18

The first time Lewis saw Nate Kenny was more than a year before, when the man was staggering toward Lewis’s car after he had plowed into the back of Kenny’s priceless Bentley, totaling it.

Lewis had no insurance, no money to pay for the destruction he did. That bastard Mr. Kenny was going to call the police on him, was going to get him carted off to jail.

Mr. Kenny said Lewis’s only way out was to seduce Monica, allowing Kenny to get proof of her infidelity so that he could divorce her.

“And that’s what the fuck I did!” Lewis said to Freddy as they ate burgers and fries at a greasy fast food joint down the block from the management company. “Now he’s trying to get back with her. I told Monica that’s what he’s doing.”

“And what did she say?” Freddy said, sipping his Coke.

“She said it’s some damn business meeting. That his company was doing bad, and he wants her advice to make some changes.”

“And you don’t believe her?”

“I believe her. I don’t believe his ass, because he’s talking about meeting at his house tomorrow night.”

Freddy popped a fry into his mouth, then laughed. “Aw yeah, man. He’s on some shit. No doubt. So what you gonna do?”

“I’m gonna let the fool know where to get off. I told Monica she ain’t going over there alone. She said she was planning on me coming anyway. That’s why she told me about it.”

“I wish I could be there for that one. The rematch of Lewis versus Nate. Waters versus Kenny Two! If that was on pay-perview, I’d go ahead and drop the fifty dollars.”

“And it’d be worth it,” Lewis said, drinking the last of his orange soda. “Because if that fool steps out of line in the least, I’m gonna knock his head off.”