by Sierra Rose
I didn't know this girl at all.
"Your new boy?" My heart shrunk inside my chest as pain roared through me.
"Yep. Dante. He's a big guy." She lifted her hands and smiled like a child at Christmas. "Not like you. You're a pretty boy, but he's big and strong."
"And you're here with him tonight?" I crossed my arms over my chest as bile rose into my throat. I was a fool to believe that anything good would come of crossing paths with a Delgado. They were all shit. Apparently, Lena was no exception. I wanted so badly to believe that she was, but all evidence pointed to the contrary.
"Yep. Going home with him, too." She smiled and waved the bag at me. "Want some? All the kids are raving about it."
I'd seen enough. I shook my head and turned from her, working to get my bike undone before starting it up.
"I can't believe you're one of them." I pursed my lips. "Just like your father... and a two-bit whore to top it off."
"Once a Delgado, always one, right?" She laughed loudly and I nodded, driving off as my heart shattered in my chest.
She was right, and I was done caring what exactly that meant for her.
Chapter 11
Selene
The high started to wear off about the time we walked into the police station downtown. The cop behind me had a tight grip on my arms, but it was nothing compared to the pressure raging through my skull.
Why had I taken the damn pill? I'd never cared before what anyone thought.
Glancing to my left, I narrowed my eyes at Dante, which rewarded me with a drunken wink.
"Fuck you," I growled before getting pulled into an open door to my right.
"Sit down and shut up, kid." The large, bald cop in front of me was one I'd seen at the high school a few times during the bigger sporting events. "We're processing your information, and then I'll be in to ask you a few questions."
"I want to speak to my lawyer. I know my rights." I lifted my cuffed hands to the table and glanced down at them, not giving the man the respect he probably deserved.
What did it matter? I was a Delgado, so I was guilty by association if nothing else.
"You'll get your one phone call when I get around to it." The door slammed as he left me to sit in the whitewashed room.
I leaned over and pressed my forehead to the cool steel table as I let out a long groan. Lucas had come to the party from what I could remember, but I couldn't really place us together. Had we talked or danced or... anything?
"Why the hell would you leave me there with the cops coming?" I mumbled to no one and rubbed my cheek on the table. I was burning up. Had to be my body fighting back against the drug lingering in my system.
It seemed like forever before the cop came back, but his demeanor hadn't changed at all.
He dropped down in the seat on the other side of the table, and I sat up, leaning back and trying to appear as if everything was fine when nothing was.
My one call would be to my grandmother, not a lawyer and sure as hell not my dad. She would come get me and take me home with her for the night. The thought of her being disappointed with me promised to bring tears to my eyes, so I cleared my mind and stared deadpan into the cops face.
"You wanna tell me what type of drug you and Dante across the hall were dealing?"
"No clue what you're talking about." I shrugged.
His lip lifted in a cruel smile. "Bullshit. He's already told us that much. You're both implicated in dealing."
I knew better than that. Anyone who wanted to work for my dad knew that death or dismemberment would be the reward for turning into a rat. Even if Dante was toked up to high heaven, he wouldn't say shit.
"Right. Where are the drugs? Show them to me and place my fingerprints on them, and I'll make some shit up that will get you a round of beers from the guys here." I nodded toward the hall.
I should have been scared, and I was, but not of anything the cop could do. My father was too powerful for anything to happen to me long-term. I was terrified of what happened with Lucky. He left me in the field and drove off, his expression angry and hurt. I couldn't push into why, though. We should have been having a good time, but obviously the drugs bent my reality horribly.
"Pay attention right here." He hit the table in front of me three times in quick secession. "We have the drugs and I'm not showing you anything. How do I know you wouldn't grab them up and have yourself a heyday right here in the interview room?"
"How many times have I been popped for carrying, dealing or using narcotics?" I lifted my eyebrow, knowing I had him on at least that point. "Just because I was born into a family doesn't mean I'm like them."
"Your papa would be quite heartbroken to hear his only child say that." The cop chuckled. It was an ugly sound and grated on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.
"I didn't take drugs to the party, didn't hand them out and only ingested one pill because some frat boy forced me to." I tilted my head to the side, watching the older man with intensity.
"Someone forced you, a Delgado, to take drugs? That seems highly unlikely."
"I don't care what it seems like. He peer pressured me into taking this little green pill and I did. I slipped it under my tongue and was waiting for a moment to spit it out, but he forced himself on me and poured half a beer down my throat. Hard to not swallow something when you're forced to drink." I leaned forward and tapped my hands on the table. "I want my phone call. I did nothing wrong and I want to go home."
There was a rap at the door and the cop stood, shaking his head. "You're not going anywhere, missy. I have enough on you to keep you overnight... and I shall."
A younger cop stood at the door with his eyes wide and face as pale as the clouds in the sky. "The girl's father is here and has posted bail on her."
"She's not going anywhere." The large cop who'd been questioning me replied.
"We don't have a choice, Mike. The levels came back and the girl had a slight buzz. Nothing else." He shrugged.
I got up and extended my wrists toward the bastard as a smirk lifted my lips. "Key?"
"This isn't the end of this, girl. I know you're just like the rest of them. Watch your back, because you just landed yourself on our watch list."
"Sounds fun."
He undid the cuffs roughly and I jerked free from him as soon as I could. Slipping past him, I walked down the hall, pausing only as Dante was pulled from a room near the foyer.
"Mr. Delgado," Dante spoke with reverence.
I walked past him to my dad, who opened his arms for me. There was no way I was disrespecting him in front of the police station, no matter how much I wanted to kick him in the groin and keep walking. It was his fucking fault that we were there. Who sends two eighteen-year old newbies to sell drugs at a party?
My dad. That's who. Asshole.
"I'm taking Selene home. Find your own way out of this and when you do... call me. The clock is ticking." My father's voice was low and ominous beside me.
I pulled back and looked up at him. "I'm ready to go."
"Good." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we walked to the car. "I'm proud of you, butterfly. Consider the first test marked off. I wasn't sure you were going to make it."
I got in the front of the Lincoln and looked over at him. "What? I failed miserably. I ended up at the police station. We were busted."
He chuckled and started the car, pulling it into the quiet street before speaking again.
"We called the cops, Selene. The task wasn't to sell the drugs, but to withhold information from the pigs. We have guys that do our dealing for us, but you will face lots of situations where information is expected from you and you cannot ever give it."
He looked over at me as my jaw dropped open. "Do you understand, baby? Never. No matter what. Your first responsibility is to me, and then your own safety."
There were no words for the level of deception I felt. My own father thought to teach me a lesson by sending me into the hornets’ nest and then lighting t
he fucker on fire?
He handed me my phone and I nodded my thanks, truly unable to trust myself to talk. Cussing him out would have been my first course of action, and my last, most likely. He wasn't one to put up with anything, especially from his family.
"I want to be dropped off at Grandma's. Please." I looked over at him.
"It's eleven o'clock. She's probably asleep, butterfly."
"I doubt it. Please. I really need to see her for a little while. I miss momma." I tugged at my seatbelt, trying to sound sad, but not devastated. My father would attribute any real emotion to weakness, and I wasn't interested in being dissected at the moment.
"Alright. If there is a light on in her house, you can stay."
I started to tell him that I was eighteen, and would stay wherever the hell I wanted to, but it wasn't worth the drama. Besides, I'd had enough for one evening.
I checked my messages and found nothing. Lucky hadn't even texted me to make sure I was alright.
Anger burned through the center of my chest and I bit my lip to keep from crying out in fury. I was disgusted at myself for giving into him for the afternoon, but it was only because he didn't seem to care all of a sudden.
I texted him as tears burned my gaze.
Juliet: Fuck you, Lucas.
My father pulled into my grandma's driveway and put the car in park. The living room light could be seen through the front window and the front porch light was on.
"You didn't text her and tell her to turn some lights on did you?" He chuckled and pulled me into a quick hug.
"No, Dad." I opened the door and got out, pausing to look back at him for a minute. "Thanks for coming to get me."
He nodded and turned back toward the front window, not saying another word.
I closed the door and jogged up the stairs before knocking twice and calling out.
"It's Lena, Grandma."
The older woman opened the door and let out a surprised sound before pulling me inside.
"How did you get here?"
"Dad brought me." I moved into the warmth of her small house, the smell of apples lingering in the air. There was only one thing she could cook, and that was empanadas. "Did you make empanadas?"
"Sure did. I was going to bring you some tomorrow, but come to the kitchen and let's share some while they're still warm." She rubbed my back softly as we walked into the tiny kitchenette.
I turned and pulled her into a hug as my tears started.
"Oh, baby. What's the matter? Did something happen."
I nodded and let out a sob as the night came crushing in around me. "I'm in love with a boy that doesn't want me."
"What boy wouldn't want you, Lena?" She moved back and handed me a handkerchief. "He's an idiot if he doesn't want my beautiful girl."
"It doesn't matter anyway." I moved to the table and plopped down.
Grandma got a small plate and sat it in front of me with two empanadas, then worked to get me a glass of chocolate milk. She'd been taking care of me since mother left me at seven. I wasn't sure what I would do without her.
"Are both of these for me?" I mumbled through a puffed out bottom lip and tears.
"No, you hungry little piggy. One's for me." She pinched my chin and I smiled, unable to help myself. I could be sixty and she would still make me feel ten.
She sat down and reached for me, brushing her fingertips over my upper chest. "What on earth is this? There are bite marks all over you, baby. Did this boy attack you?"
"What?" My sadness disappeared as I jerked up from the table and jogged down the hall. After flipping on the light in the bathroom nearest the guest room, I leaned in toward the mirror and inspected myself. "What the fuck?"
"Watch your language, Lena." Her voice was strict.
How she heard me whisper from down the hall was beyond me, but she'd always been able to do stuff like that. I studied the marks a few more times and moved back, chalking it up to Lucky getting a little too rough.
My phone buzzed and I pulled it out, looking down to see he'd replied.
Romeo: Feelings mutual, chick. Next time you invite a guy you pretend to like to a party that you're at with your new boy toy, might wanna just kick him in the nuts instead. Probably would feel better.
Juliet: What the fuck are you talking about?
Romeo: Typical.
I growled and slid the phone back into my pocket. I wasn't diving down in the dark hole that he was pulling me toward just yet. I wanted to talk to my grandmother for a little while longer and then I would get to bed and text him a little more. Maybe.
My fingers played over the sore skin just beneath my throat as I took my seat across from Grandma again. "No clue what happened. I went to a party tonight and someone spiked my drink. Next thing I know, I'm at the police station and dad's bailing me out."
"Oh meja." She reached across the table and took my hand. "I hope no one hurt you, child."
"No. Just shook me up a lot." I laid my phone face down on the table beside me. "The boy I'm in love with showed up at the end, but something must have happened to us while I was drugged. He's mad and I've no idea why. He left me there. I should be the mad one."
"Just call him and talk it out. He must have seen something that upset him, or is he one of these girly men that flies off the handle at any type of drama?" She lifted her eyebrow.
I picked up the apple-filled treat and shook my head. "No. He's not that type at all. He's actually pledging with the Stone Wolves."
Her eyes widened as she stopped chewing and stared me down. "Have you lost your mind, baby?"
"No, Grandma. My heart."
Chapter 12
Lucky
"Unbelievable," I muttered into the empty bedroom as I held my phone in front of my face. I'd been worried sick about Lena since leaving her at the party. It was a shitty thing to do, and yet my heart was breaking. Now she was telling me to fuck off? No way.
I dropped the phone beside me, not willing to let her know just how much she'd hurt me. I didn't need a girlfriend. Or women in general. I'd use them for what they were good for and keep moving.
"That's all they've ever used me for, anyway." I brushed my fingers over my chest and closed my eyes, wishing like hell that I didn't see her every time I did. She was so beautiful; the woman I wanted by my side for the rest of it, but she was a Delgado. Tonight, she'd reminded me of that and it wasn't something I was willing to soon forget.
Besides... she had another man now, anyway.
I wanted so badly to drive to her place and throw rocks at her window until she came down. We could apologize for the misunderstanding, get on my bike and drive until we ran out of gas.
"Fucking fairy tales." I let out a long sigh and jerked up as my phone rang.
Lena.
"Hey." I picked it up; incapable of denying her anything, though I hated myself for it.
"Luck." Her voice was soft, like she was lost or hurting. My heart swelled in my chest and I moved to the edge of my bed, ready to grab my shoes and be out the door in seconds. "Did I have bite marks on me when you came to the field tonight?"
"Yes." I bit my lip and pressed my hand to my face.
"And you didn't give them to me?" The fear in her voice opened me up wide.
"No, baby. You said your new boyfriend did." It hurt so fucking much too even say it.
"New boyfriend?" Panic filled her voice. "I don't have a boyfriend. I've been single for years. Why would you even say that?"
"You said that, Lena. I didn't." I stood and began to pace in front of my bed. The room wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination, but it was at the clubhouse, which meant my drunken father was far away.
"I did?" She let out a soft cry that sounded like a sob.
"Where are you? I've been worried sick, Lena."
"I'm at my grandma's now. I was taken to jail, but my father came to get me." She let out another sob. She was crying.
"Don't cry, baby. I'll come get you. Everything is fine, okay? W
e'll make it better." My heart constricted in my chest and I had no doubt that I was setting myself up for more anguish than one man should ever welcome.
"No. I'm okay; I just need to know what happened. Why would you leave me there? I thought you were different." The strong, ballsy woman from earlier was all but gone and this beautiful creature underneath had me captivated. She needed saving in so many ways and I wanted to be the man to do it.
"You forced me to, Lena. I came to get you and you were..." I paused and let out an angry growl, unable to help myself. "You were dancing with some big, Hispanic dude. I pushed him and threw you over my shoulder. You were drunk or high and kept waving a bag of cocaine around, bragging that you'd been sent to be the life of the party."
More tears and subtle sniffles.
"Baby, let me come get you. I need to see you, okay? I'm not like other men. Not at all."
"Yeah. Come take me for a ride on your bike. I need to see you, too." Her voice was small, like a little girl's would be.
"Text me the address and I'll leave right now."
"Okay," she whispered and ended the call.
I dropped back down to my bed and let out a deep grunt as agony and relief warred inside of me. Someone had hurt her and I had no doubt that it was her fucking old man. I would kill him. Maybe not tonight, but I would take his head from his shoulders before it was all said and done. She might hate me for it, but her safety was far more important than my happiness.
***
I drove up the short driveway to the small house and cut the lights as the front door opened. Lena bounded down the stairs and jogged to me, slipping on the back of my bike and sliding her arms around my waist.
Her cheek pressed to my back and she squeezed hard, as if scared to lose me. I knew the feeling all too well. I handed her the helmet and decided that we could talk after a short ride. The wind and road were all we needed to set us back on the right path together.
Selene's fingers rubbed softly along my chest and sides. She held onto me like I might run away if she loosened her grip. I wanted to tug at her fingers to force her to stop digging into my flesh, but I understood where she was coming from. I was an asshole for leaving her at the party. Someone had his teeth on her neck and chest. God only knows what else he did or could have done to my girl.