Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy Read Free Book Online

Saturday, I took you out, treated you, and we were together on Saturday night too. Even Bird can say so.”
    He looked at me, fierce, but then something in his face changed.
    â€œI was good to you, wasn’t I? Am good to you. I get you beer, weed . . . anything you want. And we had a good time that weekend, didn’t we?” His eyes moved over my face, my neck, down to my boobs. When our eyes met again, I could see the full change in him. The want.
    â€œCome on, baby,” he said. “Don’t we have fun?”
    â€œBut, Dee . . . they told me . . . her name. . . .” A tear slipped down. I didn’t want it to, but I couldn’t help it. “It starts with an N too.”
    I put my hand over the place where his tattoo was, and hisnostrils flared out, just briefly. Then his mouth was on mine, pressing and hot. Wet and full. Probing. Pushing me against the car door, hands up on my breasts, squeezing, lifting up, pressing in. His mouth on my neck, tongue by my ear, hot and swirling. Drawing chills up my arms and through my hips. It wasn’t what I’d been looking for from him, but, as always, even against my doubt and fear, it was working.
    â€œDee . . .” Still, I wanted to hear it. I wanted to hear it was me and not her. The N was Nikki, not Nicole. But he was pulling at me now, trying to drag me across to him, and his hands were so hot. So hot, and so focused on me, my body. Me.
    â€œCome on, baby,” he murmured, stroking up under my shirt, squeezing my belly, my sides, then moving warm and hungry up under my bra. “I want you to forget about all that. It don’t have anything to do with this.” His hand slid down, finally, into my crotch, which was already pulsing.
    â€œLet’s get in the back at least,” I said, starting to crawl over.

“THEY AIN’T HAVE CO-COLA ANYWHERE?” BIRD WANTED TO know when I finally got home. After nine.
    â€œTurned out I needed a drive. Clear my head.”
    She was leaning against the kitchen counter. Her friends were gone. I moved past her like I wanted to get a glass of water, though mostly I was moving just to move. To keep her from looking at me too square.
    â€œYeah, I bet,” she said quietly.
    I could’ve asked, What’s that supposed to mean? But she knew I knew what it meant. I stirred at the pot of collards she had simmering on the stove. I couldn’t tell if she’d eaten without me or not. Most of the kitchen was spotless, which could mean one thing or another.
    â€œKenyetta and them leave?” I said, to say something.
    She didn’t answer. I changed my mind about water and went for the sweet tea in the refrigerator.
    â€œYou gonna tell me,” she said behind me, “why the cops came to my house today, wanting to know about Denarius Pavon . Why he was at my house, and when?”
    I poured the tea slow.
    â€œI told you they’d be here,” I finally said, not turning around. “I don’t know what they want, but you know we were here.” I brought the glass to my lips, even though I wasn’t sure if I could swallow.
    â€œYeah, I know all that. More and more, though, I feel like there’s things I don’t know.”
    I faced her then, the rush of having been with Dee making me bold. His groans, his breath were still humming in my ears. My whole body was still wet with him, still electric and fearless.
    â€œYou know where we were,” I said, cold. “And you know we love each other.”
    She snorted, turned to wipe the edge of the sink that didn’t need to be wiped.
    â€œYou know,” I went on, “that all I had before I had him was nothing. My job, maybe. You. You know he’s been good to me this time around, has been here. You know you don’t like him, but you know you can’t say exactly why.”
    â€œOh, I know why,” she said, hand moving steadily.