“Right.” Dominique cuffs me on the shoulder. “So good you can’t stop staring at the girl every time she walks into a room.”
“Drop it,” I snarl under my breath. “She’s unimportant.”
Dom snorts. “And you pissing all over the place to keep people away from her like she belongs to you totally supports that statement.”
I clench my jaw and glower. “I’m not pissing on anything.”
“Mentiroso,” Roman says. Liar.
I ignore them and head for the showers, but of course the fuckers follow me. “Bro, you’ve claimed her. The whole fucking school knows it too. You beat the shit out of Carson Bailey during practice because he said she had a nice rack. Which she does, by the way,” Dominique adds and my hands fist at my sides.
“See, that right there. That’s my point.” He indicates my tight fists and I force myself to relax, opening and closing them to bring back circulation. “I’m one of your best friends and you want to swing at me too. What the fuck, man?”
“Carson had it coming and you’re being a dick.” I stick my head under the running water and try and block out the voices of my friends as they do the same. Fucking Carson Bailey. He wanted her that night and the idiot made it known he was still interested. Sucks to be him though, because he’s not getting anywhere near Bibiana if I have any say about it. And trust me, I have a say.
“E—” Roman snaps.
I wipe the water from my eyes and grab the soap, lathering it in my hands to take off today’s layer of grime. “We hooked up. What’s the big fucking deal?”
“You still hooking up with Sarah?” he asks and isn’t that a loaded question. I tighten my jaw and rinse off the last of the suds before reaching for my towel and wrapping it around my waist.
“No.” I offer the single-word answer, knowing the fucker is going to read more into it than he should. I’m not hooking up with anyone else and it’s a fucking travesty because I should be. Sarah, Kathleen, Kaitlyn, I have a whole host of girls willing but none of them are her.
Neither Dom nor Roman say anything as we all dry off, getting dressed before heading for the exit. “What’s the plan tonight?” I ask as we make our way to the school parking lot. It’s Friday night and coach has us running two a day during playoffs since he’s a sadistic bastard. I’m ready for the weekend and need the time to recharge and get my head on straight.
Antonio is home this weekend. Shocker. My older brother usually makes an effort to be anywhere but home, yet decided he’d watch over our little sister, Sofia, giving me a much-needed break. Sofia is old enough to be home alone but Raul—I refuse to call that waste of space “Dad”—has been hanging around more than usual, and none of us trust him where she’s concerned.
I get that the man who contributed half of your DNA being home is probably normal for most families, but not for us. Not since Mom left. He spends most of his nights at the bar. Most of his days in some seedy motel with his flavor of the week. It’s better this way. Safer for Sofia. For all of us. But he never stays gone for long. Not as long as he should, at least. He comes by the house on a near-weekly basis and when he does, he’s usually drunk and angry. Never a good combination.
Lately, we’ve lucked out and Sofia’s been at a friend’s or kicking it at Roman’s with his mom when Raul’s stopped in. But I have a feeling our luck will run out eventually, which is why one of us is with Sofia at all times. And if we can’t be, either because of practice for me or work for Antonio, then we make sure to coordinate a sleepover with a friend or she spends time with Maria. Roman’s mom is the mom we never had and thank God she loves my sister as if she were her own.
Roberto should be here helping make sure she’s safe, but he enlisted the day he turned eighteen. It was fucked up when he left, but I can’t say I blame him.
“Dunno. Allie is kicking it at Bibiana’s with the babies and Henderson.”
“The babies?” I ask.
He smirks. “Yeah. Dom and Henderson’s baby sisters. The babies.”
Dominique scrubs a hand over his face. “Them meeting one another is going to come back and bite me in the ass.”
“You’re not wrong, man.” I grip his shoulder and grin. “And I cannot wait to see your downfall.”
He shrugs me off as we reach Roman’s El Camino and Dom’s Escalade. I rarely drive myself. Why bother when both of these two are control freaks and insist on driving. Nine times out of ten we’re going to the same place. We don’t need three rides to get there. “My place?” Roman asks and Dominique nods. I open the passenger door to Roman’s ride when a cell phone rings. I check my pocket, but it isn’t mine that’s ringing. Dominique pulls his out and stares down at the screen, a scowl on his face. “What the hell is Kasey calling me for?” he bites out, letting it go to voicemail. As soon as he shoves it back in his pocket, it starts ringing again.
“Looks like things are about to bite you in the ass sooner than you thought.”
He flips me the bird but answers the phone with a curt, “What?”
There’s shouting on the other line and I freeze, straining to pick up what she’s saying.
“Address?” Dom bites out. “Lock yourselves in a fucking bathroom if you have to, got it?”
He’s shaking his head. “Dammit. Why can’t you lis— Fuck. Put Aaron on the phone.”
More shouting.
She must have given Aaron the phone because now Dom is listening, eyes dark as he runs his hands over his tightly braided hair, his fingers flexing as though he wish he could tear it out. “We’re on our way.” Dominique ends the calls and turns to Roman with rage in his eyes. “Follow me and call your pops on the way. I’ll text Emilio the address so you can pass it along to him.”
“What’s going on?”
His jaw ticks. “Allie thinks she found her rapist, and Aaron is beating the shit out of him as we speak. We need to go.”
That’s all it takes to get Roman moving. We peel out of the school parking lot, taking the corner so fucking fast I have to grab the oh-shit handle, but I don’t tell Roman to slow down. His girl is in trouble and there isn’t a mountain on this planet he wouldn’t try to move for her. He dials his dad’s number, snapping out the situation, and I pass on the address Dominique texted me.
It’s a fifteen-minute drive, but we make it in close to five, and before the car is even off Roman is jumping from the front seat and barreling straight for the front door, Dominique and I close behind. We’re family. And none of us fight alone.
ten
Something is seriously wrong here and it has everything to do with Miguel. “Uhh… we’re going to get back to our movie.” I grab Allie’s arm and half drag her toward the hallway, hoping everyone else will follow. Once we’re alone I’ll ask her what is going on. Her skin is so pale it’s virtually translucent. I’m afraid she might pass out.
All of a sudden Allie digs in her heels and pulls her arm away from me, her spine straightening. “It’s you,” she says, but her voice is so quiet Miguel doesn’t hear her. He’s already gone back to his beer, and a part of me wonders if it isn’t the first one he’s had this evening. “It was you,” she repeats, this time louder and he snaps his head toward her.
“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” he tells her, but even I know it’s a lie. He’s not bothering to hide his smile or the heated look in his gaze as he eyes her up and down like a piece of meat. What is wrong with him? He has to know she’s only seventeen.
“What’s going on?” I ask, but Monique looks just as confused as I do.
“Allie?” Aaron questions, stepping closer to her and wrapping one arm protectively around her waist. “What’s wrong?”
Tears are silently spilling down her face as she points at Miguel, her attention still wholly focused on him. “It was you. You were one of the men who…” She chokes on her words. “It was you.” Aaron stiffens beside her and almost in slow motion turns to face Miguel. He tucks Allie behind his back and faces off with m
y mother’s boyfriend, a furious expression washing over his face. “Kasey, call Roman.”
“Wha—”
“Now. Tell him to call his dad and get here. Now, Kasey,” he snaps.
Kasey pulls out her phone and starts calling, but it goes to voice mail so she tries again. And again.
“You sick sonovabitch,” Aaron growls, taking a step forward.
Miguel doesn’t even try to deny whatever it is they’re accusing him of. He holds one arm out and waves his beer in the other. “Hey, man, you’d tap it too if you had a chance.” My stomach rolls at his words. Is he…with Allie? No. No way. No freaking way.
Aaron launches himself at Miguel, and the two crash to the ground.
“Oh, my God,” Monique gasps beside me.
I take a step forward but have no clue what to do. Do I intervene? Aaron is on top of Miguel, fists flying as he lands a right hook to his jaw before Miguel lands one of his own and manages to throw Aaron off him. I push the rest of the girls back as both men climb to their feet. Aaron’s chest is heaving but he doesn’t look to be in rough shape. Meanwhile, blood is running from Miguel’s nose and the corner of his mouth. Yet he’s smiling, eyes bloodshot and a manic expression on his face. He spits blood onto the floor and waves at Aaron as if to say come on. Aaron lunges forward again. The two begin rolling across the ground and it’s all I can do to track their movements. One second Miguel is on top and the next, Aaron is. Limbs are flying everywhere, fists crashing into whatever body part they can find. A plant is knocked over spreading dirt across the tiles and it mixes with their blood, leaving smears of murk in horrific streaks or brown and red.
Aaron seems to have the advantage despite Miguel being the bigger of the two. He’s younger and in better shape, and he makes good use of what advantage that affords him. The two manage to separate, but only for a few seconds before the front door crashes open and all eyes turn toward it. Allie visibly relaxes beside me when she catches sight of Roman—Dominque and Emilio right behind him.
A jolt of fear spears through me. Emilio is here. He can’t be here. Not right now. Not like this.
Roman assesses the scene in a matter of seconds before he throws himself forward into the fight, fists flying as he tackles Miguel back to the ground.
Miguel has zero time to react before Roman is pummeling his face into the tile floor, a murderous look in his eyes.
A gasp on the stairs has me looking up to find my mom standing at the top of the staircase, Luis clutched in her arms as she watches the scene below. “What are you doing? Get off of him!” she shouts, and I rush to intercept her as she runs down the steps and heads right for Roman and Miguel. I pull Luis from her arms, my focus completely on my son’s safety, just as Emilio steps up to my mother and says in a low voice, “He has this beating coming to him for what he did to our friend.”
My mom tries to shove past him but Emilio sidesteps her, blocking her path. She pushes against his shoulders, but he refuses to move. “You can’t do this. You have no right—”
“He raped a seventeen-year-old girl,” Dominique adds, his expression stony. He hasn’t moved since coming in, and despite his words being for my mother, his gaze is glued to the fight in front of us, almost like he’s waiting for something.
“Miguel would never do that. Whatever you think you know is a lie. He—”
“Admitted it Mom,” I say in a whisper, imploring her with my eyes. My vision blurs but I refuse to let a single tear fall.
She jerks back as if I struck her. “Watch your words, minha filha.” My daughter. “You don’t know the truth of it. Miguel would never do what they’re accusing him of. I’m calling the police.”
“They’re already on their way,” Dominique says, and as soon as the words leave his lips, we all hear the sirens in the distance.
“Time’s running out,” Emilio says, his words directed at Roman, but he doesn’t hear him. Roman is straddling Miguel who’s barely moving, his arms no longer able to defend against Roman’s fists. “Roman!” Still no response.
His jaw clenches before he meets Aaron’s gaze across the room. Silent communication passes through them before they both step forward and rip Roman off Miguel’s body. Roman doesn’t give up without a fight, and it takes both boys holding him back to keep him from throwing himself back at Miguel who’s barely moving on the floor as it is. Roman looks crazed, his eyes ablaze and his lips pulled back in a snarl. “I’ll fucking kill you,” he shouts. “You’re a dead man.”
Allie rushes to Roman’s side, her arms wrapping around his waist. His nostrils flare but he manages to pull himself together enough to wrap his hands around her and hold her tight against his chest.
My mother rushes to Miguel’s side, pulling his head into her lap as she sobs over him, and I just stand there, holding my baby boy, my world falling apart all around me.
Two officers come through the door and one immediately begins barking orders.
“Roman, get Allie and get out of here. I’ll get statements from both of you later.” Roman nods and leads Allie through the open doorway and outside. The sound of a car starting and pulling out of the driveway can be heard from outside, letting us know they’re gone. The officer takes one look at Miguel, who’s still on the ground but has managed to push himself up into a sitting position, and says, “You’re under arrest for the assault and rape of Allie Ramirez. Anything you say can and…”
I don’t bother listening after that. I stumble backward until my back hits the wall and let my body slide down until my butt hits the floor, Luis clutched safely in my arms. Monique is beside me in an instant, but then so is Dominique. “Go wait in the car,” he says.
She shakes her head. “I’m not leav—”
“Now, Monique. Don’t make me call Mom.”
Monique clenches her jaw and turns an apologetic look my way.
“It’s fine. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I tell her. No way can she get mixed up in whatever all this is. Her family would never let her see the light of day if they found out what happened. They’d never let her hang out with me again if they knew what my mom’s boyfriend was accused of doing. Dominique has the right to get her out of here before any more cops show up or the two who are already here decide to take statements from everyone and get names on the record.
“Call me later and let me know you’re okay,” she says, and I nod.
Dominique walks her out, but seconds later he’s back and heading straight for Kasey. They argue but I can’t make out what’s said and the next thing I know he’s throwing her over his shoulder and storming out of the room as she screeches at him to put her down. Aaron watches the entire thing with a resigned expression before following Dominique out the door, presumably to take his sister home.
The officers pull Miguel to his feet and begin to usher him out the door, my mom right behind them. “Mom—” I call after her and she turns to face me. “Where are you going?”
“I’m sorry, minha filha. But I love him.” Tears fall down her cheeks, her expression torn.
My brows furrow. What is she saying right now? “Mom?”
She doesn’t say anything else. She just shakes her head and follows the officers out. I’m still standing there, staring at the empty doorway she walked through when Emilio appears beside me. “You okay?”
I jump at his words, managing to startle and wake Luis in the process. How he managed to sleep through all the noise is beyond me, and I wish he would have stayed asleep a little longer because now Emilio is looking at him with open curiosity. “He yours?”
I swallow hard, but nod and push back to my feet.
He flicks his eyes between me and Luis. He opens his mouth. Closes it. Opens it again. I can the see the moment he puts two and two together. His mouth tightens, brows drawn, eyes glued to the boy in my arms.
“Come on,” Dominique calls, ducking back inside. “Aaron’s in his car with the girls. He’ll drop them off and then head to Roman and Allie’s so we can all figure
our shit out. After Rome’s dad drops Miguel off at the station he’ll be heading there too. We need to get our stories straight.”
Emilio doesn’t move.
“E, come on.” Dominique grabs his arm but Emilio jerks free and shoves him away. His chest is rising and falling at a rapid pace, his nostrils flaring.
“You have a son?” Pain slashes across his face and a muscle ticks in his jaw as he visibly fights to keep it together. When I don’t answer, he takes a step back, and shouts, “I have a son?” It’s as if the entire house shakes with the force of his voice.
I don’t know what to do or what to say so I just stand there frozen in place. Dominique looks between us, seeing the baby boy in my arms, and his expression tightens. “Emilio, now isn’t the—”
“Nah. No way, man. No fucking way.” He shakes his head. “Do I even need to ask?” he says to me, and Luis starts to cry. I bounce him on my hip and make soothing noises in the face of Emilio’s anger. He’s fuming. If it were possible for steam to be coming out of his ears, it would be. His face is red and the veins on his neck stick out in sharp relief. All I can do in the face of his anger is swallow hard and hold Luis to me a little tighter.
Emilio catches the movement and his eyes narrow. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he barks. “You think I’d hurt him? My own kid?” His eyes narrow into slits, “Because that’s what he is, right? Mine.”
I hesitate.
“Answer me!” he roars.
Dominique steps forward and places a hand on Emilio’s shoulder. “Hey, why don’t we—”
“Fuck that. Tell me the truth. Is. He. Mine?” I nod, and Emilio shrugs Dominique off again, his movements sharp as he begins to pace. “She kept my kid from me. My son.” He slaps a hand over his chest. “My son.” His jaw clenches. “What the fuck, Bibiana? What did I ever do to you to warrant that? Huh? Am I not good enough?” His voice rises with each word until he’s practically shouting at me, and all I can do is stand there knowing I deserve his anger. His rage.
Savage Devil: A Secret Baby, High School Bully Romance (Devils of Sun Valley High Book 2) Page 8
