Romeo and the Angel: Impossible Crush Chronicles

by Leeann M. Shane

  I wanted to get him alone. To grill him. To pull those lusciously emotional secrets he harbored in his heart loose. I didn’t understand why I was so suddenly hungry for his emotions.

  But I was.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ROMEO

  When I broke up with Rosa, I had a good reason.

  It made sense not to want to be tied to a weight just waiting to drag me down with her.

  I hadn’t considered what I’d do if I ever felt anything for someone else. I’d barely managed to find it in me to feel anything for her, let alone would I consider feeling something again for another girl. And I hadn’t, not yet, but with Rya’s mesmerizing jade-toned eyes drilling me in the soul, her sticky breath thick of warm sugar brushing against my lips, and her innocence seeping from her heart and into the atmosphere, I’d almost slipped up and felt something.

  Almost.

  I couldn’t afford to feel anything.

  My brother and sister were weights tied to my ankles. They kept me in Kings River. If for some ridiculous, impossible reason I ever fell in love with a girl stuck in the same city, I’d never get out.

  The fact that I was even considering the train of thought gave me a headache. I shook my head to clear it, glancing down the table at her.

  Bangin’ was a grossly inaccurate description of her.

  Perfect came to mind, but I wasn’t some lovestruck moron, and promised myself I’d never call a girl perfect ever again.

  Long, smoky golden hair tied high on her head; her ponytail was disgustingly cute swinging whenever she turned her head.

  Eyes that were hooded and a smooth, beautiful green.

  A voice that was soft and thoughtful. Even when she was pissed, it was hard not to brace myself for impact when her words hit me. Hard not to listen.

  She was wearing a salmon colored tank top, showing off her long arms and curvy waist. She had freckles on her shoulders and a few inching their way up her neck. And one lonely freckle on the tip of her nose. That I wanted to savagely kiss. Just once. And then never again.

  Her jeans were slightly baggy, not too tight, and flared out at the bottoms, barely brushing over her flipflop clad feet and cotton candy blue painted toenails.

  She was the complete opposite of what I usually went for. What I wanted. What I’d known.

  I wished I could say that was the first time I’d studied her in detail. But it wasn’t. Over the past two months, I’d found myself doing it at least once a day. Only when she wasn’t looking. At first, it was because of her face covered in bruises. I’d gotten sick to my stomach with guilt every time I saw her injured face. Worse, I couldn’t even talk to her. Couldn’t say how sorry I was.

  I couldn’t explain to her that that’s what my existence would bring her.

  Bruises.

  Doing what she asked and ignoring her was in her best interest.

  Even if ignoring her didn’t make me feel good.

  Over time, the bruises faded, and I still found myself watching her. Wanting to trace the top bow of her lip. Touch the skin on the small of her back that sometimes showed when she moved wrong. Ask her what it was like to be so sexy and have no clue. Rya didn’t know she was fine as hell. If she did, she’d be like her sister. Entitled and selfish.

  Two things Rya was not.

  Simply letting my brother read to her was making it hard to sit still.

  Made me want to call into work sick and spend the night listening to her talk, low and flirty.

  Not that she had, but I wouldn’t be upset if she happened to give a crap about me back. But she didn’t. Girls like Rya weren’t into guys like me.

  Girls like Rya were the angel at the end of the story. She gave meaning and hope to an otherwise hopeless tale.

  My tale was a dead end.

  Frustrated with myself, I slammed my textbook shut, making Gabby jump.

  Hopped on sugar, she punched me right in the arm. “That scared me, Romey.”

  I scrunched my nose up at her. “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “It’s time to go. The babysitter’s probably wondering where we are.”

  The light in her eyes snuffed out. She glanced at Rya for some reason and then returned to her book, with a pink cover and pink font.

  I kissed the side of her head. “Mama will pick you up. There’s pizza in the fridge, remember?”

  She shrugged half-heartedly.

  “I need to go too.” Rya stood. “I still have to grocery shop.”

  My ears pricked. “At the supermarket a few blocks over?”

  She nodded, her ponytail bobbing. I wanted to grab it and wrap it around my fist.

  I delivered her with my most handsome grin. “You drove here?”

  She frowned, probably at my smile. “I borrowed my mom’s car.”

  I wanted to grab her ponytail twice. “Since we’re best friends now,” I paused to roll my eyes, to which she giggled; I added her soft, fragrant giggle to my list of things to ogle later, “would you mind giving us a ride? It’s getting dark and I hate having them out there when it’s late. You can say no, but it will greatly impact the quality of our budding friendship.”

  “Of course. Need help getting them ready?”

  She helped Ant gather his things and I did the same for Gabby and my own. We returned the books to the shelves and then made our way outside, wrestling both kids into the back seat. All too happy to be in a car, it wasn’t that hard.

  “You want to drive?” She dangled her keys at me.

  I snatched them. “How fast does this thing go?”

  “I don’t know, and neither will you.”

  I smirked.

  I thought it was cool that her mom let her borrow her car. Mama laughed whenever I asked to drive hers. It was a short drive to my place, and it wasn’t until I turned the corner for our block, did I stop and think about what I was doing. Bringing an outsider into the heart of Kings territory. My palms sweated around the steering wheel. I’d never had the reaction before, never felt the need to run from my own home.

  “Want me to wait in the car?” she asked, legs tucked under her.

  That would be easier, but it wouldn’t be safer. “No. Come with me.”

  She was live bait. Sitting in an unlocked car. I felt like a dick for judging my own brothers, people I grew up with, but I couldn’t help it. I knew them.

  I picked Gabby up and held her, making sure everyone was following me to the next-door neighbor’s house. I tapped on her screen door, the scent of fried food and spice making my mouth water. She swung the door open, giving Rya a pause before smiling sweetly at the kids.

  “I made some chili relleno, want me to save you some?” she asked in Spanish.

  My stomach twisted with hunger. “Can you give it to my mama?” I handed Gabby off to her, reaching for Antony next. Thankful for the barrier, I spoke in Spanish too. I could feel Rya watching us, trying to understand.

  It wouldn’t be good for her to understand my life.

  “I get paid tonight. I’ll drop by with your money when I get home.”

  She waved my words away. “Pay me on Monday.”

  “You’re sure?”

  She kissed my cheek. “I’m sure. Who’s the pretty girl?”

  I glanced at Rya, who was eyeing something down the street. Her brows were pinched together in worry. I didn’t even want to look. “She’s lost,” I lied. “Won’t stop following me around. I gotta go. You two be good, okay?”

  Gabby and Antony nodded.

  “Bye, kiddos,” Rya said, waving.

  They giggled and waved. “Bye, Rya,” they said at the same time.

  “Let’s go.” I took Rya’s arm and led her down the porch and to my place next door, looking back to see what she saw.

  Rosa was smoking a joint on the hood of Sergio’s car with Raf and my brother, Diego. Her eyes magically cut through the distance and latched onto mine. But I was done giving her what she wanted: a reaction. Maybe her sleeping with my
best friend did me a favor. It showed me who they both were.

  Once inside my place, I closed the door, taking a deep breath. Rya watched me. It was on the tip of her tongue, I could see it, the desire to mention what we both knew she was thinking.

  “You can say it,” I murmured.

  She sighed. “She saw us come in here.”

  “She won’t touch you again. Promise. Hang out in the living room. I have to change and then we can head out.” I pointed to the living room, even though it was right off the door and plain as day.

  “Romeo?”

  I paused in the hall, my back to her. The sound of my name on her lips did messed up things to me. For one, she didn’t say it like everyone else. There was no emphasis on the letters e or r, there was no accent. To her it was just a name.

  But to me it felt like she wasn’t simply saying my name.

  She was feeling it.

  “What?”

  “What did you say to her for her to leave me alone?”

  “Why?”

  “I’m curious.”

  I continued down the hall. “I told her the truth.”

  That if she ever touched Rya again, it would be the last thing she ever did.

  I slipped into the garage and got dressed in my stocker uniform. Black pants, black shirt, and the supermarket’s logo on the front. I tossed a change of clothes in my backpack and came right back out, finding Rya studying the family pictures beside the TV.

  She was smiling fondly, biting her bottom lip. “They’re twins also?”

  I didn’t have to look at the pictures to know what she was looking at. There were only four pictures. One of me as a baby, one of the twins, one of Diego, and then another with all six of us together. Technically. Me, Diego, Mama pregnant with the twins, and then Papa five days before he got arrested.

  “Who’s this man? Your dad?”

  I bobbed my head, waiting for it.

  But it never came. The question everyone couldn’t wait to ask. Where’s your father?

  Instead, she smiled. “He’s so freaking handsome. You two look identical.”

  I rose a brow at her comment. “Handsome, huh? Not an adjective typically used to describe me. Incredibly sexy? Sure. Super hot? All the time. Fine as wine? Occasionally. But handsome? That’s classy, Rya.”

  She gave her eyes a roll and straightened, done with the pictures. “Get over yourself, Rome. Ready?”

  Rome.

  Only my friends called me Rome.

  On the way out of the house, Rosa passed by, giving Rya a slow, threatening once over. Raf was gone and so was my brother.

  To her credit, Rya didn’t appear afraid. She jutted out her chin, holding her eyes bravely. I was both taken aback by her stupid bravery and impressed. Most people didn’t challenge Rosa. She had demons in her and didn’t mind letting them loose on people. At one point, I thought I’d had the same demons. But I’d learned they weren’t demons for me. They were fears.

  “Ignore her. She’s got nothing better to do.”

  “You two must have been really in love,” she mumbled, following me back down to her car.

  “Love?” I snorted out a laugh, pulling into the street. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “Then what was it like?”

  “It was two kids who needed each other. But I grew up and realized that Rosa never would. Satisfied?”

  “Did you two sleep together?”

  I frowned at the road, at her question. “Why?”

  “I just heard that your first time is always hard to move on from.”

  I felt my lips twitch. So innocent. “What makes you think Rosa was my first time?” She was my first time, but I wanted to hear her say it.

  “I didn’t say that, but I know you were hers. You can see it in her eyes. The claim to you.”

  Girls like Rosa lost a lot, so they claimed a lot in return. I’d had my old man in my life until I was eleven. She hadn’t had hers in her life at all. We bonded over that loss, that emptiness. But a bond didn’t mean she owned me.

  “What about you? Are you still hung up on your first time?” It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t hanging on her answer.

  Over the last couple months, I’d started a tally of questions in my head. Sex was most definitely one of those. I wondered, is all. It was a harmless wonder.

  She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked out her window. “No first time to speak of.”

  I sighed quietly in relief, turning into the grocery store’s parking lot, making sure to find a spot in the front so she wouldn’t have to walk out far to her car. I shouldn’t care whether she was a virgin or not, but I did. I cared because it said a lot. It proved everything I already thought true. She was a good girl.

  Which meant I had no right caring at all.

  “Did I mention how cute you look in your uniform?” She said it over the top of her car, meeting my eyes with a sassy grin.

  “No. You didn’t. Go on.” I waited.

  She grinned, the rising moon and setting sun warring in the sky above her; they both shone onto her beautiful face. “Very professional.”

  “Don’t forget: so freaking handsome.”

  She fell into step beside me, biting down on her pink bottom lip. “Don’t worry. I didn’t.”

  It was almost time to say goodbye.

  There was only two people I had a hard time leaving.

  And they were only five.

  Maybe it wasn’t so much walking away from Rya that bothered me, but the fact that I didn’t have another reason to see her again. She did mention we didn’t have to be silent enemies anymore, but was that enough of a reason to put myself in her path again? The truth still remained. She was better off not knowing me. I didn’t bring innocence along on a chain everywhere I went like she did. I fed off hers.

  That wasn’t fair.

  Especially considering how good her innocence tasted.

  “So, I guess this is where we say goodbye?” She stopped in front of the automatic doors. So did I. She looked up at me, eyes soft.

  I should tell her. Stay away from me. It was only a matter of time before my arm sported a crown and knife tattoo. It was only a matter of time before I became my father.

  Or followed in his footsteps.

  Instead, my lips moved, and before I could stop myself, the words were out. “What are you doing later?”

  “Um, putting the groceries away and then trying to convince myself not to eat them all.” She laughed at herself.

  Her joke wasn’t funny. It was downright lame. But the fact that she thought she was so funny, made me smile. “When you’re done cramming Oreo’s down your throat, you think we could hang out? There’s a party over on Winchester.” What are you doing? I demanded of myself. Don’t bring her to a dangerous party.

  I didn’t take the words back.

  Her eyes widened ever so slightly. Was she shocked I’d asked? Or was she disgusted? Was she afraid? Or offended? I scratched the back of my head in frustration, waiting for her to answer. It seemed like she was taking forever, but five seconds couldn’t have even passed.

  “Are you inviting me to a party?” she squeaked.

  Crap. She wasn’t into it. I backpedaled. “I’m going to a party. I was just wondering if you were in the partying mood, by chance. If you’re not, that’s cool. Oreo’s are probably better. I—”

  Her hand covered my mouth. “Would you shut up? You’re ruining it.”

  “Ruining what?” I mumbled, her hand muffling the question.

  “You just asked me to my very first party since I’ve been here. I’m officially not a loser anymore.” She started jumping up and down, cheesing.

  I stared at her. “Stop.”

  She started jumping higher. “Take that Kings River!”

  “Seriously. Stop.”

  She pumped the air, laughing so hard she had to grab her stomach.

  “People are staring,” I reminded her, fighting to keep my lips from rising. Total loser s
till. But I liked it. In a weird way. She wasn’t like anyone in Kings River. Unblemished, bruised, or jaded. She was like a breath of fresh air in this horribly polluted city.

  “So what? No one sees me anyway.” She took a deep breath. “What time is this party?”

  No one saw her? Was she insane? Everyone saw her. That’s why they avoided her. She was a mirror. Shone a spotlight on all of our wrong. No one wanted to face the truth about themselves all day. I knew. “I work part-time, so I’m off at ten. We can go any time after that.”

  “Okay. I’ll ask my parents about my curfew, but I don’t think they’ll mind. What should I wear? Like, should I invest in some badass chick clothes?”

  I shook my head at her, heading into the store. “Pick me up at ten.”

  “Okay!” she hollered. “I’ll be here!” I waited for her to realize her mistake. I heard her flipflop clad feet on the cement before she came back in, giving me a goofy grin. “Oops. Forgot about the shopping.”

  I watched her grab a cart and turn it down the nearest aisle. Before her ponytail could bounce away, she looked back at me. A shy smile pulling up her lips.

  My chest constricted.

  When my shift was over, I changed in the back breakroom, coming out wearing jeans and a black shirt. I tousled my hair and then shrugged at my reflection. Good enough. I got my check from the manager and tucked it securely in my wallet. Rya was sitting in her mom’s car biting her fingernails when I came out. The parking lot was empty except for a few of the employee cars parked in the rear. She looked like a sitting duck and I didn’t like it.

  Her ponytail was gone.

  I studied her under the street lamp for a moment. Her hair had been straightened, and it hung loosely around her face and shoulders. Her lips were shiny. She’d glossed them up. Put effort into her appearance. For a kickback party. I chuckled at her, shaking my head and walking over to the passenger side.

  She jumped when I opened the door. “Just me,” I told her.

  That same shy smile played on her lips when our eyes locked. “That isn’t scary?”

  “Ha ha.” The interior of the car smelled like vanilla, flowers, and something fruity. Pineapple. I groaned low in my throat. She smelled good too. What was happening to me? I was losing my head and she hadn’t even noticed mine. “How late can you stay out?”