by Christina OW
Ruiz clenched his teeth tight battling the rage the memory provoked. “But she didn’t know all she was doing was urging him on. The louder you cried, the longer you begged the more Carlos got off on it. We all knew he was going to do it—hurt that little girl. Jorge and Cesar tried to talk him out of it, but the bastard was stuck on carrying through. My eyes just filled with red spots as I listened to the begging and crying…”
“Ruiz…”
“The moment he placed her on the floor, I was seeing red—actual blood red color and nothing else. I’m not even sure what happened, what I did, how I did it…but when I came to, Carlos was on the floor, his face bloodied and smashed in and I was standing over him. I looked around and I was the only one left in the house, Cesar and Jorge were gone. Diana and her daughter were huddled up in a corner. Then the cops busted in and I was arrested. I found out later I’d killed him with my bare hands. It explained all the broken bones up to my wrists…but I felt no pain until the next day. All I could think about the entire time I was in was that Diana was ready to do anything for her child and my mother never once asked why I wasn’t home for weeks at a time, just why I was back and when I was leaving again.”
“Ruiz.” Melody’s voice hitched as she pressed her cheek into his shoulder.
“How come you went to juvie? You were seventeen almost eighteen and had committed murder,” the shrink asked.
He chuckled shaking his head. “I’ve asked myself that countless times. I arrive to the same conclusion each time. Diana. I don’t know what story she told, but I never went to court. I was sentenced in my cell and sent straight to juvie.”
“You said you came too, as in you weren’t conscious during the ordeal. Did the same thing happen to you in Paris?”
He shook his head. “I knew what I was doing. I made a choice, easy and yet difficult. I chose to save Allan, to end my sister’s nightmare, to rid my daughter of a threat. I made a conscious decision to throw Anthony out the window.”
“Why not just disarm him?”
He shook his head. “That wasn’t an option. I wasn’t going to shoot him, I hate guns wouldn’t touch one if I can avoid it. I wasn’t going to do it with my hands, too intimate—that would have definitely destroyed me. So I chose the window, covered his face so that he wouldn’t see it happen.”
“Ruiz,” Melody started softly. When he turned to look at her, she was chewing on her bottom lip.
He thumbed her chin and released her lip from her teeth, “Just ask me.”
He could see she was regretting it already but was curious enough to still ask, “Why was disarming him not an option?”
“If I hadn’t killed Anthony, Angelo would have killed Allan. Weakness gets you dead. But in this situation, my hesitation, my weakness would have killed Allan. He would have shot your brother right in front of us just to re-teach me that lesson.”
Ruiz wiped the tears on her cheeks with his fingers. “Don’t cry. I don’t regret the choice I made, I never will.”
“I’m so sorry he made you make that choice, but I’m not sorry you saved my brother.” She climbed onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck in a fierce hug, “Thank you.”
That was two months ago. He wasn’t sure if he should admit this or not but he had finally moved past his guilt. He hoped having no lingering remorse over it didn’t make him a monster.
I killed him.
I saved my family.
I’m sorry he’s dead, but I’m not sorry I protected my family.
“Dada!”
The shrilly yell had him looking down. He couldn’t help, but smile as Esme shook her little finger at him and lectured him in baby talk with a stern look on her face.
“I think she’s saying it’s time to cut the cake and you’re holding things up with your day dreaming,” Melody cantered, her head to the side and looked at him with a searching gaze, “You okay?”
He nodded staring at his daughter. She was beautiful with chin length curly hair held away from her face with two pink butterfly barrettes—and still staring at him like a disapproving teacher. He bent low and Esme’s face lit up, knowing what was coming next. He chased her around Melody’s legs making lion noises. Esme burst into loud giggles that sounded like little fairy bells to him. He loved chasing her, watching her run on her short legs flapping her arms like a little penguin. He caught her, tossing her up in the air and tickling her belly, releasing more of those fairy bells.
“You are so impatient to have cake. Give daddy a kiss first.”
Esme pressed her lips to his cheek leaving a sticky print behind. The whole time he thought her shiny lips were because she’d been licking Melody’s cherry lip gloss again.
“Someone’s been in the candy already,” he said with a pointed look at Melody.
“It’s her birthday, she’s allowed!”
Ruiz sat Esme on his arm. “Of course she is because daddy will be the one putting her to bed tonight, like every night since you’re last doctor’s visit.”
Melody smiled wickedly. “I can’t help it if I need my beauty sleep.”
He took her arm and led her out to the backyard full of screaming kids and talking adults.
“You’re not feeding her candy every night on purpose, are you? It’s not some kind of revenge for the diet your on, is it?”
“You mean the plans you and that man have of starving me?” she retorted.
“That man is your doctor.” He sighed, caressing her large belly. “He said it was for the best. If he gets any bigger we’ll need a c-section and we don’t want that. You’re only six months gone and you look further along than that. He’ll be big enough with my genes already.”
She pouted, “Still no reason to come between a pregnant woman and her food.”
“Okay. I’ll make you a deal. You get to eat two pieces of cake today if you give me a big smile.”
She gave him the largest grin he’d ever seen on her and it made him laugh. Ruiz leaned down and kissed her. “Come on. Let’s go cut the cake before Esme starts pulling my hair. Sinclair hyphenate Albury women are so impatient.”
Epilogue
Ruiz walked to his patio, beer in hand and dropped into the empty lawn chair next to Riana. She had this cat that ate the canary kind of smile on her lips. Ruiz turned to his brother, who was on the other side of Riana with a raised brow, “What is she silently gloating about?”
Reno shook his head with a light laugh, “Beats me. She’s been walking around with that smile all day long.”
“She’s probably itching for someone to ask her what’s up.”
“Then she’ll expect a sound tap on the back for a job well done,” Reno drawled on with a bored sigh.
Adopting the same air of boredom, Ruiz leaned back in his seat, “Yeah, good thing we’re not interested in finding out whatever it is.”
“Too bad she’s not the type to toot her own horn—actually that’s a good thing. Saves us from the smug jig she’s bound to break into.”
Ruiz nodded, “Oh definitely. The poor girl can’t even two step.”
Riana piped up then, “Hey! I’ve got moves and you should be thanking me—both of you for the lovely wives you have.”
Reno’s thick brow went up, “Oh really, how’s that?”
She poked him in the nape of his neck and Reno flinched with a hiss, “You married my best friend and it’s because of that friendship the two of you met and hooked up. And now you have a beautiful little girl as a testament of that love and a son who will never have a mother that loves him more than Loraine.”
The edge of Reno’s lips rose into a sly smile, “I’m quite sure you had nothing to do with little Cora’s conception.”
She huffed punching Reno’s shoulder as he laughed before she turned to Ruiz with her finger. Before she could stab him with it he covered his vulnerable neck, “You know you could paralyze someone with that finger.”
Ignoring him she said, “You married my sister-in-law and if I hadn’t nagge
d you, you wouldn’t have gone to Paris to get her back. Now you’re happily married with a daughter and a son on the way.”
With a teasing look on his face and a slow shake of his head he said, “I’m pretty sure you had nothing to the conception of my children either.”
She huffed louder, settling back against her seat pouting with her arms crossed over her chest, “You both annoy me.”
Reno and Ruiz laughed hard at that. Ruiz decided to stop teasing his little sister and give credit where it’s due.
“We’re sorry and you are right. If it wasn’t for you, we would have never met our wives and we wouldn’t be so happy in our new roles as husbands and fathers.”
Reno pinched her cheek and she slapped his hand away, “Thanks kiddo for being the domino that began the happiest stage of our lives.”
She beamed at that, her cheeks gaining a dash of pink. With a shy smile she shrugged, “It was nothing.”
Reno and Ruiz exchanged bewildered looks. A moment ago she’d been fishing for a compliment and now it was nothing. For as long as he lived Ruiz would never understand women which didn’t sit well with him. In a few years he’ll have a teenage daughter—maybe even two—and he needed to understand them to protect them from lecherous men like him.
“Yeah you’re right. After all, this all started when you bid for Allan at an auction and made him your sex slave as you toured Italy.” Reno dropped in, “You probably shouldn’t tell our daughters about that when they ask how you and Uncle Allan first met.”
Ruiz chuckled softly, “Yeah, that’s not a very good example you would be setting aunt Riana.”
She glared at them with a louder huff, “Oh, you are so annoying. I’m never helping you guys again.”
She stood, probably to stomp away, but Ruiz quickly grabbed her around the waist and brought her down to his lap. She struggled to stand, but he easily held her down with one arm around her waist.
“We’re just joking baby sis, don’t get mad!”
Reno moved to occupy the lawn chair she’d angrily vacated, a smile on his face, “We’re sorry, but it was too funny to pass up.”
She sat ram rod still, her chin haughtily tilted up and her lips pressed in a thin line with her arms crossed over her chest.
Ruiz fought against the laughter bubbling up but he could do nothing about his body bouncing from the suppressed laughs.
“Okay, how about I make it up to you?”
Reno’s inquiry was met with staunch silence.
He shook his head with a chuckle as he reached behind him. When he sat up, he had three jewelry boxes in his hand. Riana squealed bouncing on Ruiz’s lap as she clapped her hands excitedly. “You’re forgiven, now gimme gimme gimme!”
Reno shook his head, “Hold you’re horses. I’ll never understand the effect jewelry has on women.”
Ruiz nodded, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, what the hell is that? I’ll take a burger and a beer any day.”
“We don’t expect you to understand we just expect you to buy them now can I have them?” she spoke impatiently holding her hands out.
Reno opened the smaller of the two and pulled out a ring. It was a wide gold band signet ring with a black engraved pattern. Ruiz chuckled when Riana pouted.
“That’s not a woman’s ring.”
“Gee you think?” She pinched his thigh hard and Ruiz jumped almost throwing her off, “hey that hurt.”
“Then don’t be a smart mouth,” she said sweetly.
“Children, behave,” Reno, always being the big brother. He held the ring to them, “This one is mine.” Then he slipped it on his left hand thumb. He opened the next box, this one was longer. He pulled out a bracelet and held his hand out to Ruiz, “Give me your wrist.”
Puzzled, Ruiz placed his beer bottle down to free his left hand and held it out to Reno.
Reno clasped the bracelet around his wrist. Ruiz looked at it. It had the same intricate design as Reno’s ring.
“Now you,” Reno said, pulling out a round pendant on a long gold chain from the last box. “Ruiz.”
“Yeah,” he took the chain and fastened it around Riana’s neck.
She held the pendant around in the palm of her hand as she stared at it with a soft gaze. “It’s beautiful Reno.”
“The engravings are our names and each one of our unique qualities—so I’m told. They’ve been patterned to create a family crest. The Albury family crest. Read the back.”
She turned the pendant and smiled. “Riana Albury, the heart of the Albury family.” She looked up then, tears in her eyes. “Thanks big brother.”
He nodded with a shy smile getting a little emotional too. “Ruiz, you’re the courage of this family and it says so on your bracelet. Only someone with you’re kind of courage would have done what you did to protect our sister. I know I’ve said it a lot, but thank you.”
Ruiz nodded, feeling a little emotional himself. “Like you said, she’s our heart and one can’t live without a heart.”
Riana wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed his forehead, “And no one can live without courage. It’s been a long journey and I’m glad you made it out of that dark place after Paris.”
He sighed, “At one point, I wasn’t sure I would make it, but Melody never gave up on me. You never gave up on me. And Reno, the strength of this family never gave up on me either. I hope that’s what it says on your ring—Reno Albury, the strength of this family. You held us together, ready to catch us when we fell, and gave us the strength to become the people we are today. I don’t think we’ve ever thanked you for that.”
Riana took Reno’s hand in hers, “Yeah, thanks Reno. I don’t think I would have survived losing Allan if it wasn’t for you.”
Ruiz wasn’t sure, but he could swear he saw Reno quickly swipe away a tear even before it fell. The big guy did cry! It was so human. Ruiz didn’t believe anyone had ever seen him so vulnerable—probably Loraine had—but to him and Riana, he was like superman.
“Seeing you both happy with your families is all the thanks I need,” he chuckled softly, “And these gifts aren’t actually from me. Our spouses thought we needed something for just us. In these past few years we’ve created our own families and now it’s one big family that’s constantly growing. The three of us never truly got a chance to be a family, the Albury family. Something the old man never gave us a chance at.”
“But he gave us each other and as much as it pains me to say, I do thank him for that,” Ruiz said, meaning it.
Riana nodded, “How about we take one day out of every month just for the three of us? We can name it the Albury day.”
“That sounds great.”
“Yes it does,” Reno echoed, “And that day will be mandatory for all three attendees, no matter what. We may all live in the same compound now, but who knows where we’ll all end up in a couple of years? It would be great to have a custom set in stone.”
Riana took Ruiz’s hand and placed it over hers which was already clasped in Reno’s. “I always felt like something was missing growing up and at one point I believed it was our father. But right now, right here, this feels complete.”
Ruiz’s gaze shifted between his brother and sister. He still felt a little sad that he never got to grow up with them, but he wouldn’t let that shadow what he had now. He was a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. For the first time in his life, he was actually glad he listened to his mother and sought Reno out to gain back his inheritance. He’d gotten that and so much more. He turned to see his pregnant wife smile at him with what looked like tears in her eyes. Melody leaned against Allan with Loraine standing at her other side with baby Cora in her arms, watching them, watching the three siblings they were married to finally put back together what had been destroyed many years ago.
He clasped both hands tightly in his. “To the old man, Reno Ruiz Albury, thank you for doing one thing right in your life—the Albury family.”
*The End*
About the Author
Christina OW loves reading novels that take her on a ride of wild emotions. Books have always been an escape for her, for a few hours she gets to live the lives of characters she grows to cherish and admire. She's always had an active imagination and because of it has lived in her head more than she has been in the outside world. She always imagined scenarios and wondered how they would turn out in the end, and what kind of emotions they would invoke. Thus began her writing career.
Besides her twin sister, her pajamas are her best friend. She'd rather curl up on the couch with a good book than join the night life. Raised by a selfless mother who put up with the twins playing pranks all the time, Christina feels she owes her mother a lot and strives to make her proud every day. To find out more about Christina, please visit her website, blog, or follow the links below.
Website - http://tmdangel.wix.com/chrisitnaow
Blog-http://www.christinaow.wordpress.com/
Facebook page - Christina OW
Twitter - @Christina_OW
Other books by Christina OW
Her Venice Affair, Book #1 The Albury Affairs Series
His Bahamas Affair, Book #2 The Albury Affairs Series
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com