TOTAL ECLIPSE: The Evolution (Sin City Heat Series Book 7) Read Online Free Page A
Author: S. K. Hardy
the exchange, but his sharp eyes bounced between the two of them, not missing a thing.
"Yeah, it has,” Renzo answered. “About ten years, huh? You look great. You've hardly changed at all."
Jerra ducked her head as if suddenly aware of the normal around the house casual Saturday attire she had on which consisted of blue jean shorts and a t-shirt. Darrell squinted when she smiled and tugged the fitted shirt down a little before tucking a lock of her naturally curly hair behind her ear.
"I wouldn't say that. My hips and thighs would beg to differ," she laughed.
Renzo's eyes lingered appreciatively on the parts of her anatomy she'd just mentioned. The attention he gave them was brief, but not brief enough to escape Darrell's intent gaze.
His eyes never leaving Renzo, Darrell asked through stiff lips, "You know this guy, Jerra? He says he's here to see Tina."
Jerra's brow wrinkled delicately. "You know Tina?"
"Actually, no, but..." He paused, his eyes moving from Jerra to Darrell as if reluctant to speak his business in front of someone he didn't know.
"Excuse me, let me introduce you. Lorenzo, this is my husband, Darrell Monroe."
Something flickered in Lorenzo's eyes when he realized Darrell and Tina had the same last name. "You and Tina Monroe are related?"
"She's my mother." A feeling of dread began to form in Darrell’s chest. Lorenzo? This guy had the same name as his…brother. Heart beating, Darrell stared at Jerra.. "Who is this? How do you two know each other?"
"Well, um, you’re already aware that my old firm paid for me to go to law school. That's where I met Renzo."
Renzo smiled. "Yep, good ole John Jay in NYC."
Jerra returned his smile before looking back at Darrell. "Renzo was finishing up his last year, preparing to take the bar. He was a big help to me and a few other first year law students."
"I'm sure he was," Darrell muttered loud enough for Renzo to hear.
The indulgent smile Renzo directed towards Jerra slowly disappeared as he and Darrell glared at one another.
Jerra's eyes darted from one to the other, frowning when she noticed the similarities of their features…especially while they stood glowering with such outright hostility. But it was more than that. She peered closer, trying to figure out what it was. Then, just like that, it hit her. It wasn’t just their features that were strikingly alike. It was their eyes, their similar build, and the mutinous expressions that had settled on their faces.
Stricken, her breath caught in her throat as she realized why the name Pattel had sounded so familiar to her when Darrell mentioned it. In law school, she’d heard it whispered a few times in reference to Lorenzo, but that wasn’t the name he’d used back then. Jerra remembered that one night after cramming for a test, she asked him about it.
Lorenzo had sat back and stared at her for a full thirty seconds before briefly acknowledging that Pattel was his legal name but for reasons he didn’t want to get into, he went by his mother’s maiden name. The subject never came up again and Jerra never mentioned it to anyone. Soon after, Lorenzo graduated. They hadn’t spoken to or seen each other since.
Staring at him now, Jerra brought a hand up to cover her mouth while blindly reaching behind her for something to hold on to as everything fell into place.
Darrell quickly slipped an arm around her waist. At the same time, Renzo materialized at her other side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Darrell glared at his hand and pulled Jerra towards him.
"I got her. I can take care of my wife ."
Renzo's face knotted up, his dislike for Darrell intensifying with each passing second, but he stepped back without saying anything.
Jerra looked from one of them to the other, her heart beating furiously in her chest. "Darrell..."
"Baby, you okay? Come inside and sit down while I get you a bottle of water." The look he cut Renzo's way clearly told the other man that the invitation was not meant for
"Yeah, it has,” Renzo answered. “About ten years, huh? You look great. You've hardly changed at all."
Jerra ducked her head as if suddenly aware of the normal around the house casual Saturday attire she had on which consisted of blue jean shorts and a t-shirt. Darrell squinted when she smiled and tugged the fitted shirt down a little before tucking a lock of her naturally curly hair behind her ear.
"I wouldn't say that. My hips and thighs would beg to differ," she laughed.
Renzo's eyes lingered appreciatively on the parts of her anatomy she'd just mentioned. The attention he gave them was brief, but not brief enough to escape Darrell's intent gaze.
His eyes never leaving Renzo, Darrell asked through stiff lips, "You know this guy, Jerra? He says he's here to see Tina."
Jerra's brow wrinkled delicately. "You know Tina?"
"Actually, no, but..." He paused, his eyes moving from Jerra to Darrell as if reluctant to speak his business in front of someone he didn't know.
"Excuse me, let me introduce you. Lorenzo, this is my husband, Darrell Monroe."
Something flickered in Lorenzo's eyes when he realized Darrell and Tina had the same last name. "You and Tina Monroe are related?"
"She's my mother." A feeling of dread began to form in Darrell’s chest. Lorenzo? This guy had the same name as his…brother. Heart beating, Darrell stared at Jerra.. "Who is this? How do you two know each other?"
"Well, um, you’re already aware that my old firm paid for me to go to law school. That's where I met Renzo."
Renzo smiled. "Yep, good ole John Jay in NYC."
Jerra returned his smile before looking back at Darrell. "Renzo was finishing up his last year, preparing to take the bar. He was a big help to me and a few other first year law students."
"I'm sure he was," Darrell muttered loud enough for Renzo to hear.
The indulgent smile Renzo directed towards Jerra slowly disappeared as he and Darrell glared at one another.
Jerra's eyes darted from one to the other, frowning when she noticed the similarities of their features…especially while they stood glowering with such outright hostility. But it was more than that. She peered closer, trying to figure out what it was. Then, just like that, it hit her. It wasn’t just their features that were strikingly alike. It was their eyes, their similar build, and the mutinous expressions that had settled on their faces.
Stricken, her breath caught in her throat as she realized why the name Pattel had sounded so familiar to her when Darrell mentioned it. In law school, she’d heard it whispered a few times in reference to Lorenzo, but that wasn’t the name he’d used back then. Jerra remembered that one night after cramming for a test, she asked him about it.
Lorenzo had sat back and stared at her for a full thirty seconds before briefly acknowledging that Pattel was his legal name but for reasons he didn’t want to get into, he went by his mother’s maiden name. The subject never came up again and Jerra never mentioned it to anyone. Soon after, Lorenzo graduated. They hadn’t spoken to or seen each other since.
Staring at him now, Jerra brought a hand up to cover her mouth while blindly reaching behind her for something to hold on to as everything fell into place.
Darrell quickly slipped an arm around her waist. At the same time, Renzo materialized at her other side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Darrell glared at his hand and pulled Jerra towards him.
"I got her. I can take care of my wife ."
Renzo's face knotted up, his dislike for Darrell intensifying with each passing second, but he stepped back without saying anything.
Jerra looked from one of them to the other, her heart beating furiously in her chest. "Darrell..."
"Baby, you okay? Come inside and sit down while I get you a bottle of water." The look he cut Renzo's way clearly told the other man that the invitation was not meant for
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