Page 10 of Chula
“What’s that?”
“There’s a crew that operates out of there. Not the best crew there is. Some people who want that place blown to hell and are willing to pay for it.”
“Gang wars?” I ask, looking over at him. He shakes his head and turns his head to look at me.
“They are a crew, yeah, but they’re worse than that. They initiate kids. Kids as young as seven, to run their fucking drugs.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No. There’s also been word that they rape the kids.” Now anger rushes me, running wild through my veins. My hands clench in front of me, and Marco sees it.
“Why can’t you do it?”
“They know me. They know my crew. In fact, they know most of the crews around here,” he tells me.
“You need an outsider,” I say more to myself than to him.
“Exactly.”
“I won’t do it if there are kids in there,” I tell him truthfully.
“So you want the job?” I stare at the building and debate my options, which aren’t many. I could go to the laundry mat and see what’s up, but like he said, that wouldn’t make me shit, and we both know it. And I need the fucking money if I’m going to keep the heat on for Davey.
“Yeah, I’ll do it.”
“You sure? You don’t back down from these guys once you say you’ll work with them,” he tells me.
“I said I’ll do it.”
“Fine. Let’s go.” I follow behind him as we climb back down the fire escape. He stops to tell Tony that we’re heading out, but he’ll be back. Tony takes whatever it isMarco gave him as we walk down the road.
“If anyone tries to stop you, keep walking.”
“Why?”
“These aren’t the ones to mess with over here, Chula. They’re far bigger and badder than my crew is, and I’m not willing to take a bullet for you.” I huff out a small laugh as we keep walking. Thankfully, we reached the building after about twenty minutes of walking in the cold. I’m a shivering mess when Marco knocks on the door. A man pulls it open and looks between the two of us before moving aside to let us in. They fist-bump Marco but mostly ignore me, which I don’t mind at all. I don’t need to draw any attention to myself if I’m going to do what he asked me to do.
I follow the man and Marco to the back of the apartment and into a bedroom where a desk is set up. A large man sits behind it, looking us over when we come to stand in front of him.
“Good to see you again, Marco.” He says, nodding toward him. Then his eyes move to mine. “You let your girls get this cold?” he asks, nodding toward me. Marco reaches out and puts his arm around me, pulling me into his side and rubbing his hand up and down my arm.
“It’s fucking freezing out there, Pete. You been out today?” he asks playfully.
“Hell no. I’m not going out in that shit. I heard it’s supposed to snow, and you know I don’t play with that shit,” he laughs. Marco laughs too, but you can tell that it’s fake as fuck.
“What are you here for?” Pete finally asks him.
“You wanted someone to handle that shit over on sixth. She wants to handle it.” Pete’s eyes move to mine and hold there for a long second.
“She your crew?”
“No.”
“Whose crew is she?”
“She’s no one’s crew. Just moved here,” Marco tells him.
“She has to be in a crew, Marco. You know how this shit works.”
