Place = San Francisco (Groovzies)
POV – Melaena
Enrique is pouting. Even over the phone, I know he’s pouting. Hard.
“I asked Alejandro to take us. I’m sure he’s just as big and strong and badass as you, if not more.”
My life is not normal. But I’ve heard normal is overrated – whatever normal is.
But sometimes, even just once, I wish for tranquility where everyone in my life is pleasing and agreeable and I have this trouble-free uncomplicated existence where some or other annoying cockhead is not trying to dominate my being.
After the incident with Harry, the guys are set on guarding me 24/7. And it’s enough to drive a patient saint up the walls. And I’m no saint. Also, it’s not good for my sensitive morale.
That’s why Alejandro came to pick us up – a change of scenery so to speak – to take us to Haley. Her oh-so-handsome prodigal son, landed on US turf early this morning and is expected to arrive at her home for breakfast.
“So you’re going to Haley’s again.” It’s more of a statement, not a question. “What’s the deal with that? Is she grooming you to be her daughter-in-law or something?”
Or something. “Hell … like her, Kiara and I just enjoy some female company now and again … alright. Is that a sin?” A whole three days of frustration are cooped inside me. Personal frustration; conflicting frustration; pressure frustration; environmental frustration; sexual frustration – pick one.
“Guess not.” His voice is now much softer than a second before, and I feel sorry for barking at him. But my pity lasts a mere second.
“You do know Damion is back?”
“No.” Oh, the lies I tell. “Didn’t know that. But it doesn’t matter since we’re not going there for breakfast with him.”
“Call me when you’re done and I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’m sure Deimos will not mind dropping us at the dance class.” He sighs deeply. I know they’re just worried about me, but a girl has her limits. And I reached mine about 5 hours after Harry left, so now it’s flooding over. With one last warning, Enrique ends the call.
“So let me guess, your brothers don’t know you’re secretly dating their friend?” Alejandro asks calmly without taking his eyes from the road. He’s in a sorrowful mood too today. I know this only because his eyes lost some of their sparkle.
“Eh, we haven’t been on a date,” I answer truthfully, not knowing when, or where, or even why, I started trusting this man so completely.
“Crush?” he asks not wasting words. Like Axel, he’s not much of a talker.
I guess you could say I have a slight crush on Damion. Always had. Even though I tried to hate him since he plowed his way through every single girl in our school. And all the other schools in California.
Except me. And Kiara.
And then he scaled up to like a billion women all over the world.
“You could say she’s always had a thing for the boy,” Kiara says and I open my mouth to shut her up. But Kiara never does. “But he shattered her heart.” She grins at me.
“And then the fucker cursed her, and it lasted right through high school. Poor kid never got any action.” I slide her a keep-talking-and-die look, but it doesn’t stop her.
“And now she’s going right back to getting her heart stomped all over again,” she continues conversationally.
“I’m not going to let him break anything. It’s different this time.”
“How’s it different?” she asks. I don’t have the foggiest. But I like to believe it is.
There’s a long silence in the car.
“This time she has me,” Alejandro says. Kiara and I both study him as if he’s a bug on a plate, but he just continues to drive. I choke out what can be a soft laugh and decide to change the subject. Anything far away from Damion would be good.
“So how do you know where Damion’s parents live?” I ask after I collect my bearings. I notice his body stiffens and straightens, but there’s not a single emotion on his face backing this up, making me think that I might have imagined it.
“Da … eh … Deim … Dr. Grimm is thinking about adopting a puppy. For Luke.”
“That’s sweet.” My tummy starts to rumble. I’m such a bundle of nerves about seeing Damion, I couldn’t even hold down a cup of coffee this morning. So now I’m down a pint of caffeine and regretting it.
“Didn’t you have breakfast?” Kiara teems. And yes, it would be strange for me to skip a meal. “Hell … ditching food … you must be tense about seeing the man.” She gets the drift. She usually does. She doesn’t always understand my feelings, but she gets them. Mostly.
Alejandro stretches back one arm and rummages in his backpack. Then he tosses me a huge sandwich and says, “Here, I made this.” Jinx immediately lifts his head from his spot on the back seat, sniffing the air. His attentive hazel eyes quickly find the package in my hands.
I remove the wrapper from a big, fat, chicken club sandwich. Score. The puppy smacks his lips, hungrily eyeing the sub, hoping to split fifty-fifty. Seems I’m not the only ravished one in the car. This dog is a food hog like me.
I take a big bite, chewing slowly, and let out a small, contented groan as a zest of flavor explodes over my tastebuds.
“This sandwich is amazingly delicious.”
“Wuf!” Jinx agrees as if knowing this from experience, while he licks his chops. He longingly looks between his man and the food as if asking Alejandro to do something here.
A soft “Yap” reminds me he’s waiting for his share.
Feeling sorry for the little rascal, I break off a big corner, and, sternly trained, he sits up straight. Waiting. Poised and ready.
His eyes are stuck on the bread, studying it like a bug on a slide. His mouth waters, little strings of drool dripping from his flews in anticipation.
He stays super still. Even if his whole body is shaking with suspense.
“Eat,” comes the order from his master. Gently, Jinx takes the bread from my hand … ever so dainty … before he gobbles it up, finishing it in two bites.
“This is utterly divine.” I look into Alejandro’s blank eyes and say, “You should think about opening a restaurant or something.”
His eyes change, suddenly looking sad, although he keeps smiling.
“It’s part of the plan,” he says softly without his usual spunk.