Know Me (Truthful Lies Trilogy - Book One) Read Free

at Output or Nine-Ts or any other hot New York club yet. And you know that getting into House Market is like getting into a virgin’s
holiest of holies—a catholic virgin
on top of it.” Gross . “I don’t
need to explain that to you, or explain that if you do a good job
on it, you’re in the door— everywhere . It’s all you’ve ever wanted. But I am explaining it—like you’re stoopid or something, because if you didn’t have the
opinions you have for me, you prob’ly woulda jumped at the opportunity already. Now, take it or
leave it. I ain’t gonna beg you. And I sure as fuck ain’t gonna
admit to something you know isn’t true about Savva either just so
you can take the gig on a ‘clean conscience’ or some shit like
that. Ya dig?”
    “ Uhm, yeah, I dig.”
    “ Now, aside from the great exposure, the
gig pays five hundred. Less than the guys who were gonna be here
before you, but, hey, you’re an unknown.”
    Or you’re taking a
commission . Which starts
to explain things a little, and which sounds a lot more like the
Xavier I know. But I can live with that. And I can also live with a
bone being thrown my way, no matter who’s doing the
throwing.
    I think about my rent.
    I think about Mamah.
    I think about being cold at night.
    I think about Mr. Bernstein’s
letter.
    I think about Savva’s final note, her last words to the
world—“it”:
     
    I believe in you, baby. I only wish I believed in
myself as much as you do. I’ll be looking out for you from below.
Don’t be such a screw-up like I was.
    Your best friend, in this life and in the next,
    Savva
     
    I scratch my eye. “I’ll take it,” I say.
    “ Awesome. Now, baby, you gonna have to
brave the fine streets of Brooklyn to get here because, well, I’m a
little incapacitated at the moment, and there ain’t no train that
comes this way. If I picked you up it’d be DUI in a whole new way of seeing things, if
you catch my drift. Got some good shit for you if you
want—”
    “ Xavier.”
    “ Sorry. Old habits.”
    “ Where’s the party?”
    “ Abandoned warehouse on Grand. By the
Newtown Creek Bridge. If Randy accepts you, you’ll be on at about
one A.M. He’ll want to hear you play for him beforehand. Thirty
minutes or so. I mean, he’s desperate, but he’ll never put an
untested DJ on without hearing him first. Sorry, her . And he’s
willing to do the set himself if it comes to that. He’s not the
best, but he can spin a few tracks if worse comes to
worst.”
    “ How long’s the set?”
    “ As long as you can stretch it, and as long
as NYPD don’t shut us down. You’ll basically be covering for two
other DJs. So, who knows, could go till seven, eight. You sure you
don’t want some uppers?”
    “ I’m sure.”
    “ Can you get here?”
    “ I’ll be there in twenty. What decks do
they have?”
    “ CDJ one-thousands.”
    One model below mine, industry standard. I
pause for a second, feeling like I’m looking down from the top of the Oro 2
Skyscraper .
    House Market . Regardless of mine and Xavier’s history,
it’s an opportunity like no other. Hell, I’d do the fucking set for
free just for the exposure. “Xavier, I hope you’re not too trashed
to appreciate the full gratitude I feel for this.”
    “ Yeah, well...maybe I owe you. Who knows.
Now hurry that ass of yours before Randy gets cold feet. No matter
how high he’s flying, his head somehow always stays straight when
it comes to business—and to music. Or maybe it’s his heart. Dunno.
My skills don’t work on him when it comes to the music and to these
parties. I know he loves these parties more than he loves the
goods. Anyway. Get here. Before he changes his mind.”
    The goods . From a “consultant.” With
“skills.”
    I stare at the phone for a second after
Xavie r clicks off. Two
lights are on in the apartment building next door. Her apartment
building . The rest have
been vacated. Soon those two will be gone as well.
    My skin goes cold.
    I