Murder in the Big Easy: An MM Afro-Urban Fantasy Novel (Wildeblood Coalition Book 1) by Jules Monroe

Author:Jules Monroe [Monroe, Jules]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-11T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Leo

The sun had beat down on them all afternoon, tanning Leo’s bronze shoulders, leaving striped tan lines where his swoop-necked tank top sat. It clung to his sweaty skin at the back, cooling him as he jogged up and down the asphalt basketball court, weaving through his teammates and opponents.

He was on the losing team, but after a strange weekend and three days of working, he didn’t care what team he was on. He needed the exercise, the repetition of movements, and the chance to clear his mind.

The park was neutral ground. Even if drug deals went down on the sidelines, gangs didn’t bring their turf wars here. The rivalries stopped as soon as the faded court lines started, and it became about the game, about shedding the stress of living-while-black, about exhausting the physical body so the mental body followed.

At the next lay-up, they called the game. Twenty-two to sixteen, skins. Leo was shirts along with Farhad, who had never been comfortable peeling his shirt off for the crew.

Chris, who never missed a chance to show off, had been pulled to the opposite team, and his deep mahogany skin glistened in the evening sunlight. His infectious smile lit up his face, and he offered a playful thumbs-up to the rest of his team as he jogged over to Farhad and Leo.

“Good game. Y’all sucked, but good game.” Chris grinned.

“We sucked? Half the time, your team wasn’t even dribbling the ball, just walking around with it like we’re playing football or something. Your hand-eye coordination suck?” Farhad replied.

Chris laughed. “Oh yeah. Losers can always make up reasons why winners shouldn’t’ve won. I see you.”

“Uh-huh.” Farhad smiled. The corners of his eyes wrinkled. “Y’all were lucky we weren’t calling fouls. You were too busy showing off for the ladies to even play the game.”

Chris stretched. “The ladies?” He quirked a dark eyebrow. “I’m trying to get my workout in. I ain’t concerned about no ladies.”

Now Leo laughed. “Bullshit. You’ve been a player since the day you were born.”

“There’s nothing wrong with liking women. Women are beautiful, magnificent, sexy creatures,” Chris trailed, tilting his head to the side with a little glint in his eyes. “Farhad’s trying to die a virgin, but you know what I’m talkin’ about, don’t you, Leo?”

“They’re not bad.” Leo shrugged.

“I’m not going to die a virgin. Sex means something, and I want to enjoy my first time with someone who finds it as special as I do.”

“And you’re how old again?” Chris wrinkled his forehead, squinting bright eyes, and quirking his lips in a catlike smirk.

“There will be someone who finds it as special as I do.”

“Over thirty? Good luck,” Chris scoffed.

“Thank you. Leo. How’s the cop?”

“Oh, yeah, you still talkin’ to him?”

Leo scowled, cutting his eyes to Farhad before looking at Chris. “He’s fine.”

“Fine? Just fine?” Chris implored, dropping a little of his playfulness.

“Yeah. Fine. We hung out last weekend. I took him around the city. It was cool.”

“Y’all fuck?”

“Chris. Not everyone wants to smash immediately,” Farhad sighed.

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