CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Blue—
We’ve just finished the last of the food when there’s a knock at the door.
Luisa looks at me with panic in her eyes.
I kiss her, then lift my chin. “Go wait in the bedroom. I’ll deal with this.”
When she’s gone, I answer the door in just my jeans and no shirt.
A woman stands there. Not much older than Luisa. Something about her makes me think she’s part of the Sanchez family. A relative of some sort.
“Yeah?”
“I need to speak with Luisa.”
“And who are you?”
“I’m her cousin, Alba. I know she’s here.”
“Well, you’re wrong. It’s just me.”
Her eyes shift past me to the dining table behind me. I glance back to see two glasses of beer on the table.
“You know she’s promised to another.”
Her words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut, but I cover it well.
“You got the wrong house, lady.”
“I followed her here. Her car’s in the driveway. I drove past a hundred times, trying to get up the courage to knock on the door and put a stop to this. She and Mateo have a life planned out. She doesn’t belong with you. You need to let her go.”
“And you need to mind your own fucking business. Adios, bitch.” I slam the door in her face.
I watch out the window until she gets in her car and drives away, then I storm to the bedroom and fling open the door.
“Who the fuck is Mateo?”
The color drains from Luisa’s face.
“What? Who was at the door?”
“Some woman named Alba. Said she was your cousin. Came lookin’ for you. I told her you weren’t here, and that’s when she told me you’re promised to another man. You want to tell me what the fuck she’s talking about?”
Luisa’s chin lifts. “It wasn’t supposed to matter. This wasn’t supposed to last past the summer. You told me this was nothing but sex. Multiple times. So I didn’t tell you anything about Mateo.”
“Well, you better tell me now.”
“I’ve been promised to him since I was twelve.”
“Promised? Like in marriage?”
“Yes.”
I spin and drag my hands down my face. “Holy fuck. I can’t believe this.”
“I don’t love him.”
“You told him that?” I whirl on her, angry… no… fucking pissed off. “Cause apparently cousin Alba thinks you’ve got no business being here, that you have a life planned with this… this…Matt asshole.”
“Mateo.”
“I don’t give a fuck what his goddamn name is. How can you stand there like this is no big deal?”
“I love you, Blue. I don’t love Mateo.”
I back her to the wall. She’s still in just my denim shirt, naked beneath it. “I thought we had something. I thought you were different than all the other lying, cheating bitches.”
“I am different. You told me this meant nothing but some fun. Don’t get serious. Don’t expect anything. And it’s not like I’m married yet. I’m not even engaged.”
“But you’re promised, and everyone assumes you’re marrying this guy. Right?”
“Yes. But I don’t love him.”
I cup her face in my hands. “Do you love me, Luisa? Did you mean them when you said those words to me?”
“Yes.”
I rip the snaps on the shirt she wears apart, revealing her body. “Is this mine? Is this body mine?”
“Yes,” she says, her bottom lip quivering.
“You better mean that, Luisa. You better damn well mean that.”
With those words, I lift her up and carry her to the bed. This time the sex is different. It’s angry, and because it is, it’s even hotter than before. We attack each other with our desire.
It’s like I’ve got something to prove to her. Like I need to claim her, to show her who she belongs to. We fuck until the early hours of the morning when I finally fling my body to the mattress and doze off.
When I wake up, she’s gone.