought.

Zell walked over, sat down, and put her arm around her sister. You know I got your back Boz. No matter what happens, I am always going to be looking out for you.

Selena smiled; she loved her daughters and she loved their relationship. She thought about her own sister. It was the total opposite of the relationship that she had growing up. Her big sister was a bully and she bullied any and everybody including Selena. Selena didn’t like talking about Karey. She honestly hated Karey. Anytime the girls asked about her sister she masterfully changed the subject. Although they were older women now, Selena still held on to the resentment that she felt all those years ago for her sister. The shit that Karey had done was unforgivable.

Selena prayed that her girls would never find out about the low down, dirty, trifling shit Karey had done. It was a time that she never wanted to relive.

Jersey sat in the corner next to his grandmother. Blinded by his anger he couldn’t think straight. His grandmother had her head bowed and hands clasped together resting them on her heart. Jersey knew she was praying. She was what church people called prayer warriors. She, along with his mother, had taught him to pray. God answers prayers. Right now, Jersey was praying for the two fools that were ransacking the home he’d shared with his mother and grandmother to turn their heads long enough for him to reach under the couch and grab the shotgun he kept hidden there.

It had been just one week since they’d laid his mother to rest. After four years of fighting cancer, her body had finally succumbed to the disease. The assholes that were invading Jersey’s home knew this and assumed there was some cash stashed in the house somewhere from his mom’s insurance policy. Both Jersey and his grandmother told them there was no money hidden in the house. They didn’t believe them and continued pulling out drawers, turning over mattresses and flipping chairs upside down.

Both the men had masks covering their faces which made Jersey believe he probably knew who they were. Plus, they knew his mother had just died, not to mention they did get money from an insurance policy. But that money was in the bank where most people kept their money. Not hidden in a drawer so stupid ass people could break in your house and steal it.

While one of the men held a gun pointed at Jersey and his grandmother, the other man continued tearing up everything in his sight looking for money that wasn’t there. Jersey was thinking about what they might try to do when they finally realized there was no money to find. Jersey was watching the gunman like a hawk waiting for that one split second to make his move.

Before Jersey had the chance to take control of the situation, things took a drastic turn. He broke his gaze with the gunman as he caught the sight of his grandmother’s body slumping to the floor. This time, instead of her hands being clamped together in a praying position, her right hand seemed to clutch at her heart.

Gram, Jersey called as he quickly moved over to her side. He ignored the gunman as he told him not to move. Gram, he called again. Jersey moved his ear down near his grandmother’s mouth to check if she was breathing. Gram, Jersey yelled.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jersey could see the shotgun as it rested beneath the couch. Moving on adrenaline, he swiftly reached and pulled the gun out. It must have startled the gunman. He fell back into the wall without being provoked. It was enough time for Jersey to flip the safety latch, slid the pump back and shoot. The 12-gauge shotgun had been passed down to him when his grandfather died. When the second gunman rushed into the room to see what was happening, Jersey slid the pump back for a second time and filled his body with lead.

As soon as the second man’s body hit the floor, Jersey rushed to the phone to call for an ambulance. The 911 operator asked question after question and gave him detailed instructions on how to perform CPR on his grandmother. By the time the ambulance arrived to take over for him, it was too late. His grandmother had died from a heart attack.

The police arrived almost at the same time as the ambulance. When they pulled the masks off the gunmen, Jersey recognized them both. Frick and Frack was what people in the neighborhood called them. They had hung out in front of the corner store every day for as long as Jersey could remember. He, his mom and even his grandmother had given the two spare change from time to time.

Fourteen-year-old Jersey had lost his mother and grandmother almost in the same week.

Six Years Later

Boz bounced in the house without a care in the world. Hey Momma, she spoke as she walked over to her Mom and kissed her on the cheek.

Hey baby, Selena spoke back. Where’s your sister?

She’s coming. You know she walks slow as hell… heck, Boz corrected herself as her mother was giving her the side eye. One thing she grew up knowing was that her mother didn’t tolerate disrespect from anybody, especially not her kids. While Boz abided by this rule easily, Zell was slow to learn and had the occasional scars on her body to prove it.

How was school today?

It was good, Boz responded.

Pre-Cal? Selena asked.

Boring as usual. I wish I could just test out and be done with it already, Boz complained.

"I know baby, but the counselor said they don’t have anybody to teach you at the next

level."

Boz didn’t respond; she already knew what her mother was saying. But it still didn’t keep her from being frustrated. School was so easy for Boz. She breezed through all her classes without having to put very much time into studying. She had a photographic memory and an analytical brain to match. Every counselor that Boz had since she was in middle school tried to get Selena to send her to one of those expensive prep schools on the other side of town. They’d each offered her full tuition scholarships, but Selena had refused each of them wanting her girls to stay together for as long as they could. She knew that Zell would graduate soon, and they’d have to be apart, but until that day she resolved to keep them together.

Boz looked out the window and saw Zell. She looked back at her mother to see where she was standing. She hoped she didn’t get close to any of the windows. She couldn’t believe Zell had let Damon drive her all the way to their house. She knew their mother hated Damon and would be pissed if she saw Zell getting out of his car.

Momma, can you help me look for my English Lit book? I couldn’t find it this morning before school, Boz asked.

Sure baby, Selena responded. Where did you have it last?

I think I had it in your room a few days ago, Boz lied. Selena’s room was at the back of the house with no view of the front yard. I was studying for my Lit test.

Ok sweetie, I’ll go look, Selena told Boz.

Boz rushed to the front door as soon as Selena left the room. She ran out and over to Damon’s car. She rolled her eyes at the sight of her sister tonguing down Damon.

Zell, Boz snapped and banged on the car door at the same time.

Damn Boz, Zell jumped. I thought you were Momma.