Taken In

Chapter 3

Javier's POV

The ride home was quiet and short, occasionally I'd look over at the girl from the gas station to see if she was alright but she spent most of the trip quietly holding her stuffed animal, I don't know what I was expecting to see to be honest.

I give G a call before I get home so he understands the situation, I don't want shit to get complicated- people rely on me.

I pause while the gates of my driveway open and let G know I'm here. Not long after I park in the driveway, and turn to the girl.

"What's your name again?"

"Breo."

"Alright, I'm J. Just call me that from now on." 

"Okay." She nods. I see tears well up in her eyes again and try to go a little softer on her.

"Hey it's okay, everyone's nice here you just have to stick with me alright?"

She nods once more and I get out of the car to open the passenger door, before leading her through the side entrance.

Entering the hallway I see Gabriel, looking as pissed as I thought he'd be. Breo follows me in, standing behind me sheepishly. I don't think bringing a girl who has been knocked around to a house with men is the best solution but it's all I've got.

"Can I talk to you for a second J?"

I nod and turn to Breo, "Just stay here for a second alright?" I instruct her, before following him around the corner, far enough that Breo won't hear.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" He looks at me, visibly pissed off.

"Hey listen you don't understa-"

Before I can continue he interrupts me. "No you're right I don't understand. We put about 30 guys to sleep a few weeks ago and we have new guys coming in, what do you want them to think? Their new boss takes in girls who cry in the street?" He moves closer to me, pushing me in chest as he continues to speak- and I'm starting to get annoyed. G has a temper I get that, but what I choose to do is none of his damn business. "How's that gonna look to Saco and guy-"

"No you listen." I say in a matter of fact tone, pushing him back so he's out of my face.

"This is my house and my crew and I can do whatever the hell I want when I want." My tone stays steady but G can feel the anger building in my voice. I don't like being pushed around, even if it's by my best friend.

"I'm not some pussy ass bitch alright? I don't look like the kind of pendejo that would fuck around and get my boys killed neither. I do shit when I need to do it and I do it right."

G looks at me speechless before I continue. "Yeah I put 30 guys to sleep, and I'll put down 40, 50, a fucking million whenever I need to. Bringing a girl in that got beat on by her bum ass boyfriend doesn't make me a pussy. I know you would've done the same shit if it was some girl that looked like Carla, or fucking Luisa or some shit."

By this point I was right up in his face, I didn't realise how pissed off his words made me but they did.

"Alright bro chill, I'm sorry alright." G gestures innocently, patting my shoulder gently while I back away slowly.

He's always been quick to get pissed off. Useful when we're dealing with our usual shit but not with this.

"I was just trying to think about this rationally alright?" He looks at me to see if I've calmed down before he talks again. "Look, I'm just saying- a bunch of new guys come in here ready to work for La Parca and he's out here babysitting? Come on, you know how it's gonna look." I sit back while he tries his best to sound reasonable, part of me gets more annoyed with the fact that he's right more than anything else.

"Look G, I get it. But whoever I babysit doesn't stop the fact that I run this shit, all of it. And any culero that wants to leave because of the shit I choose to do in my free time, can get a bullet to the head like the rest of them alright?"

"Alright." He says to me with a small smile. I know he isn't all in on this but sometimes shit ends up like that.

"You trust me right?"

"Yeah I trust you carnal." I pull him in for a handshake and pause once close to him.

"Good, because I need you on my team bro." I continue in a low tone, so Breo can't hear us.

"I can't have the only one who's supposed to be in my corner filling people's brains with shit I don't want, cause then I'd have to handle it, understand?" My tone was straight to the point but light hearted, and unfortunately had some truth to it. I'll always do what I need to do, even if it means setting an example.

"Fuck you." He pushes me away before laughing and I laugh too. What an idiot.

"So what's the issue with the girl?" Walking to the edge of the hallway at the end of his sentence he looks to see her standing in the same place I left her before walking back to me.

"I saw her upset at the gas station and saw she was beat on, she said she ran away from her boyfriend in San Angelo. He's the reason why she's all fucked up. She can't go to the cops neither because they're friends with her boyfriend, it's complicated."

He nods and I continue.

"She couldn't find a motel and I couldn't leave her in the rain so I brought her here. Shit hit too close to home." I pause, gathering my thoughts again. "If you get what I mean."

G nods once more and crosses his arms, I think he's starting to understand. "Yeah...yeah I get what you mean."

"She's staying the night and will leave tomorrow, she agreed to that."

"Okay."

"She'll stay in the guest room on the floor below mine tonight, tell everyone that's not in the siete to go home. Too many cholos in a neighbourhood like this are gonna bring too much heat anyway."

"Cool." He says, nodding again before taking a pack of cigs from his back pocket and placing one in his mouth.

"Hey man don't do none of that shit in here." I push him jokingly while he takes the cig out of his mouth.

"You know you're the only wey I know who don't like the smell of cigs."

"That shit is nasty bro." I laugh again and he laughs too.

"You should go out that way." I point to the hallway to the left of us that leads to the garage. I don't want the girl getting scared.

"Alright bro, see you later." I give him a handshake one more time before he turns to leave.

"Oh yeah she's autistic or some shit like that so go easy on her if you see her."

"What the fuck does that mean?" He turns to me, looking confused.

"I don't know too much about it but I think it just makes her a lil slow, she'll be gone by morning so don't think about it too much."

"Do I get to know her name?"

"Breo."

"Never heard that before."

"Yeah me neither." I sigh again while Gabriel walks away, before making my way back to Breo in the hallway.

"You alright?"

She nods slowly and looks at me, holding onto her stuffed animal tightly. At this rate she might strangle the fucking thing to death before morning.

"Alright I'll take you to where you'll stay for the night okay?"

"Okay."