Caged View by Kenya Wright Read Free Book Online Page A

I
think of you and me,” York sang. “And how we held
on.”
    “We held on!”
    Lanore jumped up and down, repeating the
lyrics with the rest of the crowd. She’d curled those long, black
dreadlocks tonight. They hung in spirals a little bit past her
shoulders and bounced with her movement.
    I got closer and spotted Wallace, MFE’s
technical expert, jumping in front of her. He bobbed around like an
idiot, getting her full attention. His bushy red hair flopped up
and down as he twisted his hips. He wore a purple shirt with the
fictional superhero Captain Habitat covering the front, as usual.
His pale, splotchy fists pumped in the air.
    She laughed, which motivated Wallace to act
even crazier.
    He kneeled down and started flapping his
arms like he was flying.
    She covered her mouth in clear
amusement.
    He’s always fucking making her laugh.
    My hands formed into tight fists. I couldn’t
do anything but stand back and bear it. She preached too much about
peace. I figured ripping off Wallace’s arm might turn her off.
    “ Love whispers beyond the bars. It washes
the pain. No more scars.”
    I glided by her, rubbed my arm against hers
as if there was just no space to maneuver through, and inhaled her
scent of lavender mixed with sweet cream.
    Our eyes met within the blinking laser
lights.
    And then the club shifted.
    York disappeared.
    Electric guitars drowned out the enchanted
organ until they were the only sounds rocking out every speaker.
The walls bulged out five feet toward the crowd, bubbled, and then
rippled, transforming zebra print to cheetah print within seconds.
The large circular bar that had been on the right side of the club
vanished and materialized in the center of the dance floor.
    Three women wearing silver body suits and
wigs danced on a stage that appeared near the entrance.
    “ No Daddy! No Papi!” the women sung
into microphones in their hands. “I don’t need you! I got
me!”
    Supes roared with excitement.
    The ground quaked, knocking a few people off
balance.
    Lanore fell, her body slamming into
mine.
    I seized her waist, relishing in her soft
warm skin.
    “Thanks.” She scowled at me for a few
seconds and quickly climbed out of my arms.
    No Hey, Zulu? Or How are you doing,
Zulu?
    She walked away without glancing back over
her shoulder, the curve of her ass moving deliciously in that silky
dress.
    I frowned.
    I’m in trouble.
    She headed to the bar, maneuvering around
gyrating couples.
    A big circle opened up on her side. Two
Mixbreeds jumped in the middle and began having a dance off.
Everyone watched and cheered, except Lanore. She put her back to
the mini dance competition and leaned on the edge of the bar.
    Not willing to take defeat, I moved in a
blur and appeared at her side, whispering in her ear, “What’s
wrong?”
    She jumped when she saw me, and then rolled
her sexy brown eyes. She didn’t respond and, to make things worse,
she looked behind me as if I was invisible.
    “Excuse me,” she said to a bartender with
silver and blue braids swinging around his bare shoulders. She
motioned with her hand for him to come over.
    He came, twirling a white dish towel.
    She got up on the tips of her toes and
whispered in his ear. He scrunched his face up at whatever she had
said, shrugged his shoulders, and laughed.
    I tapped my fingers on the bar’s onyx
surface, struggling to draw in my jealousy.
    I’ll give her a minute to explain why she’s
ignoring me. If she doesn’t, then I’ll drag her out of here.
    He whispered something back to her.
    She nodded and grinned.
    And just when I was about to say fuck it and
break the bartender’s neck, she sat back down. The bartender dove
under the bar, searching for something, and then stood up, handing
her a pen.
    She twisted my way and gave the object to
me. “Here’s a pen so the next time you want to write a message
about drugs, you won’t have to use someone’s heart.”
    She slid off the stool and left the bar,
taking her scent with