Page 22 of Chula

“I’m not going to touch you, Luna. I promise. You have your phone, you can call for help if you need to.”

I nod my head. He’s right. I could call the police if I need to. Damion nods, and we take off down the street in silence before he finally decides to talk to me.

“So what kind of party was this?”

“I don’t really know. Some friends asked me to go,” I tell him.

“Not really good friends if they left you.”

“That’s true. It’s complicated, though.”

“I get it. I used to live that life,” he admits.

“Really? Were you crew?”

“I was. It was a long time ago. Not a place I want to go back to. Are you?”

“It’s a long story.”

“We have all night.”

“You really want to know?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I was crew back in Chicago. I technically still am. I’m supposed to get my brother settled in here and then go back,” I tell him.

“You’re going back?” he asks as we keep driving.

“I don’t want to. I don’t want to leave my brother, but I know that Rafe will come looking for me.”

“All the way over here?” he asks as I nod my head.

“Yeah. Let’s just say that I was his favorite and leave it at that.” I tug on the hem of my dress, not willing to give him more thanthat. I can’t tell him what Rafe does to me or what hold he has over me.

“You know, if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here,” he adds softly.

“Thanks. But not right now.”

“I get it. Being in a crew is hard. Some aren’t the best.”

“How did you get out?”

“I moved on with my life. I went back to school and got a degree. Now I run a few companies,” he says.

“Really?”

“Yeah. You finish school?”

“I did high school. I always wanted to go to college, but the funds weren’t there.”

“What did you want to be?”

“I want to be a nurse.”

“Good money in that field.”

“It’s not even about the money. I mean, it is obviously, but it’s about helping others. Mainly kids, like my little brother, Davey. He’s non-verbal, and the way some people treat him because of that makes me sick.”