Read Online The Protector by Gennita Low - Free Book Online Page A

spoils.”
    She spoke so softly that he must have imagined she called him Jazz. He would have liked to be given a chance to answer the charges she had just made, but the shouting from within the hut didn’t seem conducive to further debate. He stepped closer, not liking the tone of voice as it went on and on, almost shrill in its demands.
    “What’s the shouting about?” he asked.
    “Money,” Vivi said, and tapped at the old battered door.
    There was a pause and then a short little man, no taller than five-feet-one, appeared. Unkempt, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, he stood with his hands on his hips. His eyes narrowed at the sight of Rose standing behind Vivi. He began to speak quickly, angrily, the cigarette dropping ash. Vivi shrugged. His face turned beet-red. He ground out the cigarette and started gesturing wildly as he shouted, his words in broken English.
    “I have no interest in your income, Mr. Tham,” Vivi finally interrupted. “You refused the food the organization brought here for distribution.”
    “Food? Who wants your food?” the man sneered, his speech slurred by accent and alcohol. “We want cash, American dollar. You bring food! Gimme money and we be fine.”
    “You’ll be fine, Mr. Tham, but what about your family? I think they’d be happier with food than you gambling and losing all the money.”
    The man looked as if he was going to explode in fury. He started yelling at Rose in his native tongue, gesturing her to get into the house.
    Jazz looked at Vivi. Was she really going to let Rose go? The younger girl cast a quick last glance at Vivi, who nodded to her. Rose disappeared into the dark interior.
    Vivi held up an envelope, took out a small wad of cash, and fanned it out in front of Mr. Tham. The change in the man was instantaneous. A smile broke out, showing yellowed teeth. His eyes lost their glare, gleaming now with anticipation.
    “Let me make this very clear,” Vivi said in a soft voice. “This is not U.S. government money. This is my cash. I expect Rose to be here for a few weeks or you’ll answer to me.”
    Mr. Tham’s eyes narrowed. “Woman don’t threaten man,” he announced.
    “I wouldn’t dream of threatening a man like you,” Vivi said, arching a brow. “This is purely business. If you don’t want to do it, I can always negotiate with some of your neighbors for their daughters.”
    The man scowled and tried to snatch the money away from Vivi. She kept it out of his reach. “Three weeks, Mr. Tham,” she pressed.
    “Three,” he agreed, small eyes following Vivi as she put away the cash.
    No sooner had Vivi handed him the envelope than he turned his back to them, pulling out the money to count. He began walking back into the house.
    Jazz watched Vivi’s expression closely. She was clenching her jaw as she stared stonily at the empty doorway. He felt helpless, not knowing how exactly to help.
    “Why negotiate with a man like that?” he asked gently.
    The gaze she shot him was heated. “All I can do is buy more time,” she said, and turned back toward the path. The kids followed them.
    The girls continued to touch Jazz wherever they could. He unhooked a hand from his back pocket. “Is he her father?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you want me to beat him up?”
    Vivi stopped and turned around slowly. She stood there as the girls crowded around him, still hopeful that he would change his mind. One of them said something, and the rest giggled loudly. Jazz didn’t want to guess what they were talking about so animatedly.
    “Do you think anything would be accomplished if you beat him up?” Vivi asked conversationally. She arched her brows as Jazz disentangled himself from a pair of arms around his waist. “Look at them hanging on to you like leeches. Are you going to beat them up?”
    “I don’t hit women.” He was, however, beginning toweary of these girls, who didn’t seem to want to take no for an answer. He wanted to get out of here soon.
    “You see,