Ria met Nick at a popular pub not far from his gym at eight the next night. She wasn’t about to let him see where she lived.
She had pulled her hair up on her head, letting a few curly tendrils escape. Her black dress came to mid-thigh and seemed ultra-conservative among the other women there until she took off her sweater and the cutout on the back showed her bare flesh.
When Nick stood as she approached, Ria felt her stomach flutter at the appreciation she saw in his eyes.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Nicholas smiled down at her as he pulled out one of the chairs for her to sit down. “You look beautiful tonight.”
Ria blushed at his compliment. “Thank you.” She picked up the menu the hostess had handed her.
Nick waited until after they had placed their order to give her his attention.
“How’s the studying going?”
“Well, I think I’m almost ready.”
“Nervous?”
“A little,” she admitted. “I really want to pass.”
“I’m sure you will.”
As the waitress brought them their drinks and appetizers, Ria couldn’t help noticing her eyeing Nick. To give him credit, he ignored the woman, giving Ria his complete attention as they ate and talked. Several times through dinner, someone would come to the table and talk to Nick about his fights.
“Does that happen all the time?” Ria asked after one young man had left.
“Yes. Does it bother you?”
“No, but doesn’t it bother you?”
Nick grinned at her. “No, I’m a glory hound. I want to enjoy it while I can. In a few years, no one will even remember my name.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“It is. I’m in my prime right now, but I could get injured at any time and my career would be over.”
“How’s your arm healing?” Ria probed.
“Very well. I was lucky Zane took it easy on me.”
She arched a brow. “Breaking your arm was taking it easy on you?”
“Yes, he gave me a clean break. Believe me; he could have done far worse damage.”
Ria’s eyes softened on him. He might be wealthy, but his world wasn’t much different than hers. They each had to worry from one day to the next that someone could take what they had fought so hard for.
“Finished?”
“Yes.”
Nicholas rose from the table, pulling out her chair for her. Ria picked up her sweater.
Nicholas’s hand rested on her bare back as he guided her through the tables. Outside, when they reached her car, he opened the door for her.
“Thanks for taking a break from studying to keep me company.”
Ria gazed up into his handsome face, wishing the night wasn’t about to end. “I had a good time.”
Nicholas bent down and brushed his firm lips over hers before stepping away. “Goodnight, Ria.”
“Goodnight, Nicholas.”
Ria got in the door and Nicholas closed it before stepping away.
Ria self-consciously started her car, briefly waving as she pulled out of the parking lot. How had she misjudged him so badly? He hadn’t even pressured her to go home with him. She didn’t recall that ever happening after a date before. Then her smile turned to a frown. He hadn’t mentioned seeing her again or calling. Maybe it hadn’t gone as well as she had thought. He was used to more sophisticated women; therefore, maybe he wasn’t as attracted to her as she was to him.
Ria bit her lip. She had a feeling he was going to be on her mind during the next week as much as the test she was going to be taking. She would have to force herself to stay on track. The test held her and her mother’s future while Nicholas hadn’t even committed himself to another date.
Ria still couldn’t help looking at her phone before she went to bed that night to see if he had left a message, and was disappointed when she saw he hadn’t.
Turning off her bedside lamp, she couldn’t help wishing the night had ended differently.
Chapter 8
What the hell?
Ria was confused. She had been studying for this exam and didn’t think she could have been more prepared. But somehow, it was as if each question was something she hadn’t studied enough on.
Damn! This had been her biggest fear—that even with all the studying, she wouldn’t have studied the right material. There had been several topics she didn’t focus enough on, thinking those questions probably wouldn’t be on the exam. She had been dead wrong.
She has halfway through and had been sweating for the past hour. Her head was pounding and her neck was aching. She wanted nothing more than to just walk away, but she was tired of worrying about money. She had to try.
She forced herself to get through the remaining questions. Fortunately, the material she did know, she was able to answer quickly and easily, giving her time to go back and review the questions she was unsure of.
She did her best, racking her brain for everything she had studied and had learned in her training.
Finished, she sat back and took a deep breath. She tried not to cry, but she didn’t think she’d passed. It was going to be miserable waiting for her results over the next few weeks.
She rushed to sign out with the test proctors, gathered her things out of the provided lockers, and then hurried to her car and slid in.
“Damn it!” she screamed at herself. She was tired of her crappy life and all the stupid decisions she had made.
She banged her head on the back of the seat in frustration then yelped as the pain shot through her head and neck.
Done with her pity-party, she turned the car on and drove home. She had promised her mother she would be home in time for a late lunch.
It was a thirty minute drive to their house, giving Ria time to calm down. She didn’t want anyone to know that she might have failed; both her mother and Lacey would be so upset. Her mother was already disappointed that she had dropped out of college. Ria felt like a failure to her mother. Lacey would accuse her of not studying enough.
They were out of money, and her mother wasn’t improving. She was not only screwing up her own life, but she was afraid her mom would slip away if she couldn’t get her into a better rehab center. The only bright side to their situation was there wasn’t enough money for her mother to purchase the drugs that would put the final nail in her coffin.
Ria pulled into the parking lot and checked her face before getting out of the car, deciding she looked normal enough.
As she walked in the door, she could smell the aroma from the meal her mother had prepared for her. She couldn’t help smiling; nothing beat her mother’s cooking. Ria couldn’t remember the last time she had cooked, though.
“Hi, Mom,” she called over the running water in the sink.
Her mother turned and smiled. “There’s my baby! It took much too long.” Her mother quickly turned the water off and dried her hands, rushing to give Ria a hug.
Ria hugged her tightly back and forced herself not to cry at the love she felt from her.
“How was the exam?” her mother asked.
“Fine, I should get the results in about a month,” Ria lied. No reason to upset her mother until she had confirmed her failure.
“Here, sit.” Her mother pulled out a chair.
Ria sat down as her mother busied herself getting Ria’s plate together. She used to love babying Ria every chance she could until the situation had become reversed and Ria had become the caretaker of her mother.
She was her mother’s youngest. She’d had two half-brothers from her mother’s previous marriage; however, one had died as a teenager and the other one had died recently. Ria knew their deaths added a burden to her mother’s soul that she would never recover from. Although they had been her half-brothers and both had terrified her when they had been alive, she felt her mother’s pain and wished every night for her to find solace.
“What did you cook?” Ria asked.
“Your favorite, o
f course.” She opened the oven, pulling out her chili rellenos casserole.
Surprised, tears came to Ria’s eyes. Her mother hadn’t made her favorite dish since she was a little girl. She stared down at the casserole, fighting back the waves of emotions.
“It looks delicious.”
Her mother patted her on the back. “Eat. Tell me if it is as good as I used to make.” Her mother sat down across from her, watching as she filled a plate.
“You’re not eating?”
“I’m not hungry. I’ll eat some later.”
“Mama, you need to eat more. You’ve lost so much weight.”
“I will. I promise.” Her mother twisted her hands together. Ria dropped the subject, not wanting to upset her.
“Mom, is something wrong?” Ria asked. Something didn’t seem right.
“No, honey. Enjoy your lunch,” her mom deflected.
Ria began to eat slowly, furtively studying her mother. Her mind was racing. She knew something had to be wrong. It was obvious her mother was having a hard time today—she was antsy and couldn’t sit still.
She finished the food and told her mom how delicious it was. She saw the sparkle in her mother’s eyes as she complimented the food. Ria watched the smile spread across her mother’s face. Her mother deserved a better daughter, one that could get her the help she needed.
“Okay, Mama, now tell me what’s really going on.”
“Ria, I don’t want to burden you; you already do so much for me.” Her mom sighed.
Ria felt her stomach clench; she was afraid of what she was going to hear next.
“Mitchell came by last night while you were at work.” Ria’s blood ran cold. Mitchell was her cousin’s subordinate in the cartel.
“Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you before your exam. Emiliano wants to see you.”
“No!” Ria was unable to hold back her horrified response.
“I told Mitchell that is what you would say. He said he expected to hear from you by tonight.”
Their terrified eyes clung together.
“I won’t see him. He has no power over us.” Her false bravado didn’t reassure either one of them. Emiliano was a dangerous man who had assumed her brother Alejandro’s powerful position in the cartel when he had been found murdered.
“Mama, everything will be all right. I promise.”
Her mother nodded her head. “I’m going to go lay down.”
“Go ahead. I’ll do the dishes.” Ria kept her expression composed until her mother left the room. She put the leftovers away then cleaned the kitchen to take her mind off Emiliano’s request.
He was someone to be frightened of. Alejandro had never hurt her because of their mother, but Emiliano wouldn’t feel the same restraint.
She racked her brain, trying to come up with a solution. Her mother had lost two of her children after having been used as a pawn by the cartel since she was fourteen. She had been made to marry her first husband, Antonio, having Alejandro then Matthew. When Antonio had been killed, she had then been forced to marry his second in command, Angel, who had given her drugs to take away her resistance to their marriage.
Ria couldn’t remember much about her father. He had kept them hidden away from those he commanded, turning her brothers away from their mother by giving them jobs he expected carried out. Both had become cruel members of the cartel.
When her father had been murdered, Alejandro had taken over, releasing her and their mother to live away from the danger. Her brothers had both been kind and protective of her. Now that Alejandro was dead, his protection was gone, and Ria didn’t know what to do.
She remembered the night Alejandro had been murdered. A car with two of her brother’s subordinates had picked her up after work, driving her to an isolated house. She had been worried, but not frightened. Her mother had been in the rehab center, so she had known she was safe, and these were men that she knew were loyal to Alejandro; they wouldn’t hurt her.
The next day, when they had released her, they’d told her of her brother’s death. She had realized they had hidden her to keep her safe.
She had thought, with Alejandro’s death, the cartel would forget about her mother, but her family still maintained a strong position in the cartel and would use them as pawns.
Emiliano wouldn’t accept her refusal gracefully.
She shivered, picturing his dark eyes. He was a handsome man, but the cruelty he was capable of had her fearful for her mother. She needed to get her mother where she would be untouchable by the cartel.
She was going to have to accept Lacey’s help because she couldn’t stand on pride and see her mother hurt. She would borrow just enough money to place her mother in Suncoast. Then, she would pay her back as soon as she could.
Ria was surprised Lacey hadn’t already tried to call to see how the test had gone. Coming to a decision, she placed a call to Lacey. When she didn’t answer, she left a message for her to call as soon as possible. She must be on rounds.
When the phone rang minutes later, she answered without looking at the display, expecting Lacey; instead, it was Nicholas on the other end.
“How did the test go?”
She found herself telling him the truth. “I’m worried whether I passed.”
“I’m sure you did. How about going out to dinner with me tonight to take your mind off it?”
She had waited for him to call her the last week and hadn’t heard anything from him. Now she realized he had given her the time to study without interfering. He had remembered the exact date of her test. She felt warmed by his concern.
“I’d like that. Where do you want me to meet you?”
“Tell me where you live, and I’ll pick you up.”
Ria almost refused, not wanting him to see where she lived, but if they developed a relationship, he would eventually see. She gave him the address.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” From his slight pause, she knew he had recognized the seedy part of town she lived in.
“I’ll see you then.” She disconnected the call, already regretting agreeing to see him. She had too much on her plate to deal with without the added pressure of beginning a new relationship.
She could at least have dinner with him. Then she would tell him that her mother was sick, and she wouldn’t be able to see him for a while. She knew a man like Nicholas wasn’t one to wait around on a woman and this would eliminate any chance with him. But to be realistic with herself, she knew she was probably nothing more than a challenge to him, anyway. A man like that was used to women throwing themselves at him, and he was probably simply enjoying the chase. Yet, what if he wasn’t? What if he was genuinely interested in her?
She told herself it was better this way. Her life was too complicated right now. She would take tonight and enjoy it.
She could keep it light and fun, and keep her attraction for him under control. Couldn’t she?
Chapter 9
“We had to wash chalkboards for a week!” Ria finished telling a story about Lacey and her from high school. Nicholas’s blue eyes were sparkling as he laughed with her at the memory.
They were finishing an appetizer as they shared funny stories from their childhood. Ria was fulfilling her decision of making the most of the night. She wouldn’t meet another man like Nicholas, and although the timing sucked, considering everything she knew now, there was no reason not to make the most of her short time with him.
“I can picture you as a troublemaker! I’ve only been around you a few times and not much has changed,” Nicholas drawled.
Ria gave him a fake scowl, but couldn’t hold it for very long before laughing.
She sighed. “My smart mouth always gets me in trouble.”
“I like it. You’re not putting on an act; you’re real,” he said softly as their eyes locked.
Ria felt her heart start to pound during the moment of silence. He was so charming it overwhelmed her. Her plan to sta
y strong was already falling apart.
“I do want to apologize. I shouldn’t have said those cruel words.” She thought back to the night they’d met.
“Don’t apologize; I was an ass. I’m sorry for my behavior.” Nicholas changed the subject. “How did you and Lacey become friends?”
“We met in high school. She was the popular girl and I was the loser. Her family has money. Her father is an entrepreneur who’s had many successful ventures. Because of that, she always had kids trying to be her friend and kiss up to her—the students knew who had the most money. She couldn’t stand their fakeness, though.
“We had chemistry class together, and she spilled a beaker of fluid and told me to clean it up. I told her to clean it up herself. We’ve been friends ever since. She knows I don’t care about her money, that I’ve always just appreciated her friendship.”
“She seems like an upfront kind of person.”
“She is; believe me. She’s been giving me hell because I got fired. If I failed the exam today, she’ll let me have it.”
“I’m sure you passed. Have some confidence in yourself. You’re a beautiful, young woman who’s going after what she wants.”
Ria laughed. “Oh, my gosh! You’re full of all the right lines, aren’t you?”
Nicholas shook his head. “It’s true. You’ll see. I’m never wrong.”
“Well, I hope you’re right.” Not only was her future riding on her passing, but her mother’s. If she passed, she would be able to get a job out of town, away from Emiliano.
The rest of the meal went well as they continued to learn more about one another. She could feel the sexual tension growing between them.
After dinner, Nicholas asked her if she’d like to take a walk along the river. It was a beautiful night.
“How’s your arm?” Ria asked.
“It’s okay. I’m hoping to be out of the sling within a week or two,” Nicholas replied. “Then the doctor will let me know if he thinks it’s healthy enough to start training again.”
“Have you missed it?”
Nicholas hesitated before answering. “I haven’t admitted this out loud, but no. I haven’t missed training exclusively with my dad. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid, and didn’t realize how much I would enjoy working with someone else.”
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