by Jessica Gray
This day truly couldn’t become any worse. He felt his face go from red to purple and the veins in his neck pop out. And if the smug expression on Karen’s face was anything to go by, she took pleasure in riling him up.
Robert wanted to thrash things out and took a step towards Karen, his mouth open as he prepared to unload on her again. But Marcela cut him off with a finger across her throat and poked him in the chest to get him to back up a step, saying, “I want to get out of here. Stitching him up in here is so far out of my competence, if I get caught it would mean a lot of trouble for me. The sort of trouble I don’t need.”
She turned back to Karen and reminded her, “Watch for more bleeding and keep him awake.” Without another word, she headed for the door, calling over her shoulder, “Either come with me or find your own way back to the safe part of town.”
Robert looked between Karen and Fernando, and the door Marcela had just walked through. He didn’t want to be stuck in this part of town, but he also didn’t want to leave Karen here with his competition.
“If you are counting on her to be waiting for you, I wouldn’t take that bet,” Karen said without even glancing his way.
With an angry sound, Robert cursed and against his better judgment took off after Marcela, torn between the desire to reconcile with Karen and the need to make sure Marcela – and he – got home safe.
Chapter 4
Karen waited until she heard the front doors close behind Robert and then she hurried to lock them up tight once again. When she returned to the room where Fernando was lying, he appeared to be much better and his face had taken on a normal color again. He’d put on his leather jacket hiding the bandage on his chest; his eyes were glued to her and one side of his lip quirked up into that awfully sexy crooked grin of his.
She quickly averted her eyes, but it was too late. Heat flushed her body under his stare. Given their situation, she should probably feel guilty for noticing how attractive he was, but she didn’t. A thrill of adventure and adrenaline rushed through her veins at memory of the events of the night – and the prospect of what might come.
Even weak and wounded, Fernando was bare strength and sexy as hell. His appreciative stare and the undeniable desire in his eyes – she wouldn’t lie about that fact – heightened her awareness. The tingling sensation increased and she felt – alive. Yes, more alive than she’d felt in a long time.
Her life had been reduced to boring routine. Work. Eat. Sleep. Have mediocre sex once a week. Rinse and repeat. It was if she’d been Sleeping Beauty and now this rugged bad boy came along to kiss her awake. She didn’t care if it was right or wrong. It felt oh, so vibrant.
She sat down next to him. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Not the best I’ve ever been, but having you here helps.” He reached over and took her hand. “Thanks for doing this for me. I guess you saved my life.”
The warmth of his big hand covering hers sent confusing signals into her overtaxed brain and she felt herself blushing again. “It was Marcela. Not me. And you saved my life first.”
There it was again, his sexy crooked grin. “I guess we’re even then.” A long silence ensued and he drank the rest of the Coke bottle in one big gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Tell me about Robert,” he suggested.
“What do you want to know?” Karen’s breath hitched. What the hell was going on with her?
“Let’s start with why you broke up with him.”
“Which time?”
Fernando raised a brow. “Start with the first time and finish with tonight. We have plenty of time.”
“I broke up with him because after being together for almost three years, living together for two of those, I found out he was married.”
“Shit!” Fernando raised himself on his elbows.
“Yes. To the nurse that just finished stitching you up.”
“And you didn’t know about her?” he asked and the expression in his eyes changed, but Karen had no idea if this was a good or a bad thing.
“No, nobody knew. He himself had no idea where to find her. Anyway, long story short, I broke up with him tonight because he’s an asshole.”
Fernando’s eyes softened and the glint of desire appeared again. “He’s a fool for letting you go. I’d never let you go if you were mine.”
Karen felt her cheeks flame, but she didn’t look away from his eyes. She couldn’t. It was like he held her under some kind of magic spell, a spell that promised thrills and adventure. With the last ounce of strength she tore her eyes away from him and the sizzling heat between them. The chemistry between them wasn’t something they could, or should, act upon in his present condition – or hers.
“Tell me about you,” she asked.
“Me? I’m not very interesting.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
“Fine, but remember you asked for it. I’m just a common gangster, as your ex-boyfriend so pointedly remarked. My parents were murdered when I was fourteen, leaving me behind with a sister who’s six years younger than I am. I dropped out of school and have since been doing this and that to provide for us.”
“You have a sister?” Karen couldn’t even begin to imagine how a teenage boy provided for himself and an eight-year-old-girl.
His eyes shone with pride. “Yes. Amada. She’s a much better person than I am. Somehow I managed to keep her in school and out of trouble.”
Karen couldn’t help but compare his life to her own, and was ashamed. All her problems suddenly felt petty and meaningless. ”You’re a good person.”
“No, I’m not. Not by a far cry.”
His words had Karen remember where she was and why they’d come here in the first place. Her entire body tightened with fear and breathing became difficult. Fernando picked up on that and struggled to a sitting position.
“Come here,” he said, hugging her close with his one good arm.
She flinched under his touch, but he only pulled her closer and after the first shock she actually liked how his arm felt around her. Safe. Secure. Warm.
After this unsettling day, and the threat of danger still lingering, she needed to feel safe. Even if it was only an illusion. She snuggled comfortably into his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Her head moved back and forth in the rhythm of his easy breathing and she felt his steady pulse. “Aren’t you afraid?” she asked.
“No, Cariña. Don’t worry. We’re safe in here. Relax.”
The day had been too much, and she could feel herself unraveling. While her brain still processed the events of this nightmarish day, her hand took on a life of its own and moved over Fernando’s stomach, tracing the lines of his ripped muscles. His skin was warm and soft, but every so often her fingertips grazed over rough lines. Scars. Her forefinger reached the edge of his bandage and she said, “Does it still hurt?”
“Like hell.”
She quickly removed her finger and wanted to scoot away from him, but he stopped her and turned her to face him with a strong finger beneath her chin. Karen was lost in the deep pools of his brown eyes, which mirrored all the confusion emotions she felt herself.
In the next moment he placed a kiss upon her lips. It was sweet and tender, with a hint of fire boiling beneath the surface. The feelings his touch created were too much, and it was like a dam broke and a wave of emotions washed over her. She opened her lips for him and he possessed her mouth in a greedy, rough, and all-encompassing way.
Thrills of excitement rushed down her spine and again, she felt alive. Invincible. This one kiss had the power of an entire generating plant and turned her insides out. From now on her life would never be the same again. She was done being a good girl. Every part of her, her body, her mind, and her soul, went into overdrive, and she had no idea whether this was good or bad.
Fernando pulled away from her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to maul you.”
Karen’s thoughts were a jumbled mess and her body reacted to the confu
sion. Tears fell. A few at first, then more and more and more.
Fernando seemed helpless at her emotional outburst and stroked her hair. “I’m sorry. Please stop crying. Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head and wept against his shoulder until no tears were left. “Today was so unsettling…and your kiss…I…”
“Shush.” He held her closer. “Try to get some sleep. I promise not to kiss you again.”
Karen cuddled against his body and felt the tension leave her body. I am tired. His muscles relaxed as well, and Marcela’s words rushed to her mind. “Keep him awake.” But he’s feeling much better. Surely a few hours of sleep won’t hurt.
The chill of the building began to seep into her bones, and when she felt Fernando shiver, she knew they needed a way to keep warm. “Be right back,” she whispered to him.
She carefully made her way through the community center’s main floor, smiling when she found a daycare room, complete with blankets and pillows for resting children. She grabbed the largest two blankets she could find. Back with Fernando she spread one blanket to lie on. Then she carefully snuggled into his chest, spreading the other blanket as cover over both of them.
“Let’s try to get some rest,” she said. “We have to be up in a few hours to sneak out before we’re discovered.”
Fernando nodded and soon drifted off to sleep, moaning in pain every now and again. But Karen couldn’t sleep. Her mind was still running a mile a minute.
The way Fernando cared for her and how much he craved her! She tried to remember the last time Robert had made her feel desired. They’d been together for three years now, and it was time to face facts.
Somewhere along their path they’d lost the heat and spark for each other. Everything had become routine between them. Even their sex life. Nothing was nearly as exciting as it had been in the beginning. It was as if she’d been relegated to watching her own life from the sidelines. If Robert and I are to have a second chance, a lot of things will need to change.
Shame flushed her cheeks as she remembered Fernando’s heated and demanding kiss. She’d enjoyed it, yes. But she also felt guilty. Torn. Confused. She loved Robert. But at the age of twenty-six, she felt much too young to settle for a mediocre relationship. She wanted excitement. Adventure. She wanted to feel her heart speed up every time he walked into the room.
Suddenly it dawned on her. Fernando represented excitement. Danger. Mystery. He brought out the bad girl in her, the one who didn’t smile and say “Thank you.” The one who demanded – and took – what she wanted. This part of her, and the thrill, was missing in her relationship with Robert. But what was she to do with this revelation?
Karen decided she didn’t need to have the answers to all her questions immediately. For now, she’d be content with making it out of here alive. And tell her best friend Rachel an exhilarating story about her day in L.A.
Chapter 5
Robert caught up with Marcela just as she was rounding the corner. “Wait up!” he called out to her, only remembering they were supposed to be quiet when she glared at him. “Sorry.”
“Just be quiet.” She led the way back to her apartment, and Robert only breathed easily when they exited the alleyway and he saw passing cars, streetlights that weren’t burned out, and a police car parked at the all-night diner on the corner.
“Thanks for everything.”
Marcela looked tired and exhausted and he wanted to hug her, but resisted. After what had happened earlier this evening, he wouldn’t touch her again.
“Go back to your hotel, Robert, and get some sleep,” Marcela said, and waved him good-bye, walking up the steps to the front door of her residential building and shutting the door on him.
Robert sighed and then hailed the next taxi. Well past midnight, he returned to his hotel room, but nevertheless he picked up his cell phone and called Peter.
“Tell me you found Karen,” Peter demanded when he answered the call.
“Yes.”
“Is she okay?” This was Rachel’s voice.
“She’s fine. I just saw her.” Fine? I hope so.
“Thank God!”
“Yes. She gave us quite a scare. Hey, Rachel, I need to talk to Peter for a few minutes. I’ll try and have Karen call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Oh, okay…sure. Glad you found her, Robert. I’ll sleep better tonight.”
Glad someone will. A moment later Peter spoke into the phone. “Robert?”
“I’m still here.” Robert ran a hand through his thick blond hair.
“What’s going on that you didn’t want Rachel to hear?”
“I totally screwed up this time.” Robert sat down on the bed and took off his shoes with his free hand.
“Worse than not telling Karen you were married?” Peter asked.
Robert nodded, “Pretty much. I behaved like an asshole and she slapped me in the face before she broke up with me.”
Peter’s chuckle came across the line. “You sure you’re taking about sweet Karen? Doesn’t sound like her.”
“I’ve never seen her that furious. She said it’s over and I think she really means it.” Robert popped onto the bed and stared holes in the ceiling.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Peter said.
“Yeah, you sound real sorry. Why are you laughing?”
“Well, you have to admit it’s kind of funny. I mean, you know I never approved of you hiding the whole fraudulent marriage thing from Karen. And now that you’ve found Marcela and can do something about it, she kicks you to the curb.”
Robert tried not to let himself react to Peter’s words because his friend was right.
“Perhaps a timeout for you two isn’t such a bad thing. Some time away to let the air clear and get your shit in order.”
“I don’t think time apart is going to work in my favor.” Robert paused. “She may already have moved on to someone else.”
Peter coughed into the phone. “What?”
“She was with a guy when I saw her. He’d supposedly got stabbed trying to save her from whatever threat she was in.”
“Robert! Stabbed? What the hell is going on down there?”
“Don’t even ask, okay? But when I saw her with this guy and he all but devoured her with his eyes, I saw red. We fought and I accused her of betraying me with every hunk that crossed her path.”
“Ah. Now I understand the slapping.”
Robert snorted. “On whose side are you, by the way?”
“Nah. Not taking any sides here. Don’t drag me into it.”
“Sorry. But when we left, Marcela and Karen exchanged comments about how gorgeous…”
Peter interrupted his friend. “Now you’re telling me Marcela and Karen ganged up on you? Come on. Are you sure you’re not inventing this story?”
“Peter, since when am I known for creativity? I’m an IT person. Just like you. We don’t invent storylines. This whole day was crazier than my entire life so far.”
“I get it. Calm down. Anything else you want to share?”
Robert briefly considered telling Peter about kissing Marcela, but decided it was best no living person would ever find out. A hot wave rushed through his body. Would Marcela tell Karen?
“No. That’s about it. I have to do something to win Karen back, but what?”
“I don’t know, man. Get some sleep and let me do the same. Things always look different in the light of day. Which,” he paused briefly, “is only a few hours away.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow then.”
“Get some sleep, man.”
But sleep was elusive. The more he thought about their fight in the community center, he realized that he loved Karen more than anything in the world. He needed to win her back, but he’d acted like such a jerk, he couldn’t think of anything that would make her want to take him back.
He got up again and paced the hotel room, going through one idea after another, but nothing seemed to fit the situation. As the sun rose across the city,
he wasn’t any wiser.
At least he’d be meeting with the divorce lawyer and Marcela in a few hours, and hopefully between the three of them they’d come up with a viable solution to dissolving his marriage without Marcela ending up deported and him spending the next five years of his life behind bars.
Chapter 6
“Hey, Cariña, wake up. We have to get out of here before it gets too light.” Whose voice was this?
Karen needed a few moments to remember where she was, and then she blinked and pushed herself out of a very strong arm. “I’m awake.”
Fernando chuckled at her. “Sure you are. But seriously, we need to get moving, and I don’t think I can get up without your help.”
She got to her feet, and then amidst his groans of pain, they got him upright. He had to hold onto her, and grimaced with every step. They snuck out of the community center and Fernando took the lead.
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
“My place. It’s just a few blocks away.”
They made it to his place without incident, and arrived in front of a shabby-looking residential building. Inside the small apartment he shared with his sister, he plopped onto the couch. Karen helped him to get comfortable and was looking for a blanket when the door opened and an attractive young woman with hip-length black hair and the same warm brown eyes as Fernando entered the room.
She stared at Karen, ready to fight, and asked, “What are you doing here? Are you a cop?”
“No. I…am…” Karen stammered.
“If you’re one of his playgirls, I want you out. Now.”
When Karen didn’t answer, the girl took a menacing step toward her, but before she could say another word, Fernando shouted, “Amada. Be nice. Karen is a friend.”
“You don’t have female friends,” she answered and walked toward him to give him a bear hug.
Fernando groaned, “Ouch.”
Karen could see how Amada’s eyes grew worried as the girl said, “Let me see.”