Page 91 of Shadowed With Fear

“Oh, no, really?” Grayson’s disappointment fills the room. “I was wanting a good one tonight.” He sighs, leaning back against the concrete wall.

“Sorry, kid. I do what I can, but not many people are willing to get in there with you anymore. They either gotta be really drunk, or really stupid.” The man laughs, and Grayson gives him a smug smile.

“Who is it, Bruiser? I’ll be sure to send their family flowers in the morning,” Alex snickers, elbowing the man—Bruiser, apparently.

“I dunno. Like I said, he’s a newbie. Don’t look much younger than y’all do. Uh, hang on I think I got it on the paper.” Bruiser digs around in his pocket pulling out a torn-up piece of paper. “Here. Uh, some kid named Ethan. Didn’t give me a last name or a fake one.”

My eyes widen as I look at Grayson. Alex does too. Grayson’s eyes darken as he sees my expression, and his jaw tenses.

“I take it you know the guy. Maybe this won’t be a bad fight after all,” Bruiser chuckles turning for the door.

“Got twenty minutes, kid. Don’t be late, or I’ll kick your ass,” he calls over his shoulder.

Grayson yells back, “I’d like to see you try old man.”

The resounding book of laughter responds as the door shuts with a loud bang.

“That’s what I was going to tell you,” I mumble uncomfortably. “Issac’s here…with Ethan.”

“Am I missing something here?” Brahm cuts in.

“Yeah, I think we’re out of the loop,” Adam turns to me expectantly.

Alex scrunches up his brows in thought. “Isn’t that the name of the guy you had me looking into?”

“Yeah. He’s the professor’s assistant in Dahlia’s photography class,” Grayson answers, a stoney calm taking over him.

“Why were you wanting info on some photography student?” Alex looks baffled as he glances back at me and the other two.

“He’s…He was being a little…weird toward me. I didn’t like it,” I say quietly looking away.

“I told Grays— “

“And I went and talked to him. As Shadow. Guys, this dude…He’s not like anyone I’ve talked to before. I threw a couple of hits— “

“And they looked brutal. Ethan’s face was banged up in class— “

“But it’s like this guy didn’t feel a damn thing. He just kept saying some pretty fucked up stuff. I wasn’t getting through to him,” Grayson turns to Alex. “That’s why I asked you to find out what you could on him. I didn’t like the thought of him getting close to D.”

“And I don’t like that he’s getting close to Issac.” I rub my arm, my fingers tugging at the strings on my jeans.

Everyone’s quiet, allowing for the only sound to come from the thumping bass of the music outside.

“So, this guy, Ethan, he was fucking with D, you looked into it?” Brahm asks.

Grays nods. “Yeah, and he rubs me the wrong way. I just have a feeling there’s something going on with him.”

“Alright, we’ll look into it. Let’s just hope that he feels those hits this time.”

The guys begin discussing the fight, but my mind is racing with what’s going on. Grays even noticed there’s something off about Ethan and the way he acts. And now that Issac’s been hanging around him, begin all buddy-buddy, he’s even started to act strange. I’m really worried for Liz if she’s going to be near him frequently.

There’s a knock on the door and Bruiser calls out, “Ready, kid?”

Grayson stands, shaking out his arms, bouncing on his feet.

“We’re going out. Good luck, dude,” Adam says to him, clapping him on the back.

“Two hundred bucks, Grays,” Alex warns, eying him sharply.