Troublemaker

by Heather Beck

  “This isn’t what I meant, and you know it. Come on, we’re leaving.” Ava tried to reach for her sister’s arm, but before she could get her away from Carlos, Juan Pablo stepped in between her and Tessa.

  “She said she no want to go,” Juan Pablo spoke in his broken English, getting way too close to Ava. “Why don’t you stay and party with us? I make it worth your while, sí?”

  “Like hell you will,” Javier grunted, shoving Juan Pablo hard, causing him to stumble backward and into the crowd that had stopped dancing to stand and stare. It was like Javier’s anger had been building up and he’d finally snapped.

  “What’s your problem, man?” Juan Pablo said, a little meek, like he was scared of Javier. “We here to have fun, sí?”

  “Yeah, but not with you and definitely not with him,” Javier said, pointing a finger at Juan Pablo and then at Carlos, who still held Tessa in his arms. “Why don’t you two get the hell out of here before I make you?”

  “What? You’re going to take on both of us?” Carlos asked with a laugh.

  “Easily,” Javier said, stepping forward.

  “Enough, guys,” Tessa said, a little wide-eyed as she broke from Carlos’ arms.

  Carlos hardly seemed to notice, hardly seemed to care since he was so preoccupied with staring Javier down. “Do you actually think I’m afraid of you?” he asked, stepping forward, too.

  “You should be, but then again, you never did have much common sense.”

  “Please, Javier, let’s just go. This is only making things worse,” Ava said, placing her hand gently on his arm, trying to calm him down.

  “And let them get away with doing whatever the hell they want to whoever they want? Screw that. You don’t know what these guys are like, Ava.”

  “Or maybe she doesn’t know what you’re like,” Carlos said. “Why don’t I fill her in?”

  Whatever Carlos meant by that, it was enough to send Javier over the edge. He curled his fist into a tight ball and punched Carlos in the face, fast and hard. Carlos let out a deep grunt as his head jerked backward, but he was quick to retaliate, punching Javier, his fist making contact with his left eye.

  “Oh my gosh! Are you alright?” Ava gasped, looking in horror at Javier’s eye, which was red and bloody.

  Instead of answering, Javier grabbed Carlos by the shoulders and pinned him against a brightly colored pillar at the edge of the dance floor. “Big mistake,” he said through gritted teeth, glaring at Carlos.

  Carlos fought back, trying to push Javier off him, but it was useless – Javier’s grip on him was too strong. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get your damn hands off me,” Carlos seethed, realizing that he’d been beaten.

  Javier tightened his grip on Carlos’ shoulders. “Give me one good reason why.”

  “Because it’s not just me you’ll have to deal with,” he answered with a grunt, his words, as impossible as it seemed, only making Javier angrier.

  “Stop it – both of you!” Ava said, her voice overpowered by the crowd as they chanted loudly, encouraging Javier and Carlos to fight. She was about to reach out to Javier and try to convince him to leave when someone grabbed her arm, stopping her. Ava turned around to see that it was her sister, giving her a pleading look.

  “Please, Ava, don’t get involved,” Tessa said, her face streaked with worry.

  “I’m sorry,” Ava said, hating to see her sister scared, “but I already am.” She pulled her arm out of Tessa’s grasp and then turned back to Javier, who looked like he was ready to punch Carlos again.

  “Go ahead. Hit me,” Carlos sneered at Javier. “We’ll see where it gets you.”

  Javier thudded Carlos hard against the pillar. “I’d rather see where it gets you.”

  “Javier, don’t. You’re better than this,” Ava said louder this time, so he would hear her over the crowd, over his anger. “But if you keep acting this way, then you’re stooping to their level. He’s not worth it. None of them are.”

  “You’re right. They’re not worth it,” Javier said, keeping his narrowed eyes on Carlos, “but someone has to teach them a lesson.”

  “Yeah, and someone will, but why does it have to be you? And why does it have to be like this?” She paused slightly, fearing that she wasn’t getting through to him. “Please, Javier, walk away – for me.”

  Javier looked at Ava, his eyes falling upon her concerned face, and, after what felt like forever, his expression softened. Slowly, he released his grasp on Carlos, giving him one last warning glare. “Stay the hell away from Ava and Tessa, or I’ll…” His words were cut short as the crowd parted, letting through a serious-looking bouncer, who was a few minutes too late.

  “Tenemos un problema aquí?” asked the bouncer, who was overly muscular and had a thick black hoop through his left ear.

  “No. Ningún problema aquí,” Javier replied.

  “Bien, pero ustedes dos probablemente debería irse.” The bouncer gestured to Javier and Carlos as he spoke, and even though Ava couldn’t understand what he was saying, she knew he wanted them to leave.

  “Yes, sir.” Javier looked a little disappointed in himself as he turned from the bouncer and faced Ava and Tessa. “We need to go,” he told them, putting an arm protectively around Ava’s shoulders and starting to lead them off the dance floor.

  “We’re…we’re being kicked out?” Tessa asked with wide eyes, the concept foreign to her.

  Javier shook his head. “Not you and Ava, but I want to get you two home, okay?”

  “Um, okay,” Tessa said, knowing that she had no other choice.

  They left the lounge, all eyes on them, and as soon as they’d broken out into the warm night air, Ava was overcome with relief, glad to be away from the prying eyes and especially the drama. But that feeling of relief didn’t last very long because before they’d even reached Javier’s car, someone called out to them in a loud, angry voice, making them stop in their tracks.

  “You’re not going to get away that easily!” Carlos warned, his arms folded as he stood by the exit door, Juan Pablo by his side.

  “He’s…he’s actually threatening us?” Tessa choked out, surprised.

  “No,” Javier reassured her for the second time that night. “He’s talking to me.”

  Ava could tell that Javier was really pissed, and she feared that this would be the start of another fight, but to her surprise, he turned his back on Carlos, saying nothing as he guided Ava and Tessa to his car, opening the door for each of them. Then he got in the driver’s seat and sped away, clearly wanting to put as much distance between him and Carlos as possible.

  “What were you thinking?” Ava asked, turning around in her seat so she could look at her sister. “I told you not to come to La Rosa tonight because I wanted to keep you out of trouble. Not that I ever expected this to happen.” She cast a quick glance at Javier, exasperated by his behavior, too, but she thought it was best if they talked later, in private.

  “I’m sorry, Ava,” Tessa said, tears filling her eyes. “It was stupid of me – I know that now, but at the time, all I could think about was going out and having a good time. It’s like ever since we got here my whole life revolves around online school. At least Mom has Artista and you have Javier, but what do I have?” She paused, sniffling. “I guess I also wanted to prove that you didn’t have to baby me and that there’s no reason why I can’t go where you go, do what you do.” She shook her head, like she was disgusted at herself. “Like I said, stupid.”

  Ava sighed, feeling her anger slip away. “You’re not stupid, Tess,” she said, not wanting her sister to judge herself so harshly, “but you really have to be more careful, especially after what happened to me. Do you even know who you were partying with?”

  Tessa looked confused. “Yeah, Juan Pablo – the guy we met at the beach this afternoon. Don’t you remember him?”

  “Yeah, and as if that’s not bad enough, I was actually referring to his friend, Carlos, who happens to be friends
with Miguel. They were together right before Miguel attacked me.”

  The blood drained from Tessa’s face. “Oh my gawd, I had no idea.”

  “I know you didn’t, and this is why I’m so protective of you – now more than ever because we’re so far away from home.”

  “Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson, but, Ava, you’re not going to tell Mom, are you?”

  “Will I even have to? She’s going to notice that you’re not at the villa. I’m surprised your phone isn’t blowing up with worried texts from her right now.”

  “Mom’s not worried. She thinks I’m with you and Javier.”

  Ava’s eyes narrowed, suspicious. “And why would she think that?”

  “Because that’s what I told her.”

  “Tessa!”

  “No more lies. I promise. Just don’t tell Mom, okay? You know how she worries, and the last thing I want to do is upset her.”

  “You really should’ve thought of that before, but fine, I won’t say anything to Mom.”

  Tessa wiped away the last of her tears. “Thanks, sis,” she said, giving her a small, grateful smile. “I owe you one.”

  Just one? Ava thought, remembering all the times she’d covered for her sister. She didn’t feel like getting into that right now, so she said nothing, instead turning her focus from Tessa and onto Javier. He’d been unusually quiet since they’d gotten into the car, and by the way he gripped the steering wheel, his lips formed in a tight line, she could tell he was reliving his fight with Carlos.

  “Are you okay?” Ava asked him softly.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the road.

  A silence that wasn’t exactly awkward but wasn’t comfortable, either, fell over the car. It made the short drive to their villa seem a lot longer, but finally, Javier pulled into their driveway and came to a stop.

  “Tess, do you mind waiting outside for me?” Ava asked, casting a side glance at Javier. “I’ll just be a few minutes, okay?”

  “Sure, no problem,” Tessa said, unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the car. “Thanks for the ride, Javier, and…” she paused, a little sheepish, “I’m really sorry for the trouble I caused tonight.”

  “Don’t mention it. Just stay away from guys like that, okay? It will save you a lot of grief.”

  Tessa nodded, clearly taking what Javier had said to heart. She then gently closed the car door and walked to their villa, waiting outside like Ava had asked.

  “I’m not really sure I know what to say,” Ava said as she faced Javier.

  He stared out into the dark night, still not able to meet her gaze. “I don’t blame you. You shouldn’t have had to see that.”

  “I’m not angry with you or anything like that,” she said, reaching out for his hand, intertwining their fingers. “It’s just, I’m confused and, honestly, concerned. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful that you stepped in and got Tessa away from those guys, but after that, you kind of went off the deep end.”

  “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not looking for an apology. I just want an explanation. What is it about Miguel, Carlos, and their friends that have you so wound up? And don’t say it’s because of what happened with me or even with my sister. You already told me it goes way further back than that.”

  Javier sighed deeply before finally turning to face Ava. “It has nothing to do with you or your sister, even though it’s no secret I hate that Miguel and his crew are sniffing around you two like dogs. We have a history – a bad one – and no matter how much time has passed or how hard I try to get away from them, our paths always cross and it never ends well.”

  “I can see that pretty clearly, but what’s not clear is what happened in the first place to create all this bad blood. I’m sorry to pry, but, Javier, what the hell went down between you guys?”

  He opened his mouth to answer, like he was trying to find the right words, but then he closed it and looked away, silence falling over the car once again.

  “Okay, I guess you’re not going to tell me,” Ava said as she let go of his hand, trying hard to keep her emotions in check. “That’s fine – I have to go anyway. I need to make sure my sister’s okay, even if it seems like the alcohol has already worn off. I guess I’ll see you around.” She was about to get out of the car when he reached for her arm, stopping her.

  “Can we talk tomorrow or whenever you’re free? It’s just, now’s not really the best time with your sister waiting for you and all.”

  She looked into his eyes, which practically begged for a second chance, and right then, she knew she couldn’t say no. “Yeah, we can figure something out,” she said, not letting him off the hook too easily. “You can call me, okay?”

  Javier nodded, releasing her arm. “I really am sorry about tonight, Ava.”

  “I know you are,” she said, their eyes meeting for one last glance before she got out of the car. “Goodnight, Javier.”

  “Goodnight, Ava.”

  Ava closed the car door and stepped back, watching as he drove away. Her mind raced, trying to put the pieces together and figure out what he had to tell her, but it was an impossible task. There was only one thing she could be certain of – if it involved Miguel, it had to be bad.

  * * *

  Chapter Eleven

  Warm water from the rainfall showerhead cascaded down Ava’s body, washing away her sleepiness. She’d spent most of the night lying in bed, restless, as she thought about Javier and his secret. It was no secret that she’d fallen hard for him, and she knew he felt the same way about her, but this was a perfect example of how Javier was right – there were still a lot of things she didn’t know about him. It also brought to mind the not-so-little secrets she was hiding from him. She sighed, usually not one to let a guy get into her head like this, but when it came to Javier, it was pretty much impossible for her not to think about him.

  Ava turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, reaching for the white, fluffy towel that hung nearby. She dried herself off and was almost finished dressing when she heard a creak coming from outside her bathroom door. Her eyebrows furrowed and her heart started to beat a little faster as she quickly pulled a dark blue baby tee over her head and swung open the door.

  “Morning, sis,” Tessa said. She cast Ava a wide smile as she placed a tray of food on her nightstand. “I was hoping to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but I guess I missed that boat.” She giggled. “Sorry about that.”

  “What’s all this about?” Ava asked, her heart returning to a more normal pace, relieved that it was only her sister. She looked at the tray to see a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, a glass of orange juice, and even a small vase filled with pretty flowers. “It’s not my birthday, you know.”

  “I know that, silly. I just thought, well, it would be a nice gesture.” Tessa looked down at the floor, suddenly ashamed. “I know breakfast in bed can’t make up for yesterday, but I hope it shows you how truly sorry I am.”

  “You already apologized.”

  “Yeah, but somehow, it didn’t seem like enough.” Tessa fell silent before looking back up at Ava and gesturing toward the food. “Eat up, or it’ll get cold.”

  “It looks delicious,” Ava said, sitting down on her bed and reaching for the tray. “And, just so we’re clear, your first apology was enough. But if you really want to make me breakfast every day, I wouldn’t complain, either.” She gave her sister a playful smile before taking a bite of the fluffy eggs, cooked to perfection.

  “Anytime,” Tessa said, her mood cheery once again. As Ava ate, she wandered around her room, casually browsing through her open closet until her eyes finally fell upon a framed family photo that sat on her dresser. “Have you talked to dad lately?” she asked, picking up the picture.

  “It’s been a couple of days,” Ava admitted. “You?”

  “Same here. I wanted to talk to him yesterday morning, but Mom was on the phone with him forever. By the time she was done, he h
ad to get to the studio, and I didn’t even have a chance to say hi.”

  “Oh, that sucks.”

  Tessa shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “I’ll call him tonight. I’m sure we can talk then. It’s actually Mom I feel sorry for.”

  “Why? I thought you said she was totally hogging the phone.”

  “She was, but this must be really hard for her, being away from the love of her life. If I was married or, hell, even dating someone, I don’t think I could do it.”

  “I know what you mean, but Mom and Dad will get through it. You got to do what you got to do, right?”

  “Right,” Tessa agreed, putting the photo back on the dresser, “and while we’re on the subject of relationships, how are things with you and Javier?”

  “They’re fine. Well, as fine as they can be under the circumstances.” She sighed. “Things are moving fast, and in a way, that’s great, but in another, it’s not.”

  Tessa furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, who knows how long we’ll be here, and lying about who I am isn’t exactly the best way to start a relationship. The fact that Javier clearly has issues of his own doesn’t help, either.”

  “Okay, so it might not be perfect or even easy, but nothing real ever is. All I know is that Javier really likes you. I can see it in his eyes, the way he looks at you. If I was you, that would be enough of a reason not to give up on the relationship.”

  “You really think so?” Ava asked, a smile twitching on her lips.

  “Hell, yeah. You need to go for it. All in or nothing, right?”

  Ava nodded. “We need a chance to talk, like in person, but it seems as if he’s always working.”

  “Maybe I can help you with that,” Tessa said with a devious smile, making her way toward the window and then looking out. “Yup, seems like my plan worked.”

  Curious, Ava got out of bed and looked outside to find Javier in their backyard, inspecting the pool’s filtration system. “What’s going on?” she asked, turning to her sister.