Excerpt from Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"You best have some food in there," I tell her, pulling away and turning to strut into the kitchen. I like to swing my hips when I walk around Alé, makes her call me her chava.

Alé watches me move and her eyes dart. She starts to run toward the kitchen door just as I rush there, racing, pushing each other to squeeze inside the doorway, laughing until we cry, spreading out on the floor as we step on each other's limbs and don't care about the bruises that'll paint us blue tomorrow. Alé beats me and stands at the stove scooping food into bowls while I'm on my knees heaving. She chuckles slyly as I get up and then hands me a bowl and spoon.

"Huevos rancheros," she says, sweat drip-dripping down her nose.

It is hot and fuming, deep red with eggs on top.

Excerpted from Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley. Copyright © 2022 by Leila Mottley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.