Smoke & Metal (New York Crime Kings Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

myself up and out of the car. The first thing I spot is the glistening lake at the back of the house. The perfect spot to sink a car.
    “How’d you make it across the thruway?” Emily asks, as she hobbles up beside me.
    “This car has a tag, can you believe it?”
    “Really? Shit. That’s lucky.”
    I tune her out as she talks and I scan the area for something heavy, something I can put in the trunk. The car itself will fill with water and sink, but you never know how strong a current can be until it washes the car up somewhere down the river. I don’t want to take any chances while we’re in the area. My stare stops at a tall pile of old bricks stacked against the left flank of the house. Enough of those and the car should stay at the bottom of the lake for a long time—possibly forever.
    “…and I don’t understand—”
    “There.” I state, cutting her off. “Bricks. They’ll do just fine.”
    I look at her and she blinks her large eyes at me, confused. “For what?”
    I smirk. For a girl from the streets, you’d think she’d put two and two together. “For sinking the car.”
     
    Emily
     
    Large pockets of air bubble along the surface of the lake, creating ripples as far as I can see. With one last, large ‘gloop’ the roof of the car disappears from sight. I’ve never had to sink a car before. It’s kind of fun.
    Pulling my bag higher on his shoulder, Jai exhales and turns around to face the house. I watch the lake for a little while longer. I haven’t spent much time out of the city. To see colors other than the ones that paint the surface of dull metals, rust and dirty glass is refreshing.
    Greens.
    Reds.
    Oranges.
    Being stuck underground makes you miss the things you never really thought about before. Like colors. Never have I appreciated mustard yellow before.
    “How does a hot shower sound?” Jai asks.
    My knees tremble, weakening at the word. It carries an orgasmic tune, if that’s possible. I turn to face him.
    “How hot are we talking?”
    His dry lips quirk at the corners, darkening the rings around his eyes.
    “Red skin, thick steam and wet walls kind of hot.”
    A dreamy sigh lets itself out of my throat. “I don’t even know what that feels like anymore.”
    He flicks his head towards the large house. “Let’s go find out.”
    I follow him as he makes his way toward the pretty wooden porch. White and turquoise pots hang from polished chains. Thick ropes of green vines with cream flowers spill over the round edges. They’re definitely not the kind of flowers I would expect Jai to have.
    The floorboards creak underneath our feet, sending a shiver down my spine. Two white, wicker rocking chairs sway gently in the cool fall air and then it hits me.
    “This isn’t your place, is it?”
    Jai laughs as he drops my bag to the floor and reaches over his head, gripping the collar of his filthy, green shirt. “You think I’d hide us in a place that I own? No. Those places will be the first to be hit by Skull.”
    Places? He has more than one?
    I fold my arms across my chest. “I can’t take someone else’s home.”
    He pulls the shirt off over his head, exposing his glistening torso. “This house is vacant until the summer. No one will know we’re here.”
    I take a slight step to the left as he cocks his arm back and sends his fist crashing into the glass. It shatters with a loud crack and large, pointy, skin piercing shards drop to the floor. It doesn’t feel right—the heaviness on my chest. I don’t feel comfortable taking someone else’s home, even if they do only use it in the summer. I watch, quietly—uncertainly—as Jai carefully reaches in past the glass and unlocks the door. He tugs on the door handle and it opens with a screech.
    “It’s not right…” I mutter.
    Jai steps aside, holding the door open for me, I meet his stare. He looks painfully tired. Amongst it is a hint of concern—or irritation. I can’t tell under the layer of dirt on his