Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright Read Free Book Online Page A

pulled a curl hanging near his shoulder. He nipped at my hand.
    Not wanting to waste any more time, I said, “So, the psycho guy from the alley left a note on our door.”
    He snapped his face up to mine. A loud rumble came from his throat as I told him about the note, Detective Rivera’s message, and my escape from Ray.
    “I want to go over to Carmen’s apartment and let her family know that she’s dead. Fuck the habbie and his threats.” I shrugged. “The kid is probably sitting there with the dad or grandmother, wondering why Carmen didn’t come home.”
    “No need to convince me. I know how that is.” He got up from his desk. “And, La La, I would do anything for you, but if it gets dangerous, we leave.”
    “I don’t think it will get dangerous.”
    “This psycho could be the kid’s father.”
    I thought about that for a few seconds. “Then I’m really glad you’re coming with me. You’re my backup.”
    “Oh, really? I’m the backup?” Laughter bubbled from his chest.
    Shifters and their egos. I shook my head as he finally stopped laughing.
    I got ready to jump off his desk but didn’t as he grabbed my waist and kissed me. My heart stopped beating. His hungry lips pressed into mine. I leaned back. He hooked his thumbs through my belt loops and tugged me closer. He explored my mouth with his tongue.
    I shuddered, tasting honey as his fingers combed through my dreadlocks, grabbing a handful and gently pulling my head back. A moan escaped my lips. He stopped kissing me and nibbled the curve of my neck.
    “I miss kissing you,” he whispered.
    Reality washed over me like a cold shower. We shouldn’t be kissing.
    “No more.” I put my hands to his chest, increasing the heat in my palms so he knew I was serious.
    “Okay.” He nuzzled my neck for a few seconds and then stepped back. “Thanks for the kiss.”
    “Your timing is shitty.”
    He moved in a blur to the door. “The only time I can get one is when you’re off your guard.”
    “Let’s just focus on not getting killed today, lover boy.”

The elevator doors creaked open to the seventh floor. MeShack and I maneuvered around a puddle of urine and stepped out, smothering our noses with our hands to block the stench of bodily waste. Two roaches the size of plums scurried by my feet. I cringed and jumped to the other side of the hallway, scanning the gray cement floor for more disease-infested insects, but no others arrived to greet us. MeShack snickered. I stuck my tongue out at him.
    The sweet aroma of fried plantains floated out of the apartment on my left, filling my mouth with saliva. My stomach growled. I checked the letter on the door and was pissed, realizing it wasn’t our destination.
    We continued.
    A crash sounded from several doors down, possibly plates or lamps breaking against a wall. Yells followed in male and female voices and then more crashes. Relief filled me when I noticed it wasn’t Carmen’s place.
    The last door stood at the end. Cracked pea green paint covered it. The letter G hung sideways in the center. A TV from inside blared cartoons.
    “You think someone’s in there?” I held my hand up to knock. MeShack shrugged as he scanned the area behind us. I tapped twice and heard the TV turn off, but no one answered. MeShack walked up to the door and pounded several times.
    “Are you crazy? You’re banging on the door like you’re a habbie. What if the guy with the machete is in there?” I kept my voice low, stepping out of the peephole’s view.
    “Good. Then we kill him and grab something to eat. I’m starving.” He pounded again.
    “Would you stop that? Can you imagine if the habbies pounded on our door like that? How would you greet them?” I watched the doorknob turn slowly and pushed fire out of my hands. “We should be prepared, at least.”
    “La La, I don’t think that’s a good—”
    The door opened. I increased my fire and jumped into the doorway with my hands enflamed. A little boy’s