Page 23 of Tainted

Chugging my drink, I slid the glass toward Tambra and obliged her request.

“This seat is for you,” she directed before addressing the crowd. “Since it is his birthday, it’s only right to have the baddest bitches show him some love.”

The crowd moved like a tide, allowing Rajah to step through and make a grand entrance. I leaned back in my chair, a satisfied smirk on my face as Rajah pulled out every stunt and trick in her back. Then the music changed, piquing my curiosity.

“Hol up! Hold up! We ain’t done yet!” DJ Beats yelled into the mic.

The lights dimmed, and a sultry beat filled the air, pulsing through the room like a heartbeat. The crowd quieted, a sense of anticipation hanging in the air, and then she appeared—Zara, aka Nova.

The last person I expected to be strutting toward me, rustling a blonde wig. It was a far cry from the messy bun that gave me a hard time in the leasing office. There was a challenge in Zara’s gaze, a spark that sent a jolt of electricity through me, watching her hips sway to the beat. I was used to being in control and having the upper hand, but she held all the power right now.

She lifted one leg with a slow, seductive smile and placed her ankle on my shoulder. Her skin was smooth, and the scent of her perfume filled my senses, a heady mix of floral and spice. My brain was barely functioning when Zara lowered onto my lap, writhing against my body. Under the cascade of stage lights, she was unrecognizable from the woman I'd met.

Her lips parted, and she whispered,‘Happy Birthday,’her voice low and intimate. My hand itched to touch her, to feel the warmth of her skin under my fingertips. Reading my thoughts, Zara grabbed my hands and dragged them up her leg, drawing attention to the lines of her body.

“Goddamn Shawty got me wishing tonight was my birthday!” DJ Beats yelled, and from the faces in the crowd, every man and half the women felt the same.

As the song neared its end, she returned to the front of the stage and sank to her knees. Zara arched her back, her head thrown back in a display of raw, unfiltered sensuality. The music swelled, and she ended her routine with one final lingering look.

The crowd erupted, but it was distant, almost muted in my ears. All I could think about was Zara and the way she commanded me.

Zara

I stepped off the stage, feeling like I was going to vomit from the bright lights. Needing air, I rushed outside, and the cool night air hit my skin like a shock. I’d never admit it, but Phoenix was right. The stage felt a lot different, with Keyes sitting on it. My fingers gripped the rail as I breathed in and out, trying to calm the storm in my head.

The door opened, and I expected to see Rajah wearing a sarcastic grin, but the soft glow of the streetlights illuminated Kenyon’s silhouette. My heart skipped a beat at the birthday boy and his freshly twisted locs.

“That was one hell of a birthday gift, but if you wanted an invite, you could’ve just asked.”

My head flew back, and I looked up, watching a chuckle escape because Kenyon Keyes was never short on confidence.

“I wouldn't have come if I knew it was your party,” I quipped, turning around to hide how he made me blush.

His powerful and well-muscled body moved closer with a confident ease that had the opposite effect on me. It didn’t help that he stood beside me smelling so fuckin’ good.

“Damn, it’s like that,Zara Nicole?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“My bad, you’reNovatonight.”

“Don’t call me that either.”

I didn’t want Kenyon orKeyesto call me anything. His voice was far too hypnotic and made me consider thoughts I didn’t need to have. There was no time for love, a man, or anything in between, but watching Kenyon rest against the rail made me consider what having him would feel like. Would he give me butterflies, or would his kisses feel flat like Calvin’s?

“What’s going through that big ass forehead of yours?” Kenyon asked.

“I was going to say Happy Birthday.”

“Aite, my bad.”

“Nope. It’s too late now,” I replied, lifting my chin in finality.

"Pretty please?" His voice was low, teasing, wrapping around me like smoke. "Let me hear it."

The heat that flickered inside me started to build, and I hated that he could do this. He had no business flirting with me like this, but his voice, the way it dipped when he said my name, was messing with my head.

Kenyon knew it too, grazing my arm just barely, his fingertips brushing my skin like a whisper.

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