Doom Fox by Iceberg Slim Read Free Book Online Page A

stares at the coffee pot.
    Her demolished doll face, thickly made up, is gargoylish in the murk of night light. She gazes cow-eyed at his dimpled cheeked profile, almost boyish in the sorceress soft light. Rare passion pings and fires her cold loins for the first time in almost three months.
    'Big Joe, I been on a two week diet and dropped almost six pounds. I ain't gonna stop losing 'til I get myself down to that tantalizing size you like when we opened the cafe. Remember how the customers flirted with me and made you salty?' she says as she massages her epic blubber against his buttocks.
    'Yeah Zen, I remember. You were something else Old Girl ... you can lose it Dear Heart' he says as he pecks her forehead. He flees with the mug of coffee to the nearly empty fifth of scotch in a cupboard.
    Rejected, she balefully watches him scotch-spike the coffee, says peevishly, 'Guess I'll go to bed so I'll be feeling pert for church ... hope you gonna go with me so I can prove I still got a husband.'
    With fake reluctance creasing his face he says, 'Wish I could Zen, but I got a lagging factory boiler to connect for Monday operation ... maybe next Sunday baby.'
    She waddles across the kitchen, evil-eyed, to face him, ropey veined hands on her hips. 'You been saying next Sunday for six months. Do that boiler after church. I ain't taking it no more. Joe Allen, you going to take me to church this morning. I'm not going alone!' she commands as she stomps toward the kitchen doorway.
    'I don't want to go. I'm not going Zen. Whatsa matter? Your main man, Sweet Dick Jesus, too busy to take you?' His calm, steely voice and taunt halt her, bringing her back.
    She tiptoes, eyeball to eyeball. 'You blaspheming snake! You 'shamed of me, ain't you?! Bet you ain't 'shamed of that conning gutter skunk you hooked up with that's got you primping and thinking you young and cute.'
    She wiggles her nose, almost touching his face as she sniffs his mouth and his mustache. He recoils.
    She exclaims, 'Aha! I smell her pussy stink on your mustache!'
    He shapes a controlled little smile, laughs hollowly, 'Zen, what you must smell is the catfish I had at Panther's place. And I'm not gonna apologize for being fairly well preserved and keeping myself up. Don't blame me 'cause your hair turned white and you let yourself get fat and old ... 'sides, I'm gonna love you anyhow 'til the last breath I draw' he placates as he sees her eyes cloud with rage and her fists knot and quiver at her sides.
    'You lyin'! I been knowing you foolin' 'round. And I ain't old yet. I ain't but forty-two. Shoot! You sixty. You old 'nuff to be my papa. You old grey butt, pussy eatin' Devil.' She savagely waggles an index finger beneath his nose. 'Don't you never let your mouth call me old again. I look old 'cause I gotta slave for the white folks, 'cause you wrecked the Down Home Cafe bettin' race horses and good timin'.'
    'Zen, I swear on Mama's sainted soul, you smelled catfish. Zen, you hurt me when you get carried away by your imagination ... I want to make it with you but you make it so hard' he says as he moves with a sadly solemn face and his laced mug of coffee toward the doorway.
    She scrambles to block his way. She seizes the lapels of his robe, and stares up into his shifting eyes. 'Awright, 'fess up and promise me you ain't gonna midnight creep no more and you ain't gonna see her no more and I'll forgive you ... ain't no reason we can't make it swell together like we usta. C'mon now, Sweet Patootie, 'fess up and promise!'
    He musters the guile to focus his wayward eyes on hers with unblinking, wounded innocence, 'Zen, there's nothing to confess. You can't forgive an innocent man. You can't get yourself together Zen ... how can we make it?'
    She stoops with a grunt, and jerks up his right pajama leg. A circular chain gang shackle scar blackens his ankle.
    She looks up into his face, says in a deadly monotone, 'We better make it 'cause you mine, slick Mister Sweet Man. I tried to