Crowned. Cheryl S. Ntumy

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СКАЧАТЬ relationship is complicated, and by that I mean I can’t stand the guy. I had a huge, stupid crush on Thuli for years, but he didn’t know I existed until Rakwena and I became friends. He deduced that Rakwena, so obviously gifted it’s a miracle no one else caught on, would only befriend another gifted. After that he wouldn’t leave me alone.

      I’m sitting at a desk in a corner of the office when he appears. I don’t see him at first. I’m too busy flipping through copies of the latest production schedule, filling in sections where the printer ink was too faint. I sense him, though. My gift shifts in his direction long before my eyes, so by the time I finally spot him I’ve been holding my breath for an agonising few seconds.

      My panic fades and rational thought kicks in. I don’t know why he affects me this way. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that almost two years ago he lured me to his room and pinned me to the bed. I escaped unscathed, but the memory haunts me.

      I frown. He’s different. Not physically – he has the same long dreadlocks tied back with a dark blue ribbon. He still wears expensive shirts that hang off his bony shoulders. His sleepy, sinister eyes are still a little red from smoking too many cigarettes and other things, and he still has that arrogant smirk.

      But his energy has changed. I can’t explain it, but my gift can feel it. A sudden heaviness in his aura. A new glowing strength, like stainless steel. I can almost taste the shiny tang of it. He starts to move, taking long strides in my direction. I try to push him away with the force of my glare, but Thuli’s never been one to take a hint. He comes to a stop beside me.

      “Connie!” His smile is too smug to be believed. “You’re here!”

      “I work here. What’s your excuse?”

      He laughs and slips into the chair beside me. “How have you been?”

      I inch away from him. “Great, until about five seconds ago.”

      “Come on,” he purrs. “I’d really like us to be friends again.”

      Again? The boy is unbelievable. “Go away.”

      “You don’t mean that.” He reaches out to touch my hair and I recoil. His hand drops to the desk. “Maybe my new position will give us a chance to get reacquainted.”

      “What new position?” My hands ball into fists on top of the desk. Please don’t tell me he’s going to be working here.

      “I’m going to be working here.”

      My stomach drops. Really? Really?

      Oblivious of my agony he continues, “I’ll be dealing with the marketing side of things, but we’ll be in the same building. Isn’t that great?”

      Oh, sure. It’s fan-friggin’-tastic. He’s supposed to be working for his dad’s company, learning the ropes so he can take over and become another corporate shark. The only reason he took a job here instead is so he can torture me on a daily basis – I know this for a fact. Thuli has no interest in working in entertainment; he thinks it’s beneath him. I tear my eyes from his face, unnerved by his unblinking gaze, and lower them to his arms, which rest casually on top of the desk. My breath catches in my throat.

      He was waiting for me to notice. Exultation comes off him in waves. Honestly, this boy should try harder to hide his emotions. He slides his arms across the scarred surface of the desk until they’re almost touching mine. I drop my hands into my lap.

      “You like it?” He raises his sleeve so I can see the full picture.

      “It” is a tattoo. Brand new, the lines still slightly raised. At first I thought it was a lizard crawling up his arm in a pale imitation of the tattoo that gave Rakwena his nickname, Black Lizard. On closer inspection I see that it’s a snake, fangs bared for attack. It’s smaller than Rakwena’s, yet far more menacing. It has wicked yellow eyes and almost throbs against his skin, as though it wants to leap off his arm and sink its fangs into my flesh. Something about it makes my stomach lurch.

      I raise my gaze to his self-satisfied face. “I hope you know it isn’t going to wash off when you come to your senses.”

      He smiles. “I should hope not. What do you think?”

      “I think it’s creepy and ridiculous. Suits you perfectly.”

      He laughs. Like the Puppetmaster, he seems completely unconcerned by my low opinion of him. I should hook them up; they’d be BFFs in minutes.

      I turn back to my work. “Leave me alone, Thuli.”

      “Only if you agree to be friends.”

      “I’d rather be friends with flesh-eating bacteria.”

      “You made friends with Kelly.”

      “Kelly’s not a sociopath.”

      The door opens and Portia, the receptionist, pops her head into the room. “Thuli, Bernard’s looking for you.”

      “In a minute.” He barely glances at her.

      “He said you should come right now. He wants to–”

      Thuli turns to face her. “I’m talking to Connie. Give us some privacy, would you?”

      His manner doesn’t surprise me in the least, but Portia’s reaction does. Something moves over her face. Her frown melts and her lips curl in a sappy smile. Suddenly the brisk receptionist has been replaced by a besotted schoolgirl.

      “Of course,” she simpers. “I’m so sorry. Take your time.” The door closes, and in the ensuing silence I hear the click of her heels moving away from the door.

      I stare at Thuli. “What was that?”

      He cocks his head to one side and looks at me. “I have a way with women.”

      “Since when?”

      “Not so long ago, I had a way with you,” he purrs. There’s an odd quality to his voice, as though there’s something in his throat. “It could be like that again.”

      Ugh. He can’t seriously think I’d ever be attracted to him again. The fact that I was stupid enough to like him once will haunt me for the rest of my days. “You’re disgusting,” I tell him, since he can’t read my subtle signals.

      “You’ll change your mind.” His voice holds the ring of certainty. Why should he be certain? What is he up to?

      I reach towards his mind, then remember who he is and retreat. I can’t take that route with him. That’s exactly what he wants – proof of my gift.

      “I’ll see you around.” He slides out of the chair and exits with a cheery wave.

      Self-satisfied idiot. Thuli’s always been sure of himself, and with good reason. He’s fiercely intelligent, ambitious and comes from the kind of wealth that would make even the nicest kid a little snooty.

      I remember what it felt like to lie on my back on his bed with all his weight pressing down on me. You’d think someone so lanky would be light and weak, but he wasn’t. I had СКАЧАТЬ