Page 91 of Filthy Liar

Wearing the Psychos jacket felt both comforting and weird. I almost felt like I was a fraud wearing the damn thing, but knowing they’d been wanting me to join for so long did stupid things to my insides.

Being wanted by a crew was a big deal, especially when Slash said I didn’t have to do anything other than put the jacket on. That kind of acceptance was something I never thought I could even dream of.

Ander and Raven had gone in the Supra on the way to the Pit later that day, and we drove behind in the Challenger, Logan in the back and Reid in the passenger seat. His leg was really bothering him, which concerned me a little.

Now would be a bad time for someone to come after us. He could run if he had to, but who knew the damage that could do.

“You’re going to need your own car,” Reid said as he watched me drive, making me glance at him.

“Why?”

“If you think you’re taking my baby to work to get shot at, you’re mistaken,” he joked. “But seriously, you’ll be out doing stuff a lot more. You need to start saving, or let Lavaro help you buy one. I’m hoping Raven caves and lets him get her one too. She’ll need it between her baby sitting stuff and college.”

“She won’t,” Logan piped up, leaning forward between our seats.

“She’s going to have no choice if everyone’s busy and she needs transport,” Reid replied, looking a little bit uncomfortable.

“What will you and Logan be doing?” I asked, following the Supra into the Heights.

So far, no trouble.

“I’ve been applying for jobs.”

“Where at?”

“All over the place, but I told Diesel if he can set me up with something at the community center, I’d take it,” he answered, glancing at Logan. “He said he thinks he’s got something for me and Logan, but he didn’t want to tell me about it unless it was a sure thing.”

“You might have gotten me a job?” Logan asked, faking a groan. “Dude, why? I’m enjoying being a freeloading piece of shit. We have Lavaro as our sugar daddy now, and our girl’s about to get a college education and a job with health insurance. We can sip beer by the pool any day now.”

Reid and I laughed, knowing he was joking. Logan would get way too bored being home alone all the time if we all got jobs, and he actually liked being busy.

“It could be a fun job,” Reid pointed out.

“Or slavery. You should’ve asked about the pay rate. We might be working our asses off for nothing,” he threw back, looking thoughtful for a second. “Then again, they pay Raven double what her job is worth. Maybe they’ll do the same for us.”

We took turns trying to guess what the jobs could be for the rest of the drive, and once we arrived at the Pit, we parked beside the Supra and climbed out.

There were a few cars here already, and the sound of glass breaking and laughter reached us.

Sounded like everyone was already rowdy.

“If you see Stefano or someone who doesn’t look like they fit here, tell me,” Ander said as we walked towards the hole in the fence. He stepped through first to hold it open, letting Raven and the guys through next.

I entered last, making sure no one could sneak up on us.

The second we moved towards our usual spot, I could feel people’s eyes shifting to us and their attention going to my jacket. I heard some whispers, but I blocked it out and kept an eye out for trouble alongside Ander as we walked behind the others.

Annoyance radiated off Raven at all the attention, but we’d already talked about this happening when we ate an early dinner. People here were used to gangs and violence, but there weren’t many crew members that hung around the Heights these days.

They made people nervous, and they were either hated or worshipped.

The fact that some people were scowling at me told me a lot weren’t happy with this change of events.

“Sold your soul to the Psychos, Lopez?” Zion called out as we passed one of the fire barrels, amusement on his face. “Or did you steal it?”

One of his buddies chuckled, shaking his head a little. “A few people come after you, and you run to them for protection?”

“A few people?” Raven repeated, giving me a look. “Are they for real?”

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