Basement Level 5: Never Scared by L. R. Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

other suitors, so he knew she cared for the boy. What would Dro think about that ?
    She frowned at Kendrick. “Can you give me a minute?”
    He nodded and stepped back far enough not to crowd them while remaining close enough to hear what they said.
    “ If you believe that, Erik, you’re dumb,” Steve said, butting in.
    “ Get the hell out of here, Steve,” Alexa growled. “This is none of your business.”
    Erik backed away from her. “No, he’s right. Why would Dro be all up in your face like that? Someone told me he even kissed you.”
    “ And you believed them?” she asked innocently. “I’m telling you that’s not what happened. My relationship with Dro is complicated but nothing was going on.” She placed her hands on his shoulders. “Erik, believe me, it’s not what you think. Dro and I are friends, more like family.”
    “ I want to believe you,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to get hurt—physically or emotionally.”
    She cupped his jaw with her hand. “Erik, trust me. I’m with you—nobody else.”
    Kendrick wanted to slap Erik. What an idiot ! He watched her pull the clueless man into a hug and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. She is good . Erik buried his face in her neck. She’s really good .
    Scanning the room, Kendrick noticed Dro tip his drink toward Alexa. Alexa and Dro communicated with their eyes. He couldn’t understand why Dro didn’t just tell Alexa he wanted only her. They all knew it. Just like they all knew she wanted only him.
    “ What the...” Steve scoffed. “Erik, I don’t know why you bother with her. She’s full of shit.”
    Kendrick balled his hands into a fist, ready to pummel the bastard to a pulp.
    “ I told you to stay out of it, Steve,” Alexa snarled, holding a hand against Kendrick’s chest. “You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”
    As much as she infuriated him, Kendrick wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone who dared to disrespect her.
    Erik backed away as Dro and the others converged on the scene.
    “ So, if it isn’t Dro Martinez?” Steve sneered, folding his arms across his chest. He and Erik obviously had the dummy thing in common. “What are you doing at a high school party anyway?”
    “ Are you talking to me?” Dro challenged.
    Steve moved closer, sandwiching Alexa between them. “I don’t stutter like my friend Erik.”
    Dro snatched Alexa out of the middle and exchanged glances with Lei and Chase. “Apparently not. I heard you have plenty to say about Alexa. You mind repeating it to me?”
    Cracking his knuckles, Kendrick willed Steve to say something stupid. They hadn’t had a good fight in almost two years. He looked around at his “brothers.” They all had reputations around town that resulted in widespread fear among their peers.
    Chase was small in stature but the last person who’d crossed him ended up in traction. Around town, Lei was known as cold and calculating. And Dro wasn’t called jefe for nothing. No one challenged—or crossed—him.
    Steve puffed his chest out. “I didn’t say anything about Alexa. And even if I did, it’s a free country. I can say what I want.”
    Kendrick had to hand it to Steve. The punk didn’t back down. That should make this all the more interesting.
    Lei grinned. “You’re a smart ass, huh? You think that’s funny?”
    Steve shrugged. “Like I said, I didn’t stutter.”
    “ I would tell you like I told your friend, Erik, I hate it when people disrespect Alexa. It pisses me off,” Dro grumbled. Barely-controlled fury radiated from him, making his last statement superfluous. “Something tells me that I can tell you that, but it won’t matter. You’ll still continue to do what you want. And that’s your mistake.”
    Before Steve could respond, Dro’s fist connected with his face. Kendrick cringed as Steve fell to the ground holding his shattered jaw. The crowd buzzed, their shocked gasps punctuated with a couple of screams.
    Dro stood over