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This time, however, rather than running into Yusuf, I turned the corner and walked straight into the firm, broad chest that belonged to Cade.
“Do you really think I don’t know when you’re full of shit by now?” Cade asked rudely, while I stuttered at the sight of him.
“Uh, well, hey,” I managed, trying for offended rather than guilty.
“Your eyes get shifty, and you bounce from foot to foot.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah, babe, you do,” Cade replied. “Those are your tells.”
“Whatever,” I said with an eye roll.
“Spill it.”
I sighed once for good measure, then told him everything. All about what I’d overheard both times in Alani’s room, creepy Yusuf, and the convo I’d had with her.
Cade’s body stiffened as I spoke, and his eyes got hard.
“I swear, I was going to tell you right away when I thought Alani was messed up with the guy, but since I know she’s just trying to help out a friend, I was trying to get some intel before I brought it to you.”
“You should have told me, intel or not. Alani’s involved, so am I.”
I nodded, knowing that not only was he right, but sensing he was really pissed, and wanting to diffuse that as soon as possible.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. It won’t happen again.”
“I mean it, Lila. None of the usual bullshit of sneaking behind my back.”
I was about to protest, but caught his pointed look and realized, since that is what I’d just done, I didn’t have a leg to stand on.
“Promise,” I replied, crossing my heart for good measure.
Cade didn’t even crack a smile; his arms remained over his chest as he looked down at me.
“What did you come here for?” he asked after a few tense moments of silence.
“This is where I saw Yusuf and Alani a few days ago.” I gestured to the stairs behind him and added, “I hoped maybe he has an office or something up those stairs, and if so, I was going to check it out.”
“Let’s go then,” Cade said, turning slightly and waiting for me to go first.
I couldn’t complain about him being there to help. The job he did for his MC was almost like what I did, except he didn’t really abide by rules, or laws for that matter. Having another set of eyes as skilled as his would only mean getting done quicker, and being one step closer to getting those cupcakes.
We got to the top of the stairs and opened the steel door, which led to a hallway. Now, I knew there was a strip mall downstairs, but I hadn’t been sure what to expect upstairs. Were these apartments the business owners could rent? Office space? More businesses?
We walked slowly but confidently down the hall; that way, if anyone crossed our path, we’d look like we belonged there. Sure, you always ran the risk of running into someone who knew you didn’t, but saying you were lost, or visiting, was usually enough to diminish their suspicion.
For now, however, we were the only ones in the hall.
We passed a couple doors with plaques. One was a florist, the other had the same name as one of the businesses downstairs, so I was assuming it was storage, or an office. The last two doors were unmarked.
Cade lifted his head toward the second door, indicating that I should go to that one, then stood in front of the first. He raised his hand and knocked. After waiting a few seconds, he shook his head and pointed at my door, so I did the same.
We both tried the knobs at the same time. Mine was locked, but Cade’s swung open.
I hurried over to look inside, feeling disappointed when the inside was completely empty.
Cade tilted his head again, then walked over the threshold. After I followed him inside, I shut the door quietly behind us, then entered the space. It was an office space, not an apartment, but did have more than one room, which I found out when Cade disappeared behind a corner.
