Thin Love(42)

“Hey man, where’s Kona?” the guy asked, barely taking notice of Luka who stood in front of him.

“Out. And I told you, you aren’t welcome here, Ricky.”

Ricky’s face was gaunt and his cheekbones protruded against his dark skin, giving him a dangerous, shifty appearance. Keira felt her stomach twist just looking at him, but Luka showed no fear, seemed to be unconcerned at the glare he was getting when he stood in front of Ricky, or the way Ricky’s jacket bulged in the back of his waistband. He had a gun, that much Keira could make out.

“Man, calm down. I just need him to—”

Luka cut off Ricky’s explanation by pushing him back into the wall. “I don’t give a shit what you need from my brother. I told you to stay away.”

“You need to get your hands off me.” Ricky’s voice was so low Keira was only able to understand what he said by reading his lips. She stood from the sofa, not certain if she wanted to break them apart or run out of the house. But the decision was made up for her when the door to her right swung open and Kona stepped into the living room, trailing behind Tonya Lucas.

Kona shifted his eyes around the room, first to Ricky and Luka, looking like they were about to flatten each other’s faces, and then to Keira’s shocked face. Her focus had left the impending fight and she felt the breath clot in her throat as Tonya pulled down her short skirt and Kona finished tugging his t-shirt over his naked chest.





Weeks.

Kona had messed around with Keira for weeks and had gotten nowhere. If he was as irrational as everyone thought, he’d blame Keira for Tonya Lucas being in his bed.

But it wasn’t Keira’s fault. He didn’t want the blonde. She was too skinny, too fake, too expected. The girls on the CPU campus fit a certain mold, concerned themselves with whole Trinity of Ts: Tan, Teeth and Tits, and Tonya was the best at keeping that trifecta of fake going.

But Kona didn’t want Tonya’s triple Ts.

He didn’t want the bleached blonde hair slapping in his face.

He didn’t want to take hold of those firm, fake tits and feel nothing real.

He didn’t like the way her skin felt against his palms.

After weeks of second guessing, weeks of trying to ignore the fire shooting between him and Keira, one afternoon with Tonya Lucas confirmed what Kona really wanted.

Keira.

He wanted her pale, soft skin. He wanted his fingers tangled in that lush, dark hair. He wanted to see those ice blue eyes roll up, hidden behind her large, smooth lids. He really wanted those full pink lips running against his tongue. He wanted her laugh, her mouth, her body, and even though he knew he shouldn’t, knew it was selfish, he even thought he might want her heart. He’d planned to tell her that. He planned to convince her to be with him. And then, Tonya happened.

He got Tonya with little effort. He got her because that morning while he ran before class, she followed, trailed behind him like a prowling cat.

He gave the kitty her cream and now? Well, he felt like shit about it.

He didn’t know why. That day at the hospital with Keira had changed things between them, but he’d promised himself he wouldn’t read into the looks she gave him or how she’d held him up when he thought the world was slipping out from under him. Kona wanted a single shot, a one-time hook up, that’s what he constantly told himself the past week while he kept his distance from Keira. She would never be down for just a one or two time wrangle between his sheets. He knew that.

But touching Tonya had changed things for him. He didn’t care what he deserved. He didn’t care that he’d never be good enough for Keira. He wanted her and he’d do whatever he could to get her. Just as soon as he got Tonya out of his room.

“So, you gonna call me later, baby?”

Kona hated when they did that. He unlatched Tonya’s arms from his neck, patted her ass to lead her from his room.

At first, he didn’t see past Tonya’s blonde hair, his gaze covered by the t-shirt he slipped over his head as he followed her out into the living room. But when he caught Luka’s hard frown and how he and Ricky looked like they were about to get into it, Kona’s attention focused on the impending trouble. And then, his trouble got worse.

Keira stood next to his door, mouth open, chin in a quiver she tried to shake off with a subtle sweep of her hand. He didn’t like how her face had gone pale, like someone had just unplugged her.

Luka’s eyebrows came up and he offered Kona a small headshake. He’d been caught. Kona wasn’t sure why that mattered to him, why the frown on Keira’s face had his throat closing up, but it did and he hated how that felt.

Kona had three bombs to diffuse and he dealt with the deadliest one first.