Page 57 of Cruel Legacy

Three blocks over from where the shuttle dropped me off is the warehouse district. It’s deserted this time of night, with a lot of what I assume are abandoned buildings. Nothing exciting to see, but I’m still mapping terrain, hoping to stumble across some hidden gems.

Academics aside, I’m drowning at Canyon Falls University. I feel too exposed when I walk through campus. I need some place I can hang out without drawing too much attention. The grungier the better.

I cross the street to where a guy is standing on a corner. He’s only stopping guys and I pick up on what he’s doing. He’s a promoter. They all have the same purpose. To invite people to whatever event that’s happening, but they only target certain people. Hot girls for clubs which bring in the guys who spend money on drinks trying to get laid. Or tough guys and men in suits who might want to bet on a little action.

I walk right up to him and hold out my hand. “Do I make the cut?” He gives me a once over, taking in my clothes and my tits.

“Yeah, you make the cut.” He hands me a flyer. “Bring your friends.”

I look down at the flyer. I’ve got one friend in this town and before I bring LJ, I need to check things out myself. “Where is this place?”

“Red Canyon. It’s halfway between here and Palisade Shores.”

Palisades Shores. That’s where the bar is where I met Deacon. It’s about an hour west of here.

“Cool.” I leave him to try to drum up more patrons and continue my walk through town, It’s teaming with students from school, walking in groups, laughing and talking, sharing meals together. I ignore the looks I get since I’m alone. It doesn’t bother me. I like it this way.

I treat myself to dinner and a movie, and force myself not to think about Finn sitting with me the last time I came to a movie. That’s back when I almost thought he’d be halfway decent to hang out with. Turns out my first impression was the right impression. He’s an ass and not worthy of my time, thoughts, or energy.

* * *

It’s almost eleven at night when the movie lets out. Now I’ll really get to see what this town’s all about. There has to be a club around her somewhere.

I cut across the side street next to the movie theater. Another block down, I see people walking and cars that look like they’re double parked. I can also make out flashing neon lights against the street. That’s the sign of a club or a bar, if I ever saw one.

All of this activity is happening on the street parallel to the one I’m on. I decide to cut through an alley behind what looks like an old warehouse instead of walking around the building.

I’m halfway through the alley when the rusty squeak of a hinge drags my attention to the third story of the building. Someone climbs out of a window and makes his way down the fire escape. A thinner guy follows soon after him.

I ignore them. Maybe I was wrong about the building being empty. They must have repurposed the warehouse into one of those chic apartments or something.

That thought doesn’t stop me from looking again. There are no lights reflecting from any of the windows and they have graffiti on them. There’s something suspicious about what they’re doing. There’s no way an upscale apartment building would leave the windows vandalized like that. I pick up my pace. Whatever they’re up to. Not my problem.

The guys jump down off the fire escape and walk over to the dumpster, where they do the stupidest thing they can. They start talking about their score.Fucking amateurs. Just yammering without checking their surroundings.

They keep talking all excitedly, when someone yells, “Zeus, what the fuck are ya’ll doing?”

Their heads pop up and I know they’ve spotted me. I keep walking, pretending like I didn’t see or hear them. A hand lands on my shoulder. I shrug it off. I just need to make it a few more feet. The hand grabs me again and I acknowledge the fact that there’s no way I’m getting out of here without having to deal with this shit. I spin around ready to defend myself, but stop when I see Michael Pearse, from my Physical Enhancement Class in front of me.

“Theona LaReaux.” He says with a low whistle. “I didn’t think you ever left the campus.”

“And I didn’t know what I do is any of your business. Or are you watching me, hoping to learn some new defensive moves?”

“Whatever, little girl, I’d own your ass in that ring.”

“The way I remember it, Coach Wolfe is very selective about who he pairs you up with. Good thing too. You might be quick on your feet, but you’re like a dull hammer smashing things. All brawn, no finesse. There’d be too much paperwork to fill out if everyone was knocking you on your ass, like Torrance did when he caught you with that sloppy ass roundhouse the first week of class.”

His friends exchange a look. I get the feeling he’s not completely honest with them about the losses he takes in class. “He wasn’t supposed to be kicking, and you know it.”

“What I know is you lost that round. I heard there was some type of wager attached to it. Did you really have to watch while he fingered your girl, and she came so hard just by his hand that she dumped you?”

The skinny one says, “I thought you saidyoubroke up with her?”

“This bitch doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

I shrug. He’s right. I don’t know shit about what happened. I’m making it up as I go along, but it’s funny, and I’m trying to distract him, because I’ve stumbled onto some shady shit and need to get out of here.

“What are you doing here,Theona?”

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