two gangs. Growing up where I did, some of the people I went to school with probably ended up in one gang or the other. It’s just the way things are.
Paul reads the note when I pass it back to him, and he doesn’t immediately start writing a response. He looks up at the professor, who’s droning on about something I can’t even pretend I’m listening to.
The dark-haired guy seems like he’s thinking it over, and I bite my lip, holding my breath to see what his response will be. If he doesn’t want to make a deal, then I’m not sure what the next step will be. I’ll have to find someone else who will, I guess, but that will take time.
I don’t know if Scarlett knows anyone else, and it’s not like I have a lot of time to search for more Jackals who might be willing to help me when I’m being flanked at every turn by three members of the Black Roses.
My heart thuds against my ribs, and I chew my lip so hard I nearly break the skin.
I need this to work.
I need this to be a worthwhile risk to take, so I can do what I need to do and put it all to rest. It’s the only way I’m going to be able to move on.
Finally, the piece of paper comes back across my desk. Okay. If you get some useful stuff, then I promise you’ll get paid. Only if it’s useful shit, though. Here’s my number. Call me if you get something.
Relief crashes over me, and I finally let out the breath I’ve been holding. I take the note and fold it up in eighths, then shove it into my school bag. That’s the first step done. The contact has been made, and he’s agreed to work with me.
Before, that seemed like it would be the hardest part. But now I have to actually get some information for him, and that’s going to be tricky at best.
I stare blindly up toward the front of the room for the rest of the lecture, coming up with plans and then discarding them as quickly. I have to be careful with what I do, but I can’t afford to let this opportunity pass me by. Who knows how long Paul will wait for information before deciding he’s tired of dealing with me.
Once class is over, I get up and out of my chair before Paul can move, falling in with the flow of students leaving the building.
With some distance between me and Paul, I let out a relieved sigh that I managed to pull that off without being caught, and then almost jump out of my skin when Levi steps up beside me with a smile.
He’s been waiting outside like he always does, and he hasn’t seemed to notice how jumpy I am. Good.
“Lunch?” he asks, and I nod.
It’s a thing with us now, five days a week. We get lunch, usually from the little food truck down the hill that I introduced him to that first day, but sometimes we go off campus and try other things. Pizza, gyros, Chinese food. Whatever we’re in the mood for.
My mind isn’t really on food as we walk, so I let him take the lead, heading down the block to the little shawarma place he likes. That’s fine by me, and we join the line to order.
“Is this cool with you?” he asks, gesturing toward the front of the line, and I nod, trying not to seem too distracted.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I like their shawarma. And the pitas are good.”
Usually by the time I’m three classes in, I’m starving, but at the moment I couldn’t care less about the food. My mind feels a million miles away, but I force it back to the matter at hand because I have to seem normal. I have to act natural, unless I want Levi to figure out something’s up.
“I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow,” he says. “I haven’t been to one in a while.”
“Me neither,” I admit. “Scar and I used to go sometimes, but it’s been a while. And I thought it would be nice to get out. Like you said, things seem like they’ve been tense lately.”
I keep my voice neutral as I speak, not wanting Levi to feel like I’m prodding him for information. But I hope he’ll tell me a little more about what’s going on that’s got all the Black Roses so on edge.
“Yeah.” He grimaces. “We just had a couple of big deals go through, and between that and the way the Jackals are breathing down our necks…” He trails off, then shakes his head, his expression brightening. “A night out sounds fucking great. I’m glad you suggested it.”
I smile at him, frustrated that he didn’t finish his sentence. I can’t tell if he didn’t go into more detail because we’re out in public or because he doesn’t want me to know too much about gang business.
“Well, I’m just glad Sloan agreed,” I say with an eye roll.
Levi chuckles. “He’ll have fun once we’re there. He’s been dealing with a lot of shit, and he’s got more pressure on him than the rest of us.”
“Right.”
He nudges me with his shoulder. “How’d you get into street racing, anyway? Not that I’m surprised you like it.”
“My dad introduced me to it. He took me to see a race when I was little.”