Happily Ever Alpha: Until Midnight

by Gwendolyn Grace

  The heated scene ended with Ritchie and his unloaded shotgun forcing Miguel out of the house through the same window he'd climbed in. After that Miguel was not to be anywhere near the house. But I loved him, and so I began lying to Ritchie and sneaking around. What I didn't know was that Miguel was already on a path to self-destruction.

  ****

  I was sitting outside on the patio, while Sebastian scooted around on his tricycle and Tito had his head in my lap as I scratched behind his ears. Ritchie appeared on the stone path that led from the garage with his phone to his ear.

  "Okay, sounds good," he said into the phone. "Anything you can do to help, man." Then he ended the call.

  "I just talked to your cousin Nico. He thinks he might have a lawyer connection back in Tennessee." Even though their marriage had ended, Ritchie had remained close to the Mayson family. Much closer than Madelyn had.

  "Wait. Another lawyer? Why? Has something else happened?" I asked on the verge of a panic attack.

  "Relax." He put a hand on my shoulder. "It might be time to change tactics. I want you to try to talk to Miguel again." Ritchie suggested as he settled into the chair beside me. "See if he'll let you take Bash to the States."

  "He won't. Don't you think I've tried?"

  "Fine, then go without his permission. That's what this new lawyer will do. An American lawyer who will help you get Bash back to the States. Though it would be easier if Miguel cooperates."

  "He said he would have me killed if I tried to leave Mexico with his son."

  "He said that?" Ritchie's eyes went cold as he sat forward. "He said he would kill you?"

  "Well, he didn't come right out and say, 'I'm going to kill you, Carina,' but I knew what he meant."

  "That little punk doesn't have the power to take a shit in private, how in the world could he get somebody to—"

  "He was running with the Asesinos," I cut him off and stood. "I wouldn't put anything past him."

  "So what are you going to do, huh? Keep having your brother make fake passports for you? What happens when you get caught? What happens to Bash?"

  I sank back into my chair and looked at my son. Bash had turned his tricycle upside down in the grass and was spinning the wheels with his hands. I couldn't come up with answers to Ritchie's questions. What would happen? How long could I risk traveling with a fake passport? I'd been hiding under the protection of our little town. In fact, I relied on it. Was it only a matter of time before someone ratted me out? I hated that Miguel had the power to decide my fate and it was even worse knowing there was nothing I could do about it.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Brando

  I stood and stretched as the client inspected my work in the mirror. A skull and flowers done entirely in new school style had been positioned along his calf.

  "Badass, man." The client grinned and shook my hand.

  "Great, Rosie will cash you out up front." I walked him to the front desk, giving him aftercare instructions along the way.

  After the client left, Rosie wandered to the back office, where I'd been pulling cash from the safe and preparing it for deposit.

  "Hey, Brando," she said from behind me, "it's dead tonight. How much longer are you going to stay open?" Her eyes weren't on me; they were on the safe.

  "You can head out if you want," I replied, trying to use my body to shield what I could of the safe contents.

  "Sweet. In that case, I was going to grab a beer across the street if you wanted to—"

  "Do me a favor, go wait up front."

  "Oh, okay," Rosie replied softly, her mouth turning into a frown before she walked away.

  I knew I'd come off as an asshole, but I still had a potential thief working for me and I didn't know who it was yet. I'd been looking into getting cameras installed, though the staff made it very clear that they hated the idea, most of all Todd. I knew his gripes were for different reasons. His back office sexcapades would all be on tape.

  I stuffed the stacks of bills into my backpack and zipped it up. I'd stopped leaving cash there overnight, and as long as Todd got his cut, he didn't care where I kept the rest of the money. After locking the office, I went to the front and was surprised to find the place empty, and Rosie's weird little purse that was designed to look like a Rubix cube was gone.

  When I stepped outside, the only car in the lot was mine. I locked up the shop and shot a glance at the bar across the street. It was too dark to tell if Rosie was in there and honestly, I didn't have time to go after her. Instead, I drove over to Catch.

  "She's not here, Brando," annoying ass Harley called casually over her shoulder as she sauntered past with a tray of drinks. It was like she loved being able to give me the bad news.

  "Where is she?"

  "Don't know." Harley shrugged and offered nothing more.

  Not knowing was the worst.

  Two days went by without any news. I pounded on Carina's front door, knowing she wasn't going to answer, but at the same time hoping she would. Already at my wits' end, I dialed the number her brother gave me and of course her phone went straight to voice mail. I hung up, not daring to leave a message, and threw my phone into the woods then spent the next half hour trying to find it.

  On the fourth day, I went to the Spot to look for Jamie. He'd been my only link to Carina, an ally of sorts. I wasn't sure why, though. No brother in his right mind would allow a guy like me to be with his sister.

  "Jamie." I'd found him looking under the hood of his car with a member of his crew. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

  He turned and faced me with a scowl on his face, not unlike the one Carina regularly wore. He grabbed a greasy rag from his back pocket and wiped his hands as he approached me.

  "Yeah, what's up, Brando?"

  "You tell me, man." I felt my reasons for being there were obvious.

  "She's fine," Jamie replied, then turned back to his car.

  "Where is she?" I followed a few steps behind.

  "It's not for me to say." Jamie shrugged and started reaching for something in the engine.

  His unhelpful answer and nonchalant attitude had pissed me off so much I wanted to punch something, maybe even him. He must have sensed the tension because he straightened and turned to face me squarely. His scowl deepened, his shoulders tightening as he studied me.

  "I'm not the enemy." Jamie didn't wait for my reply as he turned and strode back to his car.

  I stared after him, not knowing what else to say and hating that he held knowledge I was desperate to learn. I reached Jamie in three strides, fuming as I lifted my forearm to his neck, pinning him against the car.

  "Wrong. Anyone who stands in the way of what's mine is my enemy," I said through clenched teeth, convinced he'd been fucking with my head on purpose. I'd just declared Carina as mine to her brother and anyone else within earshot. I was starting to come unglued. The seams holding what was left of my sanity had been seconds away from busting open, and I thought I would lose my shit right there. "Why give me her phone number? Why give me hope, if you're not going to help me?" When Jamie's mouth curved into a smile, I thought he was losing it too.

  "Look around, none of these assholes have the balls to do this." He gestured to my forearm at his neck. "I know you can protect my sister. That's why I gave you her number."

  "Is she in some kind of trouble?" I asked, lowering my arm. "Why would she need protection?"

  "There's a lot you don't know." Jamie rubbed his neck with his hand and stepped back. "I can't tell you because I'm not willing to betray my sister's trust, but here comes someone who might."

  A car door slammed shut, and a hint of expensive perfume drifted through the breeze. A woman walked toward us. She looked rich, mid-forties, well dressed with long wavy blond hair, and diamond earrings that sparkled in the moonlight. She might have even been beautiful if her lips weren't pinched so tightly, and her stare not as frosty. Her gaze went from me to Jamie and then back to me.

  "Ah, it's the fool," she said
, lifting an eyebrow. My head snapped back, her words catching me off guard. I didn't even know the woman. What reason did she have to refer to me that way? Before I could address the insult, Jamie started speaking.

  "Madelyn, this is Brando King. Brando, this is Madelyn Risto. My mother." It only took a second for me to notice the resemblances. The scowl. The black SUV. The only thing I didn't see was Hunter Knight, which was a good thing.

  "I'm guessing all that anger and aggression has something to do with my daughter?"

  I shot a look at Jamie, then back to her but didn't speak. I didn't know what to make of her.

  "He wants to know where Carina is," Jamie spoke up for me. Madelyn's eyes went wide briefly.

  "She didn't tell you? I knew it." Her lips curled into a smug grin, as she clapped her hands together lightly. Their relationship must have been bad if Jamie thought there was a chance their mother would find any sort of joy in what seemed like a bad situation. The late-night meetings with her mother in the back of a black SUV. The fact that nobody had seen Ritchie Risto for years. I thought my family had problems. The Ristos were turning out to be a different breed of fucked up.

  "Congratulations." Jamie rolled his eyes.

  Madelyn sighed, ignoring her son's comment.

  "I'm sure she has her reasons for keeping it a secret from you, but anyone who has time and patience can get the gist from an Internet search. She's a little selfish if you want my opinion."

  "Why don't you go ahead and tell him, Madelyn? You're dying to anyway."

  "Jamie, I'm not as heartless as you and your sister think." Madelyn managed to look a little hurt. "Nobody deserves to be lied to by someone they trust. If it were you, wouldn't you want to know?" Jamie inclined his head quickly, indicating his agreement. Her blue gaze returned to me. "One thing I can't stand is a liar." The more she spoke, the more worried I became. What was Carina keeping a secret? It must have been pretty major if even her brother couldn't deny it.

  "She's not lying, just doing what she thinks is right for Bash." Jamie defended his sister.

  "Bash?" I asked, finally finding my voice. "What's that?" It sounded like some sort of party. Jamie and Madelyn exchanged glances but didn't answer.

  "I hear you have a particular set of skills." Madelyn changed the subject. "I require your services. I will give you something about Carina to chew on, but you have to do something for me."

  "Do something for you?" I repeated, and Madelyn nodded. "It depends on what it is."

  "Fair enough, and what I tell you will depend on what you are willing to do for me."

  My head began to fill with so many questions, and I wasn't sure which one to ask first.

  "But you can only ask me one question."

  I wasn't surprised by the condition she'd set. I knew there was a catch.

  "All right. One answer will only get you one favor." I added to the negotiations.

  "Fine." Madelyn reached out and we shook hands. Her hand was cold and bone-thin. "Ask your question."

  "Where is Carina?"

  "Mexico."

  "What? Mexico?" The answer stunned me. "What is in Mexico?"

  "Sorry." Madelyn slowly shook her head. "We agreed on one question."

  "Come on."

  "You chose that question. Be a little wiser next time. My turn."

  "Okay," I said, pissed that I didn't pick something a little better to ask.

  "I want you to find someone for me."

  "Who?

  "An old...friend." She said the word as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. "How good is your Spanish?"

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Carina

  I awoke to the sound of music coming from downstairs. Bash was lying asleep beside me, out like a light. That kid could sleep through anything. Granted, it was still kind of early, though my internal clock was running two hours ahead. I slid from the bed then tucked my baby boy in again until he was nice and snug. An upbeat tune by Leo Dan played through the surround sound. I'd followed the smell of freshly brewed coffee, down the stairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen. The sounds of soft laughter made me pause in mid-step. Ritchie had spun Carmen into a twirl then finished with a very ungraceful dip. They stumbled together, laughing.

  There was a twelve-year age gap between Carmen and me, and ten years between her and Ritchie. Right after I moved to Mexico, Carmen had been hired on as a live-in housekeeper and companion for me. He felt it was important for me to have a woman around. I liked her right away. She was energetic and pretty, but a terrible housekeeper. Her only saving grace was that she'd been a phenomenal cook. She treated me like her little sister and didn't take any shit from Ritchie. The two of them were like oil and water. They were incredibly passionate people, which meant when they clashed, it was huge. I'd never met two people more perfect for each other.

  "Oh, good morning, Carina." Carmen blushed as she untangled herself from Ritchie's arms, slapping at his hands when he grabbed at her playfully. "Coffee is ready."

  "Mornin', sweetheart," Ritchie said to me, then planted a quick kiss on Carmen's lips. "I have to run out. I won't be long." He swatted Carmen on the behind, causing her to yelp.

  "Ritchie!" She gasped, then chased him for a few steps as he headed for the door. When Ritchie yelped from the next room, I knew Carmen had returned the swat.

  "Gross, you guys," I yelled over my shoulder, then grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet. Carmen walked back into the kitchen, a smile still on her face.

  "Let me get that." She moved me aside and gestured for me to sit down. "Go."

  I went to the table as I was told and waited while she poured my coffee and filled a plate for me. Carmen was someone who naturally loved to care for people. Nothing she did around the house anymore had been required; she had become part of the family. Though she and Ritchie had not married, it was her home, too.

  "So," she said, settling into the chair across from me. "How are you?" Her warm brown eyes showed genuine concern.

  "I will be better when this is all over with."

  "Yes." Carmen nodded. "We all will be." Her gaze traveled to the window as two birds danced on the windowsill ledge. She looked lost in thought for a moment then returned her attention to me. "I'm pregnant."

  "What?" I said, nearly choking on my eggs. She had never been known for subtleness. "You're pregnant?"

  "I am." She nodded, her mouth curving into a small smile.

  "Have you told Ritchie?" I asked. Her smile faded as she nodded. "How did he take it?"

  "He thinks he's too old for more children."

  Ritchie was in his early forties. It was hardly old in my opinion.

  "How are you handling it?"

  "I'm happy." She smiled, though the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I never thought I would have children and I was okay with that, but now..." She paused. "I don't think I want to raise a child here. Ritchie loves this place. How could I make him choose?" It was true. Santicero had become his home.

  "Where would you go?"

  "I don't know. Somewhere with better schools. Less gangs. I already worry about Bash, and I couldn't bear adding another child to that." Santicero had slowly changed from a sleepy, hidden village to a vacation destination and a place of retirement for expats. Such economic growth also meant more crime. My father refused to see it was no longer the safe haven of his youth.

  "You have to talk to Ritchie." I reached out and squeezed her hand.

  Suddenly I remembered when we sat at this same table, with news to tell my father. Only I was the one who was pregnant.

  ****

  After the incident with the unloaded shotgun, Miguel had moved to Guadalajara. Miguel said he was working as a private security guard for a wealthy businessman. The job paid well enough for him to afford a luxury apartment. He would pamper me with spa treatments, take me shopping and to the kind of restaurants where you had to make reservations. At seventeen, I was naive and didn't ask a lot of questions. Being bad had been fun. My absences a
t school were almost equal to my days of attendance. Miguel and I would spend the day in his apartment doing things that would have launched Ritchie's head into space. Then he would bring me home before Ritchie could get suspicious. The fancy private school I'd been attending never said a word. I'd been blinded by first love and attracted to the idea of defying my father a little, too. It all came to a head eight weeks before graduation when I found out I was pregnant.

  I hid my secret from everyone, even from Miguel. My mind had switched to auto-pilot. None of it was real. What about the big deal university in the States I had planned to go to in the fall? My life was about to begin. I had plans. So, I chose to ignore my condition, as if seeing the blue lines on the pregnancy test had been some bad dream. It even worked for a while. There was no sickness or weird physical changes to report. I didn't feel anything...until I started showing. My jeans no longer buttoned and the little T-shirts I loved to wear stopped falling flat against my stomach. It was as if the little alien bump grew overnight. Carmen was the first to notice. I had no choice but to confess and brace myself for the disappointment on her face, except there was only love. She gave me the biggest hug, and through tears, she told me it was all going to be okay. She even held my hand tightly as I came clean to my father. Saying he didn't take it well would have been an understatement. I didn't even have time to tell Miguel, because Ritchie put me in the car and drove like a bat out of hell to Guadalajara to make the announcement himself.

  Miguel sat blank-faced on his own couch occasionally nodding while Ritchie tore him a new asshole for knocking up his daughter. What I didn't know then was how incapable Miguel was of processing it all. Nevertheless, I chose to play house with him in Guadalajara. It wasn't long before I had learned the cold, hard truth.

  ****

  Bash bounded into the kitchen with adorable bed head and his sweet face still groggy from sleep. I gave him kisses as he climbed into my lap and rested his head against my chest. Carmen was staring down lovingly at Bash. The tiny smile had returned to her face.