Caged View by Kenya Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

her.
    Fuck me.
    I thought I had a day or two before she
found out about Tango. I left the bar in a flash and arrived next
to her as she passed two girls fighting around one guy who stood in
the middle of them, beaming.
    I put my lips close to Lanore’s ear. “You
disagree with my methods. Fine, but don’t ignore me.”
    She stopped moving, got on her toes, and
whispered, “What are you going to do, rip my heart out?”
    She walked off.
    The music drowned out my growls.
    “ Yes Mama, yes Mami!” The three
singers ground into each other as they danced on the bar. “I got
you! Come get me!”
    The club shifted.
    Cracks rushed down the walls. The cheetah
wallpaper exploded into tiny bits that disappeared before it
plummeted to the floor. Jade tile swallowed up the plush tan
carpet. Alligator skin emerged on the walls.
    A rap song blasted through the DJ’s speakers
that appeared by the entrance, right as Lanore left.
    I shouldn’t go after her. I should just stay
right here and take a willing woman home tonight.
    There’d be plenty of eager women.
    Sighing, I raced toward the front door as it
slammed behind her.
    It took me less than half a second to find
her. Those heels beat against the pavement as she stomped toward a
tram stop.
    “You’re so disgusted with me, you left the
grand opening?” I asked.
    “You viciously murdered someone.” She
stopped and twisted around. “Why would you just kill him like
that?”
    “He’d been doping up little kids all week.”
I held my hands out to my sides.
    “And there will be another dealer at the
corner by tomorrow. Except, this time, the sidewalk will be pink
from Tango’s blood.” She turned and continued down the block.
    “No.” I got to her in no time and gently
grasped her arm. “That’s the last time you turn your back on me
tonight. We finish this conversation now.”
    Her skin heated under my hands, burning me.
I jerked my hand away and gazed at her. She stared back as if
nothing weird had just happened.
    Fine. You have some type of heating power. I
get it.
    “So,” I said. “You think I should just let
these guys give kids Hemo Drop and do nothing about it?”
    “If you want to clean the streets, then get
the people who are in charge.” She began pacing in front of me.
“Tango was just a little guy. Get the suppliers or the law makers
that authorize illegal shipments into the habitat, but don’t
disturb an entire district with horrific images.”
    “One Troll was knitting. It couldn’t have
been that bad.”
    She put her hands on her hips and rolled
those beautiful eyes. “It doesn’t matter. You’re reconfirming to
everyone that Mixies are barbaric thugs that should be in
jail.”
    “Is that what you think?” I stepped toward
her.
    She edged back, shaking her head. “No. But I
would have thought that if I didn’t know you.”
    “Fine. I like your idea about getting the
suppliers.” I inched forward. “Help me do it.”
    She opened her mouth for a few seconds as if
unsure of what to say, then said, “I already have a lot going on;
college, tutoring, I’m already doing more than I wanted to with
MFE—”
    “Boyfriend?” I raised my eyebrows.
    “I told you I wasn’t interested in dating
you.”
    I leaned my head to the side. “But you never
said if there was someone else.”
    “Wait a minute. We were talking about drugs
and—”
    I closed the distance between us and pressed
my lips to her full ones. Her tongue tasted of peppermint candy.
Groaning, I sucked on it and wrapped my arms around her waist,
pulling her into my chest. Her whole body was as soft as a pillow.
The desire to take her back to my condo burned within me.
    She pushed back and whispered, “Stop.”
    I forced myself to release her. It took all
the strength I had. “I want you.”
    She stumbled back, catching her breath.
“Zulu…I’m not interested.”
    “Did I just imagine you kissing me
back?”
    Her eyes glowed a fiery orange as she bit
her bottom lip. “Just