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“Arnie Pickler is a misguided young man, but he’s not a bad person.” Hyeon sat with Dee and Connie on the Shims’ cement patio. “You’ve got it all wrong if you think he had something to do with the Kengs’ murder.”
Sora walked out the double sliding doors with two glasses of iced tea. “Here you go.” She served Dee and Connie.
“Thank you.” Dee drank the crisp refreshment. “Hits the spot.”
Connie sipped and set her glass on the aluminum table. “We respect your opinion of August, Mr. Shim, but we found him suspicious.”
“Why would that boy want the Kengs dead?” Shim asked. “It makes no sense.”
“Someone told us he’s uptight about the murder,” Dee said. “Why would he be if he weren’t involved or at least knew something about it?”
“The K-Town Crips did it.” Sora sat by her husband. “There’s no other explanation. Normand was selling drugs for them because he owed them money. Isn’t that the obvious reason?”
Connie and Dee looked at each other.
“Besides, August was here the night the Kengs were killed,” Hyeon, said. “We were talking about him converting to our faith just like he told you.”
Sora stuck out her neck. “What about Donn Cho?”
“We’re keeping an eye on him,” Connie said. “But, we can’t ignore the feeling we have about August either.”
“Detectives.” Hyeon looked at them with a sincere expression. “I’m a good judge of character and you’re wrong about August. I swear it.”
****
“Wow.” Candra glided into Jonathan’s lab, ogling the box of test tubes on the stainless steel table.
He typed formulas from his notebook and onto his laptop. “Is there something you need?”
“I need you to bring me into The Circle.” She smiled, the summer dress swallowing her slender shape.
He chuckled, taking off his reading glasses. “No one looks at me the way you do.”
She cocked her head to the side, pulling the strings on the front of her dress. “How do I look at you?”
“Like I’m a God or something.” He set his glasses beside the microscope. “You have such devotion and admiration for me. I don’t deserve it.”
“Jonathan, you saved my life.”
“No, you saved your own life when you got away.”
Her petite breasts rose through the material as she took a deep breath. “What you did is the sweetest thing a man’s ever done for me.” Her intense eyes oozed sadness. “All my life men have used and abused me. My dad, my uncle, my boyfriend and now Ro Chavis.”
“I’m sorry you went through those horrible things.”
“It’s like I’m a magnet for being treated like shit.” She held her breath and a tear trickled from her eye. “Your touch was the gentlest one I ever got from a man.”
“Don’t cry. You’re so beautiful.” He wiped her tear with his thumb. “You’re so young and full of life. You don’t need a man to do anything. If they can’t treat you right, then fuck them.”
She smiled.
“You’re the gift, Candra.” He tapped the tip of her nose. “Until you realize that, you’ll keep being abused and used. I want you to see how important you are and that you deserve happiness with a man who loves you.”
She tilted forward. “I’m falling in love with you.”
“No, you’re not.” Jonathan placed a slide on the microscope. “You’re in a vulnerable state and I’m the only man here so—”
“That’s not it.” She stroked his thigh, surprising him with the orgasmic sensation it provided. “It’s you, Jonathan. Please.” She came closer, settling her body between his thighs. “I want to be with you.” She touched his cheek as he caught the magnetic spark in her eyes. “I want to be a part of The Circle.”
“Candra—”
“I wanna repay you for what you’ve done.” She took his hand and his was so much bigger that hers disappeared when he wrapped his fingers around it. “I can give you endless devotion, love and anything you need.”
He squirmed, propping his heels on the railing of the stool.
“And, if you don’t want that then there’s this.” She pulled at the strap of her dress.
“Don’t.” He held her hand in place. “We can’t.”
“Why not?” Her forehead wrinkled, the spark in her eyes growing heavier. “Are you not attracted to me?”
He concentrated on her blushing cleavage peeking through the material. “Candra, this—”
“I’ll give you everything you need.” She clutched his hand in both of hers. “I was brought here for a reason. Let me in.” She gave him a kiss, her devotion cloaking him. “If you want me, you can have me.”
“I can’t have sex with any women outside The Circle.” He swallowed, cursing himself for creating the rule. “I made that vow to the women, and I won’t betray them.” He pushed his legs together to suffocate the painful erection. “No matter how difficult that gets.”
“Then isn’t that a reason to let me into The Circle?” She smiled. “I’ve had sex with men I couldn’t stand and they said I was great. Imagine how good making love would be for us, Jonathan. With how much I care.” Her eyes turned into slits as she moved in for another kiss.
His cell rang.
He sighed, getting it from the table. “Jonathan Wild,” he answered.
“It’s me,” Lucian said.
“Ah, Officer Stavropoulos.” Jonathan gushed. “Did you give Dee the flower?”
Candra leaned back, sticking out her lips.
“Yes.”
“Then don’t tease me.” Jonathan swayed his shoulders. “What did she say?”
“She thought it was from Winston.”
“That loser probably doesn’t even know what an azalea is.”
“Look, this is making me very uncomfortable, Jonathan,” Lucian said. “Dee is a friend and I respect her. I don’t want to keep feeding you information behind her back.”
“Your loyalty lies with me. Who is the reason your father’s alive? If it weren’t for my medicine, the cancer would’ve killed him within months.”
“I’m very grateful for what you did for my dad but can’t we call this even?”
“I need you, Lucian, and you’ll keep paying this debt as long as I need you to.”
Candra leaned against the table with a puzzled expression.
“Dee and Winston love each other. Let them be happy. They need that now more than ever.”
Jonathan sucked his lip. “What do you mean by that?”
“Dee’s pregnant. I heard her and Connie talking about it.”
Jonathan’s shoulders dropped as his stomach filled with rocks. “What?”
“Yes, she’s pregnant. If you love Dee then stop doing this. For the good of her baby at least.”
Jonathan lowered the phone, frozen by Lucian’s words.
Pregnant?
“Jonathan?” Candra grabbed his hand. “What’s wrong?”
He dropped the phone on the floor.
“What is it?” Candra shook him as he slumped against the table. “Jonathan?”