by Amarie Avant
“Oh, well you’re a big dick!”
The room lit up with their laughter. She held a hand over her burning cheeks, but Donavan hugged her to him and laughed.
“Damn you, Donnie, stop laughing at me.”
He held her at arm’s length. “My little bird, everything is going to work out alright.”
“You promise?” Her mouth was slightly agape, inches from him, and he felt her eyes drinking in his mouth. He started to kiss her, but Avery sidestepped him.
“I’m sorry, Donavan, but I really can’t be that type of woman.”
Donavan did his best to smile. “Like I just said, AC, everything will be okay.”
He put his wallet in his pocket and grabbed the keys to his Kawasaki. It was time to be a man. He’d plead guilty because, shit, he was guilty. And he hoped, she’d be long ago married by the time he got out. If not, he would feel like a prick for being the only person to object during the officiant’s request. She deserved a good guy who made her happy.
CHAPTER 17
Avery
She’d found a pack of toothbrushes under the sink. Once her morning regimen was complete, Avery meandered around Donavan’s home. When they were kids, nothing was off limits. She’d had her side of his bed, and Mrs. Hardy had been the one to give her the talk about the birds and the bees.
At her home, Donavan knew as soon as the lights went off on the balcony of her parent’s master suite, he could climb the tree near her own smaller balcony and into her room—same rules, different bed.
Dressed in her panties and bra, Avery put on Donavan’s leather jacket. A deep stuttering breath, a residual of her crying last night, rolled through her. She tightened her arms around herself. She felt okay.
He’d said everything would be okay. She almost felt like Adele’s “When We Were Young.” Just Donavan’s scent made her reminisce on how readily she’d agree and be comforted by his words. He’d make a declaration, and it might as well have been written in gold.
She believed in him.
Standing at the dresser, Avery picked up the cologne that read Sauvage. The word made her smile; it was the epitome of Donavan past, present, most likely future. She moaned breathing in bergamot, lavender, and patchouli. Inhaling the scent made Avery imagine the essence of Donavan: masculine, dangerous, pure animal attraction. Knowing just how attractive he was, made her dizzy. She put the cologne down and opened his top drawer.
“I’m being a creep.” She started to close it, endeavoring not to be so nosy, until the corner of a picture caught her eyes. A single candid photo of her, hair draped around much of her face, as it had been on an overcast day on the beach. She’d shivered inside of Donavan’s then leather jacket because he was chivalrous enough to go cold while she was fully bundled in her hoodie and then his jacket too.
Seeing the photo made her reach for her cell phone on the nightstand table, and she called her father, no telecommunications necessary. The bastard always answered, and today, probably out of guilt due to his hand in her and Donavan’s breakup.
With the call on speaker, the time of the conversation began the instant Alexander answered.
“I know you can hear me.” Avery gulped. “If I’m ever to forgive you one day, enough to start mending our father-daughter relationship, it will start with one of your lawyers at the courthouse today for Donnie. You’ve made yourself aware of everything else, so I don’t need to tell you any further details.” She was assertive. “So, get an attorney there and save him or I will not talk to you ever again, Dad.”
Feeling a note of finality, Avery glanced at the screen before she hung up to determine if Alexander had heard her conversation. He hadn’t disconnected the call first. Thirty seconds later, she received a text message.
DAD: Done, my lovely daughter.
DAD: I’ll be in town for the entire week if you’d like to meet for lunch.
As Avery cleared out of his messages, another text message came through.
LITTLE BRO: 911. Come get me from school.
Lips pursed, she typed a response.
AVERY: Are you okay?
LITTLE BRO: Sis, I’m on my way to the office…getting expelled prolly. If you promise to come, Mom won’t have to know that the principal is 86ing me.
She grumbled. Mumbling to herself, “How, Antonio?” She snapped off the words. Being expelled was much different than a few days suspension.
Considering the strain in their relationship over the past seven years, Avery gave a brisk reply that she’d be there soon, with a frowny face. She pressed her hand against the few crinkles in her silk pantsuit and started shoving her legs in before realizing she had to take off Donavan’s jacket.
The thing felt so close to home to her.
~~~
Antonio was seated in the hallway when Avery arrived. He tapped the dial of his expensive diamond encrusted watch that she couldn’t fathom his reason for wearing.
“Avery, they were going to call Mom. What took you so long?” His fingers moved rapidly as he completed sign language, a frown on his face.
She pushed him back down on the seat. “Wait here. I’ll speak with the principal.”
Antonio popped back up. This time he just allowed her to read his tight lips while saying, “They’re done with me, sis. Let’s go.”
Her stiff index finger pointed to the chair. For the next thirty minutes, Avery learned that her brother was the neighborhood pharmacist. Molly and cocaine were his specialties. The principal had shown her a ziplock bag of colorful pills, before stating that he’d rather not have the police involved as it would be detrimental to their school and the other youth.
“Well, I would rather you do consult with authorities,” she said with a stiff demeanor.
“Ms. Castle, what of the ramifications for your brother?” He glared at her incredulously.
“And the ramifications for the other students that Antonio is selling too?” She folded her arms. “I don’t recall seeing any other students seated in the hallway waiting for parents or caregivers. That bag,” she jutted her chin in disgust, “has a rather extensive client list tied to it. My brother couldn’t need them all for self-consumption. So, who else is being expelled?”
“I am not at liberty to divulge that information.” His lips moved slowly as if he assumed she needed time to process his words. He’d offered to wait for a sign language interpreter, but Avery began the conversation the moment they shook hands. “Miss Castle, it’s the end of the school year. Antonio will still receive his credits while your parents search for another suitable school for his senior year—”
She stopped watching his disgusting mouth and stared the principle straight in the eye, waiting for him to stop talking. When he was finished, Avery dominated the discussion.
“How about this. We won’t talk numbers because each of the students at this school is worth their weight in gold, so my family cannot offer you anything that the next family couldn’t as well.”
The man cracked a smile. “I heard that the opposite was the case when you attended, Ms. Castle. Students who do not belong here do not attend these days.”
Avery held her tongue as he made the snide comment about poor kids or rather, middle-class ones like the Hardys who’d just made enrollment to the school based on being in a certain area. In the years since she’d attended, another public school had been built in the area, and the district did not need this private school’s assistance with housing the students who didn’t belong as the principal had put it.
“Yes, you’re exactly correct. But I’ll be damned if my brother is the only student going down for—”
“Ms. Castle,” he cut her off, gesturing for emphasis. “Antonio was selling drugs. He needs to be reprimanded, and the only course of action is expulsion. Per policy.”
“Alright, then give me a moment. I’ll call the cops, and we can have an investigation to determine who exactly Antonio sold too. Because I’m pretty sure in the school handbook that the students he
sold to are required to meet the same demise!”
He glowered at her dramatic threat—to bring authorities into the school! There would be parents calling left and right. The principal, who sat with his accolades and two doctoral degrees behind him, was being bullied by a deaf woman. Avery knew that’s what he thought. Those disgusting thoughts of his were written all over his face.
Avery held up her phone. Ready to use it as ammunition. “My father owns the police department,” she asserted. Although, it technically wasn’t true.
“We will suspend him for five days,” the man caved in.
~~~
In the parking lot, Antonio began to bring up how we intended to tell Mom that he was kicked out of school.
With a grin, Avery replied, “Actually, you have a three-day suspension. I weaseled him down from five. So, you’ll take your ass to school on Friday.”
His lips bunched as she slid down into the driver’s side. Antonio got in. His hands jerked as he inquired: “Why would you do that!”
“Because you’re my brother and I love you. Next year, you’ll head off to college without having to write some essay about being expelled from school. Thank me.”
He blinked as a response.
She pressed the push-to-start and placed her hand on the stick shift when he flicked her hand away. Avery turned in her seat to glare at him.
Antonio collected his temper enough to retort. “AC, I don’t want to go back to this damn school. Who told you to go messing things up for me.”
She pressed a stiff hand to her chest. “I messed things up for you!” She felt like telling him that she should’ve gone home first and put on a clean outfit.
“Yes!” His nose flared.
“Whatever you say, Antonio. I did it. You know what? Be quiet; sulk like an antisocial creep if you’d like. We have a long ride ahead of us.”
“What long ride?”
“Jacksonville.”
“Florida! That’s over five hours away.”
“We have so much lost time to make up for, and I have to tell you where I’ve been.”
He settled back in the chair unaware of the intensity of her statement. Antonio sniggered, “Well, we’re gonna have to get road trip snacks.”
She shrugged then nodded.
“And why are we going there?”
“I have to break up with Salvador, and I can’t wait for him to come home to do it.”
CHAPTER 18
Salvador
In Jacksonville, Florida, the Black Cubana Carmen Esparza lived in a two-bedroom condo, spruced up with fresh roses in each room. Her home was in a senior living community, and the place was nice enough with cream colored walls. She’d gone against the management companies wishes and hung up framed photos of her favorite Cuban bands, and Desi Arnaz, of course.
With his cell phone pressed to his ear, Salvador’s teeth bared his teeth for a moment but stopped himself from barking at his own mother. He was on hold with a call to Officer Howard and just walked in on his mom.
Carmen was set in her ways. He watched as she reached over the fluffy rose pattern covers of her full-sized bed. She’d almost clasped the remote on the nightstand beside her. This was how she had fallen before, taking unnecessary risks.
“Mama, what are you doing?”
“Desi isn’t in this episode. I wanted to delete it, okay?” She frowned.
Unable to fathom why she had the recorder set to keep only a few episodes, but she continued to recycle through them, he mumbled Spanish cuss words under his breath. He grabbed the remote, handed it to her with a contrite smile, and then readjusted the pillows behind her back.
“I am no baby. I am your mother.” She started arguing in Spanish, but Salvador held up a hand just as there was noise on the phone.
Officer Howard spoke. “Okay, I’m back—”
“What happened, Howard?”
“One of Castle’s guys just arrived . . . Hello? You still there?”
Salvador swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yes, I’m—”
“How’s your mom coming along?” Howard changed the subject to neutral territory as he was at a loss for words.
“She’s fine.” Salvador was curt. The line went quiet.
“Well . . .” Officer Howard tried. “If I get more information about Hardy, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.” Salvador disconnected the call.
Salvador considered texting Avery about it, but he’d just wait. Their conversation about him asking her not to see Hardy ever again needed to be done in person. His head tilted as realization hit. Avery hadn’t even responded to his text last night inquiring if she was on her way like they’d initially planned.
Salvador looked over to his mother. Carmen nudged her chin to the chair on the opposite side of her bed. “Sit. Watch this with me, my son. You need to smile.”
“Okay.” He started around the bed, navigating the foot-wide space between it and her heavy wooden furniture.
He was sliding the phone into the pocket his black slacks when it vibrated against his palm.
AVERY: I’m on I-95. Be there in three more hours.
~~~
That evening, Salvador had just put the dishes in the dishwasher when his mom called out to him.
“Si, Mama?”
“Where is that beautiful woman of yours. I thought she messaged you and said she was on her way?”
“This afternoon, si.”
“We should’ve waited to eat dinner.”
“No,” he called out, messing with the dishwasher contraption. “Because you’d want to go to a restaurant, and you’d want to dress up. But you need to give your hip some rest unless you want two hip replacements on one hip.”
He expected that to be the end of their shouted conversation, but Carmen continued. “Humph.” The sound carried through to the kitchen. “We could’ve still went to Andre’s. It’s upscale Cubano food, my son. Besides, you have to keep wining and dining that woman if you plan to propose soon.”
Turning the dishwasher on, it took Salvador only a few strides, and he was standing in the doorway. “This is why I can’t tell you anything.”
She smiled just as the doorbell rang. Salvador headed to the front door, without so much as looking through the peephole. He opened the door.
Avery stood there, biting her lush bottom lip. Beside her, Antonio had his arms folded.
“Hey.” Salvador acknowledged the kid and received a slight nod before pulling Avery into his arms. His hands slimmed along her hips, and he stopped himself from pawing at her ass. When his mouth descended on hers, the kiss she offered wasn’t enough to blind him as usual. Something had changed.
“We need to talk.” Avery stole the words right out of his mouth.
“Yes, come in.” He took her arm. “Antonio, there are empanadas in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
Mind fixated on asking Avery why her father was getting the cabron out of jail and why her kiss was so lackluster, Salvador didn’t even wait for the teen to respond. They had never been close. Since Avery had returned from New York, Antonio hadn’t given him a chance, and Salvador didn’t think Avery was close enough to the little drug dealer to want to bring him here. So why is he here? He felt his impatience rising quickly. To top things off, Howard had messaged that Hardy had gotten off on a technicality. What technically, he didn’t know. The damn cop hadn’t gone into details but explained that the Castle attorney had asked for a recess and to speak with the judge in his quarters.
Boom.
Fucking technicality. Salvador had been too angry to respond or inquire about any more information.
“Sal,” Avery said as he escorted her toward the second bedroom. “Salvador, you are holding me too tightly. Ouch!”
Out of nowhere, Antonio was pushing him in the back. Avery positioned herself to see their faces. “Don’t you touch my sister!”
In one fluid motion, Salvador had spun around, pressing his elbow down blocking the boy’s hit.
“What the hell is wrong with you, kid?” Salvador asked.
The little bastard tossed another left hook, which forced Salvador to bring his arm around, sliding up, cuffing Antonio from underneath.
“Don’t you ever touch my sister, bitch!” Antonio argued as he was hemmed up against the wall
“Antonio?” Avery’s eyes shifted back and forth. She started to clutch her chest. It was the same thing that had happened one time her parents argued when he met her at their home. Salvador knew her inability to process language during an escalating situation brought on an anxiety attack.
She started to turn her angry eyes on Salvador when her brother verbally lashed out at her. He looked at her now. The expression was angry and disappointed. “What do you mean what’s wrong with me?”
Avery held out her palms. “Okay, let’s all just calm down. This went from zero to way past one hundred.”
“Sal, Sal?” His mom's voice was laced with confusion as she shouted. “What’s going—”
“You, you’re what’s wrong!” Antonio sidestepped his sister just as she begged him to calm down. “There ain’t no reason in the entire world that my sister should ever have to tell you that you’re hurting her.”
Salvador spoke up. “Listen, you need to calm down. Antonio, you came in the house with an attitude. You’re reading too much into this. Calm down.”
Antonio laughed. “Me? No. Not me. You need to understand that I’m a Castle. You touch her again, and I bet you won’t even be capable of getting a gig playing rent-a-fucking cop. Whatever pension you have, it’ll be mine.” He slapped at his own chest. He was his father’s son. “Try me!”
“Hey, I need the two of you to cool off,” Avery ordered, her eyes zooming back and forth between the two.
Antonio continued with the stiff demeanor that Salvador chose to disregard. The little asshole was too entitled. And with a father who made the rules up, Salvador knew Antonio had an uncultivated belief of invincibility about himself. Someone would correct the kid, and Salvador determined he wouldn’t be the one to do it. “Avery, we need to talk. You tell the kid to calm down. I’m a cop, assault on a cop . . .”