Talking into his earpiece, he announced, “I got a Julius Knightly here.” Seconds later, he narrowed his gaze at me, nodding for me to go in.
The massive club was packed, making it difficult for me to enterwithout waiting for the crowds to disperse. The farther I stepped into the building, the worse it became.
The music pounded through the speakers around me, vibrating deep in my bones as I tried to move quickly. I’d been there before. The owner’s office was located in the back, and this was the only way to reach him. This club was just one of his hot spots where he could push his own drugs without having to worry about the repercussions.
I tried not to pay attention to all the bodies grinding up against me, dragging me into the mass of people dancing to the house music that was blaring above the crowds.
I hated this scene. For the past two years, I’d sold drugs off and on at clubs, and I couldn’t separate partying from working. The first time I sold drugs for Marco, I was only fifteen years old. I met him through Joe. He used to come by the house when I was a kid. Sometimes he’d stay and party with my parents for days on end. Other times, he was there to collect money. They’d run up their tab until he tracked them down.
Unfortunately, he was only one of several numbers on their speed dial. It was how I figured out he was one of their dealers. After you had a few threatening people pound on your front door a couple of times, shoving demands in your parents’ faces, you’d want to know who you were dealing with, too. It was safer that way.
I’d take Kraven into my bedroom, lock the door, and throw headphones on him. One of the most traumatic memories returned in a rush, triggering a shiver down my spine.
“You worthless piece of shi?—”
“Kraven, guess what?” I distracted him from what was happening in our living room.
“What?” He smiled.
His front tooth was missing. He’d lost it that morning. I made a mental note to leave the cookie I stashed from the lunchroom in my backpack under his pillow from the tooth fairy tonight.
My parents were about to haul ass, leaving us to fend for ourselves. They’d have to go into hiding for a few days. If they owed this guy money,they had others who’d come barreling through our lives soon. CPS wasn’t far behind.
Our parents were in active addiction right now. We didn’t stand a chance against that. We never did.
“The tooth fairy is coming tonight,” I lied to Kraven, making him roll his eyes at me.
“She’s not real.”
“She is.”
“No, she’s not. I’m not dumb.”
“Kraven,” I said with a stern tone. “I’ve seen her.”
He eyed me skeptically as Dad shouted, “Get the fuck out of my house!”
A man yelled, “You pay me what you owe me, or I’m going to break your fucking legs!”
I hadn’t seen this guy before. Ignoring the rambling and thrashing through the thin walls, I spent the next minute trying to distract Kraven as best as I could, but it didn’t matter this time.
Someone must have called the cops.
One second, I’m silently praying this wouldn’t escalate, and the next, I ordered, “Kraven, run!”
My bedroom door kicked open, and all hell broke loose.
The cop announced, “They’re in here! We got two of them!”
“Kraven! Go! Run!” I charged the officer, wanting him to get a head start.
We couldn’t be split up again. We just got our family back together.
What a joke…
Kraven didn’t move an inch, his feet glued to the floor beneath him. Watching the scene unfold in front of his fearful eyes, we witnessed yet another one of our worst nightmares happen all over again.
“Julius!” Kraven screamed bloody murder as the officer held me back.
