Page 51 of Heavy Is The Crown

“Nah,” he interrupted smoothly. “I know that now.”

The way he said it; his voice dipped just a little, making it sound like there was more weight to those words than she expected. It sent something sharp and unfamiliar through her chest.

She turned away, trying to ignore it, but Kenyatta was still watching her, still grinning.

Kenyatta stepped a little closer. “I mean…it make sense now.”

“What does?”

He shrugged, low-key smug. “Why you was touching on me like that during the game. Tryna make sure he saw.”

Krys huffed, not about to give him that satisfaction. “Boy, shut up.”

Kenyatta just laughed, shaking his head. “Let me find out you only wanted me here to make lil buddy mad.”

“I wanted you here because we have a deal.”

Kenyatta studied her. “Mmm. Just a deal? You sure about that?”

Her breath caught. He was too close now.

“Why you get so quiet?” he teased.

Krys sucked her teeth, shaking it off. “Boy, shut up.”

Kenyatta chuckled, taking a slow sip of his drink. “You love telling me to shut up.”

She countered. “And yet you won’t.”

His brow raised, a tease twinkling in his eyes. “I know what will.”

She swallowed. “Don’t get carried away.”

Kenyatta just grinned, stepping back. His voice was smooth, teasing.

“Too late.”

Even though Krys was still annoyed as hell at Zahir, she couldn’t ignore the way her heart had picked up pace any time Kenyatta came near with his nonsense. Or the fact that this fake relationship felt less fake by the second.

She turned toward him, narrowing her eyes. “You did too much in there.”

“You told me to improvise,” he said smoothly, watching her over the rim of his glass.

“Not like that,” she snapped.

Kenyatta took a slow sip, unfazed. “Seemed like you liked it.”

Krys scoffed. “You wish.”

Kenyatta set his drink down, stepping just a fraction closer. Close enough that she could smell his cologne, clean and a little dangerous.

He tilted his head slightly. “You sure?”

Krys’ grip on her glass tightened. No, she wasn’t sure. She had spent the night watching him more than she should have; noticing the way he read the room, how he could be charming and disarming at the same time.

How he had handled Zahir effortlessly, making it clear he wasn’t one of those men who needed to bark to prove he could bite.

It was all too much.

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