Boost by Vi Summers

 

Chapter 13

-Raf-

 

 

“Fuck! Cops!”

It was the shout that created mass mayhem, and the heads-up that no street racer wanted to hear. Pandemonium broke out as people sprinted in all directions, scattering like ants, finding an escape route any way they could.

It played out before my eyes; cop cars simultaneously blocking off exit routes with seamless precision that must have had hours of prior planning behind the scenes.

I grabbed Linetti by the arm. “C’mon, man, we gotta bounce.”

I ignored his protests, instead dragged him along behind me as I searched for Shades. Relief washed through me when I saw him sprinting toward me at a pace faster than I ever thought possible for his fat ass.

“My car’s blocked in. Fucking run, brother!” he yelled, without slowing.

I turned on the ball of one foot and took off. Linetti easily matched me stride-for-stride as we sprinted toward the alleyway I hoped would give us a shot at escaping through.

Instinct told me to break off—every man for themselves—but I wouldn’t do that to Shades, and fuck me, I owed it to Colton to keep Arlo’s ass clean.

Our hurried footfalls and hard breathing echoed off the close walls as we fled down the dark, damp alleyway, hoping the end would stay clear long enough for us to get away.

Mere seconds after Shades and I tossed our guns, loud footsteps exploded behind us; the sound of officers in pursuit, and one I never welcomed.

Almost as expected, a single cop car coasted across the far entrance and another two officers stepped out, handguns immediately coming into aim.

I shoved Arlo behind me, hissing at him to let me and Shades go first.

“LAPD, don’t shoot!” Shades yelled at the top of his lungs.

I almost, almost, cracked out a laugh; ask anyone in the city and they would say there was no way they would mistake Shady Sam’s lard ass for a cop’s.

However, the shout was enough to plant a seed of doubt in the officers’ minds. The two seconds of hesitation bought us enough time to divert the officers separate ways, gifting Arlo with a clear getaway through the center—up and over the roof of their patrol car.

“Fucking run,” I roared, when I saw him look back to see where Shades and I were.

Indecision cut across his face, illuminated by the streetlights. An impact to the back of my legs took me to the ground.

“You’d better get your ass running, kid,” I bellowed, seeing under the car that his feet were still planted.

It only took another second before they turned and ran, exactly like I’d told him to do.

“All good, brother?”

I twisted my head the other way—an effort considering a cop knelt between my shoulder blades—and found Shades’ grinning like a mad-man.

I smirked. “Ride or die, brother.”

“Ride or die,” he repeated, almost in satisfaction as cuffs were snapped around his wrists.

Cold metal encircled my wrists as Shades got hauled to his feet, and my captors certainly didn’t give me the courtesy of helping me to mine. I stumbled when they shoved me toward the patrol car, and my shoulder bore the brunt of the impact.

Hands were on me immediately, searching my pockets and patting down my torso. I gritted my teeth against the burst of pain in my shoulder as well as a fresh wave of anger when my roll of freshly-won money was thrust in my face.

“This ain’t yours, is it?”

“It sure as fuck ain’t yours,” I spat, fighting within the officer’s hold when he tossed the thirty-grand to this partner.

“Ours now.”

“Fucking thieves,” I yelled. “That’s my fucking money!”

The officer pinning me against the car laughed close to my ear. “Money? What money?”

“Dunno man, I don’t know shit about the money he’s talking about,” came his partner’s reply.

“Fuck you!” I struggled and fought until finally being muscled into the backseat.

Red-hot throbbing radiated from my shoulder joint as I twisted to look out of the rear window. A jacked-up snigger broke free while I watched Shades make the officers work for their money; finally shoving him unceremoniously head first into the back seat of their patrol car.

I lost balance as we took off. With my hands awkwardly trapped behind me, I tried to brace against the movement while keeping weight off them.

The officer in the passenger seat glared sideways at me. “You're gonna be seeing a lot of your friends tonight. Hope you’re not claustrophobic, ‘coz things are gonna get cozy in the cells.”

I leaned forward and curled my lip, leering and not so much as blinking until he glanced away.

“Thief,” I whispered.

When fear showed in his eyes, a smirk formed across my mouth. “Karma’s coming for you, asshole, and I’m gonna be the first cheering it on.”

The car jerked from side to side, and the cop driving roared, “Sit the fuck back and shut up!”

After a final hiss through my teeth, I sat back as best I could and stared out of the window. Fuck them, and fuck my luck. At least Arlo had managed to keep his ass clean tonight. But me… This was publicity we didn’t need. Boss Lady was going to have my ass over this, not to mention Colton.

After being booked, I sat at the far end of the cell with my back against the cold brick wall. It didn’t take long before Shades’ booming voice echoed down the corridor, making me chuckle under my breath.

“I’m innocent, innocent, I tell ya. I may be a black man, but I ain’t no guilty man.”

The guard opened the cell door and quickly shoved him inside.

“Shades, shut the fuck up, man,” I drawled.

He whirled on his heel and grinned. “Heeey, brother, there you at. Can you believe this?” He thumbed indignantly over his shoulder.

I snorted. “Sit down, bro. How much is your bail?”

“Ten thou,” he huffed. “Yours?”

“Ten.”

“They take your winnings?”

“Wouldn’t be sittin’ here if they didn’t, brother. Fuckin’ took it right out of my pocket before I even hit the backseat.”

“Fucking fuckers!” Shades yelled, to no one in particular.

“I ain’t happy about it either, bro, but we both know I ain’t getting it back.” I had to cut my losses and forget it. Cash like that never had a paper trail.

He huffed, and we lapsed into silence, consumed by the injustice as we sat with our backs against the dirty cell wall.

It was well after three AM, and the adrenaline high was beginning to fade, giving way to fatigue.

“There’s gotta be a snitch, brother. How else would the cops have orchestrated that shit back there? That shit was rehearsed, brah.”

I growled under my breath. Those precise thoughts had entered my mind too. His dark eyes locked with mine. I saw the anger. The frustration. The betrayal at someone ratting us out to the authorities.

“I’d like to think not, bro.”

Shades hummed, then folded his arms across his chest. “You made your phone call yet?”

I snorted and rolled my head his way, ignoring the lingering ache in my shoulder.

“I’ll give it ‘til six, then I’ll ring.”

A sly smirk slid over his face. “Who you ringin’?”

“None of your fucking business, that’s who.”

“Wouldn’t happen to be that corporate pussy you’re sweet on, would it?”

Indignation immediately hit. Normally I didn’t give a shit about how he spoke about the bitches I rolled with, but Boss Lady deserved a fuck-load better than that.

Before I could comprehend the movement, I had Shades by the throat, drawing the attention of the other men lining the walls. He froze and forced a hard swallow beneath my hand.

“Don’t ever talk about her like that again. That respect you give me? That’s the respect you give her.” I bared my teeth until his hasty nod of compliance came.

Shades rubbed at his neck when I slid back onto the bench beside him as if nothing had happened.

“Sorry, Raf. I didn’t know…”

“Well, now you fucking do,” I snapped, pissed that I’d just shown weakness.

Shades cleared his throat. “Stevie and Teq know?”

I shook my head. They were one part of the equation I hadn’t yet handled. “That’s on me.”

“Damn straight it is,” Shades muttered.

He pushed to his feet and paced the length of the cell once before sitting down again. He didn’t like being locked down; it made him edgy. As much as he talked a big game, he wouldn’t make it in jail—he was too damn mouthy.

“Jock better hurry the fuck up. This place makes me twitchy as fuck.”

I chuckled. “That’s because you’re high as fuck.”

“Damn straight I’m high,” he exclaimed.

“Just fucking relax. You’re gonna end up setting everyone off. The last thing we need is a brawl while locked in here. No guard is gonna break that shit up.” I reclined and tried to get comfortable, settling in for the long-haul.

More muttering came from my left, then Shades voiced another of my concerns.

“My car better not be impounded, man. I ain’t got time to orienteer all over this goddamn city like some kid looking for candy. This ain’t no jamboree, Raf!”

I smirked while dozing with one eye open. “As if you wouldn’t though.”

“You fucking know I would.” He turned to me suddenly and growled, “You don’t think we’ve got an undercover on the streets, do you? Like, some Fast and the Furious shit?”

I burst out a laugh. “And who do you think it is? Arlo?” I snorted humorously, but Shades’ expression remained pinched.

“Well, he did get away.”

He gauged my reaction closely, no doubt seeing the prickle of suspicion cross my face as his words created questions of distrust.

“Exactly,” he stated. “Watch that one, Raf.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t like my decisions being questioned, Shades.”

“I know that. But I’ve got your back, no matter if you want to hear what I have to say or not.”

Pursing my lips, I exhaled sharply through my nose and tried to shake off the accusation. Sure, the kid had injected himself into our world like he thought he was entitled to it, but surely I hadn’t been fooled that easily.

“I’ll do some digging on him,” I murmured.

I was, after all, about to put him in contact with Colton. I just hoped my instinct wouldn’t fail me now.