Both women offer weak smiles.
“Guess we had the same craving,” the skirt says, tilting her head to look at me through her lashes.
I step back and push the door open for them to go in ahead of me. Zipper girl takes the lead.
“Actually, I came by to see my girl.”
The skirt’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes now. “Lucky her.”
“Nah. More like lucky me.” I follow, stopping behind them at the entrance as we wait to be seated. “She’s the one putting up with me.”
Bunny glances past the two women to focus on me. “Go ahead and take a seat,” she says in a welcoming tone. “I’ll be right with you ladies.” Then she ducks behind the door again.
“Well,” zipper girl says between her teeth. “You caught somebody’s attention.”
“Surprise,” the skirt tacks on as they head toward the first booth.
“If the food here wasn’t so good,” zipper girl sniffs, “I’d go somewhere else.”
Yeah, she’s probably very understanding because it doesn’t look like she’s missed too many meals.
Hmm. In the footage I’ve reviewed, I haven’t seen Bunny falling over anyone. Kassy even commented how Bunny’s blown off the guys hitting on her.
“Mind if I grab this table?” I slip the backpack off my shoulder as I settle in at a table next to theirs.
“Go right ahead.” The skirt slips into the booth, turning to face me. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”
“I usually get delivery, but today I’d planned to have time for a sit-down meal.”
“Ah.” Skirt nods. “Lunch with your girlfriend.”
“At this point I’m going to pick up lunch and run.” I tap my phone, making a face. “Duty calls.”
“So dedicated.” She puts her chin in her hand while zipper girl glances toward the kitchen.
Bunny comes out with a to-go plate in one hand and a bottled soda in the other.
“Finally,” zipper says on an exhale.
“Mmm. There’s my girl.”
Skirt’s jaw drops once she realizes who I’m talking about.
“Enjoy your lunch.” I swing the backpack over my shoulder as I go meet Bunny. Reaching for both items, I spread my arms, leaving her open for me to step closer. “Hey.”
She tilts her face up, and I catch her mouth for a thorough kiss.
“Heeeey,” a good-natured voice exclaims while someone else joins in with a wolf whistle. Bunny doesn’t back off despite being taken by surprise.
Pulling away, I go to her left cheek and whisper next to her ear. “No tongue. I’ll save that for later.”
Straightening, I wink as a red curtain rolls across her cheeks. “Thanks, babe,” I say out loud. “If you can swing by after the lunch rush, I’ll give you a foot massage.”
She’s glaring at me as I turn and head for the door.
*****
Bunny
My nipples are hard as ripe cherries under my apron while Tino strolls to the door like he didn’t turn my world upside down. The bell over the door rings, and years of conditioning to move at the sound pulls me from my stupor. Oh God, I’m standing in the middle of my dining area, with people peppering catcalls and a piercing wolf whistle along every second of what just happened.
“Lookie here. Bonnie’s got herself a boyfriend.” Cappy, one of our longtime customers, turns around in his chair to tease me from across the room.
“Come on, Cappy. Behave.” Running my hands across the front of the apron, I jump into action, as if I have to gain back those few seconds. My customers are waiting, and at least one of them is eager to have lunch.
“You had that little secret tucked away real good, didn’t you?”
“You’re turning into a dirty old man,” I toss over my shoulder. He cocks his head, one eye closed, and lets loose a hearty laugh.
“Come on, girl. You know we worry about you.” He nods his head at the other gray-haired men at the table. “If your grandma had a lick of sense, I would have been your grandpa years ago.”
That was never going to happen. Not when he tried going after Gram with, “I’m like a brick of charcoal. I go from dark to gray as I get hotter.”
Still, he’s been coming here my whole life.
“There’s no hiding anything.” I pull my order book from my apron pocket. “He works nights, so he’s usually asleep right now.”
“All right, girl.” He doesn’t sound too convinced. “But we’ll have to sit him down and set him straight real soon.” He gives me the stink eye one last time before turning to his buddies.
I take a strengthening breath and paste on my customer-service smile. Why did Tino have to pull that stunt in front of these two women? As it is, I’ve had to build thick skin and let their catty comments go by.
“Good morning, ladies.” I try to give them my best I’m-not-blushing-after-being-left-stupid-by-a-kiss smile. “What can I get for you today?”
“Didn’t realize you had a boyfriend,” Thelma says, chin in hand.
“Well, I don’t know if I’d call him a boyfriend...exactly.”
Right on cue, Tino hits the stairs, stomping up every step to my apartment. His footfalls are loud enough for everyone to hear and draw their own conclusions. Again, my face grows hot enough to sear a steak.
Thelma plops back in the booth, giving me a knowing grin.
“He seems nice,” Maria adds.
Nice? My mind rewinds a few nights to when he stood over a man he’d shot. I don’t think nice is very high on his list of priorities.
“Well, he’s certainly a handful sometimes,” I admit.
Maria chuckles.
I skip a beat, surprised to see a genuine smile from this woman. While she was dismissive before, the last few months she’s been more than a little bitchy. For a while I thought it was me, but her attitude might have more to do with the wedding ring she isn’t wearing anymore.
I put my pen to the notepad, hoping to steer the conversation in a different direction.
Thelma straightens in the booth. “I’ll have some beef nachos and a Coke.”
“I should have a salad,” Maria says, shoulders slumped.
She’s been trying to lose some weight, but she’s weak and Thelma’s steady diet of high-calorie snack foods doesn’t help.
“If you’d like, I can throw some chicken breast or sirloin on your salad and just a few strips of toasted tortilla. It’ll satisfy the craving for something crunchy without having something deep-fried.”
Her eyes widen, and she’s practically jumping at the offer. “Sirloin would be fantastic.”
“You got it.” I jot down the notes for Manny and turn on a heel. “I’ll be right back with the pitcher of iced tea, y’all.”
For the first time, I don’t feel daggers aimed at me as I walk away.
This thing with Tino might just turn out better than expected.
CHAPTER TEN
Bunny
It’s nearly eleven o’clock in the morning when the door opens as I hang up the phone. The bell rings, reverberating in my head like a metal spoon on an empty pot. Lord, please help me. Because I’m really not ready for today.
Normally, Saturdays are calm since the courthouses are closed. Most of the traffic is from the bridges and a few stores. I really need a quiet day if I’m going to survive the headache I have brewing behind my eyes.
“Bunny,” Mom’s disapproving voice calls from the entrance.
My eyes shoot open, and I straighten my back. Whipping around to face her, I crush the order slip I’m holding. Oh crap!
“Mom? What are you doing here?” A sinking feeling settles in my stomach. Tino. I’m even less ready for this.
Although I expected yesterday’s little show to reach her, I didn’t expect her to come by. Right now, I really need an extra day of leeway to prepare myself.
I look around the dining room for any kind of excuse, but all the tables are empty.
“What am
I doing here?” A shadow of hurt in her eyes scratches at my conscience. We missed our usual afternoon together on Sunday, and, after what happened, I didn’t think to call and check she got home safely. I’m the absolute worst daughter.
She strolls across the room, claiming the floor step by step. Her arms come around to envelope me in a hug.
Ugh, I’m in for it now.
“Why am I having to hear about you and some hunky boyfriend from the likes of Cappy?” she asks, still holding me tight.
I knew it. I narrow my eyes, glaring at the table where Cappy and his cronies normally sit. They’re always here in the space between breakfast and lunch, having coffee and exchanging gossip. Except for today. No wonder they disappeared so early. The no good…
“It’s not like that, Mom.” The words are out before I can think twice. Sadly, I may have made things worse.
She releases me in an instant, holding me at arm’s length. “What do you mean, not like that?” she asks with narrow-eyed suspicion. “Isn’t he staying with you?”
Heat sizzles across my cheeks. Mom uncurls her fingers from my biceps.
I do not need the image of what Tino was doing to me this morning when we were upstairs. I may act loud and sassy for everyone coming through, but I try to keep my private life private. Even when I was living at home, I always made it a point to sleep in my own bed every night. Mostly because I didn’t want to deal with having my mother know where I was and imagining what I was doing.
“Come on.” She takes me by the hand and drags me to the nearest table. “Tell me all about your new boyfriend.”
Every step is like wading through cold gravy. I really don’t want to do this. Not now. Not ever.
“But we’re prepping for the lunch crowd,” I say, hoping for understanding. “And I have an order for Manny.” The distinctive sound of the back door slamming closed fills the room. If we had crickets in the building, they’d be serenading me right now.
Manny, you coward.
She marches on with purpose, ignoring my weak protest.
“Perfect.” Her smile is so deep, you’d think she hadn’t spent years complaining about the beginning of crow’s feet around her eyes.
With a defeated sigh, I pull out the chair, letting the legs drag along the floor.
I’ve always shared everything, except details of my sex life, with Mom, but somehow, I can’t bring myself to tell her about this. Certainly not what happened this weekend. Much less what happened during the week.
I still search for any telltale signs of where the bodies may have been. As if the thorough cleaning from Mate’s crew wasn’t enough to leave the floor spotless. As if the extra pass I’ve done every day with the mop and bleach has been for naught.
“Where did you meet him?” she asks with wide-eyed interest.
“Um, here,” I answer reluctantly.
“Oh, does he work at the bridge?” It’s not too far-fetched. We have a wave of new faces come through on a regular basis as positions become available or new recruits come through.
“No. He’s in…security.” I have to keep this as close to reality as possible, or I’m going to get tangled up in a lie. The last thing I need is for her to start coming by unannounced until she runs into Tino.
Her brow furrows. “Another security guard?”
Argh. Why didn’t I think that comment might bring us to Saul? When we met, he was a guard, then he went on to become a Border Patrol agent.
I glance at the camera at the corner of the room. Well, the units aren’t exactly hidden. It should be okay to work that in. “No, Mom, he’s in private security.” I point to the corner. “He put in the system for the building.”
She cranes around, looking from one corner of the room to the next. “Oh, good.” Her relief is palpable. “You weren’t too comfortable with Saul using a gun.”
My stomach dips. Because she might still show up and see the outline at the back of Tino’s waist, I sprinkle a little more of the truth. “Well, Tino carries a gun also.”
She pulls away, ever so slightly while assessing me, her gaze going from one of my eyes to the other.
“I don’t know why guns bothered me so much.” The memory of Tino going past me, gun in hand, flashes through my mind. I blink the memory away and try for a reassuring smile but fall flat. “I-I’ve gotten better about it.”
Her hand comes to mine, giving me a little squeeze. “Your father carried a gun,” she confesses in the softest tone she’s ever used.
Every ounce of my body gives way to gravity. My arms are weighed down while I can’t tell if my head is still connected to my body.
My entire life, Mom has never wanted to share anything about my father. She’s also never dated, not that I’ve heard of. In fact, I only know she was ever with a man because I’m sitting here today.
“Mom…”
She drags in a breath. “Only he wasn’t…” She shifts her gaze, wetting her lips as my heart slams in my throat.
What? Part of me wants to grab her by the shoulders and scream for her to spit it out.
The color in her face rises. “He wasn’t one of the good guys.” She hitches a shoulder, leaning the slightest bit away.
That explains a lot. Though still a drop of water to someone walking across the desert. Should I say something? Anything? Because after years of having questions, I honestly have no idea what to say right now. This is a huge blow. She’s opened the door to my past, and I’m not sure where to start. I flip my hand, clutching at hers.
“He was shot in Nuevo Laredo.” Her voice goes flat.
The air rushes from my lungs. For a fleeting second, I had firm footing, and, just as fast, it’s gone. This is the point in the movies where a ball of fire rushes down the hallway, scorching everything in its path before pulling back.
“And you were in your car seat when it happened,” she adds with careful words.
It makes sense, the fear, wanting to scream, the sense of loss. It’s all the things I had nightmares about as a child.
My body’s shaking, though my fingers are motionless in her palm. So many times I wondered about him. Why hadn’t things worked out between them? Had they planned on having a family some day? Was it a one-time thing? Did they really know each other? Why wouldn’t anyone say anything? Even my great aunts and cousins claimed they didn’t know about him. Had she kept it a secret? Because my family loves to gossip too much for all of them to keep their mouths shut.
“Shouldn’t have done it here.”
She squeezes my fingers, and I focus on her. Pain fills her eyes. She’s been saying something, but I’ve been lost too deep in my own thoughts to catch a single word.
The phone rings, and all I can do is try to swallow past the knot in my throat.
On the third ring, she stands. “I’d better go, baby. I’m sorry.” She stops at the door. “You’ll be by tomorrow? We can talk then.”
I nod, though I’m not sure how I’m doing.
The ringing stops. I push myself up, fighting to control the urge to vomit.
At some point, the door opens. Tino. His brows are drawn.
“What’s wrong?” he demands.
I scoff. What’s wrong? How the hell do I put it all together? I’m still pissed at him from this morning. Why does he want to change everything about me? Next week, he’ll be gone. Meanwhile, I’m trying to figure out how to move on when he leaves.
“Bunny.” His voice is hard. “What’s wrong? Tell me.”
I’m too eager to have him here. Too eager to be with him. I look forward to the morning to be with him. What happened to what I’m building for myself? My wants. My needs. It’s all about him coming to find me.
“Woman,” he says, like raising his voice is going to help.
“You,” I croak. “It’s you.” His brow arches. “Just being around you…” I forget everything else but you. Is this what Mom went through? And she’s spent the rest of her life alone. “You scare the hell out me—”
“Hey there, Bonnie.” The back door opens, and Rick’s voice carries into the dining room.
I drag in a breath and take the few steps to the kitchen. “I’ll be there in a minute, okay?” But when I turn around, Tino’s long strides are taking him out the front door.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Tino
You scare the hell out of me…
My muscles tense, instinctively bracing for impact, but I’m a half second too late. The verbal shot is disorienting, like being knocked on your ass after taking a round to the vest. The concussion spreads through your gut and chest and sometimes so does the bruise.
I’ve heard the words from those I hunted, right before I end their lives. I just didn’t expect them from her...not after… I’m an idiot.
I drop a steel sheet around myself, shutting off everything around me. Isolating myself always worked before, but, somehow, her words keep ringing in my ears. You scare the hell out of me…
Tearing my gaze from the back of her head, I turn on a heel and force my foot to move and the other to follow. The bell rings above me, announcing the door opening. Bun-Bonnie should be turning to check the doorway. I know this because I studied her, like I do all those I hunt.
Part of me wants to see her expression, but I won’t allow it to happen. I refuse to turn. And I’ll be damned if I look at the camera feed.
You scare the hell out of me…
The image of her wounded expression is carved into my head, popping in without my express permission.
I should have stayed at the church. Then I never would have met her. Never would have felt the softness of her skin, the taste of her lips. I could go a step further, to not getting involved, but I can’t seem to utter the words, even to myself.
I’m on autopilot as I turn left on the sidewalk, letting the door clatter closed behind me.
My path takes me past the end of the building. From the corner of my eye, I see the grill on the front of the delivery truck. It’s sitting in the drive, ready to unload what he brought for the weekend delivery.
Saving Bonnie: A Dark Mafia Romance (Blood Ties Book 2) Page 9
