LOVE ABOVE LAW

by Alvarez, Sandy

"I'm sorry, Leyna. You have to know I didn't intend for your brother to find out about you moving like that."

  "I know you didn't. I don't blame you, Lex."

  Mine and Lex's conversation is interrupted by a knock on the door followed by Gabriel, and in his arms, he's holding his son. "I thought you might like to meet your sobrino."

  "Si," I nod bringing my hand up to my mouth to keep a sob from escaping. This moment means so much to me. It tells me, even though my brother is angry with me, he has not given up on us. Pressing the button on the bed, it rises, bringing me to a sitting position. Without a word, Lex stands and quietly leaves the room giving me a few moments alone with my brother. At this moment, my pain along with mine and Gabriel's fight is placed aside. With tears in my eyes, I allow my brother to place my nephew into my waiting arms. "Oh, hermano, he's perfect."

  "Si, he is. Alba and I named him Gabriel."

  "He does look like you," I giggle.

  Minutes tick by, and we both sit in comfortable silence. Neither of us wants to ruin the moment by bringing up what happened earlier. It's not forgotten; only put on hold.

  About thirty minutes later I kiss baby Gabe on the top of his head then gently hand him back over to his papi. "Thanks for bringing him." When the only response I get from my brother is a nod, I sigh. "Gabriel."

  "Not now, Leyna," he cuts me off. Dropping my chin to my chest, I do my best to hide my tears.

  Using his finger, Gabriel tilts my face and levels me with his dark eyes. "It's going to take some time for me to come to terms with the shit you laid out on me today. Right now, I can't forgive you. But you are my sister, Leyna. Nothing and no one will ever change that. I love you."

  "I love you too, hermano. Always."

  Once my brother leaves my room, I cry. I cry and pray he can one day forgive me.

  * * *

  The next couple of days move at a snail's pace. I want nothing more than to get the hell out of this hospital. I've become a grouch and a massive pain in the ass due to my lack of sleep—caused by nurses coming into my room all hours of the night checking on me. Once the nurses had finished their tasks poking and prodding at me, they'd encourage me to get some sleep. How the hell did they expect me to get any rest when they were barging into my hospital room every hour on the hour. Granted I can't be mad at the staff for merely doing their job.

  Poor Lex has taken my lousy attitude in stride. As promised, he's not left my side. From the moment I woke up from surgery until today; the day I'm finally getting out of here.

  Alba and baby Gabe were released last week. She and the baby are resting at home. I'm thankful Alba made it through the whole ordeal with only a few bumps and bruises. After I had surgery the surgeon explained when I was brought into the emergency room I had already lost a good bit of blood. From there I was taken to the operating room where the surgeon had to remove my kidney. It had been too badly damaged by the bullet and couldn't be saved. Honestly, I can't believe I was shot only ten days ago. I'm sore but other than that I feel good. Gabriel also hasn't been back to see me. I've officially been given the cold shoulder. My brother is punishing me.

  Alba and Bella have been a daily presence. Alba was kind enough to inform me my brother grills her for information on how I'm doing when she returns home from visiting me. That little piece of knowledge gives me a tiny shred a peace. That damn Martinez stubborn streak is a curse at times.

  With the drastic turn of events, I have decided to ride back to Seattle with Lex. Two weeks ago, the manager of an apartment building I had looked into called and informed me he would have a unit available at the beginning of the month. I've already paid my deposit and first month's rent. My only problem is I have three weeks before the first of the month. On the drive to Seattle I'm going to google a hotel I can afford to stay in for the next few weeks. When I agreed to Lex's offer to catch a ride with him back to Seattle, we were interrupted by the doctor before we could discuss my arrangements in further detail. I was hoping to tell him I've already made my living arrangements, so he wouldn't feel obligated to offer me a place to stay. Surely by now, he's ready to get rid of me.

  "Alright, beautiful," Lex says striding into the hospital room with a piece of paper in his hand. "You have officially been discharged."

  13

  Lex

  I've been on the road with Leyna heading toward Seattle for almost three hours in complete silence. Turning my head, I take in the strong, beautiful woman asleep in the passenger seat. Leyna has been through hell physically and mentally. Not only is she recovering from being shot and losing a kidney, but she's leaving behind her family to chase her dreams. It tears me up inside knowing how much it crushed her when her stubborn ass brother didn't show up to say goodbye to her along with the other members of her family.

  I want Leyna in Seattle; I won't deny that at all but being a brother—a big brother; the protector, I get where Gabriel is coming from. Right now, we are both judging a book by its cover. He doesn't know jack shit about me aside from the fact I wear a badge, and I want his sister. I get it. I have felt the same way about men my sisters have had come in and out of their lives. In my eyes, no dipshit could ever be good enough for any of them. I view Gabriel the same way he does me. I don't know a damn thing about the man aside from the club he is associated with, and some of the things I know them to have been a part of. The dislike between Leyna's brother and me may never change, but right now, not a damn bit of it matters. The only thing that matters is Leyna.

  I continue to glance in her direction—checking on her.

  "I can feel your eyes on me." Leyna pulls the shawl Alba gave her at the hospital around her shoulders tighter.

  "Are you cold, beautiful?" Reaching over, I turn the seat warmer on for her.

  "I still can't get used to the cold, but I can get used to this warm seat," she squirms a little readjusting herself. "How long have I been asleep?" Leyna peers through the window.

  "A few hours."

  "I feel more rested in those few hours than I have all week," she says the same moment her stomach growls loudly causing me to chuckle. "I'm also hungry," she smiles for the first time since holding her new nephew. Reaching behind her, I grab a pink box from the back seat and set it on her lap.

  "Perfect. The Cookie Jar makes the best pastries. The cinnamon rolls should be illegal." Leyna opens the box going straight for one. She hums the moment she pops a bite into her mouth. "Have you tried any yet?" Leyna asks.

  "I haven't."

  "Here," she pulls a bite-sized chunk off the roll, leans toward me holding the offered piece between her fingers and waits for me to open my mouth. Parting my lips, I allow her to feed me. "Good?" her smile shows again.

  When I nod, she continues to feed me every other bite between the ones she takes for herself and all I can think about is the fact her smile hasn't faltered once and how undeniably more attractive her happiness makes her. Before too long her affection takes hold of me and I grin like a fool. My future becomes clearer than any singular moment leading up to this one.

  "You think you can help me find a reasonable yet safe hotel once we get to Seattle?" Leyna asks closing the box and setting it at her feet on the floorboard.

  Her question snaps me from my love drunk state of mind. "That's not happening."

  "Excuse me?" Leyna turns her body, so she is facing me.

  "You're not staying at a hotel."

  Her hand goes up, and she points a finger. "First of all, I need a place to stay for at least a few weeks until the apartment I put a deposit on is ready and two," she throws up a second finger, but I don't give her a chance to finish.

  "Apartment?"

  She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, Deborah helped me get into an apartment. The whole point of me moving to Seattle was to start my life over here in the states. That's what I'm doing, Lex. School, my own place and hopefully soon, a job."

  "I get all that, beautiful, but let me remind you that you just got out of the hospital."

 
With a heavy sigh, Leyna replies. "I'm fine. The doctors said I'm recovering well. I know how to take care of myself. Besides, where else would I stay?"

  Pulling off to the shoulder of the highway, I put the car in park and face her entirely giving her my complete attention. "With me."

  Her mouth drops open as if she is going to say something, but she doesn't. I begin to think I've won the battle, but she gives me a softer look. "Lex, I can't stay with you." Her gaze drops to her lap, and she begins picking at a piece of loose yarn at the end on her shawl.

  Shit. I don't want to freak her out or put her in an unwanted situation, but I'll be damned if she's staying in a huge city where she knows no one on top of the fact she's still healing from her injuries. "I have plenty of room." Without thinking, I reach over and take her hand, and her eyes lift to meet mine. "Stay with me, Leyna."

  She chews her bottom lip for a moment thinking it over, then nods. "Okay," and gives me a small smile of assurance that's she's okay with her decision. Her heartbeat drums against the pad of my thumb as I caress the inside of her wrist.

  Letting go of her hand, I merge into traffic, and we sit in silence for a few miles when I notice she won't stop staring at the screen of her cellphone.

  "Everything okay?"

  Her fingers rub along the edges of her lit up screen. "Mi hermano hasn't texted back all day." She drops the phone into her bag tucked between her seat and the console.

  "Speaking as a brother, I get it," I tell her. "He wants to take care of you and protect you. I'm the same with my four sisters."

  Leyna laughs. "Si, I understand his need to be overprotective, but it still doesn't make the situation easier."

  I want to make you happy. I think to myself. "It will all work out, beautiful," I assure her.

  We've finally made it to where we can see the Seattle skyline up ahead in the distance as we weave through the busy traffic. Leyna has been quiet for some time now as she takes in all the sites we've passed so far. Seattle is a far cry from the small town of Polson, Montana. I get off at the next exit heading for downtown. "What do you think so far?" I ask her.

  "So much to look at." She points to my left. "Is that the needle I read about online? I also read they have a restaurant all the way up there and you can stand on a floor made of glass where you can see the ground below you." I smile at her astonishment as she cranes her neck trying to take it in as we pass by.

  "Here we are," I announce as we turn the corner past my apartment building and head toward the parking garage.

  "This is so exciting. It's hard to believe I'm here—that I'm really doing this," Leyna beams with excitement. You would think for someone who has been through so much and who was plucked from everything she knew then dropped into an entirely new environment would be nervous. Not Leyna. Her face shines with all the promises her future holds for her.

  Parking, I quickly climb out to help Leyna from the other side. "I'll come back down and get your things once we've gotten you settled." I tuck her into my side, and we walk to the elevator then ride it to my floor. Stopping in front of my apartment the aroma of pasta sauce permeates from behind the door.

  "Oh my God, something smells good." Leyna looks from one end of the hall to the other. I hang my head. The smell is coming from my apartment. I would know that smell anywhere. Inserting the key, I unlock the deadbolt. I gave the oldest of my sisters, Fran a spare key after I moved in. It was only to be used in case of emergencies. I should never have told them I was bringing Leyna back to Seattle with me. Once more, I should never have mentioned I planned on her staying here as well.

  After unlocking the second lock, I turn the handle keeping Leyna by my side as we enter the apartment. Laughter and chatter stop the moment I close the door. All four of my sisters are in my kitchen. "Hey, Lex. I hope you two are hungry. We decided to cook Nonna's famous manicotti," Lily, my youngest sister, says as she rounds the corner of the kitchen island. Her arms go around my neck, hugging me before she turns her attention to Leyna. "Leyna, it's good to finally meet you. You're as pretty as Lex says."

  Leyna peers up at me raising her brow. "He talks about me?" she asks not taking her eyes off me to gauge my reaction. Grinning, I let her know with one look I talk about her. I think about her. I want her. For the first time, Leyna blushes, and fuck if it doesn't go straight my dick.

  Fran clears her throat. "Lex, you plan on formally introducing us?"

  Leyna is the first to look away. She smiles at my sister.

  "Leyna, these are my sisters, Fran, Vi, Ari, and Lily. Everyone meet Leyna Martinez."

  "It's good to meet you," they all say in unison.

  "It's good to meet you too," Leyna replies, then looks from my sisters up at me. "I would love to take a bath before we eat dinner."

  "Sure, I'll show you to your room." Giving my sisters a look, I walk Leyna through the living room and down the hallway to my room. "You can take my room while you're here. You'll have your own bathroom as well."

  Her eyes search the room. My king-sized bed covered with a bright white comforter faces the large picture window overlooking the city. The walls are painted a deep grey, and most of my furnishing is black. " I don't want to take your bed, Lex. Where will you sleep? " Leyna stands fixed in her spot as I walk toward the master bath.

  "I'll take the guest room next door." I look around the bathroom. My sisters have been in here. Feminine shampoos and bath soaps have been placed both on the tub and in the shower along with extra towels sitting on the countertop. "Looks like my sisters fixed you up. You should find everything you need in here." Walking back out into the room I find that Leyna has made her way to the window. "Tired? " I ask

  She shakes her head. "No, just a little sore, and maybe feeling a little overwhelmed. I wasn't expecting to meet some of your family today."

  Coming up behind her, I place my palm on the glass just above her head putting her between me and the window without touching her. "I'm sorry about that. My sisters tend to be—."

  "They remind me of Gabriel and myself. Siblings are meant to take care of each other. Like Gabe, your sisters mean well." Leyna continues to look out at the city before her.

  Bringing my mouth close to her ear I speak low. "Enjoy your bath, beautiful."

  After leaving Leyna to relax in the tub, I go downstairs and retrieve our things from the SUV. Leyna still hasn't come out of the room by the time my sisters have finished dinner, and they start slipping on their coats. "Wait, you're not staying?" I ask them as they continue to gather their things.

  "Even if she hasn't said it, Leyna looks exhausted. Everything is finished, and there's more in the refrigerator that can be reheated for the next few days." Ari steps up and wraps her arms around my middle. "Feed her and let her get some rest." Ari pulls away. One by one the other three do the same, and I watch them walk out the door.

  "Where did everyone go?"

  Turning, I take in Leyna who's standing by the couch. Her hair still damp from her bath and she's wearing a pair of oversized sweatpants and an FBI academy shirt.

  I can't stop staring at her.

  "Umm, I didn't have anything clean to wear when I got out of the bath. I hope you don't mind. I dug through your dresser and slipped these on." She pulls at the pant leg because it's too long for her short legs.

  "They look good on you," I confess. Feeling the weight of the silence hanging between us I ask, "dinner on the couch with a movie?" Hoping she says yes.

  "I'd like that."

  "Great." Pulling a blanket from the back of the couch, I gesture for her to come sit down. "I'll be right back," and drape it across her lap. Going to the kitchen, I fix us a plate then bring it back to the couch. "I hope you like Italian." Handing her the plate, I take a seat beside her and watch her take a bite.

  "Mmm, this taste so good," Leyna prepares herself another bite. "Your sisters know how to cook."

  "My Nonna and mom taught us all how to cook. This dish has been passed down from generation to gener
ation along with several other coveted recipes.

  "You cook?" Leyna looks at me over her fork as she takes another bite.

  I chuckle. "Yeah, babe, I can cook." Grabbing the remote from the coffee table, I turn the TV on. "Anything you want to watch?" I pull up the movie guide.

  "As long as it doesn't involve guns, I think I can handle it."

  Clicking through the selection, I finally settle on a chick flick I've never watched before but have heard my sisters talk about in the past. Hope Floats. Settling back, we eat dinner and watch the movie.

  It turns out, the movie wasn't half bad. I watch the credits disappear on the screen and look over at Leyna. She fell asleep thirty minutes ago. Wanting her to be more comfortable I slip her feet off my lap and stand. Bending down, I slide my arms under her, lifting her into my arms. She buries her face in the crook of my neck and her warm breath skim across my skin. Trying not to wake her, I carry her to my room, kick the blankets down with my foot and lay her down. I slowly pull the comforter over her body and sit there a moment watching her sleep. Her lips slightly part with the breaths she takes, and I find myself wanting to kiss them.

  Leaning forward, I place my lips on her forehead. "Goodnight, beautiful."

  14

  Leyna

  I refuse to lay in bed any longer, so I decided to cook Lex and I some dinner. I hope he likes Cuban food. Tonight, I'm making rice with black beans and ropa vieja. I've wanted to do more around the apartment, but Lex has insisted I take it easy. Only his idea of taking it easy is for me to stay in bed twenty-four-seven. It's been nearly two months since I moved in with him and in those two months, he's hardly allowed me to do anything.

  Before I left the hospital, the doctor assured me moderate exercise was fine once the stitches were removed and once I was able to do basic house chores without feeling out of breath. Luckily my stitches were removed the day I was discharged. The doctor also said I'd be as good as new in about six weeks. He was right. It's been over eight weeks since the incident, and I feel great.