The One That Got Away by C. Kelly Robinson Read Free Book Online Page A

threats had grown increasingly intense.
    He’d unveiled his hardest shot just last week, on one of the countless BET video shows. “We know this trick Zora is tryin’ to be real down-low, acting like she can speak for all the sisters,” he’d sneered as the host looked on quizzically. “I got peeps everywhere, though. I hear she ain’t even from the hood,” he’d said, ticking points off on his fingers. “Ain’t never lived in no project, ain’t never held a gun, ain’t even had no baby. How she gonna keep it real?” J. T.’s attacks, of course, had the opposite effect: Zora’s sales jumped 30 percent the next week as young girls hungry for affirmation and self-esteem lapped her story up.
    As J. T.’s campaign against his sister ramped up, Tony had carefully shielded her from the hoopla. It really wasn’t that difficult; the girl listened religiously to hip-hop CDs but watched no TV and was only into satellite radio. With each passing day, he accomplished two important things—building Zora’s self-confidence, and lining both of their pockets. At times he’d question whether things were moving too fast, but such concerns were erased by the next day’s sales report. If Boyz kept up its current pace, Tony’s share would pay off his credit card debt and get him approved for another car loan. Good-bye, Taurus; hello, Jaguar.
    All good, as long as he could shield Zora from J.T. Dog and comparable fools like the idiot who’d issued his cryptic warning. Coolly striding away from J.T.’s messenger and trusting the brother just had too much to drink, Tony returned to the dressing room.
    Five minutes later, Owen completed his introduction and welcomed Zora to the stage. As Tony took a seat at a crowded table down front, he scanned the crowd again for potential troublemakers. When he saw nothing to worry about, he swiveled back toward the stage.
    â€œThank you,” Zora said as she positioned herself before the microphone stand. Her hat leaning languidly to the left, her arresting cocoa brown eyes blazing, she seemed transformed by thespotlight. Clearing her throat, she folded her hands as if praying and then spoke with the tenderness of Janet Jackson. “A lot of people have been talking about this book,” she said, voice fluttering softly. “Tonight you’ll get to hear the author talk about it.”
    From the back row, a hearty female voice seconded Zora’s motion. “That’s right!”
    â€œThank you,” Zora said again, chuckling and staring at her feet for a second. “Anyway, I’ll read two chapters from One of the Boyz tonight, but first I’d like to clear up some questions about it—”
    â€œPhony punk bee-yatch!” The words burst from the center of the crowd before anyone could tell where they’d come from. With Zora verbally stopped in her tracks, peering into the crowd anxiously, heads turned in search of the heckler. With the room buzzing in amused anticipation, Tony caught Zora’s eye, mouthing, “Go on, play it off.” Pausing would just encourage the heckler, probably another J.T. Dog fan that slipped under the radar.
    Clearing her throat nervously, Zora took a tentative step closer to her mic. “As I was saying—”
    â€œYou just another sister tryin’ to bring a brother down!” This time the heckler stood, proudly claiming credit. A tall, solid brother with a bald head, he exchanged high fives with the other men at his table. “J. T. Dog’s got your number, girl.”
    â€œBrother, you need to sit down.” Before Tony could beat him to it, Owen had hopped onto the stage alongside Zora. Taking her mic, he stepped to the edge of the stage. “These folks paid good money to hear this young lady,” he said, he pointing a finger toward the heckler. “Now are you gonna sit down like you have some sense, or