“When we get there, let me do all the talking, okay?”
“I can handle myself just fine,” Grayson bit out, and I rolled my eyes.
“I know that. Ava, Micah, and your teammates know that, but out here, standing up like you’re hot shit when you’re a stranger will lead to nothing but trouble. I’d rather they think you’re just another lost little frat boy whom I’m taking advantageof than having someone else trying to handle you, and they won’t be a fucking delight like I am.”
He didn’t take offence at what I said, though he did scoff at the last part of my speech, but it was lighthearted. Had I told him to let me lead a few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have listened to me at all.
By the time I parked in front of the building, even more battered than the one I lived in, it had already gotten dark. People were milling outside the building. I turned off the engine in my car and knew the only reason no one would do shit to it was because of Big Dog. As much as I hated the guy, running with his crew offered me protection.
People knew if something happened to Big Dog’s crew, they would have to pay. We were Big Dog’s show ponies, and if you took us out, then he would demand payment from those responsible.
“Don’t engage with anyone,” I told him as I opened the car door.
Grayson followed behind me. He didn’t interact with anyone, and he also didn’t cower.
“Pinche Cruz, asta que te acuerdas de los pobres!” Fucking Cruz, until you remember the poor.
“Eh,wey,” I said in greeting to the man who was in the “waiting” area of this room. “Isel Teclasthere?”
One thing I quickly learned was that Hispanic nicknames were either going to be literal as fuck or fucking brutal, and that was the case for “teclas”. It literally stood for keyboard.
Someone laughed. “Where else would he be?”
I turned to look back at Gray and nodded for him to follow me into the building.
I already knew the chicks by the entrance wouldn’t be holding their tongues.
“Where are you going,papi?We can show you a damn good time.” I had to bite my tongue so I wouldn’t bust out laughing. I turned back, and Grayson looked at me pleadingly. One of the three had her hand right over the zipper of his jeans.
“This one’s taken,” I let them know as I grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. The building was four floors of depravity.
“There’s an elevator, but it doesn’t work. We have to take the stairs to the fourth floor.” The stairs were to the left at the end of the corridor. College parties got wild, but people still had some common sense. That was not the case here. I could tell Grayson could see the number of people coming and going from the open apartments. Calling them apartments was a generous word. Grayson didn’t say a word when you could hear grunts and moans vibrating through the walls.
Luckily, there was no one mingling on the stairs—at least not yet.
“The first two floors are used for sex, and the third floor is where the machines are. You can obtain any fake from any state, along with other dubious documents.”
“Is that where we’re going?”
I shook my head. “We’re on the last floor. That’s where the hackers and other questionable residents can be found.”
No one lived in this building, at least not willingly. It served a purpose, and anything you could want or need that was illegal could be obtained here.
The lights were practically nonexistent in the stairwells. It kept the anonymity of everyone involved. Coming here wasn’t ideal, but this place was Switzerland. It was one of the only places where Big Dog didn’t have a say, and that was more than enough for me.
Just as I took my first step, Grayson held on to my arm. “You came here on your own?”
There was a bite to his tone, almost as if he was angry, but that wasn’t it, and since the lighting sucked, I couldn’t see his face.
“Yeah…”
“Don’t fucking do that shit again.”
A chill went down my spine at his words. I had to remind myself to keep walking.
Grayson was worried about me?
And maybe, just maybe, I cared what happened to him, too.
