Lila (Boyle Heights #1)

by Elizabeth Reyes

  Instead of allowing herself to get worked up, she glanced down at her phone and concentrated on reading her sister’s response to her text.

  Ugh, this phone. Yes! Thor chicken soup! Chicken vegetable not noodle. I’m watching my carbs remember? Already in bed. Talk tho hooky tomorrow! Kiss kiss love my sis!

  Normally, her sister’s messed-up texts would have her smiling again. But once the heat shot up her spine like it had moments ago, it was really hard to just snap out of it. She had to though. This slutty club rat was so not worth her time and energy.

  Bringing her thoughts back to her sister’s response, she frowned. Ali’s preoccupation with her weight bothered her. Lila was constantly trying to get the girl to embrace her curves. Because of her hypothyroidism, she still struggled with her weight, but it wasn’t like she was fat. She was just curvier than most. Being top heavy didn’t help either, but Lila assured her most guys wouldn’t protest about that. Still she knew Ali was sensitive when it came to her weight.

  Glancing back down at her phone again, Lila decided she wouldn’t respond to Ali. She knew how fast that Nyquil knocked her out, and she didn’t want to risk waking her. But she was beginning to worry about Stacia. She texted her, knowing full well if she was on hold with the hospital or something she likely wouldn’t be able to respond. Lila just didn’t want Stacia to rush on her account. So, in case she checked her texts in between calls, she’d know Lila was good.

  She put together a quick text reminding Stacia to take all the time she needed then wrote another Stacia would be surprised to read. Lila was actually allowing someone to keep her company in the meantime. Hitting send, she glanced up and watched as Sonny and the bitch walked away together to his crowd in the corner. She hadn’t even noticed they’d gone back there. Surprised by the slight disappointment that maybe she’d sent that last text too soon, Lila glanced away before Sonny could see she’d seen them. Maybe the whore had made him an offer he just couldn’t turn down, and he was done with Lila for the night.

  Lila sipped her drink that was surprisingly good and focused on the opening band playing down below. To her surprise, Sonny was back at her table soon after, sans the bitch.

  “Sorry about that.” He took the seat across from her again. “I totally forgot that credit card I first gave her hasn’t even been activated yet.”

  Not wanting to sound the least bit irritated about his smiling as sweetly at the club rat as he was now smiling at Lila, she peered at him as she sucked on the straw of her drink. She took a deep breath but couldn’t help giving into her curiosity. “Is that girl someone you’ve gone out with?”

  Sonny glanced around, and Lila rolled her eyes when it appeared he was going to pretend he didn’t know who she was talking about.

  Good-bye.

  It’s what her next word to him would be if he played that card. She’d leave her unfinished drink there with the rest of the cast of Jersey Shore and walk out to look for Stacia instead. Her friend taking this long couldn’t be a good thing anyway. They were probably going to be leaving if something was seriously wrong with Derek’s dad.

  “I met her last time I was here, and we hung out a little. But I haven’t seen or talked to her since.”

  Lila chuckled, glancing away. She figured as much. He probably fucked the girl and then never called her back. No wonder her pathetic clingy ass was all over him tonight. He just better not get any ideas about what he might be doing with Lila since he had mentioned hoping to hang out with her a little longer.

  “Something funny?” he asked with a smirk.

  Lila shrugged, sitting back and tilting her head as she stirred her drink with her straw. Ironically, she was thankful for the stupid bitch who flipped her off now. She couldn’t believe she’d begun to let her guard down with this guy. She’d actually been nice just because he seemed different. “Your little friend flipped me off.” His smirk went flat and his brows furrowed in a good show of appearing completely shocked.

  “Yeah.” Lila nodded, glancing back at the girl who was in the very VIP corner with the band members and other groupies. “My guess is you did more than just hang out with her, and she’s not appreciating my taking her time with you tonight.”

  “She flipped you off?” he asked incredulously. “When was this?”

  “When you and her were laughing it up at the bar. Of course, she waited until you turned your back to sign something.”

  Lila shrugged because she was already over it. She just wanted this guy to know, no matter how perfect his little act had been so far, she hadn’t fallen for his BS.

  “And you’re sure she meant to flip you off? I’ve heard her and her friends refer to each other as whores and bitches.”

  That made Lila genuinely laugh. “Hey, at least they’re not delusional and think more of themselves than they should. Gotta give ’em credit for that much, right?”

  “I’m serious, Lila.” Sonny sat up a bit, still appearing to be very stunned. “I can’t believe she’d do that. Maybe it was meant for one of her friends. You don’t know her, do you?”

  Lila laughed again. “Hell, no, I’d never associate with someone like her.”

  Not entirely true but he didn’t have to know that. As soon as she was done with her drink, if Stacia wasn’t back, she’d be out of there anyway. And sweet-talking Sonny boy here would be nothing but a reminder of why she didn’t do clubs.

  “I can’t believe she did that.” Sonny said again, bringing the tip of his beer bottle to his mouth.

  This time Lila rolled her eyes right at him. “Really? That kind of behavior from that cock socket surprises you?”

  Sonny nearly spit up his beer but managed to not spray it all out. He grabbed a napkin to wipe what had dribbled out the corners of his mouth. “Cock socket?” He laughed out loud.

  “Sorry if that’s offensive to your friend.” Lila didn’t even try to sound genuine in her apology. “It’s just the kind of nickname girls like her exude.” She shrugged, taking a quick sip from her straw.

  “Wow.” He peeled the label off his beer but stared straight at her. “Maybe I am clueless. I’m not sure what I’m more stunned by: Barbie flipping you off or the mouth on such an otherwise sweet-looking girl.”

  “Don’t compare me to that piece of shit.” Lila glared at him, already holding her glass a little tighter in case she had to throw what was left in it at his face.

  He lifted his hand immediately. “Whoa! That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying that name you called her . . .” He laughed, shaking his head. “I’ve heard it before just not coming from such a sweet-looking mouth. It surprised me. That’s all.”

  Lila glanced away, not sure why she even cared what this guy said, but for some stupid reason, she blurted out her response. “Yeah, well, when you grow up around a lot of people using that kind of language, it sort of rubs off.”

  She shook her head, annoyed that she’d even seen fit to explain this to him. Who the hell was he for her to have to explain why she was the way she was? She started to scoot off her stool, ready to just leave. Coming here was exactly what she’d thought it’d be like, from the catty bitches checking each other out, to the sweet-talking meathead trying to get laid.

  “Where you going?”

  “To check on my friend.”

  “But you’re coming back, right?”

  She was standing now, ready to bolt, only she hesitated and didn’t understand why. It made her frown, but she didn’t respond or even look at him.

  “Look. I’m sorry about Barbie flipping you off, and I’m sorry I compared you to her. That’s not what I meant. I was more appalled by what she did. Your response was just funny. But both were completely unexpected. It’s all I meant. And I take back not believing she would do that. She and her friends are pretty lit. They must’ve started early. I’m not making excuses for her, but I can see how her drunk ass would do something stupid like that.” Lila glanced at him in time to see him turn to her still near full drink on the tab
le. “You haven’t finished your drink. Go check on your friend, but please say you’ll come back and at least finish this.”

  Never in her life had Lila felt so inclined to give someone the benefit of the doubt, especially someone she barely knew and still had loads of questions about. It was always the other way around. But there was something so genuinely endearing about him and those sweet familiar eyes.

  Exhaling, she nodded. “Unless we have to leave, because like I said the call was kind of an emergency, I’ll be back.”

  He pulled out his phone. “Just in case, because I have the shittiest luck when it comes to this stuff, can I get your number?”

  Without thinking, because she was afraid she’d change her mind and the thought of talking to him again was one she might actually look forward to, she rattled off her number. She did it so fast she thought maybe he wouldn’t get it, but he smiled as he tapped at his phone screen quickly. “Got it.”

  That smile was the last thing she saw before she turned to walk away. Despite how quickly she’d begun to snap at him, her insides were still doing that thing they hadn’t done in too long. It was faint, barely discernible, but it was there: that tiny glimmer of giddiness—hope. Maybe she was normal after all. Maybe she was meant to feel the same excitement and happiness other girls felt, and maybe not all guys were horny assholes. Maybe she could allow herself to open up again. Let her walls down. Take a chance.

  At that moment, she decided to keep walking. She’d walk out and find Stacia, apologize if she still wanted to stay and watch the show, but tell her she was suddenly not feeling well. Because she wasn’t. This scared the hell out of her. How could a guy she’d just met, and knew nothing about—at a meat market club—have her almost considering what she hadn’t in so long?

  So, he had her number. Big deal. If he tried calling or texting, it’d just be a reminder of how close she’d come to being weak. She was at the top of the stairs, ready to make her way down when she heard it. “That’s probably because she sucked him dry for that piña colada when she gladly followed him into that back room.”

  Lila turned to see the same two bitches from earlier sniggering and stupidly still walking toward her.

  Chapter 4

  “Who the fuck do you think you are?” Barbie slurred as she sped up toward Lila. “Walking in here, taking our table and—”

  Lila easily grabbed her wrist the moment the bitch lifted her middle finger at Lila’s face again.

  The shock of how fast Lila had been to block her hand and the strength in her hold had stunned Barbie silent momentarily. Digging deep for the inner strength to remain calm so she could keep her promise to her sister about not getting arrested again, Lila took a deep breath and spoke through her teeth.

  “One warning,” she said as her grip on Barbie’s hand went even more lethal. “Get out of my face or I’ll break your fucking hand.”

  Barbie grimaced in pain already as Lila began twisting slowly. Then Lila saw the drunken stupidity in Barbie’s eyes and her stomach plummeted. She thought Lila was bluffing.

  “Fuck you, bi—”

  The snapping of Barbie’s wrist as she’d reached for Lila’s face with her other hand, was so loud she heard it even over the bitch’s big mouth. It silenced Barbie for a second again before she cried out in agony.

  Her friend stared at Barbie in utter disbelief before turning to Lila. “You fucking animal!” She grabbed Lila’s hair as Barbie held her hand against her chest and continued to wail in pain.

  It didn’t take more than a few seconds for Lila to have the upper hand, and she landed blow after blow on the girl’s face. It took a little longer than she thought, but she felt the arms of security wrap around her waist and pull her away, as she kicked and landed a foot on bitch number two’s shoulder. The girl flopped to the floor as Lila was carried in the air and rushed through the crowd, still cussing and resisting the whole way as they made it to the back door where Sonny had let her in earlier. The moment the door closed behind them, she was put down, and she spun around. “Why the fuck are you—?”

  Seeing who it was sucked the air out of her. Sonny stared at her the way she’d been stared at many times in her life. She knew what he was likely thinking of her because she felt like it now. The very thing that girl had called her—a raving animal.

  All the therapy, all the time at the gym beating the bags until she was completely spent had done nothing to free her of the uncontrollable fury she’d dealt with most of her life. Her feeble attempt at grasping any control had been pathetic. Those bitches coming at her the way they had, erupted the volcanic temper she knew now had only been dormant but never gone. She hadn’t managed to tame it. And seeing Sonny stare at her the way he was now wasn’t helping.

  “What?” she asked loudly. “Why the fuck are you looking at me like that? They came at me! Those bitches—”

  “Come on!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward another door at the back of the room.

  “Where are you taking me?” She tried to pull her hand away, but just like when he’d carried her, she was no match for his strength.

  “I’m getting you out of here. They’re calling the cops for sure, and you fucked those girls up bad.”

  She fought him some more, refusing to just let him pull her out into the alley with him until he turned around, brought his big arm around her waist, and slammed her body against his. It took Lila by such surprise she gasped breathlessly as she stared up at his intense eyes. “If I don’t get you out of here now, you’re gonna be arrested. Is that what you want?”

  With her adrenaline still going a mile a minute and now the distraction of having his hard body pressed against hers, she could barely think. Then his words sunk in. There was still the chance she might not be getting arrested. Grudgingly, she gave in, shaking her head, and he dropped his arm from her waist but slipped his hand into hers and tugged her along. He brought his phone out with his other hand as they walked into a stairwell. “Bring the car out back,” he said as they rushed down the stairs.

  With her adrenaline still pumping hard, everything that happened next was a blur. The fresh air in her face as they walked out the door downstairs gave her a blast of relief she so desperately needed. The limo that had nearly hit her earlier was there a few seconds after they walked out. Sonny opened the back door and rushed her into it.

  “My friend will be looking for me,” she said, finally snapping out of her stupor, and the panic set in.

  “So, call her.” Sonny then said something she didn’t quite hear to the driver outside of the car, but she did hear the part about him telling him to just drive—anywhere away from the club.

  He climbed into the back seat with her, and the driver closed the door and rushed around to the front. “Tell her we’ll meet her anywhere she wants, but you can’t go back there. You’ll be arrested.”

  It wasn’t until she reached in the purse slung over her shoulder and across her body that, somehow, she’d managed to hold onto, she realized her bloodied hand was shaking. She must’ve hit speaker because Stacia’s hello was loud enough for Sonny to hear.

  “Stacia,” she said in response to hearing her friend’s voice. But she was still too shaken up she didn’t even think to turn the speaker off.

  “Oh, my God, Lila! The place is suddenly flooded with cops, and they’re not letting anyone in. Can you get out? I gotta go. Derek’s dad had a massive heart attack. He’s in surgery right now, but it doesn’t look good. I need to be there for Derek.”

  Sonny’s hand on her leg made her flinch, and he lifted it away just as quick. “I can take you home if she needs to leave.”

  Lila looked up at him, shaking her head, but she was already in a car with him and Stacia sounded so anxious. “I have a ride.” The words flew out before she could think it through. “Go ahead and go. Call me and let me know how his dad is.”

  “Are you sure?” Stacia sounded as surprised as Lila expected her to sound.

  “Yes. Don’t
worry about me. I’ll be fine. Go. Be with Derek.”

  The moment she hung up, she was flooded with that same mixture of shame and utter frustration that she’d felt so often in her past after one of her irrepressible eruptions. All the times when her fury had completely overpowered any sense of composure she might otherwise have, came crashing back at her.

  “They said you broke her hand,” Sonny said as he finished reading something on his phone screen then set it down on the seat.

  He soaked a napkin with water from a water bottle then wiped Lila’s bloodied hand. Lila couldn’t even look at him. She took a deep breath, staring at her hand as he wiped away the blood gently. “Yeah, well she flipped me off again,” Lila said defensively. “This time right in my face.”

  “Then she had it coming.”

  That surprised Lila. But she still refused to look at him. As she had her entire life, she swallowed back the frustration that nearly choked her up now. She hated feeling so out of control once she was that angry. This time she’d been ready to explode the moment she realized those two whores were talking about her. She’d been ready to punch the first bitch in the throat before she’d even reached her, so seeing the bitch’s finger in her face had just made it too easy. And while it surprised her that she’d managed to at least warn her, it still wasn’t good enough.

  “No, she didn’t,” Lila’s said bitterly and shook her head, still unable to look up at him. She stared down at her already swelling knuckles instead. “It was stupid of them to come at me the way they did, but what I did wasn’t right. They were drunk. I didn’t need to break her hand or beat the other one the way I did.”