Page 133 of Heavy Is The Crown

“You good?”

The words came smooth; not forced or rushed, just a casual check-in.

Krys turned her head slightly, lifting a brow. “I should be asking you that.”

Kenyatta just nodded. He wasn’t going to show his hand just yet.

“You get enough to eat?” he asked instead.

She grinned knowingly. “You deflecting?”

“Nah,” he muttered. “I’m just sayin’…you came out here bringing liquor and vibes, but I ain’t seen you touch most of the food.”

Krys tilted her head slightly, eyeing him. “You tryna take care of me or something?”

“Somebody gotta make sure you ain’t out here passing out in the sun,” he threw back, using her own words from earlier.

That made her laugh softly, shaking her head.

But Kenyatta wasn’t really laughing. His mind was still spinning. Still going back to what Rico said. Still wondering how much truth was in it.

His jaw ticked slightly, but he kept his voice smooth. “So…” he started, watching her carefully. “How you know K9?”

Krys didn’t flinch. Didn’t even blink. She shifted her weight slightly.

“Everybody in Trinity Bay knows K9,” she answered simply.

Kenyatta nodded slowly. “So y’all cool?”

Krys’ lips curled slightly, not quite a smirk, not quite a frown. “He respects what I do,” she said after a second. “And he doesn’t get in my way.”

It was the way she said it; calm, controlled, uninterested.

Kenyatta studied her. “You ever work with him?”

Krys finally let her eyes meet his fully. “What’s with all the questions, Yatta?”

He shrugged, playing it off. “Just tryna see where you stand in The Water, in the Bay.”

Krys exhaled softly, setting her drink down.

“I stand on my own,” she said smoothly. “And K9? He don’t move me. If that’s what you’re tryna figure out.”

In true Krysta Davis fashion, she didn’t hesitate with her answers. He didn’t know why he expected any different. But just because her answers were punctual, were they the whole truth?

Kenyatta tilted his head slightly. “You got a past, Krysta Davis?”

Krys lifted her chin slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Who doesn’t?”

His gaze darkened just a little. “So that’s a yes?”

Krys smirked. “That’s a ‘mind ya business.’”

Kenyatta exhaled slowly, studying her. She was good.

Too good.

He hated that he liked it. Hated that he wanted to press further. Hated that, for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t sure if he had the upper hand.

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