The Cost of Love

By Breanna J Miller Marshall

They tell you that love is the objective of the game, if many of us knew the obstacles, we wouldn’t play with or against the members we have to play with, but they never tell you that or how much it’s going to cost you to play or to advance to the next level of falling in love, staying in love, or defending your love against everyone

• Language: English
• Publisher: Epic Dynasty Publishing
• Release date: Nov 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781731539496

Book preview

The COST of

Love

Volume 1

A book of Urban Short stories

By

Breanna J.

Tell me what you thought about my book.

Contact Info

[e-mail]

Copyright 2018

Published by Epic dynasty Publishing LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual event, real people, living or dead or to real locals are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents are entirely coincidental.

Address:

Email: [e-mail]

Publisher: Epic Dynasty Publishing

Book Cover Designed by: Bryant Sparks

Edited By: Tabitha Sharpe

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the twenty thousand followers that follow me on Facebook.

I love you all.

Table of Contents

Untold Stories of the Heart

The Story of: Candice and Jyreese

Love and Betrayal

The Story of: Ashley, Marcus and Robin

Love Will

The Story of: Ciara and Jarrell

Grass on the other side

The story of: Brook, Tip and Sydney

Birthing a Change

The Story of: Karmen and Knowledge

Love Wins

The Story of: Karmen and Latoya

Deadly Choices

The Story of: Chastity and Deonte

Imperfection

The story of : Yasmine and Jerome

Intro

They tell you that love is the objective of the game, if many of us knew the obstacles, we wouldn’t play with or against the members we have to play with, but they never tell you that or how much it’s going to cost you to play or to advance to the next level of falling in love, staying in love, or defending your love against everyone. They never even tell you that like some board games, you could be sent back to the starting line. Some say it’s worth getting in the game and going through the test and trials, but others walk away saying they are better off without it because they can’t afford the cost of it. Each person is different; some cheat their way through the game not caring who they hurt because all they care about is winning without having the right prize in mind. One thing is for sure, the game is the same for every player, but the outlook each player has of it is where you separate the beginners from intermediates to experts. Don’t believe me? Come and journey with me and find out how much the game of love costs these characters and what characters are playing on a beginner’s level while facing people on an expert level.   

You will be first introduced to Candice and Jyreese. Like most women, Candice is playing the game with her heart instead of her head, and with Jyreese playing real messy because he has his own definition of winning, she’s not sure if she ends up being the winner or the player in the worst situation. When the game becomes heart and love over what your mind is telling you is wrong, freedom gets taken away.

When you leave Candice and Jyreese, you will meet Ashely, Marcus, and Robin. Marcus may be an expert player in his mind, but his methods may cost him the most important prize of all in any real man’s life, but it’s not all his fault. When the other team plays foul, he has no choice but to admit his cheating habits. With Robin leading the other team and having way more to lose if this game does not work out in her favor, it won’t be just her affected, so she shows up and shakes up Marcus’ world when she decides to put his game on blast because she isn’t as comfortable as she used to be with her role on the team when her role gets another person added to it.

If that team isn’t crazy enough for you, Ciarra and Jarrell’s story will possibly have you on the edge of your seat because love will cause one of them to leave the game in a way you won’t believe. But with every game comes a surprise, and the last standing member in this game might get hit with the biggest one of their life.

Then, there’s Brook, Sydney, and Tip; and if you like drama, this is the team for you. Tip is the furthest thing from a team player, and when the game doesn’t go his way, he will throw the biggest tantrum, but Brook is not happy with the position Tip gave her, so she decides to take matters in her own hands and change the roster and make herself Tip’s leading player. Instead of filling Tip in on her plans, she secretly starts to lead the team instead of following the rules that Tip gave her, and he makes her pay for changing his winning team.

Then we find out that Tip is not the only person that likes to play the game his way and his way only, we meet Karmen, Knowledge, and Latoya. Knowledge demands to be nothing less than the coach of the team so he can control the players and how many are on the team, but Karmen refuses to be anything less than the M.V.P on Knowledge’s team, but Latoya and Karmen have one thing in common, and that’s that Knowledge will add new members to the team, but if they aren’t who he wanted, he will leave the whole team instead of making the best of the members he has. With two new members on the team and Knowledge refusing to be a team member any more, Karmen and Latoya pull together and find happiness and find peace in each other when most people would have expected them not to get along because of their situation.

Next, we meet Chasity and Deonte; they enter the game with two entirely different outlooks. With Chasity only being a young, teenage girl and Deonte being in his twenties, he is playing for the pureness of her heart when she is too young to see it because she is focused on the money and what she thinks would be a better life, but when the revenue looks better on another team, Chasity tries to grow up too quickly, lying about her age and finds out there is more to life than the love of money. But by the time she realizes what she had, it’s way too late.

    Finally, we end with our last team: Yasmine and Jerome; Yasmine is what we call a seasoned player, and after being on a few teams and finding out they were entirely wrong for her; she jumped at the fact of a team with Jerome without doing her research on the team and its members.  But what she didn’t take time to find out ended up finding her and meeting her at her front door and completely knocking her off her game. Even when she can see how wrong things are, Yasmine plays right into Jerome’s hands because she doesn’t want to start over. This game quickly becomes more of a mind game than anything, and Yasmine is forced to prove her love. 

Untold Stories of the Heart

The Story of: Candice and Jyreese

Part 1

Tonight, was one of them nights that I had been experiencing a lot lately; when I laid in bed and watched Candice as she slept so peacefully. I don’t even think she knew I was home because she was so deep in her sleep. She had texted me earlier checking on me and seeing if I wanted her to stay up and wait for me. But I had told her to go ahead and go to sleep.

I laid there admiring my queen. She had been by my side through thick and thin. No one could ever understand the things I put her through and how she still loved me down to my damn dirty draws. It was the simple thing she did that made me know that she was the one, like her asking if I wanted her to wait up for me. She was willing to risk her sleep to see that I was home safe.

When Candice and I first got together, she uses to always fuss at me and tell me that she wasn't in this relationship for Ress (the name they called me in the streets) she was in it to love Jyreese. I couldn't understand back then what she met by that, but lately, I was starting to see. I wasn’t perfect, but Candice made this life I was living worth it all.

After three years I was finally seeing that she didn't want the person I was on the streets. The person these hoes loved because they saw the flashy cars, money and charming face. I was so used to the attention that I never thought about the fact that these chicks didn't want the real me, they didn't want Jyreese; they wanted the hood nigga I showed them I was. But Candice she loved the hell out of the real me.

She knew about my fears and struggles as a man that I went through because I didn't have my father in my life or any positive male role models to look up to. She knew how I grew up and why grinding was so crucial to me. That's why she never stressed me about what time I was coming into the house at. When I told her about my mom she was still down for me she even went with me plenty of time and sat with me when I went to take my mom her drugs to feed her habit. She understood that I did it just so that I could get a moment of my own mother’s time.

The first time I cried to her about the failure I thought I was, she sat on the bathroom floor and held me. She encouraged me and every day since she builds me up after the world took shots at me and tried to tear me down. She lived up to every word she told me. That she would always be here, that she would push me and believe in me, and that she would still be my biggest fan. She had been that and more for me.

As I stared at Candice, she readjusted herself in bed, and as she stretched she opened her eyes. Hey baby, I said to her cheerfully. She smiled back at me and asked, What time did you get in?

I’ve been here for almost thirty minutes or so now, I told her. Candice wiped her eyes and said, Damn, I never even heard you come in. I laughed and said, Yeah, you were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you up. I rubbed Candice’s cheek softly with the back of my hand.

She grabbed my hand as I got closer to her lips and kissed her. Honey, can we talk? she said with a straight face. Of course, what’s up? I asked.

Candice repositioned herself in the bed and cleared her throat then said, Well, I've had this on my mind for a while and didn't know when the best time was to come out and say it...

Say what? I asked Candice confused.

I think we should call it quits, Candice said as she looked me in the eyes. I started to laugh thinking she was playing. Bae, take your ass back to sleep, you sayin’ crazy stuff. Candice looked at me with a serious face. No, I’m serious, Ress.

At that moment, it was like my heart hit the bottom of my feet. Something was up because Candice never called me Ress.  What do you mean ‘to call it quits Candice? We’ve been together for over three years.  How could you just want to walk out on me? If it's another nigga, you might as well tell him to get lost because that ain't happenin’; I'm not letting you go anywhere, " I said to her with anger in my voice.

Candice looked at me sideways. Walk out on you? Isn’t that funny? Let me explain something to you: the fact that I loved you and was in love with you will always remain the same, so no, there is no other man that I am picking over you or that is taking me from you. I am at a point in life where the wife I am cannot keep being unnoticed by you. Over the last three years, you have used and abused that. I shared your beliefs, on top of believing in you and uplifting you at your lowest moments, but If I asked you right now, I’m sure you couldn't even tell me not one of my goals I’m trying to reach or have reached. I loved the man you had the potential of becoming. I always encouraged you to be better, so you could be that man I saw in you so that you could then match me and be a husband, she said.

I was confused as hell. Candice, what are you talking about? We aren't married.

Exactly, we aren't, but that's where my mind is. I set my mind on the idea that I was going to be a wife, your wife, and I followed that through with actions. I still didn't completely understand, but I couldn't lose my lady. Baby, you’re right; I wasn't focused, and I was selfish, but I’m here now, and I'm ready to be a husband.

Candice laughed. You don't even understand this is not the part when you say you’re sorry. When you were destroying my trust, you should have been sorry.  When you were unfaithful, you should have been sorry. When your other women tested me time and time again, in person, at my job, on Facebook...and I remained a lady, your lady, you should have been sorry.  Let’s not forget when you took me through not one, not two but three pregnancy scares with three different women, I stuck beside you, I stuck up for you, even when I was dying inside knowing you were making a fool of me. That’s when you should have been sorry.

Tears began to roll down Candice's face as she reminded me of all the things I caused her to endure and never showed her appreciation for staying or just merely apologized. I had gotten so comfortable that I thought there was nothing I could do that would make her leave me.

Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I was stupid. I never knew you felt this way, I said eagerly.

You didn't know because you didn't care to pay attention to the signs I was giving you. For a while now, I have been showing you that we were coming to an end and that you were losing me.  I stopped fighting and fussing with you, and my reaction to everything was okay. I no longer cared if you were coming home at all. Two weeks ago, when I followed you to Tamara’s house, I had no more tears to cry over the hurt you had caused, for the ugliness you made me feel, for the insecurities you birthed in me. I didn’t even have the energy to knock on the door to let you know I knew. That’s when I knew that I would always love Jyreese, but I will only ever get Ress and the streets. 

I screamed not caring at all who heard. Baby! She kissed me gently and said, I thought for a while on how to tell you this, but my heart wouldn't allow me to pack my bags and leave even though I wanted to.  I wanted to give you enough respect to tell you why.

You’re not leaving me, period.

Candice remaining calm smiled and said, I am, but for tonight, let’s enjoy each other's company. I promise not to think of the hurt I felt as I laid on our bathroom floor bleeding and losing the child we created when I selflessly gave you my body. I promise not to be bitter over the things that you have done but to smile as we transition to this new beginning.

A knot hit my throat. When?

Candice put her finger to my lips. Shhh... that no longer matters, just like how unattractive you made me feel every time I had to encounter one of your other girls. I grabbed Candice and held her in my arms. Candice, baby, I’m sorry. I take full responsibility, I said to her.

Candice looked up at me. No, let me take some responsibility too because I helped the madness that happened. Every time I didn't speak up, or I just brushed it off,  I have to take responsibility for loving you more than I loved myself.

By this time, I was crying. I never imagined this would be me, that as a grown man, I would be crying over any woman, but Candice wasn’t just any woman; she was my woman, made just for me. "Candice, please!

Reviews for The Cost of Love

[arlenadean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The Cost Of LoveAuthor: Breanna J.Publisher: Epic Dynasty Publishing Reviewed By Arlena DeanRating: FourReview:"The Cost Of Love" By Breanna J.My Thoughts....These were some wild stories that with each one there is a lesson that will come from each one. .Starting with.... Untold Stores of the Heart Story of: Candice and Jyreese [Reese] [Ress]This was involves a murder and just want a so called best friend can do to a good friend [Brittany]This ending was really something else!Love and Betrayal The Story of Ashley, Marcus and RobinThis Marcus guy had two women and it all comes out when Robin becomes pregnant. What will Robin do when she finds out about Ashley? How will this one end? What advice did Marcus's brother Cam give him? Who will Marcus choose in the end? I was glad to see that Robin had someone [Jay] to stand with her in the end.Love Will The Story Of: Ciara and JarrellThis was quite a sad sorry of suicide and how at the end Ciara's best friend Skylar took care of the problem.Greener On the Other Side The story of Brook, Tip and SydneyThis is where Brook thought she knew what she wanted until she got it. Tip was one that wouldn't leave [truly a player] so three ladies got together and made things happen.What a read!Birthing a Change The Story of: Karmen and KnowledgeKnow this is how one man would take responsibility for getting several ladies pregnant. What will happen when Knowledge does something horrible to Karmen?Love Wins The Story of Karmen and LatoyaIn the end what will happen when two ladies become more that 'friends...to lovers, comforter, partner and so much more?' Will this last?Deadly Choices The Story of Chasity and DeontaeIn the end it was a eye opener for Chasity when she finds out just who she had to work for after all in the end.Imperfection The Story of: Yasmine and JeromeThis was a story of a man leading a double life and Yasmine was brought in hook, line and sinker.All that is left to say is that each of these stories will give one cause to really try to see the real picture of what has gone on for each of these interesting characters and definitely giving one reason to think of long after the read. In the end what is "The Cost of Love?"