Truth Be Told (Blackbridge Security Book 4) by Marie James (snow like ashes TXT) 📕

I don’t speak to him as I prop myself against the wall beside him, even when uneasiness settles inside of me for once again putting myself in a position I never thought I’d be in.

I may not be able to get the kid to leave with me or go home, but at least with me being here, I know he’s a little safer than he would be on his own.

People go in and come out of the store, but no one stops to chat. I ignore the huffs coming from Alex when one guy looks like he wants to approach but spots me and keeps on walking. It makes me even more certain that my kid is a fucking drug dealer. The only positive is that he must not be doing it at school, or he hasn’t been caught yet. Drugs on campus is one thing Mike Branford would never tolerate. The man made that clear to me the first day of freshman year when rumors started to swirl around about how I was able to get anything and everything one could ever need for a good time.

My eyes narrow when a dark SUV pulls up, blocking the gas pumps even though it’s clear the driver has no intention of fueling up.

My hands turn into fists at my sides when I see Cedric Ramirez round the front of his vehicle, his eyes set on me before they sweep over to Alex.

“Hey, kid,” he says as he walks closer. “I heard there might be some trouble out here.”

“No trouble,” Alex assures him as Cedric’s eyes look back in my direction.

If this man was sent to check up on a man outside of the store with Alex, it clears up any doubt I was holding on to about just how deep into trouble my kid is.

I’m very familiar with the man before me. We ran in the same circles as teens. Before Tinley came along, we were in competition for Poppa’s attention. Gerald “Poppa” Jones owned the streets here in south Houston. He supplied all of us kids with the product we needed to make a little money. Rumor years ago, is that he was looking for someone to replace him when he retired. Both Cedric and I wanted to be a part of that. Being the top dog on the streets was where the money and security took place.

From the looks of it, Cedric slid into that position very easily after I left, but honestly, he’d been staged to take over shortly after Tinley came along and I took a step back.

“Cedric,” I greet when the man narrows his eyes as if he’s trying to place me.

“Do I know you?”

I lick at my dry lips, maintaining eye contact with him even when he puffs up his chest in an act of intimidation. His eyes dart from me back to Alex and back again, and I see the moment he realizes who I am and exactly who Alex is to me. The guy never missed a beat when we were younger, and it surprises me it took him this long.

“Ignacio Torres,” he says, a cautious smile tugging up both corners of his mouth. “How have you been, man?”

He comes in for one of those bro hugs I just witnessed my son do, including the rough slap on the back, and I let it happen. As much as it pains me to stand here and speak with this man in front of my son, disrespecting him would only cause more harm than good.

“I’m good, Cedric. Just visiting the old neighborhood. You know how it is.”

“I do,” he agrees, his eyes darting back down to Alex. “What have you been up to?”

I know at this point I could lie. I could tell this man that I found bigger and better things, hinting at my importance in some other town and making it seem like I never got out of the game, but that would be foolish. I also see this as an opportunity to tell Alex a little about myself without forcing him to hear it.

Cedric continues to look at Alex, and I pray the man is evaluating his position in his organization, taking into account my disappointment in my son ending up right where I started.

“You’ve been gone what, twelve, thirteen years?”

“About that long. Spent eight years in the Army. I’m now working for a company in St. Louis.”

“Same old business?” Are you still wheeling and dealing?

“Naw, man. I’m straight. I was a cryptologic linguistic, and that helped me land a job with a security firm.”

“Crypto-what?” Cedric’s confusion draws his attention back to me, and I’m grateful he’s no longer focused on Alex.

“Languages, man. I speak quite a few. I can tell you to fuck off like thirty different ways.” My meaning is clear, and I can see it in his eyes when he understands.

“Cool, cool.”

His right hand runs down the stubble on his jaw, and I wait for his true response. It’s the left hand I keep my eyes on, knowing from our history that the man is left-handed. If he was planning to pull a gun on me that would be the one he’d use. The .38 tucked inside the holster at my waist seems to warm against my skin as time ticks by.

“Sounds like you made something of yourself. Getting out is hard, nearly impossible.” Another warning from my old friend. His eyes dart back to Alex who is watching both of us very cautiously, unsure of how he needs to behave.

“Not impossible when getting out is the only option.” My son is done with this shit, and I won’t let it continue.

He nods in understanding.

“I see. Well, I just swung by to check in. Make sure everything is okay. I can settle up with Alex later.”

“You should do it now.” I do my best to keep the growl from my throat, but some of the irritation slips through.

“Naw, man. I have other places to be. See you soon,