Secrets & Surrender 3 (2 page)

“Ba ba!”

“You can’t have the bottle. You’re a big girl, remember?”

“No! Not the mama!” A chubby hand swatted the spoon, splashing milk and cereal onto the wall.

“I want mama!” Miguelito threw his bowl of cereal to the ground.

“She’ll be back soon.” Grabbing a dishtowel, I got on my knees to wipe up the mess. “Dad’s with her.”

“I want her now!” he shrieked.

In unison, Selina and Miguelito cried for Mom again. Their cute little faces turned pink as tears rolled down their cheeks. Each cry pierced my heart. I wanted Mom too. I wanted to yell and scream and hold my breath until she came home. I couldn’t. It took everything I had just to keep things going and not fall apart.

After tossing the wet towel into the sink, I kissed the top of their foreheads, knowing my kisses were not the ones they wanted. “Mom will be home soon.”

I hope.

“What’s with all the noise in here?” Juan asked as he stepped into the kitchen. Julian stood behind him with a concerned expression on his face.

I gave Julian a gentle smile, thankful he’d stuck around the house. With Dad in San Antonio checking in on Mom, I couldn’t handle Juan and the kids too. Juan was mad at everyone, especially me. Julian was the only one he’d listen to.

“They want Mom.” I lifted up a wailing Selina, hugging her close to my chest. “Shh, it’s okay.”

“None of this is okay!” he barked, folding his arms over his chest.

I was about to snap back when my eyes locked with his, and, for the first time, I noticed that Juan was no longer the little brother I’d grown up with. He was different. The dimpled baby face that had attracted many of the Koppe High freshman girls was gone. His face had thinned out to harsh angular lines with a smattering of stubble along his jawline and fuzz on his upper lip. My eyes trailed down his now manly face to his growing biceps. I blinked at the tattoo on his forearm that I’d never seen before. It had to be new. The skin around the small Aztec warrior was still red.

“Your yelling is not helping,” I snapped. Selina howled even louder.

“They’re scared, Juan,” Julian said softly. “They’ve been traumatized by what they saw yesterday. They think their mother’s hurt, and they want to see her.”

Clutching Selina close, I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the images of what Juan told me had happened. Since he had shared the details of what happened, it was like scenes from a movie constantly flashed in bits and pieces through my mind: two sheriff cars pulling the minivan over, a deputy with his hand hovering over a gun standing behind the van, Sheriff Baker barking at my dad to get out of the car, the kids crying and then screeching when the deputy ordered my mother out of the car, Juan jumping out to protect her and being shoved to the ground, Dad slammed against the hood of the van when he tried to get Juan, Mom begging Juan to stop.

My eyes flashed opened. It was too much. I couldn’t stand to see those images in my head anymore. It was a miracle that none of them had gotten hurt.

“I still can’t believe it,” I said. “I can’t believe they were pulled over for a busted taillight and because of that, they took Mom away.”

“And I can’t believe you’re still falling for that busted taillight bullshit,” he grumbled.

“Juan,” Julian warned, placing a hand on his shoulder.

I clenched my jaw. I knew exactly who Juan was blaming for all this.

“Julian, I appreciate what you’ve done for our family, but if you don’t mind, this is between me and my brother. I’d like to speak with him alone.”

He nodded, letting out a breath. “Okay, I’ll take Selina and Miguelito out back so you two can talk.”

“It was a setup and you know it,” Juan said, closing the door when Julian and the kids left the room. “I can’t believe you’re actually defending your so-called boyfriend. This is our family we’re talking about.”

I winced. God help me, but the moment I had called the house and Juan had told me what had happened, my thoughts had jumped right to Nic. The shattered look on his face after Julian had told him about Mom haunted my every waking hour. I was so confused. I’d had a moment of weakness when Juan told me they’d taken Mom because deep inside, I knew it couldn’t have been Nic. He would never turn my mother in to the authorities. But no one else knew except Cassie. Cassie and her father had made sure that our family stayed safe. So there was no way it could have been her.

“It just doesn’t make sense, Juan. Why would Nic do something like that? He’s known the secret for months. Why now?”

“Who the fuck knows. Maybe you pissed him off. Maybe he just got tired of you. Rich people like that don’t give a shit about us. You’re just too ‘in love’ to see past his bullshit. He’s the only one who could’ve ratted us out. He’s the one with the connections to have the sheriff waiting for us when we got to Koppe.”

Bile climbed my throat. Juan was making too much sense. I didn’t want to believe him. I couldn’t. I shook my head, trying to find another explanation. “I don’t know.”

“Fuck, Mandi! Are you that blind? Even Julian thinks it was a setup! He’s just too much into you to say that.”

My eyes snapped to his with surprise. “What?”

“Come off it, Mandi. You know Julian still likes you, even after you totally dissed him at the show last spring. Look at what he’s done for us. Before he went to pick up your sorry ass, he called his lawyer brother in San Antonio. If it wasn’t for his brother, Mom would’ve ended up in the detention center somewhere in Laredo instead of San Antonio.”

Shaking my head, I pressed my hands against my throbbing temples. This was too much. After all this time, he still wanted me?

There was a high-pitched squeal, and I ran to the window. Pushing the curtain back, I looked into the backyard. Julian was pushing Miguelito and Selina in the swings and had them squealing with laughter as he made faces at them. I sighed. As kind as Julian was to my family, I didn’t love him.

“He’s been a good friend to you, to all of us.”

“Shit, you’re so ungrateful! The man has to see you with White Bread almost every time he’s here, and you’re with White Bread all the time! And he still cares for you, for all of us. He volunteered to pick you up at the wedding just so Dad wouldn’t worry and could go straight to San Antonio to be with Mom. Julian’s the one you should be with, not the pinche gringo.”

I whirled around, nostrils flaring at his insult. “Don’t you ever call Nic that again! I know there’s an explanation for what happened, and it wasn’t because of Nic. As soon as things get settled, I’ll find out what’s going on.”

There was a knock at the front door.

“That’s Chela.” I let out a sigh of relief for the distraction as I headed for the door. Juan should consider himself lucky that I hadn’t ripped that stupid tattoo off his arm. “Julian said she’d watch over the kids so we can go see Mom.”

My breath caught in my throat the moment I opened the door.

“Nic.”

My heart thudded against my chest, transfixed by hazel eyes gazing at me with pleading remorse. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since I’d seen him and already my body cried for his arms, his kisses, his gentle touch. I wanted to throw my arms around him. I wanted him to hold me as I cried into his chest. I needed him desperately.

“Mandi.” His hand reached out, hesitating at first before tenderly caressing my cheek. “Please let me explain.”

It was with that simple touch that I finally felt complete again. I tilted my head into his hand, relishing its warmth and strength.

“Pinche gringo! Get out of my house!”

In a blur, Juan pushed me aside as he flew through the door. With a feral growl, he tackled Nic, sending them both crashing onto the porch and rolling down the porch steps.

I
ron rods pounded into my ribs. One after the other, rock hard fists slammed into me. Pure venom poured out of Juan’s mouth as he cursed me in two languages. And I took it all, each and every well-deserved, savage blow. Juan hated me. He always had. Looking at my reflection in his dark eyes, I saw the privileged rich kid who had taken away his mother and broken a family apart.

Instinct caused me to twist and turn and avoid the searing pain jolting through my body as he beat me. I scolded myself for trying to avoid the just punishment from the boy who felt I’d betrayed his family, so I held still, letting Juan do his worst.

In between his feral growls, I heard Mandi’s cries for him to stop hurting me. And in that brief moment, as Juan’s fist connected with my jaw, my heart smiled.

She still loves me.

“Stop hitting him!” She grabbed Juan’s arm.

“Fuck off, traitor!” He pushed her back.

In that instant, I shoved Juan off me and scrambled to my feet. Juan could come after me all he wanted, but brother or not, no one was going to hurt Mandi.

“Keep her out of this, Juan. It’s me you should be mad at. If you’ll let me explain what happened—”

“Fuck you!” Placing his hands on my chest, he shoved me back. “Stay away from her and my family. You hear me?”

“I love her, and I won’t stay away. Just let me explain.”

“I’m not my sister. I ain’t buying your shit excuses. I know it was you.”

“Yes, it was my fault. I—”

He roared and lunged toward me, his momentum propelling us backward. My back slammed against a tree.

“Stop it!” Mandi latched onto his shirt collar, trying to pull him off me.

His blows were nothing compared to the agony I felt at the sound of her sobs. I had to leave. I was hurting Mandi, and that was the last thing I’d wanted to do.

Immediately, I jutted my arm out to push him away. Instead of fists slamming against Juan’s chest, they hit air, and Juan was suddenly on the ground.

“This is not the time or place, Juan.” Julian’s face was fierce as he stood over him.

My stomach clenched as I watched Juan place his hand into Julian’s, mumbling an apology as he stood. No matter how hard I tried, I could never be the brother to Juan that I wanted to be. I had tried everything I could think of to befriend him, going back to when we had lived in Koppe. Everything I did just seemed to make it worse. I’d thought Juan was going through his teen rebellious phase, hating everyone and everything. That is, until Julian came into the picture, earning the trust of the one person I’d tried so hard to impress without even trying. Somehow, Julian had managed to weasel his way so far into the Ruiz’s lives that they turned to him for help in the worst kind of crisis.

Glaring at me, Juan nodded at Julian’s whispered words. I hated that whatever Julian was telling him seemed to be working and that Julian could have that kind of effect on him. Juan still looked like he could kill me with his bare hands at any moment, but he stayed away.

“You’re bleeding,” Mandi murmured.

My eyes flicked to Mandi, and I sucked in a breath as caring eyes gazed at my lips. It was then that I felt warm liquid slide down the side of my chin and a salty taste in my mouth.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. It’d only been a few hours since I’d seen her, since I’d thought I’d lost her forever. It felt like a lifetime had passed.

I swallowed thickly as delicate fingers brushed against the corner of my mouth, wiping away the trickle of blood. Caressing my bruised cheek, her face filled with a longing so strong I wanted to take her in my arms and tell her that Juan and Julian would have to kill me to keep me away from her.

“Thank you,” my voice cracked.

“Are you okay?”

I studied her beautiful face, pondering the double meaning of her question. Glancing at Julian and Juan, I knew she was telling me that the only reason Julian was there was for her brother.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Go take care of your brother and sister,” Julian’s voice boomed with authority. “I’ll take care of this.”

I cringed at the obvious ownership he was taking, as if he was the head of the family and I was the outsider.

“Traitor,” Juan spat at Mandi before he went back inside the house.

“Shut up, Juan!” She marched after him, yelling out a slew of Spanish curses.

“Nic, you shouldn’t be here. The family’s going through a rough time,” Julian said.

Mandi spun around. Before she could say a word, I snapped back, “You’re here.”

“I’m helping them.”

“That’s why I’m here. I want to explain what happened and help.”

“You’re presence is only making things worse.” His dark eyes flicked to Mandi so quickly, I almost missed it. That asshole wanted me out of the picture! He actually thought Mandi would fall for his hero-riding-in-on-a-white-horse-to-save-the-day bullshit!

Mandi’s nostrils flared.

He obviously didn’t know her like I did. If he liked that tattoo on his arm, he’d better leave now. She looked like she was going to rip that thing right off him.

“Go with Juan, Julian.” Her voice was eerily soft. “I want to hear what Nic has to say...in private.”

“That’s not a good idea, Mandi. Go in the house with Juan. Nic, if you care for her like you say you do, you’ll leave. Now.”

My hands curled into fists. I’d had enough of Julian’s shit. “You don’t tell her what to do. It’s not for you to decide who she does or doesn’t talk to.”

“It is for me to decide. She’s distraught. The entire family is.”

“I can think for myself, Julian,” Mandi growled.

“I know you can.” His voice softened as if he were calming a child. “It’s just that my brother doesn’t want us talking to people outside the family. Remember, he’s fought cases like this before and won. It’s for your mother’s safety.”

She opened her mouth as if to say something. Then, appearing frustrated, she bit down on her lip. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked from me to Julian, confused. My chest ached at the thought that she might see me as a threat to her family. Even worse, Julian’s brother was probably one of the few people who could help her mother. I could see the struggle in her eyes. My help or Julian’s? I couldn’t stand to see the heartache she was going through. I swallowed my pride and made the decision for her.

“Forget it. What I have to say to Mandi isn’t a secret from anyone, especially you.” I threw Julian a glare before turning back to Mandi. “I love you, Mandi. I’ll never stop loving you, and I would never intentionally hurt your family.”